English Language Learning Materials a Critical Review Pdf Free
The goal of language programs is to utilize language for effective communication. Due to the needs, interests, and motivations of language learners, they may show individual differences in their language learning. Materials used in language programs tin can be instructional, experiential, elucidative, or exploratory in that they can inform learners most the linguistic communication, provide feel of the language in use, and assistance learners to make discoveries nigh the language for themselves. Material development is both a subject and a practical undertaking. At the theoretical level, the principles of the design, implementation, and evaluation of ELT materials will exist emphasized. At the practical level, the production, evaluation, and adaptation of ELT materials, by teachers or cloth writer s would exist taken in to business relationship. The present study investigated the goals of language teaching programs in some countries, and discussed the contextual factors affecting the processes of ELT textile development explicitly. The discussion of the 3 phases of ELT fabric evolution; namely, the organization and analysis, evaluation, and adaptation of materials has been thoroughly elaborated throughout the present study. The ELT profession nowadays has a range of different types of syllabus bachelor from which a choice should exist fabricated for a specific situation. Having analyzed the material available, the ELT material developers should evaluate them both externally and internally to select the about appropriate materials. Finally, materials should be adapted to unlike learners in dissimilar settings following some accommodation principles. To this end, a framework for adaptation has been introduced at the end.
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Periodical of
Language and Translation
Volume ii, Number two, (pp.1-12), 2011
English Linguistic communication Teaching Material Evolution
Jahanbakhsh Nikoopour1*, Mohammad Amini Farsaniii
ane Kinesthesia of Persian Literature and Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch,
Tehran, Islamic republic of iran
2 Faculty of Persian Literature and Strange Languages, Islamic Azad Academy, North Tehran Branch,
Tehran, Islamic republic of iran
Received: 11 May, 2011 Accepted: v July, 2011
Abstract
The goal of language programs is to utilize language for effective communication. Due to the needs,
interests, and motivations of language fiftyearners, they may showestward individual differences in their lan-
guage learnin1000. Materials used in language programs can beast instructional, experiential, elucidative,
or exploratory in that they can inforyard learners about theastward language, provide experience of the lanorth-
guage in utilise, and help learners to make discoveries near the language for themselves. Material de-
velopment is both a field of study and a practical undertaking. At the theoretical level, the principles
of the design, implementation, and evaluation of ELT materials will be emphasized. At thursdaye practical
level, the production, evaluation, and adaptation of ELT materials, by teachers or material writer due south
would be taken in to account. The present study investigated the yardoals of language teaching programs
in some countries, and discussed the contextual factors affecting the processes of ELT material de-
velopment explicitly. The discussion of the three phases of ELT material development; namely, the
organization and analysis, evaluation, and adaptation of materials has been thoroughly elaborated
throughout the present study. The ELT profession nowadays has a range of different types of sylla-
omnibus available from which a choice should be made for a specific situation. Having analyzed the mate-
rial available, the ELT material developers should evaluate them both externally and internally to
select the well-nigh appropriate materials. Finally, materials should be conformed to different learners in dif-
ferent settings following some adaptation principles. To this end, a framework for adaptationorth has
been introduced at the end.
Keywords: ELT materials, ELT textile evolution, Linguistic communication programs
INTRODUCTION
"Materials" 'include annihilation which tin can exist used
to facilitate the learning of a linguistic communication. They can
be linguistic, visual, auditory or kinesthetic, and
they can be presented in impress, through live per-
formance or display, or on cassette, CD-ROM,
DVD or the Internet'(Tomlinson,2001:66). They
tin exist instructional, experiential, elucidative, or
*Corresponding Author's Email:
Jahan.nikupur@gmail.com
ii English Language Teaching Material Evolution
exploratory, in that they can inform learners
about the language , they tin provide feel
of the language in utilise, they tin stimulate lan-
guage utilize or they can help learners to make dis-
coveries about the linguistic communication for themselves.
Material evolution is both a field of study
and a practical undertaking. Equally a field it studies
the principles and procedures of the design, im-
plementation and evaluation of language teaching
materials. As a practical undertaking information technology involves
the production, evaluation and adaptation of lan-
guage teaching materials, by teachers for their
own classrooms and by materials writers for auction
or distribution. Ideally these ii aspects of mate-
rials developments are interactive in that the the-
oretical studies inform and are informed past the
development and use of classroom chiliadaterials.
Goals of Linguistic communication Programs
The overall goals of a language teaching programme
usually derive from an assay of the reasons
why a group of learners in a particular environ-
ment needs to acquire English language. These goals may exist
stated in general, educational, or very specific
terms. On the one hand, they may be ready out in
the large-scale categories of a national language
policy with many associated implications for the
development of the curriculum. The aim of Eng-
lish Language Education in Malaysia, for in-
stance, is 'to create a society that is able to utilize
the language for effective advice every bit the
need arises, and as a primal to wider experiences.
For those furthering their studies, the skills
learned should become an instrument with which
they may cope with the necessities of using the
language'(Kementerian,1979). Alternatively, a
course may be organized to address a particular
learning need for ,say, the identifiable profes-
sional purposes of a small-scale group. Sandler and
Stott (1981), for case, merits that the aims of
their class in English for Management are to
see the needs of ' practicing managers in indus-
attempt and commerce who, for a diversity of reasons,
demand to better their performance in English.
