MY TEXTBOOK IS BORING!
What other materials can I use
in my beginning language
classroom?
THE TEXTBOOK• How reliant are you on the textbook?• Do you use it as is or modify it
(sequence, group dynamics, content)?• Why or why not?
There is no perfect book!• Language (artificial, recognition of
variation)• Content (appropriateness and
relevancy• Principals (ACTFL 5 C’s, Bloom’s
taxonomy)• Methodology• Goals and objectives, needs of students
Alternatives:• Adapt (sequence, extracts, dynamics)
• Supplement Authentic materials Teacher developed Student Generated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRiGz8qQig4
Always consider…• Students: age, needs, level• Course: Aims, objectives• Content• Sequence, format, presentation• Group dynamics• Variety (content, skills, activities)• Principles and methods• Evaluation, trial and retrial
AUTHENTIC MATERIALS……Are made for native speakers, not language learners!
Why use authentic materials?
5 C’sVocabulary,
grammar, pragmatics, skills
authentic culture accurate, variety
Prepare for “real world”
Interest, relevancy
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
difficulty level appropriateness time consuming to find
How to use authentic materials:
Selection Adapt the task not the material Scaffolding Variety of group dynamics Variety of tasks and activities
Authentic: RECIPES1. Activate background knowledge
Reading skills, vocabulary
Authentic: RECIPES
-Tomlinson ed 2 p. 48- . Simon Pryor:
2. stimulate linguistic knowledge & introduce key vocabulary
Authentic: RECIPES
-Tomlinson ed 2 p. 48- . Simon Pryor:
3. pre-reading, reading, post-reading tasks
order of stepscategorize ingredientswrite your own
TEACHER-DEVELOPED MATERIALS
Why create materials?
• Tailored to specific context and students • Experience: knowledge, principals, beliefs • engaging, increased motivation, interest
• professional growth, collaboration
Advantages
Potential Disadvantages
Easy to overestimate “engaging” qualities Difficult to create, time consuming Teachers may not be suited to material development
Institutional, environmental, program factors
• Purpose: goals, objectives• Student factors: age, level, interests • Content, sequence, format, presentation• Institutional factors• Principles, standards, methods• Variety!
Important considerations
• Evaluate• Trial and re-trial
Example: Mejores amigosGrammar (stem-changing verbs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nzoIH4FkWs
Example 3: Jigsaw paragraph
• focus on structure: stem-changing verbs
STUDENT-GENERATED MATERIALSstudent= teacher
Why use student generated materials?
For creators: Creative and critical thinking Ownership Motivation
Advantages
For students using materials: Inspiration More interesting,
motivating Variety
• Can be less structured, more frustrating!• Errors (language, factual), sound quality
Potential Disadvantages
• Clear instructions and expectations• Examples or models • Scaffolding • Ample time
Important considerations
Example: clothing and descriptionsVocabulary, writing, grammar, communication
Vocabulary, writing, communication
Menus
Student generated videos, lessons
Audiovisual materials, presentations
• Blogs and wikis• recipe collections• clothing catalog• short stories
Class anthologies
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Students• Course• Content, Sequence,
format, presentation
• Group dynamics• Variety • Principles,
methods• Evaluation
Adapt (sequence, extracts, dynamics)Supplement
References Apple, M, & Kikuchi, K. (2007). Practical PowerPoint group projects for the EFL classroom. The JALT CALL Journal Vol 3, No. 3, pp 110-122
Del Rey Cabrero, E. (2013). El cómico como material en el aula de E/LE: justificación de su uso y recomendaciones para una correcta explotación. RESLA, 26, pp. 177-195
Engin, M. (2014). Extending the flipped classroom model: developing second language writing skills through student-created digital videos. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 14, 5. December 2014, pp. 12-26.
Gillespie, C. (1991). Questions about Student-Generated Questions. Journal of Reading Vol 34, 4. Pp. 250-257. Wiley.
Harwood, N. (2010). English language teaching materials: Theory and practice. New York: Cambridge University Press
Lazda-Cazers, R. (2016). A Course Wiki: Challenges in Facilitating and Assessing Student-Generated Learning Content for the Humanities Classroom. The Journal of General Education. Vol 59, no. 4. Pp. 193-222. Penn State University Press.
McGrath, I. (2002). Materials evaluation and design for language teaching. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
References McLoughlin, C., Lee, M. J. W., Chan, A. (2006). Using student generated podcasts to foster reflection and metacognition. Australian Education Computing Vol 21 No 2. December 2006
Moreno García, C. (2011). Materiales, estrategias y recursos para la enseñanza del español como 2/L. Cap. 9. La necesidad de crear materiales (pp. 189-236). España: Arco/Libros.
Polio, C. (2014). Using authentic materials in the beginning language classroom. Clear News 18(1).
Tomlinson, B. (2003). Developing materials for language teaching. London: Continuum.
Tomlinson, B (2012). Materials development for language learning and teaching. Language Teaching, 45(2), 143-179 Yurco, J. (2014). Student-Generated Cases Giving Students More Ownership in the Learning Process. Journal of College Science Teaching, 43(3). http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-37426533http://puslit.petra.ac.id/journals/letters/ https://youtu.be/wANu4fwYMro