1. Material Design & Development
Week 3
Tomlinson’s Good Materials
Describing Learners 1

2. Housekeeping: Name Cards
English Nickname: _________
address: ______________
Phone #: __________________
Your Picture
Something about your self:_________
______________________________ 2

3. Reflection on Homework
Homework for Next Week
Read and answer the questions to “Defining Learning Objectives” p. 161 (Qs) (reading).
Reflection on Homework
Discuss in small groups or with a partner:
Which learning style do you think you are? Why?
Which learning style do you think is the most difficult to teach? Why?
What are some things that teachers can do to help motivate their students

4. Inductive vs. Deductive
What is the difference between “inductive” teaching and “deductive” teaching?

5. Kinds of Language Learning
Explicit
learners are aware of when and what they are learning
Implicit
learners are not aware of when and what they are learning
Involving Declarative Knowledge
knowledge about the language system
Involving Procedural Knowledge
knowledge of how the language is used

6. What is the position that most researchers take in terms of the kinds of language learning?
Communicative competence is primarily achieved as a result of implicit, procedural learning.

7. What does the term “communicative competence” mean?
“Communicative competence refers to a learner's (second language) ability. It not only refers to a learner's ability to apply and use grammatical rules, but also to form correct utterances, and know how to use these utterances appropriately”.
(definition from: Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia)

8. What should the main objective of materials be?
To provide learners with meaningful experiences of language in use and opportunities to reflect on these experiences.

9. When are learners guided to see explicit aspects of the target language?
Prior to students’ use
After students’ use
*NOTE: both can be done inductively so the teacher can facilitate students’ discovery of rules.

10. Features of Good Materials
What are the 16 features of “Good Materials” that are listed in the reading?

11. Materials should achieve impact
Materials should help learners to feel at ease
Materials should help learners develop confidence
What is being taught should be perceived as relevant and useful
Materials should facilitate learner self-investment and discovery
Learners must be ready to acquire the points being taught
Materials should expose the learners to language in authentic use
Learner’s attention should be drawn to the linguistic features of the input
Materials should provided opportunities to use the TL for communicative purposes
Materials should take into account that the positive effects of instruction are usually delayed
Materials should take into account that learners have different learning styles
Materials should take into account that learners differ in affective attitude
Materials should permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction
Materials should maximize learning potential
Materials should not rely too much on controlled practice
Materials should provide opportunities for outcome feedback

12. 1. Materials should achieve impact

13. 2. Materials should help learners to feel at ease
Things that a material developer can do to make Ss feel at ease: ’
lots of white space
illustrations that learners can relate to
balance Ss academic and emotional needs, so….
materials seem helpful rather than test like
materials that have a humane personality and voice rather than semi-official documents that one might find at a government office
use active voice rather than passive
examples and stories that make it seem more real; concrete and connect to the Ss lives and social context
Language should be inclusive  It’s the learner’s language, too! How material developers/Ts use of the target language shouldn’t make Ss feel inferior; the level and the way the TL is ‘used’ should neither demean nor patronize

14. Build rapport by sharing aspects of yourself

15. 3. Materials should help learners develop confidence
Challenge level (i+1).
Staging and task sequencing
Removing scaffolding and support language
Success builds success and success = confidence

16. 4. What is being taught should be perceived as relevant and useful
Find out what your Ss like and want to learn through needs analysis
Make task and activities “real” & “meaningful”
Allow for Ss personalization of learning
Use games, contest and competitions to create materials that have the perception of relevance

17. 5. Materials should facilitate learner self-investment and discovery
Learning situations are created in which the learning is often implicit
Inductive methods are used
Learner-centered, task-based, learn by doing
Ss-Ss collaboration and peer learning maximized
Teacher Talk Time (TTT) minimized
Teacher’s don’t teach; students learn

18. Classroom that facilitate learner self-investment and discovery often look like this.
Where’s the teacher?
Present, but not directly involved.