Secondly, for business studies students and homo-
agement trainees who are studying for an exami-
nation in English language or who are expected … to attain
a level of proficiency in English language.'
There isouth , thedue north, a whole spectrum of possibil-
ities for defining the goals of language teaching,
for a land, an age group, a whole school, a
form, or an individual, and whether for general
educational purposes, concern, scientific deve50-
opment, cultural appreciation or many other rea-
sons.
Contextual Factors
Whether goals are stated in terms of a national
language policy, or in the more restricted envi-
ronment of a particular school or college, the pos-
sibilities for actually implementing them will bdue east
directly related both to the learners themselves –
their needs, characteristics and and then on- and to the
whole educational setting in which the teaching is
to take identify. The statement of goals, and so, related
to the learners and conditioned by the settinthousand, leads
to the selection of an appropriate type of syllabus
content and specification. The wide syllabus out-
line will in turn have direct implications for the
more detailed design and selection of materials and
tests, the planning of individual lessons, and the
human beingagement of the classroom information technologyself.
We tin can list here the cardinal characteristics of the
"learner", indicating how they might touch on plan-
ning. Some of these are characteristics of whole
groups or subgroups of learners, others are indi-
vidual and less open to generalization. Post-obit
Stern(1983), they must be seen as interrelated.
-historic period: this volition particularly affect topics chosen
and types of learning activity,
such as the suitability of games or role-play.
-interest : equally with age, this may help in the
specification of topics and learning activities.
-level of proficiency in English: teachers will
wish to know this even where their classes are
based on a 'mixed proficiency' principle rather
than streamed according to level.
Journal of language and translation, Vol. 2 , No.2 , 2011 3
-aptitude : this can most advisedly be thought
of as a specific talent, in this case for languageastward
learning, as something that learners might show
themselves to be 'good at', perhaps in contrast to
other subjects in a school curriculum.
-female parent tongue: this may affect, for example,
the treatment of errors or the selection of syl-
labus items-areas of grammer or vocabulary
so on.
-academic and educational level: which help
to determine intellectual content, breadth of
topic selection, or depth to which fabric may
exist studied.
-attitudes to learning, This is directly relat-
ed to teachers, to the institution, to the target
language itself and to its speakers.
-motivation, at least insofar as it can be antic-
ipated. Apparently a whole range of factors
will touch this.
-reasons for learning, if it is possible to country
them. With schoolhouse age pupils this may exist
less meaning than with many adult acquire-
ers, where it is often possible to deport out
quite a detailed assay of needs.
-Preferred learning styles: which will help in
the evaluation of the suitability of different
methods, for instance whether trouble-
solving activities could be used, or whether
pupils are more used to 'rote learning', where
material is learned by heart.
-personality : which can touch methodological
choices such every bit a willing for the acceptance of
part play and an interactive classroom envi-
ronment, or a preference for studying alone,
for case.
For most EFL/EastSL teachers, the following fac-
tors, in southome combination and with varying degrees
of significance, will influence course planning, syl-
labus desigdue north, the selection of materials and re-
sources, and the appropriateness of grandethods:
-the role of English in the land: whether it
is a regular means of communication or pri-
marily a subject taught in the school curricu-
lum, where ,in turn, it may or may not be the
offset foreign language. This relates to the lin-
guistic surroundings, and to whether English is
spoken in the customs exterior class or al-
ternatively never heard.
-the role of English in the school ,and its
place in the curriculum.
-the teachers: their status, both at national and
institutional levels, their training, mother
natural language, attitudes to their job, experience, ex-
pectations.
-management and administration: who is re-
sponsible for what fiftyevel of conclusion, particu-
larly which are the control points for employ-
ment of staff, budgets, resource allotment and
so on. Likewise, the position of teachers in the
overall system needs to be understood.
-resources available: books and paper, au-
dio-visual materials(hardware and software
for cassette and video), laboratories, comput-
ers, and then on. Design and choice of teaching
materials will be detailly affected by re-
source availability, equally will the capacity to
teach effectively across a range of language
skills.
-back up personnel: administrators, secretar-
ies and technicians, and their specific roles in
relation to the pedagogy staff.
-the number of pupils to be taught and the
size of classes. Overall numbers may affect
the total number of teaching hours available,
and the large class problem is a very familiar
i in many settings worldwide.
four English language Teaching Material Evolution
-fourth dimension available for the program, both over a
working twelvemonth(longitudinally), and in any one
week or term (intensive or extensive). Many
teachers would also consider that time of day
is a significant factor.
-physical environment: the nature of the
edifice, dissonance factors, flexibility of tables and
chairs, size of room in relation to size of class,
estrus and cold, and and so on.
-the socio-cultural environment : this tin often
determine the suitability of both materialsouth and
methods. For example, some textbooks contain
topics which are inappropriate to theastward prepareting, and
some classroom methods require an unaccepta-
ble set of teacher and learner roles.
-the types of tests used, and ways in which
students are evaluated: cess procedures
may , for example, be formal or informal and
subjective. They may also be external, in the
form of a public or national examination, or
internal to the establishment and the form.
