Hadley Forst

1. MY TEXTBOOK IS
BORING!
What other materials
can I use in my
beginning language
classroom?

2. 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

3. Alternatives:
• Adapt (sequence, extracts, dynamics)
• Supplement
 Authentic materials
 Teacher developed
 Student Generated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRiGz8qQig4

4. 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

5. AUTHENTIC MATERIALS…
…Are made for native speakers, not language learners!

6. Why use authentic materials?
5 C’s
Vocabulary,
grammar,
pragmatics,
skills
authentic culture
accurate, variety
Prepare for “real world”
Interest, relevancy
ADVANTAGES

7. DISADVANTAGES
 difficulty level
 appropriateness
 time consuming to find

8. How to use authentic materials:
 Selection
 Adapt the task not the material
 Scaffolding
 Variety of group dynamics
 Variety of tasks and activities

9. Authentic: RECIPES
1. Activate
background
knowledge
Reading skills, vocabulary

10. Authentic: RECIPES
-Tomlinson ed 2 p. 48- . Simon Pryor:
2. stimulate linguistic knowledge
& introduce key vocabulary

11. Authentic: RECIPES
-Tomlinson ed 2 p. 48- . Simon Pryor:
3. pre-reading, reading, post-reading tasks
order of steps
categorize ingredients
write your own

12. TEACHER-DEVELOPED MATERIALS

13. Why create materials?
• Tailored to specific context and students
• Experience: knowledge, principals, beliefs
• engaging, increased motivation, interest
• professional growth, collaboration
Advantages

14. Potential Disadvantages
 Easy to overestimate
“engaging” qualities
 Difficult to create, time
consuming
 Teachers may not be suited to
material development
 Institutional,
environmental,
program factors

15. • 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

16. Example: Mejores amigos
Grammar (stem-changing verbs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nzoIH4FkWs

17. Example 3: Jigsaw paragraph
• focus on structure:
stem-changing verbs

18. STUDENT-GENERATED
MATERIALS
student= teacher

19. Why use student generated materials?
For creators:
 Creative and critical thinking
 Ownership
 Motivation
Advantages
For students using
materials:
 Inspiration
 More interesting, motivating
 Variety

20. • 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

21. Example: clothing and descriptions
Vocabulary, writing, grammar, communication

22. Vocabulary, writing, communication
Menus

23. Student generated videos, lessons
Audiovisual materials, presentations

24. • Blogs and wikis
• recipe collections
• clothing catalog
• short stories
Class anthologies

25. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
• Students
• Course
• Content, Sequence,
format, presentation
• Group dynamics
• Variety
• Principles, methods
• Evaluation
Adapt (sequence, extracts, dynamics)
Supplement

26. 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.

27. 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-37426533
http://puslit.petra.ac.id/journals/letters/
https://youtu.be/wANu4fwYMro