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MATERIALS AND THE TEACHING OF READING AND WRITING

BIP 3023

Reading

Early reading more guided reading , read aloud to teacher / adult Efficient reader silent reader
Students should read a minimum of 20-30 minutes every day.

Why do we use materials?

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Materials should teach students to learn, should be resource books for ideas and activities for instruction/learning, as well as give teachers rationales for what they are doing in class (Allright, 1990) . According to Allright (1990), textbooks are too inflexible to be used directly as instructional material .

Why do we use materials?

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O'Neill (1990), however, argues that textbooks can be suitable for students' needs, able to make it possible for students to review and prepare their lessons, efficient in time and money, and can and should allow for adaptation and improvization. . Theoretically, experienced teachers can teach English without a textbook (Kitao, 1997). However, they need to adapt and adopt materials to fit in with students needs.

Principles for selection of materials

Directly related to curriculum / syllabus Support recreational needs of students Motivating to students and educators Allowance of diversity and multiculturalism Relevant for the age, abilities and language levels of students

Principles for selection of materials

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Represent a wide views on everyday issues Unbiased and authentic Non- offensive and too controversial Able to be adapted and adopted to suit students range of abilities Provide ample opportunities for students to critically evaluate, make judgments, use the information as they see fit

Determining relevant materials for students

1. Students age / Reading development level:
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Beginners: - mostly guided reading - use decodable texts in this stage - decodable : words containing the phonetic code the student has already learned Intermediate - combination of independent reading & guided reading - practice independent reading to build skills Advanced - independent, silent reading Remedial - primarily guided reading - extinguish improper techniques and build correct skills

Determining relevant materials for students

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2. Reading Situation Guided Reading: - develop new skills - vital in beginning & remediation phase - decodable : words containing the phonetic code the student has already learned Independent Reading - practice phase - improve proficiency and reading skills

Appropriate Reading Levels materials

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A. Independent Level: - materials students read with few errors - ideal for advanced level / silent reading B. Instructional Level: - students read with some errors with challenges for skill building - ideal for guided level where teacher monitors students reading rate C. Frustration Level : - materials are too difficult - reading level too advanced for students

Guided Reading
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To improve reading skills Not for comprehension / understanding purposes Must be followed by immediate feedback Reading aloud to the teacher . Teacher must provide feedback, correction and instruction on skill development
Helgeson, 2003

Benefits of guided reading

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Establish basic skills to be proficient readers Identifying weaknesses & strengths Improving attention to details Develop and retain fluency Widen vocabulary Develop other reading skills

Authentic Materials
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Real life materials Not created for educational purposes Used in everyday lives Using the target language Using real language without manipulations, adaptation or Brown, 2001 amendments

Advantages of Authentic Materials ( Martinez, 2002)

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Exposure of real language Textbooks does not have inaccurate language Can be inspirational and motivating to students One text can be utilised in different tasks and activities with different ability students Offer wide choice of styles, genres, point of views Encourage students to do both intensive and extensive reading

Disadvantages of Authentic Materials ( Martinez, 2002)

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May contain difficult language Diversity of culture may be alien to students Difficult and unfamiliar vocabulary Preparation of tasks is time consuming and challenging The presence of dialects and accents may confuse students Some materials can become quickly outdated

Sources of Authentic Materials

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Newspapers Journals, books, novels , short stories Brochures, pamphlets, flyers TV programs, CDs, catalogues Timetables, menus, receipts, bills Recipes, manuals etc Internet

How to teach all the skills using reading materials (Yukita, 2010)
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1. Choose materials of interest to students 2. Start the lesson by discussing topics relating to the material 3. Post questions about the material to help students understand the text. Nuttall (1982) explains that the questions act as signposts for better comprehension 4. Discuss the content of the materials and related topics 5. Extend the discussion to a higher level where students can express their opinions and thoughts regarding the materials 6. Have students write an essay based on what they have discussed

Successful Listening Activities

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Purpose for Listening A form of response (doing, choosing, answering, transferring, condensing, duplicating, extending, conversing) Repetition depends on objectives and students level A motivating listening text is authentic and relates to students interests and needs Have the skills integrated

Listening Strategies
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Teach student how to listen

Looking for keywords Looking for nonverbal cues to meaning Predicting a speakers purpose by the context of the spoken discourse Associating information with ones existing background knowledge (activating schema) Guessing meanings Seeking clarification Listening for the general gist For tests of listening comprehension, various test-taking strategies

Activities in a Listening Lesson

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Introductory
Intro to topic of the listening text and activities that focus on the language that will be used