-procedures(if whatever) for monitoring and eval-
uating the linguistic communication teaching program itself.
This kind of evaluation may be imposed by
'senior management', or alternatively agreed
between teachers as colleagues.
Malamah-Thomas(1987:97) describesouth set-
ting in terms of three levels in an pedagogy
organization-the country, the school, and the class-
room. She so divides the various factors in-
to(a)physical (b) temporal (c) psycho-social
and(d) educational, showing how the iii
unlike levels may be affected by each of
these. Thus, for instance, psycho-social fac-
tors are related at national level to civilization,
politics and faith; at institutional level to
school atmosphere and staff attitudes; and in
the classroom to student-teacher rapport.
I. System and Coverage of the Sylla-
bus
We can now assume that the goals of an Eng-
lish linguistic communication plan have been set out and
that the contextual factors affecting its imple-
mentation accept been established and under-
stood. The next step in the task of planning is
to select a type of syllabus which is relevant to
the learners for whom information technology is intended, appropri-
ate to the situation, and which fulfils the aims
as closely as possible.
The 'syllabus' can be seen for our purposes equally
the overall organizing principle for what is to be
taught and learned. Richards and Rodgers(1986)
take proposed a useful framework for the compar-
ison of language teaching methods which illus-
trates the place of the syllabus in program program-
ning. Their model has three distinct levels, which
they term approach, design, and procedure, and is
intended to show the relationship betwixt the the-
ory and exercise of language pedagogy as an 'inter-
dependent system'. Briefly, 'approach' is the most
general level, and refers to the views and conventionalitiessouth-
or theories- of language and language learning on
which planning is based. The next level, 'design' is
where thursdayeast principles of thdue east offset level are converted
into the more practical aspects of syllabuses and
instructional materials. It is here that decisions are
taken about the arrangement of content to be
taught and learnt, the option of topics, language
items to be included in the program, and so on.
Finally, 'procedure' refers to techniques and the
management of the classroom itself.
The ELT profession nowadays has available a
range of dissimilar types of syllabus from which a
pick will be made for a specific situation. Alt-
hough our educational activity contexts are diverse, our
courses will exist based on one, or a combination
of, these principles of organisation. Therefore,
one of the simplest ways of surveying the types
of syllabus bachelor is to examine the content
pages of published English language linguistic communication teaching
textbooks, considering they reveal the underlying
principles and assumptions on which the writers
have based their cloth. At the same time, they
tell us something both most the arroyo and the
Journal of linguistic communication and translation, Vol. ii , No.2 , 2011 5
design adopted, thus bringing together principle
and do in a directly appreciable way.
We can now identify v broad types of syl-
labus: 1.Grammatical or structural, 2. Functional-
notional,3. Situational, 4. Skills-based, 5. Topic-
based. The first of these obviously is organized
according to a ready of grammatical structures, and
is one that will easily recognized by most English
language teachers. The second is based on the
communicative and interpersonal uses to which
language is put and, in contrast to the formal
structural arrangement of the offset type, highlights what
people do through linguistic communication. It is usually re-
ferred to equally a 'functional' syllabus . This design
principle is often establish together with the other
list of items in the same box: they are technically
called 'notions', a terone thousand used to describe the rather
general and abstruse categories which a language
is able to express, such as concepts of time and
identify. The tertiary type presents a set of everyday
situations or settings. The 4th focuses on lan-
guage skills, and is concerned with what learners
do as speakers, listeners, readers, writers. The
fifth uses topics or themes every bit its starting points.
Our professional activities equally language teachers
are northwardot carried out in a vacuum and , in Rich-
ards'(1985:11) words, 'Planning a successful lan-
guage plan involves consideration of factors
that go well across one thousandere content and presenta-
tion of teaching materials'. Although we work in
specific situations with specific groups of acquire-
ers, co-ordinate to a specified set of aims, our work
can be described along a number of shared and
generalizable dimensions. These dimensions are
:the characteristics of learners; the range of fac-
tors in the teaching state of affairs itself; and the sylla-
bus types bachelor to us as a profession. The dif-
ferences lie in the relative importance of these
factors, and the bodily choices that are 1000ade.
Several of these approaches come together in
the "multi-syllabus framework". Swan justifies
this approach in the post-obit terms: 'When de-
ciding what to teach to a detail group of
learners, nosotros need to have into consideration sev-
eral different meaning categories and several dif-
ferent formal categories. We must make sure that
our students are taught to operate fundamental func-
tions….to talk virtually basic notions…….to com-
municate appropriately in specific situations
…..to hash out the topics which correspond to
their master interests and needs….At the same
fourth dimension, nosotros shall need to describe up a list of phonolog-
ical problems ….of high priority structures, and
of the vocabulary which our students will demand to
learn. In addition, nosotros will need a syllabus of
skills….' (1985:79).
