Category: Closing Statement

Final thoughts…

In this final post I am going to discuss the impact the materials module has had on me and my teaching. I would also like to talk about my thoughts in relation to what I have achieved and learnt in the last three months.

In our final session with Paul we talked about materials and digital technologies. One thing that made a great impression on me was the distinction between ‘digital natives’ and ‘digital immigrants’ (Misha, 2015). The former refers to how comfortable younger generations are with new technologies and the latter to teachers who are ‘less comfortable with technology than their students’ (Misha, 2015). I feel that I sit somewhere between the two. I do feel that I’m quite familiar with various new technologies, tools and apps; however, technology is limitless and constantly updating. This module has definitely helped me expand my knowledge on tools and technologies that can be used in the ELT classroom.

Another interesting point mentioned in our last session was that of the ‘Just in time’ approach. This refers to the motivations different students have behind learning a language and how technology has contributed to that. It seems that, nowadays, a lot of people learn languages in order to be able to ‘get things done’ and not because they necessarily like it or want to reach a high level of communication. The reasons behind their learning are mainly transactional and a lot of applications have been created to help learners do that. In this case one could argue that technology might have started taking over; however, the other side of the coin could be that apps do not always provide their users with real-life experience of dealing with situations that might arise while using the language. In other words, what if somebody was using an app to book a holiday or buy clothes in a shop and there was some kind of miscommunication while they were doing so? How can an app deal with cultural misunderstandings, humour and customs and traditions? Not everyone will always want to learn a language to immerse into its culture but real-life communication could be closely connected to it.

The spectrum of static and dynamic materials was also mentioned in our final session. Static materials could be course books and worksheets whereas ‘live texts’ or ‘instant messaging’ could be considered dynamic. Even though I can see what this distinction is about, I do not necessarily agree with it. A course book could be either static or dynamic depending on how the teacher decides to use it. Are we passively accepting and using whatever’s in a book or do we decide to adapt and supplement keeping our students in mind? I believe the latter could transform a potentially static’ course book into a dynamic tool.

The idea of digital technologies brought another thing to mind. In my classes, I usually encourage students to create a Whatsapp group to share homework and answers to it as well as photos of the board so they can all have access to what has been taught in class. Students seem to appreciate the support and help that is being offered to them and they always keep everyone posted on what’s happening in class without my getting involved in it at all. We also use a Facebook group that I’ve created for students to ask any further questions related to our classes. It seems that this might be extra work for me, but I really don’t mind doing it. These two social networks, Whatsapp and Facebook, are very popular around the world, so if that makes communication and learning easier, I’m all up for it. This could also relate to what Kervin and Derewianka mention about technologies used in the classroom. More specifically, they talk about ‘Ning’ (https://www.ning.com), a website which allows the creation ‘of your own customised social networking on which members can post discussion items, blogs, photos and videos’ and they also mention that ‘teachers and students can create their own sites based on the interests of their specific learning community’ (2011). This is something I’ll definitely experiment with in the near future, familiarise myself with it and present it to my students. I could then have a discussion about it with them and decide which way of communication they all prefer to use.

Looking back on the work we’ve all done these past three months, I feel I’ve learnt a lot and have managed to answer a lot of the questions I had when we started this module. I feel I am more aware of the principles behind the evaluation of materials, I have created materials of my own and I now feel I know a lot more about the frameworks and principles for materials writing. My knowledge behind adapting and supplementing materials is broader as well and I can justify my decisions on doing so a lot more confidently than I did before. Reading other people’s blogs has also been valuable. I can see the benefits of discussing and sharing ideas with people of various teaching backgrounds, and I plan to keep my blog running even after the end of this module.

About technology. So many new things and tools that I’ll try to use in the future. From infographics to QR codes, to AR and VR. Applications and websites students can download on their phones, which can also make lessons more interactive and enjoyable. Last but not least, the power of visuals and videos and how we can use them to the benefit of our students.

I think the most important thing I’ve gained from this module is confidence. I feel more confident in justifying my decisions behind adapting and supplementing materials and creating materials of my own. The latter was the thing that scared me the most at the beginning of this module; however, that’s something I would really like to keep working on in the future. The possibility of working in Greece is high for me, and when that happens I’m sure I’ll use all the knowledge I’ve gained to create my own localised materials. As far as technology is concerned, I know I haven’t been able to use all the technological tools we’ve talked about in class yet, but I feel more informed and confident to do so in the future. This has been a great and unforgettable journey!

References

Kervin, L. &. Derewianka, B. (2011). New technologies to support language learning. In: Tomlinson, B. (ed). Materials Development in Language Teaching. (2nd ed.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 328-351.

Mishan, F. & Timmis, I. (2015). Materials Development for TESOL. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. (See chapter 5: Reconceptualising materials for the technical environment. pp.75-98).

https://www.ning.com