Awareness Session

"Questioning EFL Teachers Training in Materials Use"

Adriana Gonzlez M. Ph..! Uni"ersidad de Antio#uia! Medellin $ Antio#uia
agonzal%catios.udea.edu.co
A&stract'
Teaching aids a"aila&le to (olo)&ian teachers on English as a
Foreign Language )a* range +ro) the &oard and so)e chal, to
so-histicated co)-uter de"ices. .ew trends in )ethodologies ha"e
o+ten &ased their success on the use o+ s-eci/c )aterials
disregarding the di0culties that our schools and teachers +ace to
o&tain or use the). This session addresses the need to anal*se
criticall* the traditional a--roach in which )aterials are seen as a
)ust to ha"e e1ecti"e learning. to achie"e this -ur-ose! the
-resenter will re"iew so)e )ethods in language teaching and their
"iew o+ )aterials. Then! she will show how the ideal conditions o+
the )ethods do not a--l* to the realit* o+ )ost o+ our schools. She
will -resent testi)onies o+ EFL teachers and trainees regarding their
classroo) e2-erience with )aterials. 3n a third -art! she will raise
the discussion a&out how EFL teachers are taught to use )aterials in
teacher education -rogra)s. S*lla&i +ro) so)e Methods courses
will &e anal*sed to e2e)-li+* those a--roaches. Finall*! so)e wa*s
to i)-le)ent a )ore realistic and e1ecti"e training in the use o+
)aterials +or our teachers will &e -ro-osed.
Session (ontent'
1. Introduction
Materials are an essential co)-onent in teaching. Teachers and students
recognize the i)-ortance o+ using 4aids5 +or the* )a,e the teaching -rocess
easier as the* )a* &e used to e2-lain! e2e)-li+* or -ractice the content
-resented to students. The* re-resent a source o+ )oti"ation +or students
when the* d*na)ize the class routines through the -ossi&ilit* o+ )ani-ulating
o&6ects! accessing audio "isual )aterial! or interacting with others. Materials
-ro)ote the integration o+ language s,ills addressing language and content in
a wholistic wa*. The* can also hel- the teacher address the indi"idual
di1erences students ha"e in ter)s o+ their learning st*les 78eid! 9::;< and
intelligences 7Gardner! 9::=> Ar)strong! 9::?<. @esides! )aterials hel-
teachers )oti"ate students &* 4&ringing a slice o+ real li+e into the classroo)
and -resenting language in its )ore co)-lete co))unicati"e situation5
7@rinton! 9::9'?;A<.
Materials are an essential co)-onent o+ the language learning -rocess as well
as students! teachers! teaching )ethods! and e"aluation are the essential
ele)ents in language instruction 7Bitao and Bitao! 9::C<. These /"e ele)ents
are interrelated! thus an* change introduced at an* o+ these ele)ents will
a1ect the others. e/ning a )ore tight relationshi- &etween )aterials and
studentsD )oti"ation! Peacoc, 79::E< +ound that those )aterials considered as
4en6o*a&le5 ad 4use+ul5 increase the on$tas, &eha"ior. (onse#uentl*! students
get )ore in"ol"ed in the learning tas,s. Mconough and Shaw 79::=< state
that course -lanning! s*lla&us design! selection o+ )aterials and resources! and
the a--ro-riateness o+ )ethods will &e a1ected &* the +ollowing +actors' role o+
English in the countr*! role o+ English in the school! the teachers! the
)anage)ent and ad)inistration! resources a"aila&le! su--ort -ersonnel!
nu)&er o+ -u-ils! ti)e a"aila&le! -h*sical en"iron)ent! socio$cultural
en"iron)ent! t*-es o+ tests used! and -rocedures +or )onitoring and
e"aluating the -rogra) itsel+.