II. Evaluating ELT Materials
The ability to evaluate teaching materials effec-
tively is a very important professional person action for
all EFL teachers. Cunningsworth(1984) suggests
that there are very few teachers who do not use
published course materials at some stage in their
teaching career. Many language teachers notice that
it is something that they practise very regularly in their
professional person lives. We may brand a distinction
between teaching situations where 'open-marketplace'
materials are chosen on the i hand, and where
a Ministry building of Educational activity produces materials
which are subsequently passed on to the teachers
for classroom use on the other.
The nature of the evaluation procedure in each
of these scenarios will probably differ as well. In
the outset type of situation, teachers may havdue east quite
a large amount of pick in the materials they
select. However, there are many situations where
teachers in fact go a very limited selection or per-
haps no choice at all, and this 2d scenario
may well obtain for teachers who are 'handed'
materials past a Ministry or a Manager and have to
cope as best they can within this framework. For
the vast bulk of teachers working in the start
situation , having a skillful deal of choice in the
selection of appropriate materials, writing their
own materials can be very time consuming and
not necessarily cost-effective; hence there is a
need to be able to discriminate effectively be-
tween all the grade books on the market.
Another fairly typical factor to consider is that
teachers/grade organizers are often under con-
siderable professional and financial force per unit area to
select a course book for an ELT program which
6 English language Language Teaching Material Development
will then become the textbook maybe for years
to come. Added to this pressure is the fact that
in humany contexts materials are often seen every bit
being the core of a particular programme and are
often the most visible representation of what
happens in the classroom. Even though some
practitioners may take issue with O'Northeill'south
comment that 'no other medium is as easy to
utilise as a book',(1982:107), the reality for many
is that the book may be the only choice open to
them. For some teachers the selection of a good
textbook can be valuable. No textbook or set up
materials is likely to be perfect and even
grandgh ' it is clear that course volume assessment
is fundamentally a subjective, rule-of-thursdayumb
activity, and no neat formula , grid or system
will ever provide a definite yardstick' (Shel-
don,1988:245).
Information technology is employful for us as teachers to perforone thousand anorth
external evaluation of materialsouthward first of all in
order to gain an overview of the organization-
al principles involved. Subsequently this nosotros move on
to a detailed internal evaluationorth of the materi-
als to run into how far the materialsouthward in question
match up to what the author claims as westwardell as
to the aims and objectives of a given teaching
program.
The External Evaluation
An external evaluation offers a brief overview of
the materials from the outside (encompass, introduc-
tion, table of contents), which is then followed past
a closer and more detailed internal evaluation.
Outset, we try to provide a comprehensive, external
overview of how the materials have been orga-
nized. Our aim is basically that of examining the
organisation of the materials as stated explicitly
by the author/ publisher by looking at: the 'blurb',
or the claims made on the cover of the teach-
ers/students book, and the introduction and table
of contents. We need to know who the materials
are targeted at (the intended audience), what level
they are (the proficiency level), the context in
which the materials are to be used, and how the
language has been presented and organized into
teachable units/lessons. In that location are besides many
other factors which are to be taken into business relationship
at this external stage as follows:
-Are the materials to exist used as the main 'cadre'
course or to be supplementary to it?
- Is a instructor's book in print and locally avail-
able?
-Is a vocabulary list/alphabetize included?
-What visual material does the volume con-
tain(photographs, charts, diagrams)
and is information technology there for cosmetic value only or is it
actually integrated into the text?
-Is the layout and presentation articulate or clut-
tered?
-Is the material also culturally biased or specif-
ic?
-Practice the materials represent minority groups
and/or women in a negative way? Do they
present a ' counterbalanced' picture show of a detail
country/gild?
Information technology is possible that the content of some materi-
als will cause offence to some fiftyearners. The in-
vestigation by Littlejohn and Windeatt(1988)
into teaching materials shows how textbooks
may be biased in subtle, and in some cases not
and so subtle, ways in their representation of course,
ethnic groundwork and reference to smoking and
drinking.
-The inclusion of audio/video material and
resultant cost. Is it essential to possess this
extra material in order to apply the textbook
successfully?
-The inclusion of tests in the teaching materi-
als (diagnostic, progress, achievement);
would they be useful for your particular
learners?
During this external evaluation stage , we have
testined the claims gade for the materials by the
author/publisher with respect to : the intended au-
dience, the proficiency levefifty, the context and
presentation of language items, whether the mate-
rials are to exist core or supplementary, the part and
availability of a teacher's book, the inclusion of a
vocabulary list/index, the table of contents, the use
of visuals and presentation, the cultural specificity
Journal of language and translation, Vol. ii , No.2 , 2011 7
of the materials, the provision of audio/video mate-
rial and inclusion of tests.
After completing this external evaluation, we
can go far at a decision as to the materials' ap-
propriacy for selection purposes. If our evalua-
tion shows the materials to beast potentially appro-
priate and worthy of a more detailed inspection
so nosotros tin go along with our internal or more
detailed evaluation. If non, so nosotros tin go out at
this stage and start to evaluate other materials if
we wish and then.
