basic concepts materials

8/8/2019 Basic Concepts Materials

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Basic concepts of languagelearning materials

ByBy

PorntipPorntip BodeepongseBodeepongse


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What is materials? Anything used by teachers or learnersAnything used by teachers or learners

toto facilitate the learningfacilitate the learning of a languageof a languageor toor to increaseincrease SsSs knowledge orknowledge orexperienceexperience of the language, e.g.of the language, e.g.cassettes, videos, CDcassettes, videos, CD-- RomsRoms,,dictionaries, grammar books, readers,dictionaries, grammar books, readers,workbooks, photographs, live talks byworkbooks, photographs, live talks byinvited native speakers, instructionsinvited native speakers, instructionsgiven by a teacher, etc.given by a teacher, etc.

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Materials developmentMaterials development

Anything done by writers, teachers orlearners to provide sources of language

input and to exploit those sources inways in which maximize the possibilityof intake (= to promote languagelearning)

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Materials evaluationMaterials evaluation

Attempts to measure the value ofmaterials

Attempts to predict whether or not thematerials will work, that is, learners willbe able to use them without too muchdifficulty and will enjoy the experienceof doing so

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TeachingTeaching

Anything done by materials developersor teachers to facilitate the learning of

the language Teaching can be direct (=transmitting

information overtly to the learners) orindirect (=helping learners to discoverthings for themselves).

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Language LearningLanguage Learning ConsciousConscious process consisting ofprocess consisting of

the committing tothe committing to memory ofmemory ofinformationinformation relevant to what isrelevant to what isbeing learnedbeing learned

SubconsciousSubconscious development ofdevelopment of

generalisationsgeneralisations about how theabout how thelanguage is used andlanguage is used and skillsskills to applyto applythem tothem to acts of communicationacts of communication

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Language Learning (cont.)Language Learning (cont.) ImplicitImplicit (learners are not aware of when(learners are not aware of when

and what they are learning)and what they are learning)

ExplicitExplicit (learners are aware of when and(learners are aware of when andwhat they are learning)what they are learning)

Explicit learning of both declarative andExplicit learning of both declarative andprocedural knowledge is valuable in helpingprocedural knowledge is valuable in helpinglearners to pay attention to salientlearners to pay attention to salientfeatures of language input and in helpingfeatures of language input and in helpingthem to participate in planned discourse.them to participate in planned discourse.

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Materials should achieve impact.Materials should achieve impact.

Impact achieved when materials haveImpact achieved when materials havea noticeable effect on learners.a noticeable effect on learners.

Materials can achieve impact through:Materials can achieve impact through: NoveltyNovelty VarietyVariety

Attractive presentationAttractive presentation

Appealing contentAppealing content Choice of topics, texts and activitiesChoice of topics, texts and activities= achievement of impact= achievement of impact

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Materials should help Ss to feelMaterials should help Ss to feel

at ease.at ease. Materials with lots of white spaceMaterials with lots of white space

Texts and illustrations that relate toTexts and illustrations that relate to

Ss own cultureSs own culture Materials that try to help Ss learnMaterials that try to help Ss learnrather than testing them or causingrather than testing them or causinghumiliationhumiliation

Materials that relate the world of theMaterials that relate the world of thebook to the world of learnersbook to the world of learners

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Materials should help Ss toMaterials should help Ss to

develop confidence.develop confidence. Relaxed and selfRelaxed and self--confidence learnersconfidence learnerslearn faster. (learn faster. (DulayDulay, Burt &, Burt & KrashenKrashen,,

1982)1982) Activities which try to push SsActivities which try to push Ssslightly beyond their proficiencyslightly beyond their proficiency Stimulating tasksStimulating tasks

Problematic tasksProblematic tasks

Achievable tasksAchievable tasks

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Relevant and useful materialsRelevant and useful materials Relating to known learner interestsRelating to known learner interests

RealReal--life tasks that Ss need tolife tasks that Ss need toperform in the target languageperform in the target language

Relating teaching points to interestingRelating teaching points to interestingand challenging classroom tasksand challenging classroom tasks

Presenting tasks in ways which couldPresenting tasks in ways which could

facilitate the achievement of taskfacilitate the achievement of taskoutcomes desired by Ssoutcomes desired by Ss

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Materials should require andMaterials should require andfacilitate Ss selffacilitate Ss self--investment.investment.