19. 6. Learners must be ready to acquire the points being taught
Materials are developed so Ts can easily do initial and ongoing assessment
Materials are created with the understanding that Ss learn at different rates, and not all Ss are necessarily ready to acquire what is being taught
Developmental sequence is taken into account

20. Developmental Sequence
The terms above refers to the passage of learners through a series (of in most cases) progressively more accurate manifestations of a given feature such as negation, question-forms, etc…The developmental sequence for L2 learners is very similar to the developmental sequence for L1 learners of English.

21. 7. Materials should expose the learners to language in authentic use
Authentic Input: listening and reading texts created by native speakers for native speakers
Authentic Output: Tasks and activities that have a real context of use

22. 8. Learner’s attention should be drawn to the linguistic features of the input
Meaning before form
Materials help s to notice gap in interlanguage
Recycling of key points or features to assure that Ss notice and acquire
Use enhanced input techniques to drawn Ss attn to salient features of input
Schema activation

23. Enhanced Input Jane plans to marry Tom.
She likes Tom, but Tom doesn’t like her.
Tom always runs when he sees her.
She catches Tom.
Tom falls in love.
It ends happily.
What do I want my Ss to notice?
How is their attention drawn to the input?

24. Schema Theory & Schema Activation

25. Preparing Ss to learn new vocabulary and concepts

26. 9. Materials should provided opportunities to use the TL for communicative purposes
Information and opinion gaps
Survey
Mingle activities

27. 10. Materials should take into account that the positive effects of instruction are usually delayed

28. 11. Materials should take into account that learners have different learning styles
This will be discussed in detail later in the lesson.

29. 12. Materials should take into account that learners differ in affective attitude
providing choice of…
different types of texts
different kinds of activities
providing optional extras for highly motivated and higher level learners
remembering variety is the spice of life
including opportunities for Ss to discuss…
the value of learning English
their attitudes and feeling about the course and materials
being aware of the cultural sensitivity of your learners
giving Ss opportunities to connect classroom themes and topics to their own lives and experiences
providing roles for reluctant learners who do not want to participate in group work

30. 13. Materials should permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction

31. 14. Materials should maximize learning potential
Left Brain
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
Knowing
Acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
Right Brain
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function

32. 15. Materials should not rely too much on controlled practice

33. 16. Materials should provide opportunities for outcome feedback

34. How Do Learners Differ? Age Level Aptitude (Multiple Intelligences)
Background Experiences
Personality
Learning Styles
Beliefs and attitudes
Motivation

35. Age
How do young children learn differently from older children, adolescents and adults? 35

36. Respond to meaning even if they don’t understand individual words.
Learn more indirectly than directly. (Implicit)
Understanding comes from what they see, hear, touch and interact with, not just from explanation.
Generally display an enthusiasm for learning and are curious about the world around them. (Learn through discovery)
Have a need for individual attention and approval from the teacher.
Keen to talk about themselves and respond well to learning that uses their own lives as topics in the classroom (personalization).
Have limited attention span unless the activity is extremely engaging.

37. How can we apply this knowledge about how children learn to our teaching practice in the language classroom? 37

38. Discussion Questions
What are the characteristics of a “good learner” in terms of Korean culture?
What is your definition of a “good learner”?
Do you think North American ‘ideal learners’ are the same or different? Why? 38

39. Motivation What is “motivation”?
“Some kind of internal drive which pushes someone to do things in order to achieve something” (Harmer, 2001)
What are the two kinds of motivation?
Intrinsic and extrinsic
What are some examples of each? 39

40. Discussion Questions Why is it important to motivate our students?
How can we keep our students motivated to learn? 40

41. When I hear Korean
in movies, for
example,
“Yesman.”
My friends
In Canada
don’t think
Korean
is worth
studying.
Why not
Japanese?
Talking
to my
Jang-
mo-nim
My teacher doesn’t
let me talk
enough.
Talking to
my wife in
Korean

42. Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI)
Introduced by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner in 1983.
Suggested that as humans we do not possess a single intelligence, but a range.
He listed seven intelligences (and added an eighth one in 1999).
All people have these intelligences but in each person one (or more) of them is more pronounced. 42

43. Most people can develop each intelligence to an adequate level of competency.
Gardner suggests that virtually everyone has the capacity to develop all seven intelligences to a reasonably high level of performance if given the appropriate encouragement, enrichment, and instruction.
Intelligences usually work together in complex ways - Gardner points out that the intelligences are always interacting with each other. 43

44. There are many ways to be intelligent within each category - there is no standard set of attributes that one must have to be considered intelligent in a specific area.
Consequently, a person may not be able to read, yet be highly linguistic because he can tell a terrific story or has a large, oral vocabulary.
Similarly, a person may be quite awkward on the playing field, yet possess superior bodily-kinesthetic intelligence when she weaves a carpet or creates an inlaid chess table. 44

45. The Intelligences Linguistic Learner Logical/Mathematical Learner
Spatial Learner
Musical Learner
Kinaesthetic Learner
Interpersonal Learner
Intrapersonal Learner
Naturalist Learner 45

46. Page 17 TYPE LIKES TO IS GOOD AT LEARNS BEST
Linguistic Learner (“word player”)
Read, write, tell stories
Memorizing names, places, dates, problem solving
Saying, hearing, and seeing words
Logical/Mathematical Learner (“questioner”)
Do experiments, figure things out, work with numbers, ask questions
Math, reasoning, logic and problem solving
Categorizing, classifying, working with abstract patterns
Spatial Learner (“visualizer”)
Draw, build, design & create things, look at pictures, daydream, watch movies, play with machines
Imagining things, sensing changes, mazes/puzzles, reading maps, charts
Visualizing, dreaming, working with colours and pictures
Musical Learner (“music lover”)
Sing, hum, listen to music, play an instrument, respond to music
Picking up sounds, remembering melodies, noticing pitches/rhythms, keeping time
Rhythm, melody, music
Bodily/Kinesthetic Learner
Move around, touch and talk, use body language
Physical activities (sport, dancing, acting)
Touching, moving, interacting with space, body sensations
Interpersonal Learner
(“socializer”)
Have lots of friends, talk to people, join groups
Understanding people, leading others, organizing, communicating, mediating
Sharing, comparing, relating, cooperating, interviewing
Intrapersonal Learner
Work alone, pursue own interests
Understanding self, focusing inward on feelings/dreams, following instincts, pursuing interests/goals, being original
Working alone, individual projects, self-paced instructions, having own space 46

47. Learning Styles Korean students studying in USA:
Preferred styles were:
Visual:
Kinesthetic:
Auditory:
Tactile:
Individual:
Group:
Remember that this is not representative of all Koreans, only those studying in the US.
Also, these are adult students. How might children be different?

48. Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)
What does the acronym: VAKOG mean?
V = visual
A = auditory
K = kinesthetic
O = olfactory
G = gustatory 48

49. This theory states that although we use all of these systems to experience the world, we tend to have one “preferred primary system”.
What does this mean? 49

50. Discussion Questions:
Is it important for teachers to know what kind of intelligences their students have?
We can find out our students levels by looking at their scores on different tests.
How can we find out what kind of learners our students are? 50

51. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES TEST
Where does your true intelligence lie?
This quiz will tell you where you stand and what to do about it.
Read each statement.
If it expresses some characteristic of yours and sounds true for the most part, jot down a "T."
If it doesn't, mark an "F."
If the statement is sometimes true, sometimes false, leave it blank. 51