@rinton 79::' ?;C< classi/es )aterials! the )edia as she calls the)! into
nontechnical and technical )edia. 3n the /rst categor* she -ro-oses the
+ollowing ite)s' 4&lac,&oardFwhite&oard! )agnet&oards FGannel&oards
F-eg&oards! Gashcards! inde2 cards! wall charts! -osters! )a-s! scrolls! &oard
ga)es! )ounted -ictures! -hotos! cartoons! line drawings! o&6ectsF realia!
-a)-hletsF&rochuresFleaGetsFG*ers! e#ui-)ent o-eration )anuals! -u--ets!
news-a-ersF )agazines5. She sa*s that these ite)s ha"e )an* ad"antages in
-laces where technical resources are scarce. The* are also chea- and user
+riendl*. The technical )edia categor* is co)-osed o+' 4audiota-esF
audiorecordersF -la*ers! recordsFrecord -la*ers! (sF ( -la*ers!
radioFtele"ision! tele-honesF teletrainers! /l)sF /l) -ro6ectors! co)-uter
so+twareFhardware! o"erhead trans-arenciesF o"erhead -ro6ectors! language
la&F )ulti)edia la&! o-a#ue -ro6ectors! slides! /l)stri-sF slide and /l)stri-
-ro6ectors5. (ontrar* to those +ro) the /rst grou-! these )aterials are
e2-ensi"e and de/nitel*! less user +riendl*.
Mconough and Shaw 79::=':< list the +ollowing resources as needed in the
English classroo)' 4&oo,s and -a-er! audio$"isual )aterial 7hardware and
so+tware +or cassette and "ideo<! la&oratories! co)-uters! re-rogra-hic
+acilities! and so on.5 Then the* argue that 4the design and choice o+ teaching
)aterials will &e -articularl* a1ected &* resources a"aila&ilit* as will the
ca-acit* to teach e1ecti"el* across a range o+ language s,ills5.
2. Methods and Materials
So)e )ethodologies in ELT ha"e &ased their i)-le)entation on the use o+
certain )aterials. Hithout access to those resources the teachers )a* ha"e
serious di0culties to conduct their teaching under the -rinci-les o+ the gi"en
)ethodolog*. @rown 79::?'CI$C9< su))arizes the )aterials re#uired +or the
)ain a--roaches and )ethods to +oreign language teaching as +ollows'
Method or Approach Materials
Audiolingual Ta-es
Jisuals
Language la&s 7o+ten used<
Total Ph*sical 8es-onse .o &asic te2t
Joice! actions and gestures are
re#uired in initial stages
Materials and )edia re#uired later
The Silent Ha* (olored rods
(olor$coded -ronunciation charts
(o))unit* Language Learning .o te2t&oo,
Materials are de"elo-ed as course
-rogresses
The .atural A--roach 8ealia
Suggesto-edia Te2ts with literar* #ualit*
Ta-es
(lassroo) /2tures
Music
(o))unicati"e Language Teaching Authentic )aterials
Tas,$&ased )aterials
3. Materials in the Colombian EFL teaching
Hhen we ta,e a close loo, at the resources )entioned a&o"e and considered
as i)-ortant +or teaching! and then we thin, o+ )an* o+ our (olo)&ian English
teachers! we cannot a"oid +eeling +rustrated. Kow )an* o+ these resources are
a"aila&le to our regular EFL teachersL. E"en those listed as nontechnical &*
@rinton )a* &e di0cult to ac#uire +or )an* uni"ersities! let alone regular high
and ele)entar* schools. A ta-e recorder )a* &e to the e*es o+ ESL teachers
and teacher educators! one o+ the si)-lest resources to &e used in the
classroo). .e"ertheless! )an* EFL teachers )a* e2-erience di0culties using
it. Gonzlez 7MIII< cites the case o+ an English teacher and her dail* di0culties
to use so)e )aterial in her classes. This is the case in the teacherDs words
In my school, we have one single tape recorder for the whole school.
Sometimes I fnd myself reserving the tape recorder two weeks in
advance because the music teacher, the French teacher, and the
physical education teacher would also like to use it at the same time I
had planned to do it.
