What are the Types of Chalkboards Used in Schools?

To begin with, chalkboards used to be black in colour and hence the name blackboard. This was so because the black surface would provide the perfect contrast to the white chalk.

However, due to functional reasons one now finds the chalkboards to be made up of green ground glass painted from behind and called the ‘green board’. The glass green board, unlike the blackboard, which is wooden, is also found in shades of green, yellow and grey.

A third type of board is the white board which is made of mica or hard plastic. Since the board is white in colour, you would know that the white chalk cannot be used for effective presentation. With such boards one uses ink and marker pens. Writings by these pens can be wiped out and are user friendly as they do not create chalk dust to which some people are allergic.

Apart from the material of which they are made or their colour, chalkboards can also be classified on the basis of their arrangement and mounting in a classroom. Normally, chalkboards are either painted or mounted on the wall.

But they are also mounted on a stand with three/two legs or hung on the wall or can be rolled-up. The roll-up board has two rods on both ends and is made of flexible plastic or rexin. The stand mounting and the roll-up boards are portable.

Chalkboards may have other fittings also. The wall mounted board may have a wooden frame, concealed tube lights on top and fitments to place chalks and duster at the bottom.

Chalks are also available in different colours such as blue, yellow and red even though the white chalk is most extensively used, as it contrasts well with black, green and grey background. Needless to say, all colours are not equally visible for students on all chalkboards and hence one should know the colour that contrasts most and otherwise. So, while using more than one colour, maximum writing is done with the most contrasting colour.