http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig Abstract As teachers, we can feel a difference when we’re teaching from materials which seem to ‘flow’ perfectly compared to materials which don’t. However, when we create our own materials, it can be difficult to find that same flow. In this talk, I’ll show you techniques to make your materials flow, including through the use of scaffolding for productive tasks, and the exploitation of a single exercise in a range of different ways. Bio Sandy is a freelance ELT consultant, teacher trainer, and materials writer. She writes a blog at http://sandymillin.wordpress.com and tweets @sandymillin. She is currently researching the knowledge, skills and attitudes which are needed for effective materials writing, as part of her MA dissertation. Sandy has self-published three books. She has also written for various publishers, including contributing to workbooks for National Geographic’s Keynote series and being a co-author on The CELTA Course Trainee Book and Trainer’s Manual Second Edition. She is an IATEFL ambassador.

1. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
Creating materials that flow
Sandy Millin
13th July 2023
BrazTESOL MaWSIG Pre-Conference Event
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
Why?
What?
How?

2. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
Unpublished MA dissertation research, Sandy Millin, Dec 2022-Jan 2023
58 out of 124 respondents
said
creating materials that flow in a logical way
is an important skill in materials writing

3. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
What do we mean by ‘flow’?
Definitions from Cambridge / Oxford online dictionaries (my highlighting)

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Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow
Clear goals
Immediate clear
feedback
Total focus on task
Balance between
skills and challenge
Sense of control No worry of failure
Altered perception
of time
Action and
awareness merged
The activity is
an end in itself
Adapted from various online sources

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And ‘flow’ in materials writing?
1. Clear objectives and activity aims
2. Easy for learners and teachers to navigate
3. Sense of direction: Clear beginning, middle and end to the materials
4. Continuity: One activity flows logically into the next
5. Engaging and enjoyable for learners and teachers
6. Challenges learners
7. Gives learners a feeling of control
8. Sets learners up for success
Combining John Hughes (2014) and my own ideas

6. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
1. Clear objectives and activity aims
 Objective = what the materials as a whole should help learners to achieve
 Communicated concisely to users of the materials
 If you don’t know where you’re going, how do you know when you’ve got there?
 Activity aims = how each activity contributes to the objective and moves
learners towards it
 Providing step-by-step support to achieve the overall aim (and improve further,
if time)

7. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
1. Clear objectives and activity aims
SMART:
 Specific
 Measurable
 Achievable
 Realistic
 Timed
For learners:
 I know what I have to do
 I know how to assess my progress
 I can achieve this (perhaps with help)
 This will help me in the real world
 I can do this in the time available to me
+ each activity will help me to improve

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2. Easy for teachers and learners to navigate
 Headings: clear, unambiguous
 Numbering
 Activities
 Questions
 Referencing to:
 Grammar notes
 Vocabulary lists
 Other exercises
 Instructions / Rubrics
 Consistent wording
 Consistent fonts (bold?)
 Accompanied by examples
 Layout
 Uncluttered
 Clear contrasts between colours
 Easy to read fonts / text sizes
 Teacher’s notes and answer keys!
Combining John Hughes (2014) and my own ideas

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3. Sense of direction: Clear beginning,
middle and end to the materials
Can I see
where I should
start and why?
What are the
next steps I
need to take?
How will I
know when
I’ve finished?

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4. Continuity: One activity flows logically
into the next
Have you ever used materials where…?
 The topic keeps changing: one minute you’re talking about holidays, then food,
then learning languages, then…
 There are sudden jumps of focus: from reading, to grammar practice, to
learning some new vocabulary, to writing…
 Learners are asked to suddenly asked to start reading, listening, speaking or
writing, with no warning or preparation, and then are given little to no support to
complete it

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4. Continuity: One activity flows logically
into the next
Don’t do that, do this:
 The topic keeps changing: one minute you’re talking about holidays, then food,
then learning languages, then…
 There are sudden jumps of focus: from reading, to grammar practice, to
learning some new vocabulary, to writing…
 Learners are asked to suddenly asked to start reading, listening, speaking or
writing, with no warning or preparation, and then are given little to no support to
complete it
Stick to a consistent topic throughout the set of materials and throughout each
activity.
If you write materials which integrate skills and language, make sure they all
contribute to the overall aim. No grammar / vocab ‘just because…’!
Provide support (‘scaffolding’) for skills work.
For all skills = lead into the topic first.
For writing/speaking = thinking time, useful language, time to upgrade.
For reading/listening = develop skills, don’t just test them.

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5. Engaging and enjoyable for learners and
teachers
use
stories activate
emotions
build in
learner
choice
provide
support for
pair work
and group
work
provide
appropriate
challenge
make
progress
visible
teach
learners
how to
learn
include
surprise,
mystery
and
puzzles
build
teacher-
student
rapport
start small
and build
up
build
rapport
between
learners

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6. Challenges learners
4 activities to add challenge:
 Cover the sentences / words. Can
you remember them?
 Test your partner: what can they
remember? Can you help them
with pictures or acting?
 Race yourself: how fast can you
do it? Can you do it again faster?
 Can you write down these 3 super-
fast sentences? Now can you say
them yourself?

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7. Gives learners a feeling of control
 Offer choice:
 Do you want to work alone, in pairs or in
groups?
 Do you want to write or speak?
 Include how to learn:
 Dictionary skills
 Making use of online translators
 How ChatGPT can help you
 Include tips on approaching tasks:
 Why not try…?
 If it’s difficult, you could…

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8.
Sets
learners
up
for
success
Success
Maintain the
focus
Include how
to learn
Scaffold for
skills work
Support
learners to
remember
new language
‘I can do this’!
> ‘I did it!’
Teachers
enjoy
teaching from
the materials

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‘Flow’ in materials writing
1. Clear objectives and activity aims
2. Easy for learners and teachers to navigate
3. Sense of direction: Clear beginning, middle and end to the materials
4. Continuity: One activity flows logically into the next
5. Engaging and enjoyable for learners and teachers
6. Challenges learners
7. Gives learners a feeling of control
8. Sets learners up for success
Combining John Hughes (2014) and my own ideas

17. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
But…
…don’t try to change all of this at once!
Choose one area at a time to work on.
Good luck!

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References
 Definitions of ‘flow’:
 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/flow
 https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/flow_1?q=flow
 https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/flow_2
 Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (1990) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
 Hughes, John (2014) https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2014/11/05/how-to-write-your-own-efl-materials-part-
two-thinking-about-context-and-flow/
 Images are icons from Microsoft PowerPoint

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http://eltplaybook.wordpress.com
https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/my-books/
My books

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Creating materials that flow
Sandy Millin
13th July 2023
BrazTESOL MaWSIG Pre-Conference Event
http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/braztesolmawsig
Any questions?