52. 1. _____ I'd rather draw a map than give someone verbal directions.
2. _____ I can play (or used to play) a musical instrument.
3. _____ I can associate music with my moods.
4. _____ I can add or multiply in my head.
5. _____ I like to work with calculators and computers.
6. _____ I pick up new dance steps fast.
7. _____ It's easy for me to say what I think in an argument or debate.
8. _____ I enjoy a good lecture, speech or sermon.
9. _____ I always know north from south no matter where I am.
10. _____ Life seems empty without music.
11. _____ I always understand the directions that come with new gadgets or appliances.
12. _____ I like to work puzzles and play games.
13. _____ Learning to ride a bike (or skates) was easy.
14. _____ I am irritated when I hear an argument or statement that sounds illogical.
15. _____ My sense of balance and coordination is good. 52

53. 17. _____ I enjoy building models (or sculpting).
16. _____ I often see patterns and relationships between numbers faster and easier than others.
17. _____ I enjoy building models (or sculpting).
18. _____ I'm good at finding the fine points of word meanings.
19. _____ I can look at an object one way and see it sideways or backwards just as easily.
20. _____ I often connect a piece of music with some event in my life.
21. _____ I like to work with numbers and figures.
22. _____ Just looking at shapes of buildings and structures is pleasurable to me.
23. _____ I like to hum, whistle and sing in the shower or when I'm alone.
24. _____ I'm good at athletics.
25. _____ I'd like to study the structure and logic of languages.
26. _____ I'm usually aware of the expression on my face.
27. _____ I'm sensitive to the expressions on other people's faces.
28. _____ I stay "in touch" with my moods. I have no trouble identifying them.
29. _____ I am sensitive to the moods of others.
30. _____ I have a good sense of what others think of me. 53

54. Scoring the MI test MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE SCORING SHEET
Count each item you marked as "true." Add your totals for each category. A total of four in any of the categories A through E indicates strong ability. In categories F and G a score of one or more means you have abilities as well.
A. Linguistic = 7, 8, 14, 18, 25
B. Logical-Mathematical = 4, 5, 12, 16, 21
C. Musical = 2, 3, 10, 20, 23
D. Spatial = 1, 9, 11, 19, 22
E. Bodily-Kinesthetic = 6, 13, 15, 17, 24
F. Intra-personal = 26, 28
G. Inter-personal = 27, 29, 30               

55. The Lead VAKT Test: Read and Imagine
Follow each instruction in your mind and give yourself a mark:
0=impossible 1=difficult 2=okay 3=easy
SEE a kangaroo
SEE your front door
SEE your toothbrush
SEE a friend’s face
SEE a plate of food
SEE a TV show…
WATCH the TV scene change
HEAR a song
HEAR rain
HEAR a fire alarm
HEAR a friend’s voice
HEAR your own voice
HEAR birds singing…
HEAR the birdsong change to a call of alarm
FEEL excited
FEEL yourself swimming
FEEL grass under your feet
FEEL a cat on your lap
FEEL hot
FEEL your fingers on a piano keyboard
FEEL your fingers playing a few notes 55

56. Add up your scores for each sense: SEE ____ HEAR ____ FEEL ____
Does the highest score correspond with what you think your preferred lead system is?
How did you do when it came to changing the scenes slightly in the last one of each section?
“The Lead VAKT Test” from In your Hands by J Revell and S Norman (Saffire Press) 56

57. Discussion Questions:
Should we incorporate our students’ intelligence areas and learning styles when we plan our classes? Why/why not? How?
Is it possible to give these kinds of tests to our students?
What are some other ways in which we find out what kinds of learners our students are? 57

58. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES TEST 58

59. Small group activity Please get into groups of three or four people.
In your group:
Come up with an activity for each learning style (VAKT) for the topic given to your group. 59

60. Topics Comparatives Counting to 100 Rooms in your house
Questions using “is there a…?” and “are there any?”

61. Modalities, recall and motivation
Check your classmate’s preferred sensory modality.
Taken from:
Robbins, Anthony, “Ultimate Power”