3ncluding audio$"isual aids! la&s! and co)-uters as i)-ortant ele)ents o+ the
teaching is e"en )ore di0cult in our EFL setting. Man* -ro&le)s )a* &e
identi/ed when discussing the use and e1ecti"eness o+ )aterials in English
class. 8egarding audio$"isual aids! @rinton 79::9< su))arizes /"e )ain
di0culties +aced &* teachers due to their 4ina&ilit* or unwillingness5 to use
the)'
a. 3gnorance on how to use the e#ui-)ent.
&. @udgetar* constraints in school or school districts.
c. Lac, o+ ti)e to -re-are their own )aterials.
d. Little ti)e in the s*lla&us to include )aterials.
e. Teaching ad"anced co)-osition or reading courses that do not allow the use
o+ )edia.
An additional di0cult* arises in our EFL setting. Man* schools )a* ha"e the
resources suggested in the literature &ut it is not -ossi&le +or teachers to use
the). The* )a* not e"en ,now the e2istence o+ those teaching aids. Unless
the schools ha"e so)eone in charge o+ ad)inistering! lending! re-airing and
,ee-ing the resources in a -lace to which teachers ha"e access! those aids
&eco)e -art o+ the school decoration. So)e teachers ha"e re-eatedl*
re-orted in in+or)al con"ersations and -ro+essional )eetings that their schools
ha"e co)-uter la&s that are )ore a 4sanctuar*5 than a learning resource +or
students. Those roo)s are loc,ed and e#ui-)ent is hardl* used. The* are
o-en when district su-er"isors "isit the institution. Nne o+ our students re-orts
his e2-erience in one -u&lic school!
In my school there is a computer room. here are fve computers and I
have forty!fve students. "ne day I wanted to take them to the lab but I
found out that no one knew where the key was. #pparently the principal
had it. "ne week later, my cooperating teacher found the key. $e turned
the computers on and discovered that there is no connection to internet. %y
brilliant idea was &ust a dream.
4. Materials in Teacher Education
As an atte)-t to hel- teachers &eco)e &etter #uali/ed +or their teaching!
undergraduate -rogra)s gi"e a "er* s-ecial role to the training in )aterials
use. Uni"ersities in (olo)&ia and a&road include it as -art o+ the content in a
Methods and Materials course or as an inde-endent -rogra). 3n our case at
Uni"ersidad de Antio#uia! we ha"e a course called 4%edios #u'iliares de la
(nse)an*a y (valuaci+n de ,-.,/5 7Materials and Assess)ent in LMFL=<. Two
sa)-les o+ the -rogra)s we ha"e i)-le)ented +or this course are -resented
&elow. 3 will re+er to the )aterials content onl*. The /rst -rogra)! designed
near 9::A! has the +ollowing o&6ecti"es and content'
b!ecti"es#
At the end o+ the course the students will &e a&le to'
9. eter)ine which )aterials need to &e used in an e1ecti"e teaching -rocess
to +acilitate learning.
M. Use creati"el* the di1erent )aterials ada-ting the) to the teaching )ethod
ado-ted.
The to-ics -ro-osed in the course are listed &elow'
Materials#
A. The ta-e recorder
9. 3ntroduction
M. As-ects to consider in teaching
=. Teaching techni#ues
@. The "ideo
9. 3ntroduction
M. As-ects to consider in teaching
=. (riteria and selection
?. Planning and teaching
;. Teaching techni#ues
(. (o)-uter$Assisted Language Learning
9. Funda)entals
M. 3ntroduction to co)-uter use
=. Methodological as-ects
?. Teaching gra))ar
;. Teaching "oca&ular*
A. Teaching writing
According to students and teachers who were at the Uni"ersit* at that ti)e! the
)ain sco-e o+ the course was to train students in the use o+ the co)-uter.
Students learned to t*-e their own -a-ers and to use electronic )ail.
3n the second se)ester o+ 9::E! another "ersion o+ the -rogra) was -ro-osed.
