2024.03.16 How to write better quality materials for your learners ELTABB Sandy Millin.pptx
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http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 If you’re anything like me, you’ve produced a lot of materials for your learners, whether that’s a worksheet, a PowerPoint presentation, or a video. You’ve also had very little training in materials writing, and have learnt what you know by trial and error, with the occasional bit of feedback from learners, other teachers or maybe even an editor. This is why I put together a competency framework specifically dedicated to materials writing for language learning. In this session, we’ll look at what the framework is and how you can use it to produce better quality materials for your learners.
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2024.03.16 How to write better quality materials for your learners ELTABB Sandy Millin.pptx
- 1. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 How to write better quality materials for your learners Sandy Millin ELTABB 16th March 2024 http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 sandymillin@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandymillin/
- 2. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 My definition of language learning materials electronic or paper-based resources with a pedagogic purpose, designed to be used by teachers and learners to facilitate language learning, either teacher-written, published or learner-created
- 3. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 My definition of a competency a characteristic that is required for effective performance in a job, which can be observed in the real world, measured against accepted standards, and improved via training and development
- 4. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 My definition of a competency framework a collection of competencies required for effective performance in a job, which can be used by those connected to that job to assess current abilities, identify gaps, and plan future professional development
- 6. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 British Council CPD Framework https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/resource-books/british-council-cpd- framework
- 7. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Cambridge English Teaching Framework https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/professional-development/cambridge- english-teaching-framework/
- 8. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 European Profiling Grid (EPG) https://egrid.epg-project.eu/
- 9. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 English Australia CPD Framework https://www.englishaustralia.com.au/professional-development/cpd-framework
- 10. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Competency frameworks for teacher trainers / educators
- 11. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 British Council CPD Framework for teacher educators https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/resource-books/cpd-framework-teacher- educators
- 12. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Cambridge English Trainer Framework https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/professional-development/cambridge- english-trainer-framework/
- 14. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 The Eaquals Academic Management Competency Framework (AMCF) https://www.eaquals.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Eaquals-Framework-for-Language- Teacher-Training-and-Development-Online.pdf
- 16. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 CPD for materials writers: in search of a framework Denise Santos, IATEFL Belfast 2022 https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/2022/05/18/iatefl-belfast-2022-cpd-for-materials-writers- in-search-of-a-framework-denise-santos/
- 17. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 What would you include? What do you think are the competencies needed to write effective materials for language learning?
- 18. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 A competency framework for language learning materials writing Feedback to sandymillin+dissertation@gmail.com please! Version 1.0 October 2023
- 19. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 (DELTA) Trainer Development Materials Development for Language Education Dissertation MAPDLE: MA in Professional Development in Language Education
- 20. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Compiling the framework Interview a framework creator Analyse existing frameworks Questionnaire Focus groups Compare to the literature Create and reorganise!
- 23. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 1.2 Understanding language 1.2 A Understanding systems 1.2 B Understanding skills: listening 1.2 C Understanding skills: reading 1.2 D Understanding skills: speaking 1.2 E Understanding skills: writing 1.2 F Understanding skills: combining skills
- 25. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 2. Creating materials 2.1 Meeting learners’ needs 2.2 Activity design 2.3 Sequencing materials 2.4 Providing variety and balance 2.5 Assessment 2.6 Layout 2.7 Teacher support
- 27. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 3. Professional skills 3.1 Writing skills 3.2 Digital skills 3.3 Understanding how you work 3.4 Professional relationships 3.5 Working with publishers
- 29. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 But how do you use it?
- 30. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Choosing areas for your own CPD • Choose an area you’re interested in • Choose a competency to focus on • Talk to colleagues to learn about how they do it • Conduct related action research • Look for information and training to fill the gap Using the framework as a teacher
- 31. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Creating a training course on producing better quality materials Possible areas to focus on a course: • Understanding individual learners (1.1 A) • Understanding skills (1.2 B-F) • Activity design (2.2) • Sequencing materials (2.3) • Providing variety and balance (2.4) • Clarity & Checking their work (3.1 A and B) Using the framework as a trainer
- 32. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Using the framework as a publisher or manager Putting together a materials development team • Use the framework to decide which competencies are most important in your team • Ask potential members to audit their knowledge, skills and abilities against this list of competencies • Use audit to select team members • Look for training for existing team members or recruit others to fill any gaps
- 33. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 - Identify competencies you are already confident in / you have expertise in – how could you support others in these areas? - Identify competencies you would like to improve in – how could you improve in these areas? (I’ll give you some ideas on the next slide!) - Identify competencies you think it would be useful to train others in – what form might this training take? How could you use it?
