LANGUAGE LEARNING MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT (SEEN 30063)

LESSON 1 – LEARNING MATERIALS

Overview:
This lesson gives and explains the definitions of learning materials, the importance, the
types, the classification, the points to be considered for effective learning materials and
the theories which are articulated from teachers’ practice in language learning materials.

Learning Objectives:
After successful completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Explain the definitions, objectives, and importance of learning materials.
2. Differentiate the following; the types of learning materials and the learning resource
materials used for teaching a course

Unit 1. Definitions, Objectives, Importance, Functions, Types, and Theories

Definitions of Leaning Materials

Instructional Materials, also known as Teaching/Learning Materials (TLM), are any

collection of materials including animate and inanimate objects and human and non-
human resources that a teacher may use in teaching and learning situations to help
achieve desired learning objectives. Instructional materials may aid a student in
concretizing a learning experience so as to make learning more exciting, interesting and
interactive. They are tools used in instructional activities, which include active learning
and assessment. The term encompasses all the materials and physical means an
instructor might use to implement instruction and facilitate students’ achievement of
instructional objectives.

Objectives of Teaching-Learning Materials

1. To motivate learners
2. To develop the knowledge and skills among teachers
3. To help in longer retention of information.
4. To facilitate holistic learning.
5. To help in organizing classroom teaching.
6. To promote effective communication.
7. To facilitate change in attitudes.
8. To apply in practical situations.
9. To make learning pleasurable.
10. To concept formation
The Importance of Learning Materials in Teaching
"Teaching materials" is a generic term used to describe the resources teachers use to
deliver instruction. Teaching materials can support student learning and increase
student success. Ideally, the teaching materials will be tailored to the content in which
they're being used, to the students in whose class they are being used, and the teacher.
Teaching materials come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have in common the
ability to support student learning.

Examples
Teaching materials can refer to a number of teacher resources; however, the term
usually refers to concrete examples, such as worksheets or manipulatives (learning
tools or games that students can handle to help them gain and practice facility with new
knowledge -- e.g. counting blocks). Teaching materials are different from teaching
"resources," the latter including more theoretical and intangible elements, such as
essays or support from other educators, or places to find teaching materials.

Student Learning Support

Learning materials are important because they can significantly increase student
achievement by supporting student learning. For example, a worksheet may provide a
student with important opportunities to practice a new skill gained in class. This process
aids in the learning process by allowing the student to explore the knowledge
independently as well as providing repetition. Learning materials, regardless of what
kind, all have some function in student learning.

Lesson Structure
Learning materials can also add important structure to lesson planning and the delivery
of instruction. Particularly in lower grades, learning materials act as a guide for both the
teacher and student. They can provide a valuable routine. For instance, if you are a
language arts teacher and you teach new vocabulary words every Tuesday, knowing
that you have a vocabulary game to provide the students with practice regarding the
new words will both take pressure off of you and provide important practice (and fun) for
your students.

Differentiation of Instruction
In addition to supporting learning more generally, learning materials can assist teachers
in an important professional duty: the differentiation of instruction. Differentiation of
instruction is the tailoring of lessons and instruction to the different learning styles and
capacities within your classroom. Learning materials such as worksheets, group activity
instructions, games, or homework assignments all allow you to modify assignments to
best activate each individual student's learning style.
Acquiring Teaching Materials
Getting your hands on valuable teaching materials is not nearly as difficult as it can
seem at first. The Internet has many resources for teachers, most of them free, that can
significantly increase the contents of your teaching toolbox. You can also make your
own materials. Every learning material you develop will be an asset to you when you
next teach a similar unit. An investment of time or money in good teaching materials is
an investment in good teaching.

Functions of Learning Materials

Illiterates or neo-literates do not read and write if they do not recognize the benefits of
reading and writing. Hence the education program is designed to build literacy skills,
and through this impart knowledge and skills useful in improving quality of life (i.e.
knowledge about civic education, health, hygiene, family planning nutrition, etc.) and in
increasing their productive and earning capacity.

The education is therefore not only an education program, but also a developmental
activity. There are other important uses of literacy skills. Ability to use literacy for
development releases people from a sense of personal inferiority, from the relationship
of dependency and subservience. Literacy gives to neo-literates a new sense of identity,
status and self-confidence which are very important for people in rural areas to be
active participants in the development process.

It is now a widely accepted fact that literacy and post-literacy programs help the people
not only to gain more development-related knowledge and skills by themselves but also
to get more benefit from existing socio-economic development institutions such as
extension programs, agricultural banks, cooperative societies, health centers etc. In the
cities, they also help people to get organized and form labor unions in order to get
higher wages and job security.

A recent comparative study of development indicators in predominantly literate and

illiterate countries has shown that total birth rate in predominantly illiterate countries is
almost double than in literate countries; the average female life expectancy is 46.5
years in illiterate countries, as opposed to 68.3 years in literate countries; and the infant
mortality rate in illiterate countries is almost double the rate in literate countries.

The learning materials are required for illiterates, semi-literates and neo-literates, to
help them to:
1. acquire skills to read with understanding and to write simple words, sentences and
paragraphs in their own mother tongue and in their recognized national languages;
2. recognize and understand numbers and be able to do simple calculations required in
everyday life;
3. strive to continue learning, reinforcing and improving their acquired literacy and
numeracy skills;
4. acquire new knowledge and skills and to apply them to improve their economic
status;
5. to learn new information helpful in improving quality of life;
6. develop critical awareness to allow them to solve their problems rationally;
7. form rational and scientific abilities;
8. be directed towards values, desirable abilities and work ethics;
9. be able to enjoy and be entertained through reading and writing.

