THE ROLE and DESIGN of

INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS

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Instructional materials can be
in the form of

•Printed materials (books,workbooks,

etc.)

•Non-print materials (audio and video

cassettes, computer-based materials)

•Materials that comprise both print and

non-print sources (self-access materials
and materials on the internet)
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The role of materials in FLT:
(Cunningsworth)

A resource for presentation materials

(spoken and written)
A source of activities for learner
practice and communicative interaction
A reference source for learners on
grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation
A source of stimulation and ideas for
classroom activities
A syllabus
A support for less experienced teachers 3
According to Dudley-Evans & St. John
for the teachers of ESP courses,
materials serve the following functions:
 as a source of language

 as a learning support

 for motivation and stimulation

 for reference
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Advantages of authentic
materials are:
 They have positive effect on learner
motivation.

 They provide authentic cultural

information about the target culture.

 They provide exposure to real language.

 They relate more closely to learners’

needs.

 They support a more creative approach

to teaching 5
Critics of authentic materials
 Created materials can also be motivating for
learners.

 Authentic materials often contain difficult

language.

 Created materials may be superior to authentic

materials since they are generally built around a
graded syllabus.

 Using authentic materials might be a burden for

teachers.
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 SYLLABUS DESIGN CRITERIA

 LEARNABILITY (students are

able to learn it)
 FREQUENCY (the set up of
time)
 COVERAGE (scope)
 USEFULNESS (the useful of
the syllabus)

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DIFFERENT TYPES OF SYLLABUSES

1. The grammar syllabus

2. The lexical syllabus

3. The functional syllabus

4. The situational syllabus

5. The topic-based syllabus

6. The task based syllabus

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HW: Make a summary of what are they…..
 THE MULTI-SYLLABUS IS:

the combination of items from grammar,

lexis, language functions, situations,
topics, tasks, different language skill
tasks or pronunciation issues.

However, this might cause a compromise

between the competing claims of
different organizing elements in
practice.

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 SELECTING AREAS FOR ASSESSMENT

 •Price  Language study

• activities
 Availability
 Layout and design
 Language skill
activities
 Instructions  Topics
 Methodology  Cultural
 Syllabus type, acceptability
 selection and grading  Usability
 Teacher’s guide
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 STATING BELIEFS

 THE PAGE SHOULD LOOK CLEAN

AND UNCLUTTERED

 THE LESSON SEQUENCE SHOULD

BE EASY TO FOLLOW

THE ILLUSTRATIONS SHOULD BE

ATTRACTIVE AND APPROPRIATE

THE INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE

EASY TO READ
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USING STATEMENTS FOR ASSESSMENT
Assessment
Area Statements
Coursebook 1 Coursebook 2 Coursebook 3

The page is
uncluttered OK X OK
The lesson
sequence is OK OK X
Layout easy to follow

and The illustrations

design are attractive
and appropriate OK OK X
for the age
group

The
instructions
are easy to OK X OK
read

Which one do you choose?

 Teacher Record
Unit / Lesson
General comments
(timing, effectiveness, ease, etc.)

Comment on the advantages/disadvantages of:

Exercise 1:
Exercise 2:
Exercise 3:
Exercise 4:
How did the students react to the lesson?
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 Student Response
 What was your favorite lesson in the book
during the last semester? Why?

 What was your least favorite lesson from

the book during last semester? Why?

 What was your favorite activity during

the last semester?

 What was your least favorite activity

during the last semester? Why?

Discuss with your friends….. 14

 INTERESTS of the AUTHOR
concerned to produce a text that teachers will find
innovative, creative, relevant to their learners’
needs and that they will enjoy teaching from.

vs.
INTERESTS of the PUBLISHER
The publisher is primarily motivated by financial
success.

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 A GOOD PROVIDER OF
MATERIALS WILL BE ABLE TO:

1. select appropriately from what is available

2. be creative with what is available

3. modify activities to suit learners’ needs

4. ssupplement by providing extra activities

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 ADVANTAGES OF PREPARING
MATERIALS FOR A PROGRAM

1. Relevance

2. Develop expertise

3. Reputation

4. Flexibility
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 DISADVANTAGES OF
PREPARING MATERIALS FOR A
PROGRAM
1. Cost

2. Quality

3. Training

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MATERIALS
(According to Rowntree)
 arouse the learners’ interest

 remind them of earlier learning

 tell them what they will be learning next

 explain new learning content to them

 relate these ideas to learners’ previous learning

 get learners to think about new content

 help them get feedback on their learning

 encourage them to practice

 make sure they know what they are supposed to be doing

 enable them to check their progress

 help them to do better 19

Factors to consider before making a plan

 Language level of our students

 Their educational and cultural background

 Their likely levels of motivation

 Their different learning styles

 The content and the organization of the syllabus

 Requirements of any exams students are working towards

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 Four main planning elements

 Activities: what kind of activity is best for our students?

 Skills: making the decision about which language skills we

wish our students to develop

 Language: deciding to what extent we are going to

introduce language and have our students learn it

 Content: Finding contents that will fascinate the students

is the hardest part

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 PRE-PLANNING AND THE PLAN

Teacher’s knowledge of the students

Teacher’s knowledge of the syllabus

Activities Language skills Language type Subject & content

Practical realities

THE PLAN 22
 TYPES OF TEACHERS IN TERMS
OF LESSON PLANNING

jungle path vague (corridor) plan formal plan

0% 100%

follow the coursebook exactly planning notes

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 PRE-PLANNING BACKGROUND
1. Class at intermediate level, 31 students, ages 18-31

2. They participate well when not tired

3. They like creative activities

4. Light classroom, whiteboard, OHP

5. Topic: forms of transport

6. Next item on Gr. Syllabus: should have + done

7. The students have not had any reading skills work recently

8. The students need more oral fluency work 24

 PRE-PLANNING DECISIONS

1. The lesson should include an oral fluency activity.

2. The lesson should include the introduction of

should have + done

3. It would be nice to have some reading in the lesson.

4. The lesson should continue with the transport theme -

but make it significantly different in some way.

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 THE PLAN
Topic: A text about a space station
The Sequence:
1. Oral fluency activity
2. Reading for prediction and gist
3. Ending the story
4. New language introduction
5. Language practice
6. Role-play
(Additional tasks might be necessary)
These lesson plans can also be used as records and
research tools.
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 THE FORMAL PLAN

 Class description and timetable fit: who the students are,

and what can be expected of them. We also need to say
where the lesson fits in a sequence of classes.

Lesson aims: Aims should reflect what we hope the

students will be able to do, not what the teacher is going to
do.

Activities, procedures, and timing: these factors are all in

the main body of a formal plan. They are very detailed.

Problems and possibilities: a good plan tries to predict

these and suggests ways of dealing with them.
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 PLANNING A SEQUENCE OF LESSONS

 Before and during

 Short and long-term goals

 Thematic strands

 Language planning

 Activity balance
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 USING LESSON PLANS
Action and Reaction
Why we may need modification?

 Magic moments

 Sensible diversion

 Unforeseen problems

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