Issues in Materials Development

CRITICAL NEW LITERACIES: THE PRAXIS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING (PELT)

Volume 4

Series Editors:

Marcelle Cacciattolo, Victoria University, AustraliaTarquam McKenna, Victoria University, AustraliaShirley Steinberg, University of Calgary; Director of Institute of Youth and

Community Studies, University of the West of ScotlandMark Vicars, Victoria University, Australia

As a praxis-based sequence these texts are specifically designed by the team of international scholars to engage in local in-country language pedagogy research. This exciting and innovative series will bring a dynamic contribution to the development of critical new literacies. With a focus on literacy teaching, research methods and critical pedagogy, the founding principle of the series is to investigate the practice of new literacies in English language learning and teaching, as negotiated with relevance to the localized educational context. It is being and working alongside people in the world that is at the core of the PELT viewpoint. The Praxis of English Language Teaching and Learning series will focus on inter-culturality and interdisciplinary qualitative inquiry and the dissemination of “non-colonised” research.

Issues in Materials Development

Edited by

Maryam AzarnooshIslamic Azad University, Semnan Branch, Iran

Mitra ZeraatpisheIslamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Iran

Akram FaravaniIslamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Iran

and

Hamid Reza KargozariTabaran Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran

A C.I.P. record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 978-94-6300-430-5 (paperback)ISBN: 978-94-6300-431-2 (hardback)ISBN: 978-94-6300-432-9 (e-book)

Published by: Sense Publishers, P.O. Box 21858,3001 AW Rotterdam,The Netherlandshttps://www.sensepublishers.com/

All chapters in this book have undergone peer review.

Printed on acid-free paper

All Rights Reserved © 2016 Sense Publishers

No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface vii

1. The Importance of Materials Development for Language Learning 1Brian Tomlinson

2. Principles and Procedures in Materials Development 11Alan Maley

3. The Importance of Needs Analysis in Materials Development 31Alper Darici

4. Selection and Gradation in Materials Development: A Language-Centered and Learner-Centered Perspective 43Akram Faravani and Mitra Zeraatpishe

5. Adapting and Adopting Materials 57John Macalister

6. Developing Reading Materials for ESL Learners 65Jayakaran Mukundan, Abdolvahed Zarifi and Seyed Ali Rezvani Kalajahi

7. Some Guidelines for Developing Listening Materials 75Parviz Maftoon, Hamid Reza Kargozari and Maryam Azarnoosh

8. Materials to Develop Speaking Skill 83Ivor Timmis

9. Material for Teaching Writing 93Jayakaran Mukundan, Seyed Ali Rezvani Kalajahi and Ruzbeh Babaee

10. Pronunciation Materials 109John Levis and Sinem Sonsaat

11. The ESP Vocabulary Portfolio as a Tool for Sustained Vocabulary Learning: Student-Created Materials 121Handoyo Puji Widodo

12. Technology in Materials Development: A CALL Perspective 135Hassan Soleimani and Maryam Mola Esmaili

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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13. Authenticity in Materials Development: Towards a Framework for a Localised Approach to Authenticity of EFL Teaching and Learning Materials 145Soufiane Trabelsi

14. Using Affectively Engaging Texts to Stimulate Motivation in the Learner-Centred Classroom 159Maria Heron

15. Universal Design in Materials Development: Veneer and Soul 183Lilia Savova

16. Improvements in Today’s ELT Materials Development 193Dat Bao

About the Contributors 207

Author Index 213

Subject Index 219

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PREFACE

The conception of the idea of developing a book on materials design occurred during the 11th International TELLSI Conference held in Mashhad, Iran in 2013. After taking part in presentation sessions and panel discussions, we got involved in a hot debate on university courses, needs of students, materials and recourses, etc. which finally led us to the decision we made on developing six books on issues in TEFL. The books devoted to issues in TEFL focus on contemporary aspects of teaching and learning English applicable in second/foreign language contexts. It is hoped that the books in general and each volume individually provide language learners, teachers and other professionals with sufficient information to develop their own thinking of the issues and delve deeper into each specialized area.

In Issues in Materials Development, we take a theory to practice approach with emphasis on theoretical underpinnings that lead into practical aspects of the processes and mechanisms of designing materials. The book covers the most fundamental concepts in materials development in short and reader-friendly chapters. These review chapters contributed by key figures in the field make it easier for language learners even with little experience to follow the main aspects of materials development and turn this work to a valuable resource book in applied linguistics. This book not only serves as a potential basis for MA level courses on materials development or for research work, but also provides a practical guide for materials developers specifically those who are novice to the field. So learners, language teachers, practitioners, researchers, and educational materials developers may find its content interesting.

It is worth mentioning that many of the contributors to this book have played an important role in the development of MATSDA (the Materials Development Association) from its founder and president, Brian Tomlinson, to frequent contributors to MATSDA events and publications such as Alan Maley, Jayakaran Mukundan, Ivor Timmis, Maria Heron and some others who have been introduced by Brian Tomlinson in person. The contributors have their own voice and style in covering the issues and presenting ideas which in some cases are touched upon by several authors. With the contribution of 23 authors, as a team effort to satisfy a wide range of interests, it has been possible to engage, as outlined below, a number of themes central to developing L2 educational materials.