Types of Learning Materials

Learning materials can be classified by type, including print, visual, and audiovisual,
among others:

Learning Resources Materials are materials that are used for teaching a course.
Below are definitions of the Material Types that can be selected during the upload
process for both the “Primary Material Type” field and the “Secondary/Other Material
Type” field.

1. Animation: Successive drawings that create an illusion of movement when shown in

sequence. The animations visually and dynamically present concepts, models,
processes, and/or phenomena in space or time. Users can control their pace and
movement through the material typically, but they cannot determine and/or influence the
initial conditions or their outcomes/results. Animations typically do not contain real
people, places or things in movement.

2. Assessment Tool: Forms, templates, and technologies for measuring performance.

3. Assignment: Activities or lesson plans designed to enable students to learn skills

and knowledge.

4. Case Study: A narrative resource describing a complex interaction of real life factors
to help illustrate the impact and/or interactions of concepts and factors in depth.

5. Collection: A meaningful organization of learning resources such as web sites,

documents, apps, etc. that provides users an easier way to discover the materials.

6. Development Tool: Software development applications platforms for authoring

technology-based resources (e.g. web sites, learning objects, apps.).

7. Drill and Practice: Requires users to respond repeatedly to questions or stimuli

presented in a variety of sequences. Users practice on their own, at their own pace, to
develop their ability to reliably perform and demonstrate the target knowledge and skills.
8. ePortfolio: A collection of electronic materials assembled and managed by a user.
These may include text, electronic files, images, multimedia, blog entries, and links. E-
portfolios are both demonstrations of the user’s abilities and platforms for self-
expression, and, if they are online, they can be maintained dynamically over time. An e-
portfolio can be seen as a type of learning record that provides actual evidence of
achievement.

9. Hybrid/Blended Course: The organization and presentation of course curriculum

required to deliver a complete course that blends online and face-to-face teaching and
learning activities.

10. Illustration/Graphic: Visual concepts, models, and/or processes (that are not
photographic images) that visually present concepts, models, and/or processes that
enable students to learn skills or knowledge. These can be diagrams, illustrations,
graphics or infographics in any file format including Photoshop, Illustrator and other
similar file types.

11. Learning Object Repository: A searchable database of at least 100 online

resources that is available on the Internet and whose search result displays an ordered
hit list of items with a minimum of title metadata. A webpage with a list of links is not a
learning object repository.

12. Online Course: The organization and presentation of course curriculum required to
deliver a complete course fully online.

13. Online Course Module: A component or section of a course curriculum that can be
presented fully online and independent from the complete course.

14. Open Journal – Article: A journal or article in a journal that is free of cost from the
end user and has a Creative Commons, public domain, or other acceptable use license
agreement.

15. Open Textbook: An online textbook offered by its author(s) with Creative
Commons, public domain, or other acceptable use license agreement allowing use of
the ebook at no additional cost.

16. Photographic Image – Instructional: Photos or images of real people, places or

things that visually presents concepts, processes and/or phenomena that enable
students to learn skills or knowledge. These can be photographs, images, or stock
photography.

17. Presentation: Teaching materials (text and multimedia) that are used to present
curriculum and concepts to learners.

18. Quiz/Test: Any assessment device intended to evaluate the knowledge and/or skills
of learners.
19. Reference Material: Material with no specific instructional objectives and similar to
that found in the reference area of a library. Subject specific directories to other sites,
texts, or general information are examples.

20. Simulation: Approximates a real or imaginary experience where users’ actions

affect the outcomes of tasks they have to complete. Users determine and input initial
conditions that generate output that is different from and changed by the initial
conditions.

21. Social Networking Tool: Websites and apps that allows users to communicate with
others connected in a network of self-identified user groups for the purpose of sharing
information, calls for actions, and reactions.

22. Syllabus: A document or website that outlines the requirements and expectations
for completing a course of study. Course Outlines would also be included in this.

23. Tutorial: Users navigate through a set of scaffolded learning activities designed to
meet stated learning objectives, structured to impart specific concepts or skills, and
organized sequentially to integrate conceptual presentation, demonstration, practice
and testing. Feedback on learner performance is an essential component of a tutorial.

24. Video – Instructional: A recording of moving visual images that show real people,
places and things that enable students to learn skills or knowledge.

25. Workshop and Training Material: Materials best used in a workshop setting for the
purpose of profession

26. Interactive Lessons. Interactive Lessons covering reading, basic math skills, and
topics in science make learning more interactive. They can be used to present new
information and reinforce lessons taught in the classroom.

27. Encyclopedia Activities. By using Encyclopedia Activities, students will learn about
history and government as they practice using the encyclopedia as a research tool.

28. Exercises. Learning is more enjoyable with interactive exercises. The exercises
have been carefully developed to coincide with educational objectives, and are best
used to reinforce concepts taught in the classroom.

29. Manipulatives. An innovative way to strengthen students' understanding of

mathematics, manipulatives use the power of a computer to illustrate mathematical
relationships and applications. These virtual learning environments require active
student involvement.

30. Study Guides. Study guides are designed to supplement school instruction. It
enables revision and practice, and provide an extension of classroom learning.