3ts o&6ecti"es and contents +or the Materials co)-onent were'
At the end o+ the course! students will &e a&le to' 7general o&6ecti"es<
9. Anal*ze criticall* the use o+ )aterials in the teaching o+ Foreign Languages.
M. E2-lore the use o+ co)-uters in the learning o+ Foreign Languages
and to' 7s-eci/c o&6ecti"es<
9. Select the )ost ade#uate )aterials +or their teaching setting
M. Use rationall* the )aterials to which the* ha"e access.
Materials#
9. The &oard
M. The ta-e recorder
=. The "ideo
?. Flashcards! -osters! ga)es! and other )aterials
;. The te2t&oo,
A. Kandouts and other co-ies
C. The co)-uter'
a. The electronic )ail
&. The He&
c. Multi)edia
The Materials co)-onent was the taught in the /rst -art o+ the course gi"ing
less ti)e +or the assess)ent -art. At the end o+ the course! students re-orted
ha"ing )ore interest in learning a&out the assess)ent co)-onent than a&out
)aterials. This could ha"e ha--ened as a conse#uence o+ the )ethodolog*
used in the course. Most o+ the content was co"ered &* the students
the)sel"es through -resentations. Another issue could &e the students real
lac, o+ interest in the to-ic. 3t is i)-ortant to )ention that students that were
ta,ing the Practicu) in the sa)e se)ester showed )ore interest and
co))it)ent than those who had not real contact with an English classroo).
A+ter ha"ing re"iewed the studentsD suggestions and co))ents! the -rogra)
+or the se)ester ::$3 had so)e changes. The sa)e to-ics were organized
according to the studentsD ran,ing. @ased on their needs in the Practicu) in
Teaching! a course that )ost students were ta,ing at the sa)e ti)e! students
-ro-osed to ha"e the Assess)ent co)-onent /rst and then the Materials
to-ics. .egotiating the course content with the students showed once again
that the Materials co)-onent was considered as less i)-ortant +or the) than
the Assess)ent issues. Hhen the* were in"ited to su--ort their ideas! the*
re-orted ha"ing had 4enough training5 in the use o+ )aterials in the Methods 3
and 33 courses ta,en -re"iousl*.
3 do -ersonall* &elie"e in the i)-ortance o+ training students to use resources
and new technologies. For that reason 3 ha"e tried to include the use o+ the
electronic )ail and the we& as -art o+ the content o+ the course. 3 thin, that
students need to ,now how to loo, +or in+or)ation +or their classes and +or their
-ro+essional de"elo-)ent. There are tons o+ +ree in+or)ation that can &e
use+ul to our EFL teachers. 8ealit* changes )* -lans #uite o+ten. 3n our School
o+ Languages we ha"e a roo) with 9M co)-uters. Although 3 can use the
co)-uters in )* %edios course one a wee,! 3 ha"e M: students! which would
)ean )ore than = students assigned to e"er* co)-uter. He )a* consider
scheduling other ti)es +or the) to go to the la& and use the co)-uters! &ut
there are ;II students +ro) three -rogra)s. So)e courses re#uire the use o+
the 4la&5 )ore than once. Students t*-e their -a-ers and read their e$)ail
there. Most o+ our students do not ha"e a co)-uter at ho)e so the* de-end
on the ti)e +or training and -ractice we gi"e the).
Lac, o+ access to resources at their -racticu) settings is a -ro&le) student$
teachers o+ten co)-lain a&out. The* consider that scarce resources are the
)ain -ro&le) the* +ace. The* see the ideal school as the one in which the*
ha"e access to unli)ited nu)&er o+ co-ies! a J(8 and TJ set! ta-e recorders
and ta-es! &oo,s! ga)es! Gashcards! and -osters. Another -ro&le) is the lac,
o+ access to a resource center where the* can get ideas or &orrow )aterials +or
their classes. Pri"ate language centers in MedellOn -ossess good teaching
resources &ut our Uni"ersit* does not. Nne student states the -ro&le) as!
