MATERIALS FOR SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING Definition and Classification Material Development Criterion Material Adopt & Adaptation Material Evaluation Multi-Media Materials Adapted from Brian Tomlinson, 1998

Materials/Language-Learning Materials Definition: Anything which is deliberately used to increase the learners’ knowledge and/or experience of the language—Brian Tomlinson Classification: Course books: textbooks, grammar books, dictionaries, readers, workbooks, photocopied exercises, etc. Supplementary: newspapers, magazines, food packages, photographs, cards, games, etc. Multi-media: cassettes, videos, slides, movies, CD-ROMs, any computer generated or The Internet based materials, etc. Types: written, audio, visual, self-made, adopted, adapted, etc.

Materials Development Criterion (1) Materials should be authentic, free of cultural, sexual, and linguistic bias. Materials should achieve impact: Novelty (e.g. unusual topics, illustrations and activities) Variety (e.g. break up the monotony of a unit routine with an expected activity; use many different type of text types, resources, voices) Attractive presentation (e.g. use of attractive colors, photographs, designs) Appealing content (e.g. topics of interest to learners, new knowledge, universal theme, local reference)

Materials Development Criterion (2) Relaxed and self-confident learners learn faster. (Dulay, Burt and Krashen 1982) Materials should help learners at ease and develop their confidence: Learners feel more comfortable with materials with more white space than materials with lots of activities crammed together on the same page. Learners are more at ease with texts and illustrations related to their own culture and experience. Learners are motivated with materials that are relevant, useful, supportive, and encourage personal participation. Learners have an easy feeling when materials are related to the world and when they can find their voice in them. Learners can build up their confidence when materials are simplified, related to their previous knowledge and life experience, challenged with achievable task, a little beyond their existing proficiency level, stimulating, and encourage them to use and develop their existing language skills.

Materials Development Criterion (3) Materials should require/facilitate learner self-investment: Learners profit most if they invest interest, effort and attention in the learning activity. Materials should provide learners with choices of focus ad activity, by giving them topics control and by engaging them in learner-centered discovery activities. Materials should involve learners in mini-projects, finding supplementary materials themselves. Learners must be ready to acquire the points being taught. Certain structures are acquired only when learners are mentally ready for them. (Dulay, Burt and Krashen 1982) Materials should involve learners in mini-projects, in finding supplementary materials themselves.

Materials Development Criterion (4) Materials should expose the learners to language in authentic use The exposure to authentic use of the target language is necessary, but not sufficient for the acquisition of that language. Materials at all levels should provide frequent exposure to authentic input which is rich in features and varies in style, mode, medium and purpose. Materials should also stimulate learner interaction with input rather than just passive reception of it. The learners’ attention should be drawn to linguistic features of the input Materials should help learners become aware of a gap between a particular feature of their interlanguage and the equivalent feature in the target language.

Materials Development Criterion (5) Materials should provide the learners with opportunities to use L2 to achieve communicative purposes Ideal materials should provide opportunities for communicative interaction in a variety of discourse modes from planned to unplanned. Such interaction can be achieved through: Information or opinion gap activities (find out what food or drink people like) Post-listening and post-reading activities (discuss a TV program, write a review) Creative writing and creative speaking activities (write a story, make a speech) Formal instruction on L2 or other subjects. Materials should take into account that the positive effects of instruction are usually delayed Acquisition results from the gradual and dynamic process of internal generalization rather than instant adjustment of learner internal grammar. The production phase in the PPP (Presentation Practice Production) textbook approach, should be viewed as a reinforcement, rather than correct production. It is important for materials to recycle instruction and provide frequent and ample exposure to the instructed features in communicative use.

Materials Development Criterion (6) Materials should take learning styles into account Materials should be catered for styles of learning. Visual (written language preference) Auditory (listening material preference) Kinaesthetic (physical activity preference) Studial (pay attention to the linguistic features of the language) Experiential (prefer communicative language use than correctness) Analytic (prefer to focus on discrete bits of the language, learn one by one) Global (prefer to respond to whole chunks of language at a time) Dependent (prefer to learn from a teacher and a book) Independent (prefer to learn from their own experience)

Materials Development Criterion (7) Materials should take affective attitudes into account To diversify language instruction by providing choices of different types of texts, activities, optional extras for more positive and motivated learners including units with the value of learning English, a topic for discussion including activities involved in discussion of their attitudes and feeling about the course and materials being aware of the cultural sensitivities and diverse interest of learners Materials should permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction Material should not force premature speaking in the target language. Start your lesson with TPR, listening comprehension approach (e.g. story telling) with sound effects, visual aid, and dramatic movements. Permit learners to use L1 or drawings and gestures to respond to L2 questions.

Materials Development Criterion (8) Materials should not reply too much on controlled practice It is clear and uncontroversial to say that most spontaneous performance is attained by dint of practice.(Sharwood-smith,1981) Automaticity is achieved through practice. (Bialystok, 1988) Materials should provide opportunities for feedback Feedback should focus on effectiveness of language use other than practicing language.

Materials Adopt and Adaptation (1) Checklist for adopting, textbooks Materials background author’s credentials publisher’s reputation Fit curriculum approach, syllabus, needs, goals/objectives, content Physical characteristics layout (space, pictures, highlighting), organization (table of content, index, answer keys, glossary, reference), editorial qualities (clear directions, user friendly), material quality ( paper, biding, tear-out pages) Logistical characteristics price, auxiliary parts (audiovisual aid, workbooks, software, tests), availability Teachability teacher’s edition (answer key and annotations, plan activities) reviews, acceptability among teachers

Materials Adopt and Adaptation (2) Steps for adapting materials Finding and evaluating Analyzing Matches/mismatches to current objectives Percent of objectives that needs to be supplemented from outside these materials Percent of existing matches that will require revision Decide which set(s) of materials to adapt Classifying Use any logical classes of objectives to help you group them for analysis List places in materials where each objectives are needed Leave blanks where supplemental materials are needed Fill in the gaps From other materials From created materials Teachers as resources Resources file Reorganizing Complete the list Reorganize

Multi-Media Materials Type Video Movies CD ROMs Computer DVD Internet Function Resources Self-learning programs Interactive Learning activities Games Content knowledge Specific skill development