MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IN THE COLOMBIAN

CONTEXT(RAMOS & AGUIRRE, 2014)

UNIVERSITY OF CALDASDEPARTMENT OF MODERN LANGUAGES

MASTER’S PROGRAM IN ENGLISH DIDACTICS

Introduction

One of the most effective ways to help teachers not only tounderstand and apply theories of second language acquisition but also to grow professionally and personally is by providing them with experiences related to developing materials (Ramos & Aguirre, 2014, p. 147).

CONTEXT Educational institutions have been implementing strategies to satisfy the

expectations of the National Bilingualism Program (current, National English Program).

Many institutions have assumed that commercial textbooks supply what is needed to help a language learner to become bilingual.

These textbooks provide content which students’ needs and do not fulfill both teachers’ expectations.

There is the need to explore the effects of designing materials by Colombian teachers for their specific contexts.

CONTEXT Teachers have to adapt themselves to the specificities a class has. One way for teachers to tackle this situation is by adapting or designing materials. This kind of work requires to analyze:

- the skills to develop their own materials based on their knowledge regarding language and on their experience in education.

- the benefits for teachers and their students when materials are conceived according to the specificities of a teaching target population.

- the new challenges that emerge for English teachers as materials developers.

Reasons to design Stimulate Ss’ learning

process because they are innovating, demanding, and interesting.

Help improve Ts’ insights, practices, procedures, and agency.

Materials as result from a systematic process based on data collection and analyses.

Help Ts connect innovation and research.

Materials as adaptive learning tools that better cope with diverse students’ needs and styles.

Help work towards a moreinclusive environment for education

Materials as a means to engage parents in students’ learning tasks inside or outside the schools.

Help close the gap between home and school

Benefits of Developing Materials

TEACHERS STUDENTS Empower teachers

as they theorize practice. Increase motivation and

decrease anxiety. Favor instructional contextualization

(home, school, community, knowledge, etc.).

Open space for students’ voices and needs.

Achieve different goals: proficiency, cognitive, affective, and transfer.

engage students in learning.

Lead to reflection and informed decision-making.

Develop professional skills: the design of balanced layout, the acknowledgement of sources, pacing principles, proof-reading capacity, and language proficiency.

Challenges of Developing Materials

Satisfying multiple requirements, particularly administrative ones.

Accounting for cultural consciousness. Increasing argumentative skills. Finding institutional support and sponsorship. Carrying out systematic evaluation. Avoiding plagiarism. Achieving language and layout quality. Overcoming the lack of information about materials

development and its implications in learning a foreign language. Categorizing and saving information in an organized way.

ImplicationsEFL teachersThe need to consider materials development as an area of research.The need to review their choices and the effect they have on their Ss’ performances.The need to address social awareness about issues such as displacement, discrimination, etc.

Educational institutionsThe need to include materials in their language teaching programs.

Educational authoritiesThe need to have more knowledge about the impact of materials development.

ELT communityThe need to report the findings of pedagogical or research experiences related to materials development.

Materials Development DEMANDS When designing materials, Ts should consider:- how to attend Ss’ diversity (needs, preferences,

motivation, etc.) when developing materials, - how to incorporate pair and group learning

activities, - how to promote enjoyment, motivation, and

engagement,- how to increase Ss’ knowledge, experience and

understanding, - how to help Ss learn what they want and need.- how to design meaningful and relevant and

motivating resources,- how to be reflective , resourceful and receptive

agents.

Essential Components in the Process of Creating and Adapting Didactic Learning

MaterialsA Identifying, addressing, and meeting students’

needs.B A sense of direction to determine appropriate

contentand activities.

C Integration of an array of aspects that are fundamental to language learning.

D Carefully planned, graded, sequenced and very well-articulated resources.

E The building (from simple to complex, general to specific, concrete to abstract), the recycling (a new skill, activity, and focus), and the sequence (arrangement within a given time).

F Formative and summative assessment.G resourceful as to adapt o the tangible or intangible

givens and lacks of their teaching situation

Conclusions

The main reasons for teachers to design materials are related to the necessityof engaging students in language learning through systematic innovations, the need for teachers to become agents of change, the opportunity for teachers to work towards a more inclusive education, and the chance to provide more spaces for parents to participate in their children’s learning processes (Ramos & Aguirre, 2014, p. 144).

Reference

Núñez, A., & Téllez, M. (2009). ELT Materials: The key to fostering effectiveteaching and learning settings. PROFILE: Issues in Teachers’ ProfessionalDevelopment, 11(2), 171-186.

Ramos, B., & Aguirre, J. (2014). Materials Development in the Colombian Context: Some Considerations About Its Benefits and Challenges. HOW, A Colombian journal for teachers of English, 21(2), 134-150.