Introduction

In reflecting on this module I want to describe how my concept of materials has changed, how important the reflective process is to materials design, and how coursebooks fit into teaching and learning.

Developing the concept of materials

At the start of the course my aims were fairly simple, mainly to improve my materials. My concept of materials at the time was towards the worksheet. Immersive learning, such Paul Driver’s concepts of technology-based play, Jane Wilis’ task-based learning, visual story telling via comics, and research on using video in class, such as Jamie Keddie’s story telling based teaching approach, have offered me a possible, and exciting way forward in materials design. In all of these narrative are the basis of learning (possibly arguable with Willis, but I would say that a task has a purpose, and so a story). A recent TESOL conference keynote speaker’s back projection said “story telling is at the heart of teaching and learning” (seen on twitter, source unknown/lost). In response I have started to create lessons with a central ‘story’, such as a recent class based on (real) text messages to learners from an absent (not real ) learner, in which they were asked to help on a shopping task. This involved using public space, real communicative tasks (asking shopkeepers about produce) and writing practice.

Coursebooks

As a specialist ESL teacher (teaching English to settlers in the UK, working to an exam-based, separated skills course), I had a problem with connecting with the classes in this module that focused heavily on coursebooks, as most of the material is not applicable to my work. I also held a sceptical view of them, along with a large proportion of ESL teachers worldwide. However, it needs to be accepted that coursebooks make up the majority of materials used in classes, and interestingly, they are viewed much more positively by those in the class who have used them to learn English. Of course, the truth is that materials are only as good as the teacher that uses them. The simple solution to the issue of suitability is to ‘lift them off the page’, or as Maley suggests: re-order, omit, reduce, add, extend, re-write, replace, or branch (2011). Coursebooks could be designed with this in mind, and steps are being taken by schools like Brighton Language College (see previous post) to develop more flexible materials.

Conclusion- the reflective process

a reply to a post on this blog on the complexity of the materials process made me consider it more carefully. my response was that I agree that materials development can be a complicated process, but this shows that the process is at least being considered, which is the most important thing, whether it results in amazing materials or not. I am more wary these days of announcements of ‘revolutionary’ or ‘simple’ ways to create great lessons, whether it’s via a learning approach or a resource. Even valuable ideas like Keddie’s videotelling or Thornbury’s ‘dogme’ approach are not going to work for everyone, and often are just advertised for commercial gain, academic target completion, or ego-boosting. As teachers we can be susceptible to this as we are looking to improve our teaching and help learners. But what I have learnt from the course, and experience, is that it is working and discussing with others and going through sometimes tedious processes like the reflective one above (Jolly and Bolitho’s ‘a teacher’s path through the production of new or adapted materials’, pg 113)  that really creates good materials or teaching.

References

Mcgrath, I. (2002) Materials evaluation and design for language teaching, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.

Tomlinson, B., Editor of Compilation. (2013) Developing materials for language teaching, London, Bloomsbury Academic.