In the first chapter, Brian Tomlinson discusses the significance of materials development by stating how the academic field of materials development came into existence and how things have changed during the past years. Considering materials development the most applied discipline in applied linguistics, Tomlinson argues its importance for teachers, materials writers, researchers, and applied linguists. This is followed by Alan Malay’s chapter on principles and procedures of materials

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PREFACE

design which refers to lists of principles suggested by applied linguists and materials writing practitioners. Emphasizing on the role of creativity, he also explores the processes involved in materials development.

When designing materials, one of the major steps is considering stakeholders’ needs. In Chapter 3, the main points reviewed by Alper Darici include reasons for conducting needs analysis, who should administer it and how it can be done. In addition to the on-going process of needs analysis, selection and gradation of materials are other issues to consider in designing materials that Akram Faravani and Mitra Zeraatpishe in Chapter 4 focus on based on language- and learner-centered syllabuses. The chapter highlights various considerations for materials developers with a language-centered perspective and the importance of adaption of pedagogic tasks in learner-centered approaches. This is followed by the chapter on materials adaptation and adoptation in which John Macalister specifically writes for language teachers who wish to be effective by adapting published materials through changes they may make to content and sequencing, format and presentation, and monitoring and assessment of materials. Knowledge of the dynamic model of language curriculum design, presented in Chapter 5, and how its components work together can also help teachers and course designers make sound decisions in this regard.

The next four chapters focus on designing appropriate materials for the four language skills. In developing reading materials, Jayakaran Mukundan, Abdolvahid Zarifi, and Seyed Ali Rezvani Kalajahi go into detail in discussing two important aspects of topic and vocabulary selection and presentation. Parviz Maftoon, Hamid Reza Kargozari and Maryam Azarnoosh particularly deal with developing listening materials. They provide comprehensive information about listening processes, characteristics of listening materials, and their types. Considering the importance and complexity of speaking skill among the other ones, Ivor Timmis points to the gap between theory and practice in speaking skills. To fill this gap, he discusses some issues to be taken into account such as accuracy, fluency, and complexity of materials, scaffolding students, and motivating them to talk. Jayakaran Mukundan, Seyed Ali Rezvani Kalajahi and Ruzbeh Babaee, in Chapter 9 on developing writing materials, provide readers with a background on teaching writing and the approaches taken in various points of time. Moreover, they elaborate on employing authentic materials of different types in EFL/ESL classes. The role of context and culture, raising teachers’ awareness of writing approaches and making writing an enjoyable activity for language learners are also emphasized.

While developing pronunciation materials has received little attention until recently, in Chapter 10, John Levis and Sinem Sonsaat present the three principles of intelligibility, integration, and support that should underlie pronunciation materials. Then they examine four skills books which sell well in EFL contexts to see if they meet these principles. Concerning vocabulary, in the following chapter, Handoyo Puji Widodo specifically deals with incorporating vocabulary in ESP materials by reporting the findings of his original research conducted in Indonesia. He reviews the role and type of English vocabulary and underscores learners’ use of portfolios for

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PREFACE

full engagement and reflection. In creating learner-centered materials, he argues that ESP teachers can use vocabulary portfolios to design various types of vocabulary tasks. Hassan Soleimani and Maryam Mola Esmaili present a historical overview of materials development in terms of technology and computer contribution (i.e., CALL). Besides elaborating on different criteria to consider for better CALL materials design, they mention some problems in this regard. In Chapter 13, Soufiane Trabelsi points to the complexity and controversy around authenticity and reflects on four authenticity approaches in reviewing the literature. Informed by both theory and practice, in an attempt to clarify the complexity of authenticity, he proposes a localized approach to authenticity to be implemented in materials design for business students in an EFL context like Tunisia.

Among the important issues in materials development, affectively engaging language learners to stimulate motivation is a topic that Maria Heron elaborates on in Chapter 14. Defining and stating the value of affectively engaging topics, she highlights the need to attend to learners’ emotion and motivation which can lead to learning and autonomy. While this is illustrated through presenting a set of materials as a complete lesson provided for a learner-centered classroom, Lilia Savova, in the following chapter, focuses on a broader spectrum of materials design that is universal. She investigates ESOL instructional design which draws from cognitive and constructivist theories of learning, and applies principles of disciplinary instructional design and principles of cross-disciplinary universal design. Savova also provides two examples of applying two universal principles of design, principle of 80/20 and Gestalt principle of similarity, in ESOL education. Finally, Chapter 16 focuses on major areas for improvements in today’s ELT materials development. In this chapter, Dat Bao first underscores the key qualities of second language teaching materials and some drawbacks made by materials developers. Then he elaborates on four major dimensions of linguistic values, cultural content, learning resources, and learners’ identity and living environment as desirable features to account for in L2 materials development. This chapter brings the book to an end.

We do hope you enjoy reading this book and find it applicable when developing L2 materials. We also offer our special thanks to all the contributors who wrote the chapters, Fatemeh Motavalian who set the format of the chapters, and the series editors.