2. EDUC 1841: Materials Adaptation
American Culture & Language Institute, TESOL Certificate Program
Northern Virginia Community College
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3. Overview
• Types of Textbooks
• Evaluate textbooks based on students’ needs
and wants
• Adapt existing textbooks to meet students’
needs and wants
• Make activities more communicative
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4. Reflection
• What types of textbooks appeal to you
the most? The least?
• How much time should a teacher spend
adapting a textbook activity?
• Should a teacher aim to finish a textbook
during a semester?
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5. Types of Textbooks
• Core or Basal Series
– Multi-level
– Integrated skills (reading, writing, speaking, &
listening)
– Correlated to state standards
– CD Rom, Website, Teacher’s Guide, Student
Book, & Workbook
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6. Types of Textbooks (cont.)
• Integrated Skills Textbooks
– Not part of a series
• Grammar Textbooks
– Core or Basal Series
• Reference Grammar Textbooks
– Teacher supplement
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7. Types of Textbooks (cont.)
• Skill Specific Textbooks
– Multi-level series
– Reading & Writing or Speaking & Listening
– Writing Composition or Pronunciation
• Literacy Textbooks
• Content-Based Texts
– TOEFL Prep
– Citizenship
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8. Benefits of Using a Textbook
• Provides structure, consistency, logical
progression of activities
• Minimizes teacher preparation time
• Learners can review and preview material
• Meets students’ expectations of education
• Provides guidance for new teachers
• Includes multiple resources
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9. Drawbacks of Using a Textbook
• Can be outdated, inauthentic, or use
stereotypes
• Marked up by previous students
• Not communicative, i.e. teacher-centered &
controlled
• Don’t match course objectives or student
level
• Are too busy, i.e. page format is too cluttered
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10. Ideal Textbook
• Activates & values students’ prior knowledge
• Provides authentic material & practice in realworld tasks
• Provides relevant material
• Is learner centered and allows for discoverybased learning
• Promotes learning strategies for independent
learning outside of the classroom
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11. Materials Adaptation
“ ESP teachers find themselves in a situation
where they are expected to produce a course
that exactly matches the needs of a group of
learners, but are expected to do so with no, or
very limited, preparation time.”
Johns, 1990
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13. Adaptation Considerations
• Prescribed
textbook(s)
• Supplied or
purchased
• Learner needs &
wants
• Learner level
• Course Objectives
• Institutional
methodologies
• Assessment
• Paid planning time
• Access to
photocopying, etc.
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14. Original Textbook Exercise
• Pairs read to
each other to
complete an
information gap
exercise.
• Students look at
partner’s palm
and predict his or
her future.
A
B
3
2 4 5
1
1. Life Line – indicates how energetic and
strong you are, and timing of events
2. ____ Line – shows ______ to __________,
______ _______, and __________
(exercise continues)
QUESTION
3
2 4 5
1
1. Life Line – indicates how _______ and
________ you are, and _______ of events
2. Brain Line – shows ability to concentrate,
solve problems, and understand
(exercise continues)
How can you make this activity more communicative?
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15. Adapted Activity
Part 1
• Students share one picture.
A has names of lines, B has
descriptions of lines.
• A must ask B in order to
identify and label the lines.
Part 2
• A has the meanings for some
lines, and B has the meanings
for other lines.
• They must ask each other
questions about their futures
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17. Adapted Activity
• Ask students to tell about their experiences in
calling the doctor. (prior knowledge)
– What kinds of information did they need to give?
– What was difficult about calling the doctor?
• What things could they do to plan before
calling the doctor? (strategies)
– Describe the symptoms
– Identify available days/times
– Provide insurance and personal information
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18. Adapted Activity
• Pairs: One student is the patient and one
student is the receptionist.
–
–
–
–
–
Choose a illness below.
Call the Westview Clinic.
Describe your symptoms.
Provide personal information
Make an appointment.
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19. Original Textbook Exercise
• Students listen
to conversations
of people asking
for directions.
• Starting from
“You are here,”
students draw
lines and label
the places.
QUESTION
How can you adapt this activity to make it more
student-centered and communicative?
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20. Adapted Activity
• Instead of listening to a tape,
each student knows the location
of one place
• Students circulate in class and
ask for directions
• To check answers, have map on
board
• One student asks another for
directions to a place
• Instead of beginning at “You are
here,” the next student starts at the
last destination
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21. Original Board Game
Benefits
• Interactive
• Language-based
• Spontaneous
• Over 70 good categories
• Fun
Drawbacks
• Not good for large groups
• Complicated rules
• Only one game for class
QUESTION
How can you utilize the game’s strengths in
creating an activity?
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22. Adapted Activity
• Students work in teams.
• Judge writes five letters (or a word) on board (don’t use Q, X, or Z).
• Judge then shows category to students (on screen or writes on
board).
• Teams have to come up with five words in the category that
begin with the five letters on the board (Teacher can decide time
limits and point values).
SOME CATEGORY EXAMPLES:
related to the body, things moms say, found in a jungle, gets on
your nerves, can smell it, mostly black, I own it, has some plastic
on it
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23. Put it into Practice
• In pairs, choose a textbook and identify
– Type (core series, skills focus, etc.)
– Level
• Choose one chapter/unit and evaluate
– Learner
– Teacher
(p. 230, Parrish)
• Present your evaluation to the class
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24. Put it into Practice (cont.)
• Choose one activity and adapt it to make it
more communicative:
– Activates & values students’ prior knowledge
– Provides authentic material & practice in real-world
tasks
– Is learner centered and allows for discoverybased learning
– Promotes learning strategies for independent learning
outside of the classroom
• Present your adapted activity to the class
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Editor's Notes
Individual, teacher centered, focus on accuracy rather than fluency
