Unit 14 Coursebooks and lesson materials
Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials Books and Materials
Course books are a very emotive issue for many teachers. Some teachers swear by them, while other teachers despise them. Almost every published course book has its fans and its detractors. The choice of whether or not to use a course book, and if so, which one, can be quite a complex issue. In this unit we will examine this issue, as well as looking at other sources of materials. You should have the prior course materials (units 1 to 13) available for review in order to gain the most from this lesson. As usual you will need to complete the worksheet after you have fully absorbed the content. In an ideal world schools would have all the books and materials that you could need. The reality, however, is somewhat different. This means that often the teacher has to create his/her own materials to either supplement the course book, or replace sections that are not suitable for the class. For many students, compared to the course book, materials created by the teacher are more interesting, more relevant and a welcome change from the course book. These materials can be divided into 2 groups: Authentic materials Just about anything a native speaker would hear or read can be described as authentic - programs, magazines, newspapers, songs, poems, brochures, menus, films on video – the list is endless. Because authentic materials are not designed for the EFL student, they are not graded for level, and so should be selected carefully. The teacher must also decide what the students should do with material. Some material could be used for different tasks at different levels. For example, a TV guide could be used at an elementary level for students to identify different types of show, while higher level students could compare it with the TV stations of their native country. So why use authentic materials?
They are real and therefore more interesting and motivating Students gain confidence when they understand them They can be geared to the interests of a particular group of students
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Created materials
These are usually designed by the teacher to replace or supplement materials from a course book. Many artistic teachers use their abilities for material production, whilst those who are less artistically gifted have to rely on pictures cut out from magazines or newspapers, or stick people drawings, etc. They can, unlike authentic materials, be graded to the level of the students. Common created materials include:
Crosswords Word search puzzles Role-play cards Flashcards Gap fill activities Picture stories
If you're unfamiliar with these types of materials, there are some examples on the following pages. Pages 3 to 9 are used with permission of Lanternfish ESL at www.bogglesworldesl.com. A good resource for making your own crosswords and wordsearches, etc is www.puzzlemaker.com.
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SA CR M OS P SW L O E
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Across Down 2 These insects often pollinate trees. (4) 1 These gather sunlight to make food 3 A building material that comes from for trees. (4) trees. (6) 4 This can grow into a new tree. (4) 2 Flowers just before they open. (4) 5 Apples, oranges, or bananas. (5) 3 Trees soak this up through their roots. (5) 7 The part of a tree that attaches it to the 6 A colorful part of some trees that later ground and soaks up water. (5) makes seeds or fruit. (6) 9 Where the seed of a pine tree is. (4) 8 The sticky liquid inside a tree. (3) 11 The skin of trees. (4) 10 The leaves of a pine tree. (7) 13 The thick part of a tree. (5) 11 The part of a tree where leaves are. (6) 14 Trees need this to make food. (8) 12 The leaf of a flower. (5) Š 2005 www.bogglesworldesl.com/
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S woAM rd se PL arc E h
Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Find the words below in the grid to the left.
afraid angry awkward bored cold comfortable confident confused cool depressed dizzy
embarrassed excited exhausted frightened furious happy hot hungry itchy mad nervous
relaxed sad safe scared strange thirsty tired uncomfortable warm weak worried
Š 2006 www.bogglesworldesl.com/
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S fla AM s hc PL ard E s1
Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
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Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
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Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
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SA MP LE
fla sh ca r
ds 4
Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
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SA pic M tu re P sto L rie E s
Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Choose three pictures from a magazine. The first picture should be of people that are in some sort of relationship. The other two pictures should be of objects. (Example pictures below.) Put students into groups of three or four.
Show the class the first picture and ask them to discuss the relationship of the people in the picture:
Show them the second picture and tell them that the object is something that is important to the people in the first picture. Ask students to discuss why they think that object is important to the people.
Show them the third picture and tell them that this object is something that the people in the first picture really don't like. Ask them to once again discuss the reasons why. After you have finished the activity, have the class compare the various stories that they came up with in their groups. Alternatively, you could pick a set of random pictures, copy them, cut them out so that they appear in no particular order, and give a set to each group, telling them to produce a story. You'd be amazed what they come up with, and how different each group's story will be, even though their pictures are identical.
Unit 014 ŠThese materials are copyrighted. All rights reserved. No part of this course may be reproduced or published without express written permission from the copyright owner.
