LANGUAGE

TEACHING

RESOURCES

M A S T E R I N E N G L I S H D I D A C T I C S

McDonaldization: emphasis on efficiency and global standardization. Interaction. Standardiz-ing teaching training. ‘50’ minutes lessons.

Neo-liberalism: state intervention. Primacy of the market. Education=business. Language ex-amination and certification.

ELT materials filled with ‘exam-type’ exercises.

CURRENT VIEW OF ELT MATERIALS:

Innovation and technology support the new approaches.

Interaction and world communication en-courage learners to be more language profi-ciency.

Updated teachers to supply learners’ needs.

Contextualization and rethinking of ELT materials purposes.

Diversity on ELT materials: hand-made, commercial, digital, authentic.

Most teachers are creative and have the power to explore their creativity in order to develop their own didactic materials. Nowadays, there are two main issues that are included in the materials design: 1.The huge production of methodologies and materials used for teaching; 2.and the importance of including students’ opinions since teaching materials should sup-port their needs, be updated and adapted to their context. Principles of materials development:

Novelty and variety

Relevance

Readiness

Communicative purposes

Different learning styles

Conscious/unconscious attention to language

Time for silent period

Right and left brain lateralization

Free practice

Outcome feedback

Information rehearsal

Feeling to ease

Students’ self-confidence

“Effective materials make learners feel comfortable and confident because both the content and type of activities are

perceived by them as significant and practical to their lives” (Nuñez & Tellez, 2009)

ELT MATERIALS: THE KEY TO FOSTERING EFFECTIVE

TEACHING AND LEARNING SETTING (Nunez &Tellez, 2009)

Teachers need: Language proficiency, peda-gogy knowledge and competency

Input & knowledge:

what teachers should know

Declarative knowledge (theory)

Skill & competence:

How teachers learn to teach.

Procedural knowledge.

Traditional (knowledge transmission):

Transfer from theory to practice.

Lots of courses based on contents.

Little observation and practice in real con-text.

Currently (competency-development):

Have skills and knowledge about teaching/learning.

Know how to work in different contexts.

Accept pedagogical and moral responsibilities.

Meaningful practices. Balance between theory and practice.

Create knowledge according to experiences.

Learning about how to teach.

Careful selection of the materiuaks to closely

reflect the aims, methods and values of the

teaching porogram.

PRINCIPLES:

Teaching materials should focus on both

theory and practice.

Teaching materials should allow learners

construct knowledge from theory and prac-

tice.

STUDENT TEACHER’S ROLE

Teaching materials should consider active

role.

Teaching materials should provide opportu-

nities for research.

Teaching materials should support collabo-

rative/peer coaching learning/teaching.

CULTURAL ISSUES

Teaching materials should have strong em-

phasis on contextual factors and own culture.

Teaching materials should help teachers to

model approaches according to culture.

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TEACHING MATERIALS FOR EFL TEP (Rahimi, 2008)

The evolution of language teaching materials

from theory and practice:

1950-1960

Memorization tasks, language laboratories,

drill practice.

Behaviorist approaches to develop teaching

materials: drill, substitutions.

1960-1970

Humanistic approaches: silent way and

suggestopaedia.

DIY: self-access work, self-study materials,

teacher– less language learning.

Recreate the conditions of learning linguis-

tics competence.

1970– 1980

A concern of learners’ needs.

Development of tools that help learners

according to their needs and purposes.

Recognition of different styles and strate-

gies to approach language.

CLT democratic focus on how people use

the language.

1980 onwards:

ELT materials reflect the spirit of the age.

LANGUAGE TEACHING MATERIALS AND THE

(VERY) BIG PICTURE (Littlejohn, 2012)