44th IATEFL International Annual conference and Exhibition, 15th-19th April 2011. Brighton(UK)

COPING WITH THE LACK OF MATERIALS IN THE SENEGALESE SETTING

Latsouck GUEYE Ibou DIALLO High School (Sedhiou- SENEGAL)

The teaching conditions

. Issues, Contraints

. Challenges

.Possible solutions

CONSTRAINTS MET

• Recruitment: the PDEF policy

• throwing non trained teachers (adjunct teachers known as ‘vacataires ’ )in the field without any prior pedagogical knowledge.

• Adaptation: Colleagues have some problems to find their way out.

• Shortage of materials: With the new policy of

building new school mostly in remote areas in order to help learners be close to their schools, but those schools are not well equipped.

• lack of organization:

CONSTRAINTS MET

• From the government• Unheard appeal of

teachers` unions• Lack of organisation at

the local level• Lack school equipments• Electricity supply• Internet access

• From the teachers• Lack of organization at

the local level• Understanding the

syllabus used by the system

• Identification of curricular goals and objectives

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONSThis is considered a million dollar question by some.

• Building a solid base: of quality teaching materials

• Exploring and investigating strategies, for the implementation and development of materials

• Exploiting the materials surrounding you

• Raising awareness: among teachers

• Provide good forums of discussions and exchanges

• English pedagogic cells: promote dynamic English pedagogic cells

• Classroom observation:• Promote class visits to

better help untrained teachers.

Challenges

Good sense of:

• Imagination

• Creativity

• Resourcefulness

• Materials galore online

• Use for further details and information

• Choose context carefully

Challenges

• Online materials as a good alternative

• Fair use

• Use free online materials

Possible solutions and how

• Obtain permission• Choose free online resources• Using articles for reading, writing, listening or

speaking• Collect a class set of lesson plans • Divert students (help them use small portions

of texts, sentences, paragraphs…)

• Building a lesson bank and quiz bank• Design lessons adaptable to each level• Vary: try new things, new content, new

technology and new resources• Involve learners: encourage them

• Select

• Adapt

• Reject

• Supplement or Substitute

• Exploiting cultural content in class• Introducing cultural content :create interest

to the target language through a smooth and relaxing environment.

• Find sources and design techniques for cultural content: Quick and easy access to anything we want and at anytime with the net

• Debates/Talks: provide students with topics of interest

• Create a horizontal atmosphere in the classroom; (develop students students interaction and teacher students interaction)

CONCLUSION

• Understanding of the teachers and unions` appeals and needs

• Designing new policies for the school system• Teachers• Spirit of imagination, creativity, and

resourcefulness required from the teacher• Students should feel that they are part of the

game

• Carefully choosing your online resources• Considering these aspects it may not be

wrong to say that at any time and at any level ICT should be used to fill up the gaps.

• I'll finish by these words from Bill gates :“All those who go online will not will, but those who do not have already lost”

RESOURCES

• http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/taxonomy/term/374

• Alan Ryter, Internet Resources for ESL Teachers• The Internet TESL Journal 2010, Vol.XVI, N0 10• Angel,J. DuBravac,S and Gonglewski, M (2008),

in Thinking globally, action locall:Selecting Coursebooks for College Level Language Program,Foreign Language Annals 41-562-572

• THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION

• MERCI BOUCOUP

• DIEUREDIEUFF (in my native language Wolof)