ESOL Curriculum and Materials Session 10- selecting learning materials Have participants bring some of their textbooks to class to use during activities to modify and analyze textbooks.

   Much of the teaching that occurs in classrooms comes from the use of commercial materials.  These materials are in the form of books, workbooks, worksheets, audio materials, videos, and computer programs.  No matter what types of materials are selected for use, the job of the educator is to make sure the materials serve the following functions:

Materials should achieve impact Materials let the learners feel at ease Materials help the learner build confidence Materials should be perceived as relevant and useful to the learner

Materials should achieve impact Materials let the learners feel at ease Materials help the learner build confidence Materials should be perceived as relevant and useful to the learner

Materials should expose the learners to language in authentic use When looking at selecting materials that will be used with ESOL students in the classroom, it's important to look at how technology is selected and used with ELLs.   

  It can become an integral part of the curriculum to meet the needs of diverse learners. Technology tools are defined as materials, media and devices that can potentially increase, maintain or improve students' capabilities

Read the following article from Language Learning and Technology:  Emerging Technologies: Language in Action From Webquests to Virtual Realities

Authentic vs. Created Materials When deciding to use teaching materials with students, a decision must be made to either use authentic or created materials.  Authentic materials are materials that are not specifically prepared for pedagogical purposes.  These items include texts, photographs and video selections. The main disadvantage of using authentic materials is that they are not always teacher-friendly and can take time and often will require several hours of preparation to use with students.  Authentic materials usually have high interest to the second language student because of the relevance and the learning embedded within them: language learned through vocabulary, cultural insights, and the practical application that can be used or seen.  For instance using printed materials from the community helps students bridge the gap between the classroom lessons to real life.   The role of the teacher when selecting authentic materials is to determine the materials applicability and adaptability for use in their classroom.  Created materials refer to specially developed instructional resources such as textbooks.  Created materials usually resolve around a particular structure that is familiar to the student.  These materials are useful in raising the students' awareness on structures or patterns that are necessary to learn. Most often they are built around a gradable syllabus.  Read the following article:  Authentic Materials and Cultural Content in EFL Classrooms

Authentic materials usually have high interest to the second language student because of the relevance and the learning embedded within them: language learned through vocabulary, cultural insights, and the practical application that can be used or seen.  For instance using printed materials from the community helps students bridge the gap between the classroom lessons to real life.  

The role of the teacher when selecting authentic materials is to determine the materials applicability and adaptability for use in their classroom.  Created materials refer to specially developed instructional resources such as textbooks.  Created materials usually resolve around a particular structure that is familiar to the student.  

These materials are useful in raising the students' awareness on structures or patterns that are necessary to learn. Most often they are built around a gradable syllabus.

Material Adaptations Successful materials adaptation is more than simplifying vocabulary, shortening sentences and watering down the information. When adapting materials to use with ESOL students, the visual presentation of the information is important.   Materials become more user friendly when pictures, charts, and timelines are included.  The use of visual aids give the ESOL student cues that can help clarify meaning and solidify learning.

The following are steps in adapting materials: Consider the students' proficiency level. Build on students' prior knowledge. Highlight specific text. Control new vocabulary. Simplify the vocabulary found in the text.

Structure paragraphs so they are user friendly, for example start with the topic sentence. There are many benefits to adapting materials. The teacher has control over the content, the format can be controlled, and the teacher can control any bias that may occur in the materials. Read the following article: Adapting Materials for ELLs

Identifying Bias in Materials Learning resources need to be assessed for bias. When teachers can clarify, name, and define various types of biases, then meaningful teaching and learning can occur.  Look for subtle and over biases such as distortions, inaccuracies, omissions, stereotyping, and undue emphases.

Also look for representations that are fragmented, emphasizing only parts while excluding the whole, and tokenism that is done as an attempt to address inclusion.  When identifying biases it's important to understand that the most common biases found in materials that are used in the classrooms include the following:

Appearance - This type of bias occurs when judgments are made on the external appearance that lead to assumptions about a person's character and abilities.

