SELECTION AND GRADATION IN MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT

The aim of select material is to prepare the list of items which needed by the student. By
specify the materials the problem can easy to solve include gradation and sequencing. Moreover,
making reasonable decision is necessary in developing material to know it support the teaching
and learning content or not. In material development, there is content specification in language-
centered syllabuses which means the selection of content depends on syllabus designers’
priorities, experiences, and beliefs about the nature of language and learning (Nunan, 1988).
Another opinion came up from Breen 1984 stated that when select material, developer must
be considering some aspects which take crucial part in material development. Since language is
so complex and it is not possible to teach the whole language, one of the foremost problems in
developing materials is to decide about the components that should be selected from the total
corpus of language and introduced into textbooks and other teaching materials. Below are some
components in teaching a language.
1. Select correct vocabulary
Some experts ensure vocabulary content is the most useful and relevant to learners’
needs. Here are some criteria vocabulary selection;(1) frequency, it refers to total number of
meaning that given item expresses; (2) vocabulary selection refers to the applicability of an
item in different contexts. To ensure that the frequency of words is related to learners’ need;
(3) availability refers to word rare use but available in mind. An example, classroom calls to
mind the other items such as desk, teacher, and pupil. (4)Learnability can be applied to both
selection and gradation of vocabulary content. (5) Brevity is based on assumption that long
words are more difficult to understand. (6) Regularity refers to verb with a regular past tense
which will be easier to learn than irregular verbs.
2. Select the grammar
In order to selection of grammar, there are some aspects you need to consider; (1)
teachability and learnability. Based on the learnability criteria, simple grammatical structures
are easier to learn than the more complex ones
3. Gradation
Gradation is concerned with the grouping and sequencing of teaching items in a syllabus
(Richards, 2001).
4. Sequencing
Carter and Nunan (2001) define sequencing as “how areas of knowledge and particular
skills and abilities are organized within a syllabus or within teaching materials so that they
represent a path of progression and development”

ADAPTING AND ADOPTING MATERIALS

Adapting material is to change material to suit with learners’ need
Adopting material is to take material with considering learners need.