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Unit i 14 it
Ro ca le-pla rd y
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Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
These are telephone role-plays, which are Š BBC | British Council 2005, from www.teachingenglish.org.uk. Bear in mind that neither student can see his or her partner's card. Telephone role-play cards
1a
1b
You need to telephone your doctor. You have an appointment on Tuesday the 3rd at 16.45 but you need to change it to Thursday the 5th at 15.00. On Monday 9th you are busy all day, but on Tuesday 10th you have a free day.
You are the receptionist at Medical centre, the doctor's clinic. You have no free appointments on Thursday 5th as the doctor will be away that day. The next day the doctor is free is Monday 9th.
Telephone the doctor's clinic and speak to the receptionist. Make a new appointment.
Answer the telephone and help the patient to make a new appointment.
2a
2b
You need to telephone your partner at his or her office. You planned to be home early today so you could go out for dinner together but you have to stay at work until very late.
You work at Smith and Jones Publishing Limited, in an office with one other person. He or she is in an important meeting and you are taking messages if anyone telephones.
Telephone your partner's office and tell him/her the bad news! Make sure you say sorry.
Answer the telephone and take a message.
3a
3b
You need to telephone a flower shop and order some flowers for friends who are having their 20th wedding anniversary. They love red roses. You want the flowers to be delivered to their house tomorrow.
You work at Blooming Wonderful, the flower shop. One of your services is delivery of flowers ordered by telephone.
Telephone the shop and order the flowers. Don't forget to include a message saying congratulations.
Answer the telephone and take an order. Remember you need the address and details of the message. Don't forget to ask what kind of flowers the customer would like.
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Telephone role-play cards (2)
4a
4b
You need to travel from London to Glasgow tomorrow on urgent business. Your company has a travel advice section which can help you. You are not worried about the cost but you need to be in Glasgow by 11 o'clock in the morning and travel back to London in the evening.
You work in the travel advice section of your company. Your job is to help colleagues find the best way to travel.
Telephone the travel advice section and find out what the best way is to travel.
Answer the telephone. To help your colleague, you need this information: London to Glasgow by train, leaves 8.00, arrives 12.30. Returns to London in the evening. London to Glasgow by coach, leaves 7.00, arrives 15.00, returns to London next day London to Glasgow by air, leaves 7.30, arrives 8.45. There are flights back to London all day.
5a
5b
You need to find out what the homework was from your last English class. As you missed it.
Your name is Joe. Your friend is going to telephone you.
Telephone your friend Joe and ask him/her to tell you about the class you missed and the homework.
Answer the telephone.
6a
6b
You work for United Engineering. You need to ask Express Delivery Services to collect a parcel from your office.
You work as a receptionist at Express Delivery Services.
Telephone Express Delivery Services and ask them to help you. Have your office address details ready to give them.
Answer the telephone. Connect the customer to the correct office (for collection of parcels they need to speak to Customer Services). Unfortunately there is no one in the Customer Services Office at the moment. Apologise and take a message. You need to find out what the parcel is and where the office of the customer is.
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Telephone role-play cards (3)
7a
7b
You want to stay at the Spring Waters Hotel in Hawaii for your next holiday. Before you make a booking, you want to ask the hotel for some information.
You work in the reception of the Spring Waters Hotel in Hawaii. You answer telephone enquiries from clients about the hotel.
You need to find out these things: - are pets OK? - is there a special price for families? - what sports can you play? - is the weather good in September?
Answer the telephone. You need the following information: - no pets are allowed - there are special family discount prices - you have football, swimming, tennis and water sports - the weather in September is warm but windy
Telephone the hotel to find out the answers to your questions.
8a
8b
You met someone new in your class. You want to invite your new friend out for a coffee on Saturday.
You met someone in your class but you didn't really like them very much and you don't want to be with them outside the class.
Telephone your friend and make a date!
Answer the telephone. Try to be polite but say 'no'.
9a
9b
You are going to miss a month of your English classes at Wordsworth Language School because you have to travel abroad for work. You want your teacher to e-mail you the homework and class work you will miss.
You work in the reception of the Wordsworth Language School.
Telephone the school and speak to your teacher. Leave a message if necessary.
Today all the teachers are away on a training course. Answer the telephone.