4Student!teachers have access to very limited material, much of which is
too childish or too advanced for our real needs. 0othing specifc for
teenagers, our students in the 1racticum. $e have (nglish te'tbooks,
grammar books, dictionaries and some very old and long story books. #
lot of theoretical material but not practical material.
To sol"e the -ro&le) o+ lac, o+ resources! student$teachers tr* to )a,e their
own )aterial. The sa)e student sa*s!
4his involves time, money and e2ort from their side, with little or no
help from the school or the cooperating teachers. #t the end, most of
these materials remains locked in a drawer and hardly ever gets to be
used again. Is it worth to do this3. Some times we get the material, we
make it, and then ask the school for tape or minor things to be able to
use it in the classroom and most of the times schools don4t even
provide us with this5.
3n "er* +ew cases student$teachers ac,nowledge their li)itations in the choice!
use! ada-tation or design o+ )aterials. E"en in their teaching e2-erience! the*
&elie"e the* ha"e an ade#uate e)-lo*)ent o+ teaching aids. (ontrar* to the
student$teachersD own "iew su-er"isors and coo-erating teachers ha"e a #uite
negati"e -icture. Hhen the* o&ser"e student$teachers in their -racticu)
settings! coo-erating teachers and su-er"isors re-ort the +ollowing -ro&le)s'
9. N"erusing 4wor, sheets5 to -ractice gra))ar structures.
M. Photoco-*ing +ro) other sources )aterial contained in the te2t&oo, the*
use.
=. Little use o+ the &oard to -resent new "oca&ular*. There is not )uch writing
or drawing -ictures.
?. Ma,ing )aterial 7Gashcards! )ounted -ictures< that are not #uite use+ul.
;. (hoosing ina--ro-riate )aterial +or the studentsD cogniti"e and linguistic
le"el. Student$teachers tend to thin, that their students 4,now nothing5 so
the* use si)-listic )aterial.
A. (hoosing interestingFa--ro-riate )aterial &ut -ro-osing non challenging
tas,s.
As a -ossi&le wa* to hel- students o"erco)e so)e o+ the -ro&le)s the* +ace
in the design o+ a research -ro6ect +or the Practicu) and to &etter use )aterials
in their classes! a course on S*lla&us esign and Materials e"elo-)ent was
-ro-osed as an electi"e. The o&6ecti"es -ro-osed +or the Materials co)-onent
are'
9. Ac#uire theoretical and -ractical -rinci-les to select! design! and ada-t
teaching )aterials.
M. E"aluate their use.
The content is -resented &elow'
9. The +ra)ewor, o+ )aterials and )ethods 7Mconough and Shaw! 9::=<
M. The e)-irical e"aluation o+ language teaching )aterials 7Ellis! 9::C<
=. E"aluating ELT )aterials and Ada-ting )aterials 7Mconough and Shaw!
9::=<.
Students ha"e re-orted the &ene/ts o+ this course in their current -ractice.
The* ac,nowledge the i)-ortance o+ gaining awareness a&out the use o+
)aterials and the -rinci-les +or ada-ting the). .e"ertheless! there is not
docu)ented e"idence o+ the real i)-act the course )a* ha"e had on their
Practicu) teaching.
$. %e& "ie&s o' Materials training in teacher education
The e"idence shows us that the training we gi"e our student$teachers in
)aterials use is not e1ecti"e +or their teaching conditions. A -ossi&le reason
+or this +ailure )a* &e training the student$teachers to use )aterials without
getting to ,now an* real setting. He train the) +or the -racticu) Pwhere the*
ha"e li)ited resources$ and disregard the settings where there is access to new
technologies and di"erse )aterials. So)e -ossi&le wa*s to o"erco)e the
-ro&le) are'
a. 3nclude a Materials esign course in the undergraduate -rogra). This
should &e se-arate +ro) the Methods courses.
&. Pro)ote the studentsD creati"e thin,ing through teaching with no resources.
c. Train students in the selection! use! and ada-tation o+ the English te2t&oo,
in a )ore s*ste)atic wa*. 3t is -articularl* i)-ortant to get the) to
&eco)e aware o+ how and when the* can use additional )aterials.