Main
Comprehension activities developing different listening subskills

Post
Learners talk about how a topic in the listening text relates to their own lives or give opinions

PRE-Listening/Viewing
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Aim of pre-listening activities is to prepare the students for what they are going to listen to: feeding in, checking or recalling language - activating EXISTING language knowledge or building linguistic schema setting the scene / context activating appropriate schemata - content / topic knowledge , background knowledge or prior knowledge engaging their attention - getting them motivated to actually listen to the text setting a meaningful purpose for the listening/ viewing - NEED to LISTEN / VIEW NOTE - these are pre-listening / viewing strategies /skills which YOU should RAISE students AWARENESS of so they can develop meta-cognitive knowledge and USE appropriately on their OWN!

TYPES of Pre-Listening Activities

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personalisation - asking students about their experiences or opinions in relation to the topic, getting them to discuss in groups showing pictures and having students react scaffolding with VISUAL or MULTIMODAL TEXT brainstorming concepts, points view, perspectives, arguments, words and phrases etc associated with the topic predicting content of the text from the title or pictures or keywords telling students the topic and getting them to generate questions they would like to know the answers to

DURING LISTENING/VIEWING
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While-listening activities should help the students focus on relevant information while they listen. What is relevant depends on the aims of lesson While-listening tasks may include: note taking / graphic organisers etc completing a grid with information answering questions ( different levels of comprehension / thinking or require different types of skills or strategies ordering events / categorising information or points of views/ arguments

Some Common Listening/Viewing TASK TYPES

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Matching or distinguishing: Choosing a response in written or pictorial form that corresponds with what was heard/viewed - e.g., placing pictures in a sequence which matches a story or set of events; choosing a picture to match a situation, such as listening to a radio advertisement and finding the product from a set of pictures). Transferring / Transduction - receiving information in one form and transferring the information or parts of it into another form - e.g., listening to a discussion about a house and then sketching the house or viewing/listening and creating a storyboard or representing ideas in graphic organiser or multimodal text ( eg listening to a song and creating a MTV)

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Transcribing - Listening, and then writing down what was heard. Dictation is the most common example of this activity. Scanning - Exercises in which listeners must extract selected items by scanning the input in order to find a specific piece of information (e. g., listening to a news broadcast and identifying the name of the winning party in an election) Extending - Going beyond what is provided, such as reconstructing a dialogue when alternate lines are missing or providing a conclusion to a story. Condensing. Reducing what is heard to an outline of main points, such notetaking or categorising using tables/ graphic organisers

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Answering - Answering questions from the input. Different sorts of questions will focus on different levels of listening (e.g., questions which require recall of details, those which require inferences and deductions, those which require evaluation or reactions). Predicting - Guessing or predicting outcomes, causes, relationships, attitude and so forth, based on information presented in a conversation or narrative.

Possible Post-Activities
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Language focus activities could include:

listening to parts of text intensively and writing down what they hear, to focus on features of connected speech (linking, assimilation etc) or intonation/stress completing a gapped version of the tape script (or part of it) to focus on particular expressions/ grammatical structure or form Vocabulary Building using listening text eg through identifying lexical sets or collocations or semantic maps or dictionary skill identifying text-type features eg linguistic features of argument text and use this as scaffolding for reading

Principles for Task Selection

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Different tasks require different skills and response according to the text-type, purpose of listening, types of listening and the social context eg one-way listening or interactive listening, listening to news broadcast vs listening to a panel discussion etc TEACH LISTENING NOT TEST LISTENING - tasks must teach the skills/ strategies focused on eg cognitive / metacognitive strategies for understanding task demand, planning, monitoring comprehension INTEGRATE listening/viewing tasks with other language skills or knowledge eg listening/viewing text provide model of text-type or language features required for speaking/representing or for writing task

The Teaching of Speaking

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Employs more vague or generic words than written language. Show variation between formal and informal speech. May be planned or unplanned.

What Makes Speaking Difficult?

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Clustering Redundancy Reduced forms Performance variables Colloquial language Rate of delivery Stress, rhythm & intonation Interaction

Conversational Routines
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Use of fixed expressions

It doesnt matter. I see what you mean. Just looking, thanks.

Styles of Speaking
What is appropriate for the context? Whacha up to?/What are you up to? Differences between formal and informal speech.

Functions of Speaking
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3 functions of speaking
Talk as Interaction Talk as Transaction Talk as Performance

Talk as Interaction
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Commonly referred to as conversation Some students may feel awkward and at a loss for words in interactional situations. They may avoid such situations. It puts students at a disadvantage when conversation is important.

