Good Practice Guidelines for Vocational English Materials Development English language teachers are frequently developing and adapting materials for classroom use. Throughout the LLLVT1 project, we have been developing and learning about the issues arising from the development of vocational training with English language lessons, as well as in the development of materials and schemes of work. The following guide has been produced with this project and in recognition of existing guidance. 1) Staffing Issues

• Identify a materials development coordinator.

• Provide the necessary IT support.

• Recognise that the development of high quality materials requires allocated/protected time for staff.

• Build into initial budget, time for staff to review and update materials at regular intervals.

• Staff new to materials development should start with a very focused brief.

2) Training

• Try to ensure that materials development training is provided by staff with relevant experience.

• Spend time researching materials which already exist that are free to download or photocopy

• Discuss the importance of compliance with “copyright” laws.

• Provide training sessions on mapping the new/developed materials to the curriculum and linked to a specified scheme of work.

3) Planning

• Spend time researching materials which already exist to gain new ideas and to avoid duplication of existing work.

• Encourage initial “brainstorming” sessions to gain an overview of what materials are needed and how to fill gaps in delivery of a course or unit – consider both teaching, assessment and self study materials.

• Be realistic as to what can be achieved, and design a brief based on budget, time and staff resources

• Set deadlines and stay with them as far as possible. Always allow for the fact that it will take longer than originally envisaged.

• Involve IT and other technical support where possible so that they can give input as to design, format and production issues

• The Coordinator should ensure that there is a review and evaluation

1 Lifelong Language Learning for Vocational Training

process scheduled.

• The work should be developed in a team to avoid isolation, support development ideas, assist with feedback and to ensure the materials are standardized by level format.

4) Development and Evaluation

• Ensure that it is clear exactly what is required to avoid too much or too little material being produced.

• Ensure that all the materials have guidance notes and are mapped to the Curriculum.

• Allocate sufficient time for – making and mapping materials; recording audio files/scripts; proof reading.

• Make use of subject specialists’ expertise.

• Ensure when working across curriculum areas, that materials are integrated into provision in both areas.

• Seek advice on presentation.

• Make full use of available technical support.

• Develop a system of continuous evaluation and amendment throughout the development phase.

• Use staff and student evaluations to inform the process.

• Evaluate the completed work and amend as necessary.

• Ensure where possible that the completed version is evaluated by a fresh pair of eyes eg another partner or teacher.