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