Talk as Interaction
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FEATURES

SKILLS

Primarily social function Reflects role relationships Reflects speakers identity May be formal or casual Uses conversational conventions and register Reflects politeness Employs generic words Is jointly constructed

Open and close conversations Choosing topics Turn-taking Recounting recent experiences Interrupting Reacting to others Making small talk Using adjacency-pairs

Teaching Talk as Interaction

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Most difficult to teach because it is complex and has unspoken rules Best Taught Naturalistic dialogues Modeling opening and closing conversation Recounting personal experience Practice reacting to what others say.
For example: Students are given dialogue and work in pairs adding reactions that have been omitted. Or students practice conversation starters and have to respond by asking 2 follow up questions.

Talk as Transaction
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The focus on what is said or done The message is the central focus and ensuring that the speaker is understood clearly. Burns identifies 2 types: - One focuses on giving/receiving info and on what is said or achieved. - The second focuses on getting goods or services.

Talk as Transaction
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FEATURES

SKILLS

It has an informational focus The main focus is the message & not the participants Participants make use of communication strategies to make themselves understood Frequent questions, repetitions, and comprehension checks Language accuracy is not always important

Explaining an intention or need Describing something Asking questions Confirming information Justifying an opinion Making suggestions Clarifying understanding Making comparisons Agreeing and disagreeing

Teaching Talk as Transaction

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More easily planned with use of current materials, role play and real-world transactions. Best Taught Ranking activities Brainstorming Group discussion
For example: Students prepare a list of controversial statements, exchange and discuss them.

Simulation or Role Play

For example: Students act out real world transactions in three stages: preparation, modeling, practice/review

Talk as Performance
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Refers to talk that transmits information before an audience like performances, public announcements and speeches. In a school setting this type of talk could be presenting an oral report, conducting a class debate or giving a speech. It is usually evaluated according to its impact on the listener.

Talk as Performance
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FEATURES

SKILLS

Focus on both message and audience Reflects organization and sequence Form and accuracy are important More like written language It is often monologic

Using appropriate format Info presented in appropriate sequence Maintain engagement with audience Use proper punctuation and grammar Use appropriate vocabulary Use appropriate opening and closing

Teaching Talk as Performance

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Best Taught

Providing examples: Speeches, oral presentations,

stories though video/audio.

Examples are then analyzed to understand how texts work and what their linguistic features are. Questions to guide the process are:
What is the speakers purpose? Who is the audience? What info does the audience expect? How does the talk begin/develop/end? What strategies are involved? What language is used?

Students then work together on planning their own text to present.

Challenges for Teachers

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Help develop fluency, accuracy, and appropriateness of language use. Move from linguistic competence (mastery of linguistic system) to communicative competence (know how to use English appropriately for a range of different purposes).

Tips for Teaching Speaking

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Use a range of techniques Capitalize on intrinsic motivation Use authentic language in meaningful contexts Give feedback and be careful with corrections Teach it in conjunction with listening Allow students to initiate communication Encourage speaking strategies

Fluency vs. Accuracy

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Speaking at normal speed, without hesitation, repetition, or selfcorrection, and with the smooth use of connected speech

Speaking using correct forms of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation

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Principles of Teaching Speaking Beginners

Provide something for the learners to talk about Create opportunities for students to interact by using groupwork or pairwork Manipulate physical arrangements to promote speaking practice

Bailey, 2005

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Principles of Teaching Speaking Intermediate

Plan speaking tasks that involve negotiation for meaning Design both transactional and interpersonal speaking activities Personalize the speaking activities whenever possible

Bailey, 2005

Tasks & Materials

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1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Conversations, guided conversations & interviews Information gap & jigsaw activities Scripted dialogues, drama, & role-play Logic puzzles Picture-based activities Physical actions in speaking lessons Extemporaneous speaking

Communicative Tasks
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Motivation is to achieve some outcome using the language Activity takes place in real time Achieving the outcome requires participants to interact No restriction on language used

Example Communicative Tasks

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Information gaps Jigsaw activities Info gap race Surveys Guessing games

References
http://www.righttrackreading.com http://is.muni.cz/th/104817/pedf_m/Use_of_Authentic_Materials_in_ELT.doc http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~nx6h-ykt/4skills.html https://cte.jhu.edu/TeachingExceptionalCHildren-JC.pdf http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/policy/files/links/Choose_use_booklet_FA.pdf

Thank you

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