Macro-evaluation----------
inappropriate/potentially advisable-------------
(external)
micro-evaluation----------
inappropriate/advisable----------adopt/select
(internal)
The Internal Evaluation
We now proceed to the next stage of our evalua-
tion procedure by performing an in-depth inves-
tigation into the materials. The essential issue at
this phase is for us to clarify the extent to which
the factors in the external evaluation phase actual-
ly match upwardly with the internal consistency and
organization of the materials equally stated past the au-
thor/publisher. Inorthward order to perform an constructive
internal inspection of materials, nosotros need to ex-
amine at least two units or more of a book or ready
of materials to investigate the following factors:
-The presentation of the skills in the materials
-The grading and sequencing of the materials
-Where reading/discourse skills are involved,
is there much in the way of appropriate text
beyond the sentence?
-Where listening skills are involved, are re-
cordings 'authentic' or bogus?
-Practise speaking one thousandaterials incorporate what we
know well-nigh the nature of existent interaction or
are artificial dialogues offered instead?
-The relationship of tests and exercises to (a)
learner needs and (b) what is taught by the
course material.
-Do you experience that the material is suitable for
unlike learning styles; is a claim and provi-
sion fabricated for self-study and idue south such a claim
justified?
Are the materials sufficiently 'transparent' to
motivate both students and teachers alike, or
would you lot foresee a student/instructor grandismatch?
In the internal evaluation stage we have to
consider that as evaluators we need to examine
the following criteria: the treatment and presenta-
tion of the skills, the sequencing and grading of
the materials, the type of reading, listening,
speaking and writing materials contained in the
materials, appropriacy of tests and exercises, self-
report provision and teacher-learner 'residue' in
use of the materials.
The Overall Evaluation
At this stage ,we hope that we may at present brand an
overall assessment as to the suitability of the ma-
terials by considering the post-obit parameters:
1.The usability gene. How far the materials
could be integrated into a detail syllabus
as 'core' or supplementary. For example, we
may need to select materials which suit a par-
ticular syllabus or set of objectives that we
accept to work to. The materials may or may
not exist able to do this.
2.The generalizability factor. Is there a re-
stricted use of 'core' features which make the
materials more mostly useful? It may exist
that not all the material volition be useful for a
given individual or group but some parts
might exist.
3. The adaptability factor. Can parts be add-
ed/extracted/used in another context or modi-
fied for local circumstances? There thousanday be
some very expert qualities in the materials just,
for example, nosotros may judge the listening ma-
terial or the reading passages to be unsuitable
and in need of modification. If we think that
adaptation is viable we may choose to do
this.
eight English language Language Teaching Material Development
4.The flexibility factor. How rigid is the se-
quencing and grading; tin can the materials be en-
tered at unlike points/used in different
ways? In some cases materials which are not
and then steeply graded offering a measure out of flexibility
which permits them to be integrated easily in-
to various types of syllabus.
Thus, when all the criteria have been analyzed
nosotros can then reach our ain conclusions regarding
the suitability of the materials for specified
groups or individuals. But, once materials take
been appropriate for use on a particular class
we must proceed in mind that their ultimate success
or failure can only be determined after trying
them in the classroom with real learners.
III. Adapting ELT Materials
In that location are some factors which should be consid-
ered in the process of adapting teaching materials
within particular classroom environments where
there is a perceived need for change and manipu-
lation of certain design features. There is conspicuously
a direct relationship betwixt evaluating and
adapting materials, both in termdue south of thursdayeast reasons
for doing so, and the criteria used. A starting
bespeak for considering the relationship between
evaluation and adaptation is to think of the terms
'adopting' and 'adapting'. Nosotros know that a deci-
sion about whether a certain form book should
be used in a specific teaching situation tin can be
taken on the basis of a number of evaluative cri-
teria. These criteria, formulated as a set of ques-
tions to ask nigh the materials, provide answers
that volition lead to acceptance or maybe rejection.
Nonetheless, a decision in favor of adoption is an
initial step, and is unlikely to hateful that no fur-
ther activity needs to be taken beyond that of pre-
senting the material directly to the learners. It is
more than realistic to assume that, nonetheless conscientious the
pattern of the materials and the evaluation pro-
cess, some changes volition accept to be made at some
level in most education contexts. Adaptation, then
, is a process subsequent to, and dependent on,
adoption. Furthermore, whereas adoption is con-
cerned with whole course books, adaptation con-
cerns the parts that make upwardly the whole.
An of import perspective on evaluation is to
see it equally a management issue whereby education-
al decision-makers codify policy and work out
strategies for budgeting and for purchasing and
allocation of resources. In this sense, teachers exercise
not e'er have straight involvement. So, activity
among teachers is that of adaptation since they
are changing and adjusting the various parts of a
form book and they are more than closely related to
the reality of dealing with learners in the dynamic
environment of the classroom.
