23 Elaboration of ESL curriculum materials Elaboration of ESL curriculum materials ● Criteria for choosing and using a textbook ● Authentic and adapted documents: limitations of usage ● Students' collaboration in designing materials ●
DUNN, O (1982): Developing English with Young Learners, MacMillan, London. Eusko Jaurlaritza (..): Heziberri 2020 pedagogical framework, Hezkuntza Saila, Gasteiz. ELLIS, G.; SINCLAIR, B. (1988): Learning to learn English, CUP, Cambridge.
INTRODUCTION: Heziberri and didactic materials Any kind of material specifically prepared for the planning, implementation or assessment of teaching-learning processes. â—?
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Must be adaptable to the characteristics of context and students' necessities. Course books are a traditional resource, but lately ICT-based materials are becoming very significant: digital objects, simulations, videos...
Creation based on pedagogic experience and teachers' formation. Teacher's guides
Online English lessons and courses
Grammar books
Course books
All possible English teaching resources
Quizzes Crosswords
Workbooks
Puzzles General resources: worksheets, chats, tutorials, websites and resources based on skills
Materials must be coherent to the pedagogical framework Designed for the achievemet of key competences Self-assessment and initial and formative assessment Proposals. Also attention to diversity measures
Integrated and integral languages perspective
Look for systemic form of teaching
Including the normalization of digital resources
Based on the selection of 3 type of contents, related to integration situation resolution
In summative assessment: Include contents and competences assessment
Materials are support tools for teachers and students Materials can not replace teachers or methodologies, they are supports, not key elements of the teaching-learning process. â—?
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Need to adapt materials to specific contexts. Students have an active role on the learning process, so materials should be adapted to their prior knowledge, learning paces and styles for constructing learning. Innovation through teachers' lifelong formation is necessary for this adaptation.
23.1. Elaboration of ESL curriculum materials CURRICULUM MATERIAL CLASSIFICATION
Orientated to the elaboration of the SEP and SCP ● ●
Laws, decrees Background information documents Not great importance for the FL area
Orientated to the teaching process
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Teacher's guides - Edebe digital - MacMillan - British Council...
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Lesson Plans Curricular adaptations Didactic modules Other guides related to usage of resources (audio, video, ICT...)
Elaborating own materials: time-consuming process. However, most teachers produce own supplementary materials, reasons why: –
The coursebook does not provide enough practice on a particular language point, so extra activities are needed
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Some activities are not interesting or do not answer pupils' necessities
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Want to include variety
Usually supplementary materials are:
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Worksheets Contain exercises and pictures They can be easily photocopied Last few minutes Can concentrate in a specific language point Useful for organizing oral or written work Can be worked in pairs, groups or individually
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Flashcards Made of some words and pictures Large enough for good visibility Convey meaning clearly Useful for introducing and revising vocabulary
Adapted didactic material Attachment 1: self-evaluation sheet I COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD WHAT I HAD TO DO AND I THINK I HAVE WORKED VERY WELL
:-)
I HAVE TRIED MY BEST BUT I AM NOT SURE IF I COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD
:-/
HELP, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL
:-(
For early stages: - no writing involved: quick and easy - good for shy students to communicate their needs for help
Adapted didactic material Attachment 2: evaluation sheet
23.2. Criteria for choosing and using a textbook â—?
Traditionally considered indispensable: the course book. Makes students feel secure and have a sense of progress
If well illustrated is preferable to photocopied material: helps with visual aids Can be used for self-study and as a reference tool
Students don't get lost and have the opportunity to go back for revising
Advantages
Helps concreting vocabulary and acquiring and consolidating all four skills
Is a guide for lesson preparation: What, when and how
Always a regular pattern to follow: Disadvantages boring
Not adapted to many diversity characteristics
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Criteria for selecting the textbook –
Goals must match the curriculum: clear and well defined
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Appropriateness for the learners' needs
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All four skills should be integrated
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Visually stimulating and well organized: L2 easy to acquire.
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Exercises should be progressive, varied and challenging. ●
Oral Language priority to WL.
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Receptive priority, to Productive
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Balanced: controlled practice to free production.
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Offers learning to learn exercises (self-assessment, learning strategies, fosters autonomy...) and attention to diversity measures (reinforcement and extension, revision..)
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Includes cross-curricular compentences and issues
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Adapted to Competences Approach (Heziberri) and integration situation resolution. Offers supplementary and multimedia/digital material.
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Should be up to date.
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23.3. Authentic and adapted documents: limitations of usage ●
Everything that has been made for English speaking people: TV and radio programmes, newspapers, books, fairy tales, websites, maps, travelguides, advertisements..
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They are readily available, inexpensive, appropriate for all skill levels and not difficult to implement. They introduce also cultural content, apart from enriching the grammar adapted materials. –
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Culture can be critically analyzed (Content block)
Are the reflection of real life scenarios. Multidimensional and meaningful learning experience. Enlives FL classes and helps students to distinguish relevant and irrelevant information Ideal: balanced combination between adapted and authentic material
23.3.1. Activities to be used with authentic materials ●
Set of materials related to topic: travels, eg. Giving students maps, travelguides... and questions to answer.
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Word searches about vocabulary
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Crosswords using specific words in the handouts
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Personalizing: planning a trip, eg: travelling, shopping, numbers...
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Role playing: customer and shop assistant conversation
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Internet research, about an specific topic
23.4. Students' collaboration in designing material ●
“Learner-designed material”, mainly thought for higher grades –
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Preparing English songs: high interest and motivation and also useful for autonomous learning outside the school: ●
Listen to songs and choose the one they like.
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Expose a short presentation telling why they've chosen it
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Presenting a gap-filling exercise based on lyrics.
Strongly related to the theory of learning styles: combination of perceiving and processing information INNOVATIVE LEARNERS Want to make the world a better place Function through social interaction Are cooperative and sociable COMMON SENSE LEARNERS Judge things by their usefulness Are practical an straightforward Seek solutions to problems
ANALYTIC LEARNERS Seek intellectual competence Are patient and reflective Need to know “important things” DYMANIC LEARNERS Function synthesizing parts Enjoy challenge Are enthusiastic and adventuresome
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In primary, learner-material desinging: –
Preparing word searches and passing them to classmates
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Draw pictures for games (dominoes) or flashcards of vocabulary
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Preparing questions about a text and asking them to the partner
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Writing short descriptions or narratives
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Creating the pastime section in a newspaper and exchanging it with another group (last cycle)
CONCLUSION ●
Textbooks are good used with criticism and searching adaptation.
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It should never be the only teaching material used in class.
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Look for supplementary materials for a more significant learning experience.