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials Course books
Course books usually consist of a set of materials: Student's book (for classroom use) Workbook (for individual and supplementary work, class work, homework etc) Cassettes (for use in class and at home) Teacher's book (gives a step-by-step guide as to how to teach the material in the student's book. Often also contain progress tests) In some cases a video (video activities to reinforce the material in the student's book) Other published materials include – reading books graded to varying levels of students, test books, learner dictionaries, vocabulary flash cards Probably the most commonly used course books today are the Headway, Reward, and English File series for British English, and Interchange/New Interchange for American English. Books used in different countries can vary enormously and depend on local availability. Course book advantages
It is usually expected by the students Although not all materials may be suitable for your class, it is considerably easier and less time consuming to supplement than to design a syllabus and create materials from scratch It provides a syllabus which is graded to a level suitable for the students It provides security for students and teachers alike It normally provides a balanced mix of grammar, vocabulary and skills work It offers continuity and progression The materials will have normally been tried and tested before publication It is usually attractive and appealing to the eye It continually practices language items previously introduced The teacher's book offers many good ideas for the inexperienced teacher
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Course book disadvantages
Best use of course books
It does not always fit the specific needs and interests of all the class members The students may not like the book and might be reluctant to use it Exclusive use of a course book can become very predictable and boring for the students It can make teachers lazy, and stop them from being creative and searching for activities and materials which will motivate and interest their students A course book is almost always a compromise Most course books on the market are designed for use by all nationalities and may not cover in enough depth language problems specific to the nationality of students that you are teaching Teachers rarely get to choose the course book and many can be outdated and unattractive to your students Course books dictate what is to be taught. This can stop teachers analyzing particular problems that their students may have and prevent the lessons from being student centered. If you have the choice of course book, look at a range that could be used for your group. Which is the most suitable? Do not use the course book for the whole lesson. When planning your lessons think about which items will motivate your students, and which need to be supplemented/adapted/replaced. Think about how much time will be needed for each task and create a balanced lesson. Explore ways to match the book to the needs of the students. Approach the book critically: Read the teacher's book, but also do your own research into the language, and look for difficulties not highlighted by the authors. Don't base all lessons around the course book. Look at what your particular students need too. Don't regard the course book as the solution to everything. Try out new ideas and vary your activities.
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Four different options for course book use
1 Omit. Teachers may decide to omit certain lessons from the course book if they are not beneficial or relevant to their students. Care is needed though, because if the teacher omits too much, then the students might wonder why they bought the book in the first place! 2 Replace. Instead of omitting unsuitable material the teacher may choose to replace it with similar, but more appropriate, material. 3 Supplement. At times the teacher might want to add extra material to the course book to reinforce a language point, or to extend the students' engagement with the language. 4 Adapt. This is where the teacher will use the same basic materials but in his/her own way and style.
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Analyzing a course book
If the teacher is fortunate enough to be able to choose the course book for a particular class, he/she will probably need to analyze and consider the following factors:
Price. How expensive is the book in relation to the income levels of the students/area? Availability. Are the books readily available in the local area? Do the books allow for progression through various levels? Are supplementary materials available? Design. Is the book attractive? Will the teacher and students feel comfortable with it? Is it user friendly? Methodology. Is there a good balance between study and activation? Does it readily allow for ESA style lessons? Skills. Is there an appropriate mix and balance of skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)? Difficulty. Is the level of language right for your students? Syllabus. Does the book cover the right language points for the level? Does it progress in difficulty level? Does the syllabus constantly review previously taught language items? Topic. Are the topics relevant, varied and interesting for your students? Teacher's guide. Does the teacher's book provide you with all the help, information and answers that you require? What ancillary materials are there – student workbooks, audio cassettes, videos, CD ROMs, etc?
Have a look through the materials you have received so far. Imagine that they are part of a course book, and that you are a teacher of elementary English students visiting your home city. How does this course book match the above criteria?
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials Task sheet
Check your knowledge before attempting the unit test. Please note that this task sheet is solely for checking that you have understood the course unit content. You do not need to submit this task sheet – just use it to check you have understood the major points. Task 1 – State the advantages and disadvantages of authentic and created materials. Which kind of materials would you favor for a class of intermediate students? Why?
Task 2 – What do you consider to be the advantages and disadvantages of using course books with a class?
Task 3 – How can the teacher use the course book to maximum effect?
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Unit i 14 it Courseb Cour oursebook sebooks ooks and n lesso nd lesson on mate mater aterial rials ials
Task 4 – Find an authentic reading text of your choice online appropriate for an upper-intermediate class, and using a blank lesson plan similar in format to the lesson plan form on pages 5 and 6 of unit 9, devise a full ESA lesson plan that revolves around the text. As always, complete all sections of the lesson plan, as well as the procedure.
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