This is the presentation we gave discussing a dogma approach to language teaching, developing effective lessons without prior resource.

1. No Materials? No Problem
Averil Bolster – abolster@umac.mo
Peter Levrai – plevrai@umac.mo
ELC Conference, UMAC
31 Jan-1 Feb 2015

2. What are materials?
• Tomlinson (2001: 66)
“anything that can be
used to facilitate the
learning of a
language.”
• Commonly
considered as
textbooks.

3. The Place of Materials in ELT
Excellent summary in Harwood (2005) ‘What do
we want EAP materials for?’
Anti-
Textbook
Pro-
Textbook

4. Pro-Textbook View
Textbook as a
springboard
Resources, not courses
‘… they are proposals for
action, not instructions
for use’ (Harmer, 2001,
p.8)
Structured
The learners know what
to expect
Seems more planned
than weekly
photocopies

5. Pro-Textbook View
Well-grounded
Some textbooks are
based on research and
years of experience
Avoid reinventing
the wheel
Teachers’ own
materials often already
exist in textbooks.
Textbooks ease the
workload.

6. Anti-Textbook View
Textbooks vs.
reality
EAP textbooks don’t
match the reality of
academic writing
Need to be more
research-based
The textbook as
truth
Many teachers and
students accept
textbooks
unconditionally
Less experienced
teachers might not
recognise good and poor
practices

7. Anti-Textbook View
Textbook writers
Not always
suitable, may have
‘big names’
Writing isn’t based
on research
The textbook is a
commercial artifact
Publishers follow
what is popular &
what sells
Not guaranteed to
be pedagogically
sound

8. The Ultimate Anti-Textbook Argument
• Put forward by Thornbury in 2000.
DOGME ELT

9. 3 Basic Principles of Dogme ELT
Conversation-driven
Materials-light
Emergent language
focus

10. Dogme Days
• Students work on tasks they help to create.
Change style Change pace
Focus on the language the
learners produce (emergent
language)

11. Bibliography
Allwright, R.L. (1981) ‘What do we want Teaching Materials for?’. ELT Journal
3 6/1: 5-17.
Harmer, J. (2001). Coursebooks: A human, cultural and linguistic disaster?
Modern English Teacher, 10(3), 5–10.
Hardwood, N. (2005) ‘What do we want EAP materials for?’. Journal of English
for Academic Purposes 4/2: 149-161.
Thornbury, S. (2013) Dogme: hype, evolution or intelligent design? The
Language Teacher 37.4.
Thornbury, S. (February–March 2000). ’A Dogma for EFL’. IATEFL Issues 153: 2
Tomlinson, B. (2001) ‘Materials Development’ in R. Carter and D. Nunan (eds)
The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp 66-71
Tomlinson, B. (2012). Materials development for language learning and
teaching. Language Teaching, 45, pp 143-179.
doi:10.1017/S0261444811000528.
Xerri, D. (2012). Experimenting with Dogme in a mainstream ESL
context. English Language Teaching, 5(9), 59-65.

12. Dogme Day Activities

13. The Location of Dogme Day
Activities in a Course