- 34. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Sources of development A course by John Hughes and Kath Bilsborough
- 35. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Why do we need a competency framework for language learning materials writing?
- 36. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Clandfield and Hughes, 2017: 6 All English language teachers need to create their own materials at some stage in their working lives.
- 37. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 Richards (2001, cited in Mishan and Timmis, 2015: 6) Instructional materials generally serve as the basis for much of the language input learners receive and the language practice that occurs in the classroom
- 38. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 And published materials… …develop our teaching (S. Hughes, 2022) …influence teachers and learners (Burton, 2022: 78) … support teacher development of language awareness (Andrews, 2007: 107) …are something which teachers and learners can become subservient to (Graves, 2019: 338)
- 39. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/takeyourtimedelta/ https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/my-books/ https://eltplaybook.wordpress.com/ My e-books and Cambridge DELTA courses
- 41. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 References Framework links are on relevant slides Andrews, S. (2007). Teacher language awareness. Cambridge University Press Burton, G. (2022). ‘Selecting language for materials writing.’ In J. Norton & H. Buchanan (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Materials Development for Language Teaching (pp. 78–92). Routledge Clandfield, L., & Hughes, J. (2017). ETpedia: Materials Writing - 500 ideas for creating English language materials. Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd Graves, K. (2019). ‘Recent books on language materials development and analysis.’ ELT Journal, 73(3), 337–354. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccz026 Hughes, S. H. (2022). ‘Coursebook materials as a tool for professional development: A perspective from publishing.’ In J. Norton & H. Buchanan (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Materials Development for Language Teaching (pp. 488–510). Routledge Mishan, F., & Timmis, I. (2015). Materials development for TESOL. Edinburgh University Press
- 42. http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 How to write better quality materials for your learners Sandy Millin ELTABB 16th March 2024 http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024 sandymillin@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandymillin/
Editor's Notes
- 90-minute workshop
- What would your definition be? Does it match mine?
- What would your definition be? Does it match mine?
- What would your definition be? Does it match mine? Let’s look at some existing examples…
- After showing all 4 – stand up if you’ve used any of those 4 frameworks
- A bit different, as a framework for CPD rather than a competency framework – Denise’s question was my inspiration
- Write down ideas – you’ll want to refer back to them later!
- It’s a first draft, so feedback please! It’s freely available on my blog, and I’ll have a few printed copies for you to look at later in the session Let’s see if your ideas matched mine (and those of everybody else I worked with / read / watched!) at all… but first, a tiny bit of context first, so you don’t worry if your ideas didn’t come up
- 3 colour-coded sections What knowledge do you need to inform your writing? What practical skills do you need for the actual writing of language learning materials? What other skills do you need, which may go beyond the writing itself?
- Each section is subdivided into categories 15 categories in total
- Each category is divided into subcategories (This is the only example I’ll give – for others see the full framework) 14 subcategories in background knowledge 24 in creating materials 18 in professional skills
- Then you have the actual competences, all as ‘can do’ statements Grey = links to the glossary at the end of the document Up to 11 competencies in each subcategory, though most have 3-6 – not sure how many in total!
- From 2.4 Providing variety and balance
- From 3.1 Writing skills
- That’s where my framework comes in…helps you choose what to focus on in your own development of materials writing, or your support of others
- More use cases in the document itself
- 7 examples of use cases at the start of the framework
- Think about the ideas you’ve seen and look at the framework to come up with ideas
- If you want to develop your skills, much better served now than 30 years ago with associations, books and courses Associations like MATSDA, IATEFL MaWSIG, BRAZ-TESOL MaWSIG, Materials Writers section of TESOL international Books: Etpedia materials writing, ELT Teacher 2 Writer Courses: MA courses like the NILE module I did, general access like John and Kath’s course
- To finish off – why do I think this is so useful / important? Why should you use the framework? And why should you tell other people about it?
- Little to no training or guidance Reliance on trial and error
- “Ultimately, materials influence learning both directly through teachers’ and learners’ use of them and indirectly through the way their teachers learn about language and are influenced to teach by materials they use.” …so why rely on trial and error?!
- 90-minute workshop