External factors comprise both the overt
claims near materials and the characteristics of
particular education situations. Internal factors are
concerned with content, organization and con-
sistency. Thus :
External(what we have) Internal (what the materials offering)
Learner characteristics Choice of topics
Concrete environment Skills covered
Resources Proficiency level
Form size Grading of exercises
To adapt materials is to try to bring together
these private elements under each heading, or
combinations of them, so that they friction match each
other equally closely as possible. Madsen and Bowen
(1978) refer to this matching every bit the principle of
'congruence': Constructive adaptation is a matter of
achieving "congruence"….The proficient teacher is….
constantly striving for congruence amidst several
related variables: teaching materials, methodolo-
gy, students, course objectives, the target lan-
guage, and its context, and the teacher'due south own per-
sonality and teaching style. With an emphasis on
Journal of linguistic communication and translation, Vol. 2 , No.2 , 2011 9
materials, Stevick (1972) talks of bridging a gap:
'the instructor must satisfy the demands of the text-
book, but in means that will exist satisfying to those
who learn from information technology'. It is worth mentioning that
adjusted textile does not necessarily need to exist
written down or made permanent. While satisfy-
ing students 'brusque-term needs, teachers may demand
to introduce extra material. Madsen and Bowen
(1978) make the point clearly:' the good teacher is
constantly adapting. He advertapts when he adds an
example non found in the book or he adapts even
whenorth he refers to an practice covered earlier, or
when he introduces a supplementary picture. Thursdayere-
fore, advertizementaptation is essentially a process of matching.
Its purpose is to maximize the appropriacy of teach-
ing materials in context, by changing some of the
internal characteristics of a course volume to better
suit our particular circumstances.
The Reasons for Adapting
There are many reasons for making modifications
to our materials; these reasons depend on the
whole range of variables operating in our own
teaching situation, and one teacher's priorities
may differ from those of another. Some think that
materials should aim to be 'communicative' and
'authentic'. Withal, these priorities are relative,
and there isouthward no absolute notion of correct or wrong,
also, priorities change over time fifty-fifty withinorth the
same context. Nor does a need to adapt necessari-
ly imply that a course volume is defective.
It will exist useful to state a list to show some of
the possible areas of mismatch(no congru-
ence) that teachers identify and that can be
dealt with by adapting.
-Non enough grammer coverage in full general
-Not enough practice of grammar points of
item difficulty to these learners
-The communicative focus ways that gram-
mar is presented unsystematically
-Reading passages incorporate as well much unknown
vocabulary
-Comprehension questions are too easy, be-
cause the answers can be lifted directly from
the text with no real understanding
-Listening passages are inauthentic, considering
they sound likewise much like written textile be-
ing read aloud
-Not enough guidance on pronunciation
-Subject-matter inappropriate for learners of
this age and intelligence level
-Photographs and other illustrative materials
non culturally acceptable
-Amount of material too great/too little to
cover in the time allocated to lessons
-No guidance for teachers on handling grouping
piece of work and role play activities with a large class
-Dialogs too formal, and not really representa-
tive of everyday spoken communication
-Audio material difficult to apply because of
issues to do with room size and technical
equipment
-Likewise much or too little multifariousness in the activities
-Vocabulary list and a key to the exercises
would be helpful
-Accompanying tests needed
Undoubtedly much more could be added to
this list, merely it must serve as an analogy of
some of the possibilities. All aspects of the lan-
guage classroom can be covered: these examples
to a higher place include: (a) aspects of linguistic communication apply ,(b)
skills, (c) classroom organization and (d) sup-
plementary fabric.
Principles and Procedures
The reasons for adapting that we have discussed
10 English Language Teaching Cloth Development
tin can exist idea of as dealing with the modifica-
tion of content, whether that content is expressed
in the form of exercises and activities; texts; in-
structions; tests and so on. We should consider
the requirements of a particular teaching envi-
ronment which need a number of changes that
will lead to greater appropriacy. This is most
likely to be expressed in terms of a demand to per-
sonalize, individualize, or localize the content.
We take ' personalizing' here to refer to increas-
ing the relevance of content inorthward relation to acquire-
ers' interests and their bookish, educational, or
professional needs. 'Individualizing' volition address
the learning styles both of individuals and of the
members of a grade working closely together.
"Localizing" takes into business relationship the international
geography of English language teaching and recog-
nizes that what may work well in Mexico City may
not do so in Edinburgh or in Kuala Lumpur. Mad-
sen and Bowen(1978) include a further category of
'modernizing', and comment that not all materials
show familiarity with aspects of current English
usage, sometimes to the point of being not just out
of date or thouispbing but even incorrect.
Regarding the master techniques that can be
applied to content in order to bring about change,
there are some points to keep in mind. Firstly,
this tin be seen every bit some other kind of matching pro-
cessouthward where techniques are selected according to
the aspect of the materials that demand amending.
Secondly , content can be adapted using a range
of techniques; or conversely, a single technique
tin can be applied to different content areas. Thirdly,
adaptation can accept both quantitative and qualita-
tive effects. That is, we can merely modify the
amount of material, or we tin can modify its meth-
odological nature. Finally, techniques can exist
used individually or in combination with others,
and then the scale of possibilities clearly ranges from
straightforward to rather circuitous. The tech-
niques we apply are as follows:
Calculation, including expanding and extending
Deleting, including subtracting and abridging
Modifying, including re-writing and re-
structuring
Simplifying
Re-ordering
ane. Adding: Information technology can be in 2 forms; namely,
extending whereby nosotros tin can add together in a simple
quantitative way, and expanding, which
brings about a qualitative as well equally a quanti-
tative change.
2. Deleting or omitting: This is the same as
addition, but it does not have a significant
impact on the overall methodology. The
changes are greater if cloth is not only
subtracted , merely also what nosotros shall term
abridged.
