Handout 5

Strategies for adapting textbook activities

Read the following ideas for adapting material that is not suitable for a particular
teaching situation.
Strategies Problems Possible solutions
Extending material  The task or exercise is too short.  Write extra items, following the
 The learners need more practice. same pattern.

Shortening material  The task or exercise is too long.  Use as much as you need, but do
 The learners don’t need so much not feel you have to use it all.
practice.  Give different parts of the text or
task to different learners.
Changing  The task doesn’t suit the  Change the interaction pattern,
methodology learners’ learning style. e.g. use a matching task as a
 You want a change of pace. mingling activity (in this case
 The coursebook often repeats learners move around the class to
the same kind of task. find their partners).

Changing the level of  The texts or tasks are too easy or
the material too difficult.
Reordering material  The activities in the units in the
book always follow the same e.g. ask learners to cover up a page
sequence.
 The learners need to learn or
practice things in a different order.
 Make material more challenging,
e.g. learners try to answer
comprehension questions before
reading.
 Make materials less challenging,
e.g. break up a long text into
shorter sections.
 Change the order of the material,
or part of a page, so that they focus
on what you want them to do first.