1. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Royal Commission at Yanbu
Yanbu University College
Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah x
The framework of Material and
Methods: Context and syllabus
Chapter (1)
EFL Materials Preparation
LING 405
Semester II – 2010/2011
Applied Linguistics
2. What is this chapter about?
• “Planning a successful language program means; NOT only to
consider content and presentation of teaching materials, but
it means taking into consideration an number of other factors
too”. (Richards, 1985).
• Although teachers work in different situations, with different
learners, with different aims and in different contexts, their
work can be described along with shared and generalized
dimensions.
• These dimensions are: learners, the teaching context and the
syllabus types available to us.
• The differences lie in the relative importance of these factors
and the choices made.
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3. Introducing the scene
Richards (1985): "The current statue of English has turned
a significant percentage of the world's population into
part-time users of English".
However, wherever we work, we share many assumptions
of what we do; we prepare teaching materials, classroom
methods and techniques based on common or comparable
principles.
Yet, we, as teachers, feel isolated!
How?
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4. Introducing the scene
Different expectations
Under pressure
Geographically isolated
Different unique problems
Lack access to any sort of professional development
channels (in-service training-journals-workshops)
No Internet at the workplace
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5. The Need for a common core
No matter where we teach., each teacher has his/her
own teaching situation in any part of the world.
(Thinking beyond our teaching circumstance )
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6. Why do we need a common core?
1. To define objectives of a syllabus OR a curriculum we
have to have goals.
2. Common core is very useful upon looking on the material
selected by us or the educational authorities, because both
should be based on the pedagogical principles and method
design.
3. When we need to plan any language program we need to
look for stages of planning which should include several
factors, e.g., why a group of learners? Which environment??
For what?
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7. Shared Framework
Objective of the framework: To show the standard
phases of planning a language program
The two factors considered:
1. The wide-range criteria on which decisions about
language teaching programs are based.
2. Pedagogical principles according to which materials
and methods are actually designed.
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8. The Framework of Language Teaching
Learners
Context
Implementation of GOALS
Educational setting
Syllabus construction
Materials, classroom methods
Framework of Language Teaching. (McDonough and Shaw, 2003)
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9. The Framework of Language Teaching
The overall goals of a language teaching program is to know why a group of learners in
Learners
a certain environment needs to learn English.
Context
Implementation of GOALS
These goals of language teaching may be stated generally (embedded in the national
policy, or the whole a country), or specifically ( for more restricted environment: age
Educational setting
group, school, and class.). Syllabus construction
Example “to meet the needs of learners who need to improve their ability to
communicate when studying abroad.”.4. OR “to create a society which will methods
Materials, classroom be able to
use the language to communicate effectively wherever the needs arise”
Framework of Language Teaching. (McDonough and Shaw, 2003)
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10. The Framework of Language Teaching
Learners
There is a range of possibilities for defining goals of language teaching
Context
for a country, age group, a school, a class or for one learner; or
Implementation of GOALS
whether for general educational purposes, EAP, ESP or any other reason.
Methods and materials cannot be seen in isolation, but are embedded
Educational setting
Syllabus construction
in a broader professional context. This is what M. and Shaw started
with: Goals should be realistic- for specific circumstances: equipments+
EDU+ multimedia:
Framework of Language Teaching. (McDonough and Shaw, 2003)
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11. The Framework of Language Teaching
Learners
Context
Implementation of GOALS
The statement of goals, then, related to the learners and conditioned by the setting,
leads to the selection of an appropriate type of syllabus content and specification The
broad syllabus outline then will in turn have direct implications for the more detailed
design and selection ofEducational setting the planning of individual lessons, the
materials and tests,
management of the classroom itself. Syllabus construction
Materials, classroom methods
Framework of Language Teaching. (McDonough and Shaw, 2003)
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12. Stern’s comprehensive conceptual
framework (p.5)
No single factor should offer a solution to most language learning
problems.
All factors must be considered and language teaching should be seen
as interdisciplinary.
Read the views he proposes on p.5.
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15. Contextual Factors
Learners
Learning styles
Academic and educational level
age L1 Aptitude
Personality Motivation Attitudes to learning
Reasons for learning
Level of proficiency
Read pages 6-7 to learn how each characteristic may affect setting the goals
16. Context
Contextual Factors
Setting
All factors in included in the setting will determine
whether the aims of the language are actually
feasible and realistic, which, for EFL teachers, will
influence the
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17. Context
Contextual Factors
Setting The role of the teach in the country
Tests Management Personnel
The role of English in the school
Time
teachers
Procedures
Resources
The sociocultural environment
Physical environment
Number of students
Read in details to learn about how each relates to the setting. Pp:7-8.
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18. Context
Contextual Factors
The Setting conditions how…
Goals are carried out..
