ADAPTING MATERIALS

Unit 1 from Side by Side Book 1

WHAT
The
vocabulary
preview.
Activity one
and two.
p.1

WHY
Congruence: it is not
identified the localization and
the personalization of the
activity linked to learners
needs and specific context.
(McDonough & Shaw, 2003)

HOW
Modifying: The activity will be modified by re-structuring the
activities through some pictures that will contextualize the meaning
of the alphabet and will allow the association of sounds with images.
Modifying: Regarding the numbers, the activity will be modified by
re-structuring the activities with a set of images for students to write
the quantity in English and identify the number.
(McDonough & Shaw, 2003)

Opportunities for real

communication: the activities
are not contextualized and do
not take into account learning
styles and students interests.
Whats your
name?
p.2

(Candling & Breen, 1980)

Deleting: in the activity two questions will be subtracted from the

section. These questions are what is your address? And what is your
phone number?
Adding: more information will be added by extending the set of
questions into more meaningful and realistic content.
Some of these questions are what is your favorite activity? What is
your favorite food? What is your favorite sport?

(Islam & Mares, 2003)

Adding: the part where the students have to answer some questions
about themselves will be expanded by working in couples and
asking each other about the information related to their personal
interests and favorite activities that will be written by each
interviewer.
(Islam & Mares, 2003)

Role Play: A
Famous
Person
How to Say
it!
p.3

Congruence: it is not
identified the localization of
the activities into a more
specific context. It is not
included a current use of topics
and people interviewed
allowing for modernizing.

Adding: the activity will be expanded by putting the language and

the content into a more localized context.
The activity will consist of an interview with a famous person in
Colombia that students know for example La Negra Candela, and
the set of questions will concern the contextual and cultural aspects.
The material presented will show pictures with a more familiar
context.

(McDonough & Shaw, 2003)

Modifying: the activity How to say it! will be re-structured. The

content will be meaningful focusing on the students culture by
providing interaction using new vocabulary related to famous
Colombian people and television.
(McDonough & Shaw, 2003)

Taken from Islam, C. & Mares, C. (2003). Adapting classroom materials. In B. Tomlinson (Ed.), Developing materials for
language teaching (pp.86-103). UK: Continuum.
McDonough, J. & Shaw, C. (2003). Materials and methods in ELT: A teacher's guide (2nd edition) (pp. 81-98). UK:
Blackwell Publishers.

Applied on Molinsky, S., & Bliss, B. (2001). Side by side Book 1 (3rd edition). USA: Longman. Adapted by Duque, D.,
Pinto, A. & Pinto, I. (2015). Language Learning Resources (module), Universidad de Caldas, Manizales.