Requiring Ss to make discoveries forRequiring Ss to make discoveries forthemselvesthemselves

Helping Ss to make efficient use ofHelping Ss to make efficient use ofresources in order to facilitate selfresources in order to facilitate self--discoverydiscovery

Learners profit more if they investLearners profit more if they investinterest, effort and attention in theinterest, effort and attention in thelearning activity.learning activity.

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How to facilitate Ss selfHow to facilitate Ss self--

investmentinvestment Getting Ss interested in a written orGetting Ss interested in a written or

spoken textspoken text

Getting them to respond to it globally andGetting them to respond to it globally andaffectivelyaffectively

Helping to analyse a particular linguisticHelping to analyse a particular linguisticfeature in order to make discoveries forfeature in order to make discoveries for

themselvesthemselves

Involving them in miniInvolving them in mini--projectsprojects

Involving them in finding supplementaryInvolving them in finding supplementarymaterials etc.materials etc.

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Learners must be ready toLearners must be ready to

acquire th

e points being taugh

t.acquire th

e points being taugh

t. Instruction can facilitate natural

language acquisition processes if it

coincides with learner readiness and canlead to increased speed and frequencyof rule application and to application ofrules in a wider range of linguisticcontexts. (Pienemann, 1985)

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KrashensKrashens comprehensible inputcomprehensible input

The need for roughly-tuned input whichis comprehensible (what Ss are familiar

with) but which also contains thepotential for acquiring other elementsof input which Ss might or might not beready to learn = i + 1

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How to achieve Ss readinessHow to achieve Ss readiness

Materials which create situationsrequiring the use of variational features

not previously taught

Materials which ensure that Ss havegained sufficient mastery over thedevelopmental features of the previousstage before teaching a new one

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How to achieve Ss readinessHow to achieve Ss readiness (cont.)(cont.)

Materials which roughly tune the inputso that it contains some feature whichis slightly above each learners current

proficiency level Materials which get Ss to focus

attention on features of the target

language which they have not yetacquired so that they might be moreattentive to these features in thefuture input

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Materials should expose learnersMaterials should expose learners

to language in auth

entic use.to language in auth

entic use. Through the advice given to Ss in the

materials

Through instructions for activities Through spoken and written texts

included in the materials

Through the activitiesHowever, the input must be comprehensibleHowever, the input must be comprehensibleenough for Ss to respond to it.enough for Ss to respond to it.

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The input should vary in style, mode,

medium and purpose and rich in featureswhich are characteristic of authenticdiscourse in the target language.

The materials should stimulate learnerinteraction with the input rather thanjust passive reception of it.

Ss should do something mentally orphysically in response to the materials.

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Ss attention should be drawn toSs attention should be drawn tolinguistic features of the input.linguistic features of the input.

Either conscious or subconscious

Its important that Ss become aware ofthe gap between a particular feature oftheir interlanguage (Ss output) and the

equivalent feature in the targetlanguage (input). Such noticing of thegap can act as an acquisition facilitator.

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Opportunities to use the targetOpportunities to use the target

language for communicationlanguage for communication

Using language for communicationUsing language for communication

involvesinvolves attempts to achieve aattempts to achieve apurposepurpose in a situation in which thein a situation in which thecontentcontent,, strategiesstrategies andand expressionexpressionof the interactionof the interaction are determinedare determinedby the learners.by the learners.

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The attempts enable Ss toThe attempts enable Ss to check thecheck the

effectiveness of their internaleffectiveness of their internalhypotheseshypotheses especially if the activitiesespecially if the activitiesstimulate them into stimulate them into pushed outputpushed output

which is slightly above their currentwhich is slightly above their currentproficiency.proficiency.

They also help Ss to automise theirexisting procedural knowledge and todevelop strategic competence.

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Communicative interactionCommunicative interaction

Opportunities for picking up languagefrom the new input generated

Opportunities for learner output tobecome an informative source of input

Teaching materials should provideopportunities for interaction in avariety of discourse modes ranging fromplanned to unplanned.

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Interaction achieved throughInteraction achieved through Information or opinion gap activitiesInformation or opinion gap activities

PostPost--listening and postlistening and post--reading activitiesreading activitieswhich require Ss to use information fromwhich require Ss to use information from

the text to ac

hieve communicative purposet

he text to ac

hieve communicative purpose

Creative writing and creative speakingCreative writing and creative speakingactivities, e.g. writing a story, oractivities, e.g. writing a story, orimprovising a dramaimprovising a drama

Formal instruction given in the targetFormal instruction given in the targetlanguage either on the language or onlanguage either on the language or onanother subject also serves as interaction.another subject also serves as interaction.

