Developing your own materials

in the English class

By imajin noasking
 Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Criteria for materials development
3. Worksheets
4. Visuals
5. Games
6. Web-based tasks
7. References
 1. Introduction
• Checklist (syllabus + method/approach)
– Who am I teaching?
– What level am I teaching?
– What are the official requirements for the course?
– What topic/ topics am I going to cover?
– What do I want from materials?
• Extension
• Reinforcement
• Core materials
– What skill/skills will be practised?
– Educating, not just teaching
 1. Introduction
DOGME ELT (S. Thornbury)
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dogme/)
• Against over-reliance on materials
• “A pedagogy of the bare essentials, that is, a pedagogy
unburdened by an excess of materials and technology, a
pedagogy grounded in the local and relevant concerns of
the people in the room”.
• Learner-centred instruction

• Criticism: only experienced teachers, native speakers or

those teaching small groups of adults will be able to do it.
 2. Criteria for materials development
• Tomlinson (1998): Materials for language learning should:
– Allow student to work at his/her own pace.
– Give student possibility of using previous knowledge.
– Involve student as a whole person, not just a language learner.
– Demand effort, so that student makes progress.
– Stimulate both sides of the brain.
 2. Criteria for materials development
• Tomlinson (1998): Some advice to create activities /
tasks:
– Use real, authentic materials
– Favour HOTS
– Productive tasks will involve situations in which the foreign
language is used in a real, practical way
– Activities & tasks will enable the student to choose his
preferred learning style
– Pair work and group work should be encouraged when
possible
– Activities will favour reflective work and self-assessment
 2. Criteria for materials development
• Materials development in a GOOD TEACHER:
Characteristic Procedure
Is patient and supportive Asked to:
- Write materials in which learning points are recycled
and the effects of instruction are assumed to be delayed.
- Be supportive and realistic in the way they write task
instructions and give advice.
Has a good sense of humour Asked to find and exploit texts which might make
students laugh.
Is enthusiastic, positive and Helped to achieve challenges which result in innovative
confident materials likely to engage both teacher and learners.
Is interesting and creative Challenged to develop original materials in novel ways.
Is a good communicator Frequent peer and mentor feedback leading to improved
clarity, cohesion and coherence.
Is aware of current theoretical Asked to make use of them in tasks.
and methodological
developments
Has a large and varied - Introduced to many task types.
repertoire of pedagogical - Selects tasks in relation to the needs, learning styles
procedures and expectations of the learners.
Is a proficient user of the target Rich exposure to real English in use.
language
 3. Visuals
• Warm-up:

• Oral/written production task:

 3. Visuals
• Art in the English class:
 4. Worksheets
• Development of reading comprehension skills:
 5. Games
• Who wants to be a millionaire:
 6. Web-based tasks
• Would you change your name?
 6. Web-based tasks
• Web Tasks
 7. References

• Carter, R. & Nunan, D. (eds.) (2001). The Cambridge Guide to

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

•Downie, M. (2011). Choosing and Developing Classroom Material.

In S. House (coord.) Didáctica del Inglés. Classroom Practice.
Barcelona: Graó.

• Tomlinson, B. (1998). Materials Development in Language

Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press .
Compiled by Elena Martín Monje
emartin@flog.uned.es