Courses are planned..
Syllabus is designed..
Materials and resources selected.
.
Methods are agreed upon..
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22. What is the Difference between
Syllabus and Curriculum?
A complete set of taught martial in a school system.
(Prescriptive )
Syllabus
Curriculum
-The content of topics to be
-Objectives
covered.
-Methods chosen
-Time line of a particular
-Standards to be achieved by students
course.
-Focus of study, consisting of various
-The way the content is
courses all designed to reach a
organized..p.13
particular proficiency or qualification.
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23. What is the difference between approach,
technique and methods?
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24. The syllabus
p.11 & 16
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p.13:syllabus inventory.
27. Words to remember..
“An approved textbook may easily become the
curriculum in the classroom, yet fail to incorporate
significant features of the policy or goals that it is
supposed to address. Reliance on the textbook may
distract attention from behaviours andJudith M. (1999).
Lamie, educational
beliefs crucial to the achievement of desired outcomes”.
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36. More to remember…
“No single type of syllabus is appropriate for all teaching settings”. (Mohseni,
2008)
“it is uncommon for one type of syllabus to be utilized fully in actual teaching
settings”. (Mohseni, 2008).
“it is wise to take an eclectic approach, taking what is useful from each theory
and trusting also in the evidence of your own experience as a teacher”. Hutchinson
and Waters (1987:51)
“the teacher’s understanding of language and language use will have a
major impact on material's selection, since it will reflect the role of the
previously determined goals for the materials, the focus will be of the
materials themselves and the activities within them”.
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37. Remember..
However good the textbook, it will never be perfect for every teacher's
teaching situation. In some respect it will always need adapting,
modifying or supplementing. The only limit for this is the teacher's time
and imagination. With a little of both most objectives can be fulfilled.
Lamie, Judith M. (1999).
Before you make decision on the material you need to prepare, think about:
What is the rational for the kinds of activities employed and their sequencing
within the material.
(Richards, 2005)
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39. References
Johnson, K. (1999). Understanding language teaching: Reasoning in action. New York: Heinle
& Heinle.
Lamie, Judith M. (1999). Making the Textbook More Communicative
The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. V, No. 1, January 1999
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Lamie-Textbooks.html
Nunan, D. (1999). Second language teaching and learning. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
Reilly, T. (1988). Approaches to Foreign Language Syllabus Design
http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-928/design.htm
Richards, J.(1996). Teachers’ maxims in language teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 30, 2, 281-296.
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Editor's Notes
He proposes view of the nature of lanaguge,2-views of the language and langue learning,3-views of teaching and the language teacher,4-and the whole context, which includes the educational setting, the language context, and the language teaching background will appear throughout the book.
Contextual factors include the school culture, classroom conditions, class size, and availability ofteaching resources in situations where the materials will be used.Learners’ characteristics range between entire group or subgroups, from the individual to less general, some can be assessed others are some can be highly influenced by teachers performance. BUT in the end, it’s the teacher in the classroom who will be exposed to the burden of other factors and this where the teacher goes for other choices of material and methods. Many of these factors will go with us along the course. Other researchers and linguist had classified them differently.Another factor plays a crucial role in determining what the materials will look like and how they will work. One is the theory of language and language use reflected in the materials, and the theory of language learning on which the materials are based. This source of input provides the necessary link between theory and practice. While the preparation of instructional materials might appear to be an essentially practical activity, materials will certainly reflect a theory of the nature of language, communication, or language use.-Check the case study on your book p 9.-This is your reading for this week: Contextual factors in SLA.
Contextual factors include the school culture, classroom conditions, class size, and availability ofteaching resources in situations where the materials will be used.Learners’ characteristics range between entire group or subgroups, from the individual to less general, some can be assessed others are some can be highly influenced by teachers performance. BUT in the end, it’s the teacher in the classroom who will be exposed to the burden of other factors and this where the teacher goes for other choices of material and methods. Many of these factors will go with us along the course. Other researchers and linguist had classified them differently.Another factor plays a crucial role in determining what the materials will look like and how they will work. One is the theory of language and language use reflected in the materials, and the theory of language learning on which the materials are based. This source of input provides the necessary link between theory and practice. While the preparation of instructional materials might appear to be an essentially practical activity, materials will certainly reflect a theory of the nature of language, communication, or language use.-Check the case study on your book p 9.-This is your reading for this week: Contextual factors in SLA.
Syllabus In developing materials for any aspect of language learning, whether it be a skill- based course in listening, speaking, reading or writing or an integrated-skills basic series, the teacher’s understanding of language and language use will have a major impact on material's selection, since it will reflect the role of the previously determined goals for the materials, the focus will be of the materials themselves and the activities within them. Syllabus design is an activity that can draw on a considerable body of relevant research.