8egarding the training o+ our +uture teachers! Qohnson 7MIII< states that
teacher education is a 4colla&orati"e e1ort! a reGecti"e -rocess! a situated
e2-erience! and a theorizing o--ortunit*5. 3+ we a--l* this -rinci-les to the
training in )aterials use with which we -ro"ide students! so)e reGection is
needed.
a. As a colla&orati"e e1ort! student$teachers! su-er"isors! coo-erating
teachers! and students need to share ideas and ,nowledge on how to use
ELT )aterials.
&. As a reGecti"e -rocess! teacher educators! teachers! and students are to do
dee-l* into the successes and +ailures in the use o+ )aterials in our
(olo)&ian English classes.
c. As a situated e2-erience! we need to train our students +or di1erent
settings. The* need to recognize how a -articular en"iron)ent )a* sha-e
the teaching -rocess as well as the )aterials re#uired.
d. As a theorizing o--ortunit*! the use o+ )aterials in our local EFL realit*
re-resents a challenge to de"elo- a sense o+ -ro+essional understanding o+
the /eld. 3t also gi"es teachers an o--ortunit* to "oice their concerns on
how to )a,e the learning -rocess )ore e1ecti"e.
Questioning the training we gi"e student$teachers in the use o+ )aterials is the
/rst ste- in the consolidation o+ a &etter structured ther* o+ teacher education
+or our EFL setting. More research is needed on what we do and how we do it.
(e'erences
Allwright! 8. L. 79::I<. Hhat do we want teaching )aterials +orL 3n 8. 8ossner
and 8. @olitho! 7Eds.<! (urrents in language teaching. N2+ord Uni"ersit* Press.
Ar)strong! Tho)as. 79::?<. %ultiple Intelligences in the 5lassroom. Ale2andria.
Association +or Su-er"ision and (urriculu) e"elo-)ent.
@rinton! onna. 79::9<. The Use o+ Media in Language Teaching. 3n (elce$
Murcia! Marianne 7Ed.< Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language.
@oston. KeinleR Keinle. -. ?;?$?CM
@rown! ouglas. 79::?<. eaching by 1rinciples. Englewood (li1s. Prentice
Kalls.
Gardner! Koward. 79::=<. %ultiple Intelligences6 he heory in 1ractice. .ew
Sor,. @asic @oo,s.
Gonzlez! Adriana. 7MIII<. The .ew Millenniu)' More (hallenges +or Teachers
and Teacher Educators. (olo)&ian A--lied Linguistics Qournal. Uni"ersidad
istrital. Jol. M
Gonzlez! Adriana> Monto*a (laudia> Sierra .ell* and iana QuinchOa. 7MIII<.
Hhat do EFL teachers needFwant to learnL. Pa-er -resented at the T3 ELT
(on+erence! (entro (olo)&o A)ericano! MedellOn. August 9I$9M.
Qohnson! Baren. 7ed.<7MIII<. eacher (ducation. Ale2andria. Teachers o+ English
to S-ea,ers o+ Nther Languages.
Bitao! Ben6i and Bathleen Bitao. 79::C<. Selecting and e"elo-ing
TeachingFLearning Materials. The 3nternet TESL Qournal! Jol. 3J! .o. ?.
Mconough! Qo and (hristo-her Shaw. 79::=<. %aterials and %ethods in (,.
(a)&ridge. @lac,well.
.unan! a"id. 79::9<. ,anguage eaching %ethodology. Prentice Kall.
Peacoc,! Matthew. 79:EE<. Use+ulness and En6o*a&leness o+ Teaching Materials
as Predictors o+ Nn$Tas, @eha"ior. The 3nternet TESL Qournal! Jol. =! .o. M.
8eid! Qo*. 7ed.< 79::;<. ,earning Styles in the (S,.(F, 5lassroom. @oston.
KeinleR Keinle.