Add-on and deletion often piece of work together.
Cloth may exist taken out and then replaced with
something else. Where the same kind of fabric
is substituted, as for instance one set of minimal
pairs for another, the internal balance of the les-
son or the syllabus is non necessarily altered. The
methodological alter is greater when, for ex-
ample, grammar do is substituted afterward the
omission of an inappropriate communicative
function, or when a reading text is replaced by a
listening passage.
3. Modifying: Information technology can be applied to whatsoever aspect
of 'content'. It tin can exist subdivided under two re-
lated headings: re-writing, when some of the
linguistic content needs modification; and re-
structuring, which applies to classroom man-
agement. Modifying materials, and so, even in
the restricted sense is a technique that has a
very wide range of applications. It refers es-
sentially to a 'modality change', to a modify in
the nature or focus of an exercise, or text, or
classroom activity.
4. Simplifying: Many elements of a language
grade can exist simplified, including the in-
structions and explanations that accompany
exercises and activities, and even the visual
layout of material so that it becomes easier to
run into how different parts fit together. The principal
application of this technique has been to texts,
most often to reading passages. For instance,
Journal of linguistic communication and translation, Vol. two , No.2 , 2011 eleven
we can simplify according to: sentence struc-
ture, lexical content and grammatical struc-
tures.
5. Re-ordering: It refers to the possibility of
putting the parts of a course book in a differ-
ent society. This may chiliadean adjusting the se-
quence of presentation within a unit, or taking
units in a different sequence from that origi-
nally intended. There are limits, of course, to
the scale of what teachers can do, and too
many changes could upshot, unhelpfully, in an
almost consummate re-working of a form volume.
A Framework for Accommodation
Adapting materials is trying to consider individu-
al items or combination of them in such a way
that they could match each other as much as pos-
sible. This math or congruence should be amid
several related criteria namely external and inter-
nal, such as instruction materials, methodology,
student featuredue south, grade objectives, teacher
variables, target language, and its context. There
is a need to localize, personalize, and private-
ize the material to bridge a gap (Stevick, 1972).
The teacher must satisfy the demands of the text-
book as to satisfy the needs of the students by
means of dissimilar techniques such every bit adding,
modifying, reordering, simplifying, and deleting.
The purpose of applying these techniques to con-
tent areas such as language apply, texts, skills, and
classroom management is to maximize the ap-
propriacy of teaching materials in context. The
following is a workable model into which the
principal points of accommodation can exist fitted:
12 English Educational activity Material Evolution
Conclusion
In the first part of this paper the organisation of
syllabus and the contextual factors were investi-
gated. In the 2nd part, we suggested that mate-
rials evaluation can be carried out in two com-
plementary stages ;namely, external and internal.
We also suggested that materials evaluation is
ane part of a complex process and that materials
once selected tin merely exist judged successful afterwards
classroom implementation and feedback. In the
third part of this paper, adapting ELT materials
was discussed. Accommodation is a very practical ac-
tivity which is carried out mainly past teachers in
guild to thousandake their work more relevant to the
learners with whom they are in day- to-24-hour interval con-
tact. It is not just an exercise washed in self-
contained methodological isolation. Like all our
activeness as teachers, it is related, directly and indi-
rectly, to a wider range of professional person concerns.
Adaptation is linked to bug of administration
and the whole management of education, insofar
as it derives from decisions taken almost materials
to exist adopted. As well, the demand to conform is ane con-
sequence of the setting of objectives in a certain
educational context. Finally, adaptation can only
be carried out effectively if it develops from an
understanding of the possible desigdue north features of
syllabuses and materials.
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... The technique of collecting data is ascertainment, interview, documentation.This enquiry is using qualitative arroyo. According to [eighteen], qualitative enquiry is procedural of research which is producing descriptive data in the written words or orally it is getting from people and behavior which being observed, the collecting of the information is coming from words, film, and not number [19]. While the report of this inquiry is containing with data quotations in order to requite thought in data presentation. ...
- Noor Khamidah
- Sri Utaminingsih
- Mohammad Kanzunnudin
The purpose of this inquiry is to discribe the local wisdom value most rebo wekasam in jepang hamlet, the terminology of Rebo Wekasan is special Rebo (Wed) because it doesn't expect like some other Midweek. Its term is understandable, considering Rebo Wekasan is terminal Wednesday in Shofar, second calendar month in hijriyyah calendar. This research is using qualitative approach. Technic of data collecting is using literature review, interview, observation, recording, taping, and photography. The outcome showed that rebo wekasan tradition is having local wisdom value. The value itself is consisting of leadership value, devotion value, tradition value and cultural value.
... As a practical undertaking it involves the production, evaluation and adaptation of language didactics materials, by lecturers for their own classrooms and past materials writers for sale or distribution. Ideally these two aspects of materials developments are interactive in that the theoretical studies inform and are informed by the evolution and use of classroom materials [thirteen]. ...