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Positive effects of instruction arePositive effects of instruction areusually delayed.usually delayed.

The acquisition of language is a gradualrather than an instantaneous process.

Recycle instruction and provide frequentand ample exposure to the instructedfeatures in communicative use.

It is important that Ss are not forcedinto premature production of instructedfeatures. They will get them wrong.

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Ss differ in learning styles.Ss differ in learning styles.

StudialStudial learners gain more from explicitlearners gain more from explicitgrammar teaching than experientialgrammar teaching than experientiallearners who gain more from reading alearners who gain more from reading astory with a predominant grammarstory with a predominant grammarfeature rather than from explicitfeature rather than from explicitinstruction.instruction.

Activities should be variable and caterActivities should be variable and caterfor all learning styles.for all learning styles.

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Learning stylesLearning styles

VisualVisualprefer to see the language writtenprefer to see the language writtendown.down.

AuditoryAuditoryprefer to hear the language.prefer to hear the language.

KinaestheticKinaestheticprefer to doprefer to do sthsth. physical. physical StudialStudiallike to pay conscious attention tolike to pay conscious attention to

linguistic feature of the language and want tolinguistic feature of the language and want tobe correct.be correct.

ExperientialExperientiallike to use the language and islike to use the language and ismore concerned with communication than withmore concerned with communication than withcorrectness.correctness.

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More learning stylesMore learning styles

AnalyticAnalyticprefer to focus on discrete bits ofprefer to focus on discrete bits ofthe language and to learn them one by one.the language and to learn them one by one.

GlobalGlobalhappy to respond to whole chunks ofhappy to respond to whole chunks of

language at a time and to pick up from themlanguage at a time and to pick up from themwhatever language she can.whatever language she can.

DependentDependentprefer to learn from Ts and booksprefer to learn from Ts and books

IndependentIndependenthappy to learn from their ownhappy to learn from their ownexperience of the language and to useexperience of the language and to useautonomous learning strategiesautonomous learning strategies

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Preferences for learning styles

depend on: what is being learnedwhat is being learned

where it is being learnedwhere it is being learned

who it is being learned withwho it is being learned with what it is being learned forwhat it is being learned for

Material developers must be aware of and

cater for differences of preferred learningstyles and not assume that all learners can

benefit from the same approaches as the

good language learner29


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Differences in affective attitudes

language learners should have strongand consistent motivation and theyshould have positive feelings towardsthe target language, Ts, fellow learnersand materials.

to diversify language instruction as

much as possible based on the variety ofcognitive styles and the variety ofaffective attitudes

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How?How?

choices of different types of texts

choices of different types of activities

optional extras for more positive andmotivated learners

variety

include units in which value of learningEnglish is a topic for discussion

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include activities for Ss to discuss theit

attitudes and feelings about the courseand materials

research and cater for Ss diverse

interests aware of Ss cultural sensitivities

give general and specific advice in the

teachers book on how to respond tonegative learners

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Silent period at the beginningSilent period at the beginning

extremely valuable to delay L2 speakingat the beginning of a course until Ssgain sufficient exposure to the target

language and sufficient confidence inunderstanding it

start a course with TPR, listening (or

reading) comprehension allow Ss to respond in L1 or through

drawing and gestures

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Maximise learning potential byMaximise learning potential byencouraging intellectual, aestheticencouraging intellectual, aestheticand emotional involvement whichand emotional involvement whichstimulates both right and left brainstimulates both right and left brainactivitiesactivities

Content of materials should stimulatesthoughts and feelings in the learners.

Activities are not too simple and tooeasy so that Ss make use of previousexperience and brains.

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Not rely too much onNot rely too much oncontrolled practicecontrolled practice

Controlled practice

Spontaneous performance

Automacity

This have little long term effect on the

accuracy (Ellis, 1990) and fluency (Ellis &

Rathbone, 1987)

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Opportunities for outcomeOpportunities for outcomefeedbackfeedback

Feedback focused on the effectivenessFeedback focused on the effectivenessof the outcome, not on the accuracy ofof the outcome, not on the accuracy of

the output, can turn into a profitablethe output, can turn into a profitablesource of output.source of output.

Language production activities mustLanguage production activities musthave intended outcomes, not just usedhave intended outcomes, not just used

for practising language.for practising language.

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