Belief system - Bias can occur when a belief system describes characteristics of the system inaccurately or does not correctly portray who the system influences or how it's individuals live.

Ability/Disability - Bias occurs when materials do not portray people with a variety of abilities/disabilities in positive contexts as being capable, self-reliant, intelligent, creative, and independent and are only included as a token recognition.

Family structure - Bias can occur when materials do not accurately portray a variety of family structures and focuses primarily on one type.

Gender - Gender bias occurs when materials do not contain equitable representation of both women and men and girls and boys.

Race and Ethnocultural - When groups of people of common ancestry are distinguished by physical characteristics such as skin color, shape of eyes, hair texture or facial features, and groups of people who share a particular cultural heritage or background are not portrayed equally to another, is a form of bias.

Socio-economic status - This form of bias occurs when there is no acknowledgement that the basic needs of people exist in relation to all areas of diversity and locations.  

Read the article: Crossing the Information Highway: The Web of Meaning and Bias in Global Media

When selecting materials that are anti-biased, the materials should: be responsive to the diversity in schools, classrooms and society provide information and opportunities for students to think critically so they can counter prejudice and bias provide students with opportunities to demonstrate respect for themselves, other individuals and groups help students understand that all peoples and cultures are interrelated and interdependent

Read the following article: Guidelines for Identifying Bias

Textbooks Textbooks are the most common type of teaching materials used in classrooms today.  The use of textbooks has both advantages and disadvantages, depending on how they are used and the context they are being used in.  

With such a variety of commercial textbooks being used, teachers and others need to make evaluations on their merit and make recommendations on which ones to use and to what extent.  Since no textbook will perfectly fit into a language program, it is suggested that a good textbook will have information that will let the educator:

select appropriately from what is available in the content. be creative with what is available. modify accurately to suit learners needs. supplement by providing extra activities. 

Considerations for Evaluating a Textbook The role of the textbook in the program. The teachers in the program. The learners in the program. The Role of Textbooks in a Language Program by Jack C. Richards See page 2-3 of article. Have participants read page 2 and 3 and discuss the above.

Criteria for Textbook Evaluation Cunningsworth (1995) proposes four criteria for evaluating textbooks, particularly coursebooks. 1. They should correspond to the learner’s needs. 2. They should reflect the uses which learners will make of the language. 3. They should take account of students’ needs as learners. 4. They should have a clear role as a support for learning. The Role of Textbooks in a Language Program by Jack C. Richards

Adapting Textbooks Modifying content Adding or deleting content Reorganizing content Addressing omissions Modifying tasks Extending tasks The Role of Textbooks in a Language Program by Jack C. Richards See page 4 and 5 of article. Give each group one of the above adaptations. Have them look at their textbook and suggest how that adaptation could be done.

Checklist for ESL Textbook Selection References Have each group go through the textbook and look for evidence to answer each question, one at a time.

A. Program and Course Does the textbook support the goals and curriculum of the program? Is the textbook part of a series, and if so, would using the entire series be appropriate? Are a sufficient number of the course objectives addressed by the textbook? Was this textbook written for learners of this age group and background? Does the textbook reflect learners’ preferences in terms of layout, design, and organization? Is the textbook sensitive to the cultural background and interests of the students?

B. Skills Are the skills presented in the textbook appropriate to the course? Does the textbook provide learners with adequate guidance as they are acquiring these skills? Do the skills that are presented in the textbook include a wide range of cognitive skills that will be challenging to learners?

C. Exercises and Activities Do the exercises and activities in the textbook promote learners’ language development? Is there a balance between controlled and free exercises? Do the exercises and activities reinforce what students have already learned and represent a progression from simple to more complex? Are the exercises and activities varied in format so that they will continually motivate and challenge learners?

D. Practical Concerns Is the textbook available? Can the textbook be obtained in a timely manner? Is the textbook cost-effective?

http://www.readingmatrix.com/reading_proj ects/miekley/project.pdf http://mcael.org/uploads/File/provider_librar y/Textbook_Eval_CAL.pdf