2024.03.16 How to write better quality materials for your learners ELTABB Sandy Millin.pptx

http://sandymillin.wordpress.com/eltabb2024
How to write better quality materials for your
learners
Sandy Millin
ELTABB
16th March 2024
sandymillin@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandymillin/

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

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

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

Competency frameworks
for teachers

British Council CPD Framework
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/resource-books/british-council-cpd-
framework

Cambridge English Teaching Framework
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/professional-development/cambridge-
english-teaching-framework/

European Profiling Grid (EPG)
https://egrid.epg-project.eu/

English Australia CPD Framework
https://www.englishaustralia.com.au/professional-development/cpd-framework

for teacher trainers / educators

British Council CPD Framework for teacher educators
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/resource-books/cpd-framework-teacher-
educators

Cambridge English Trainer Framework
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/professional-development/cambridge-
english-trainer-framework/

Competency framework
for academic managers

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

for materials writers

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/

What would you include?
What do you think are
the competencies needed to
write effective materials
for language learning?

A competency framework for language
learning materials writing
Feedback to sandymillin+dissertation@gmail.com please!
Version 1.0
October 2023

(DELTA)
Trainer
Development
Materials
Development
for Language
Education
Dissertation
MAPDLE:
MA in Professional Development in
Language Education

Compiling the framework
Interview a
framework
creator
Analyse
existing
frameworks
Questionnaire
Focus groups
Compare to
the literature
Create and
reorganise!

1
Background
knowledge
2
Creating
materials
3
Professional
skills

1. Background knowledge
1.1
Understanding
learners
1.2
Understanding
language
1.3
Understanding
methodology
and theory

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

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

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

But how do you use it?

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

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

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

- 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?

Sources of development
A course by John Hughes and Kath Bilsborough

Why do we need
a competency framework for
language learning materials writing?

Clandfield and Hughes, 2017: 6
All English language teachers
need to create their own materials
at some stage in their working lives.

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

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)

https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/takeyourtimedelta/
https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/my-books/
https://eltplaybook.wordpress.com/
My e-books and Cambridge DELTA
courses

Any questions?

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

2024.03.16 How to write better quality materials for your learners ELTABB Sandy Millin.pptx

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