Due to emergence of English language for Specific Purposes where nowadays English not simply a learning material for students merely information technology has get a demand for people. Mechanical Engineering science graduates are expected to have English language power to compete in job profession. For that reason, it was important to develop English learning cloth based on the needs of Mechanical Engineering student. The aimed of this research was to develop appropriate English language learning materials for the students of Mechanical Engineering Students by using Padlet. Padlet is a web-based interactive application that can be used for advice among students. This inquiry was conducted by using research and evolution method which involves a preliminary phase and collects information, planning, develop of production and expert validation. The research event was feasible to utilize based on validation stride which was 80% and categorized very good. The production of this research were six units of English language learning materials in the grade of spoken and written texts likewise equally grammar explanation. The activities encourage the students to actively participate in the classroom discussion and exist involved in solving the task. This enquiry is expected to give contribution to English language learning particularly English language for Mechanical Engineering students.
... Developing educational activity or learning materials of subjects matters is generally agreed by almost all scholars equally a very valuable step in the teaching and learning process (Harsono, 2007;Nikoopour and Farsani, 2011;Rashidi, 2011). Common reasons for materials development usually start course a point of view that education as a political enterprise, should as well be enlightened of their sociopolitical surroundings and to fight against the condition quo, with the intent of transformation both in the classroom and in the larger gild (Norton & Toohey, 2004). ...
... The other supporting factor is the number of incidental tasks from mentors that corrupt their time to work out of their organized instructional. In the same vein, materials blueprint may take fourth dimension and, and then does, the cost to spend for; therefore, form books selection is necessary (Nikoopour & Farsani, 2011); of course, selecting the recommended books and/or materials from schools. The results of this electric current study, also, brings a reflection of the stated constraints they face up prior to develop EFL materials. ...
- Yakob Metboki
In the sense of running qualified teaching and learning, instructor teaching institutions place their pupil teachers at schools to experience existent teaching practices through the internship programme. This study aims to give a comprehensive portrait of problems the student teachers of English accept when they develop ELT materials and how the bug vary according to different areas. The present written report practical qualitative method. Information technology utilized survey as data collection technique. Twenty-5 educatee teachers are recruited as participants. Having conducted the survey, the results showed that most pupil teachers have several bug in developing ELT materials during internship program. The biggest problem lies on developing fabric for practicing grammar elements (two.98 level of difficulty). The participants simply felt it easy to develop material for grading and recycling, and supporting materials with ranging from 3.22 and 3.10 level of difficulty. The post-obit problem lies on how the fabric promotes the development of language skills and communicative abilities. Overall, the present study indicates that the student teachers are still lacking of grounded concepts on what and how to develop ELT materials that fit to students� needs. Keywords: English language teaching; materials development; internship programme; students-teachers� problems; survey.
- M. Swan
This (the outset of two articles) examines some of the more than theoretical ideas underlying the 'Communicative Approach'. These include the belief that we should teach 'utilise' likewise every bit 'meaning', and some attitudes regarding the pedagogy of 'skills' and 'strategies'. A second article volition deal with more than pedagogical aspects of the approach, peculiarly the idea of a 'semantic syllabus' and the question of 'authenticity' in materials and methodology. In both articles, it is argued that there is serious confusion in the communicative view of these matters. In item, the Communicative Approach fails to take account of the knowledge and skills which language students bring with them from their mother tongue and their experience of the earth.
- Earl Westward. Stevick
With the growing shortage of time and money for writing new textbooks, particularly in the seldom-taught languages, at that place is a premium on making effective apply of what already exists. A teacher has a option, not only of accepting or rejecting materials, but adapting or rewriting them. (The quaternary possibility is oftentimes viewed both as unjustifiably troublesome to the rewriter and an affront to the original author.) Of the dozens of language teachers with whom the author has spoken in the course of this study, he has institute none who did not claim at to the lowest degree that he made some small changes or additions to his printed textbook; many make major changes. Under these circumstances, 2 points need to be emphasized: (1) diverse degrees of adaptation, augmentation, and rewriting grade a continuum, at the far stop of which stands the writing of original materials; and (two) before one can begin to adapt or broaden or rewrite or write, and before one tin can even decide which of these four to undertake, information technology is necessary to evaluate what is already available. The present paper offers guidelines for evaluation, and outlines a general procedure for adaptation. (Writer/AMM)
- Robert O'Neill
This paper, though stimulated by Allwright'due south article 'What do we desire teaching materials for?' in the terminal issue of ELT Periodical, does not attempt a signal-past-signal rebuttal. Instead it offers arguments for the use of published textbook materials as a basis on which to mould the unpredictable interaction which is necessary to classroom language learning. It is likewise suggested that learners who exercise not work from textbooks may be beingness deprived of a useful medium of orientation and written report exterior the classroom. Finally, the writer considers the gradual process of replacement by which new textbook materials evolve.
Evaluating and Selecting ELT Materials
- A Cunningsworth
Cunningsworth,A.(1984): Evaluating and Selecting ELT Materials. Oxford: Heinemann.
The English Syllabus Forms I-3 of Secondary Schools
- Malaysia Kementerian Pelajaran
Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia(1979): The English Syllabus Forms I-III of Secondary Schools. Kuala Lumpur.
- L E Sheldon
Sheldon,50.E. (1988): Evaluating ELT Textbooks and Materials. ELT Periodical,42/iv,237-46.
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