A pointer in a foreign language class
One of the things language learners find difficult is to assemble the elements of a language (sounds, words, prefixes and suffixes, sentences) in the correct order. In conjunction with the Silent Way - Word Charts, the teacher can direct the students' attention to the order of sounds and words in several ways. With beginners or with new words or structures, the teacher may silently point to the whole sequence and then invite the students to orally produce the words or sentences. With more advanced students, the teacher will only point to the troublesome items.
Very frequently the teacher will invite a student to point to the sounds of a word or the words of a sentence they are trying to produce. Controlling the physical movements of the pointer enables the student to explore the problem at their own pace. It means too that their actions are visible to the whole class who can therefore share in the exploration. This visibility also gives valuable feedback to the teacher as to where exactly the student's misconceptions lie and allows them to devise new exercises and challenges directly related to the student's needs.
There are many other uses of the pointer in a language class, particularly in demonstrating the rhythm, speed and intonation of the language.
Below, Donald Cherry is getting students to work on the contrast between "sh" and "s" using a pointer and a modified sound/color rectangle chart.
Here he's using the pointer and word charts to help a student change her sentence about the glasses he's holding in his hand from "Put it on" to "Put them on".
Notice how the student says "Ah!" when she realizes that a plural is necessary because Don indicates the two lenses. Only afterwards does he point to the correct words on the charts.