Teaching Strategies and Adults Learners 

By Pablo Rubén Niño

 

 

When teaching a specific group of learners a good teacher must identify several factors that will affect the learning process both negatively and positively, and anticipate any potential difficulties the students may encounter during their learning process. Furthermore, the language educator must also consider which aspects of the group contribute to, and enhance their learning experience.

 As such, in writing this, I’d like to mention a few aspects that define adult learners as a very special group:

 

1. Adults are self-directed in their learning

2. Adults have reservoirs of experience that serve as resources as they learn.

3. Adults are practical, problem-solving-oriented learners.

4. Adults want their learning to be immediately applicable to their lives.

5. Adults want to know why something needs to be learned.

Consequently, when planning an ESL lesson for adult students, it would be very useful to consider these aspects inherent in adult learners in order to deliver better lessons that actually meet the needs and expectation of such a group.

Guidelines for Selection of Materials in English Language Arts Programs. 

 

By: NCTE National Council of Teachers of English. Taken from:

 Summary by: Juan Andres Ángel

 

 

Available: http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/selectingelamaterial

 

Instructional materials allow students to interact with words, images, and ideas in ways in order to  develop their abilities in multiple literacies such as reading, listening, viewing, thinking, speaking, writing, and technology. NCTE strongly recommends that English language arts teachers and school boards use the following guidelines to develop or review policies for inclusion of materials in English language arts programs.

Scope of the Policy for Selection of Instructional Materials

What do we mean by "instructional materials"? In the past, textbooks and workbooks. Today,  young adult and graphic novels, informational text, websites, and ever-changing technology.  they should consider not only purchased materials, but also materials that are provided online as well as those generated by the teacher and even the students (e.g., student writings discussed in class or small groups). Sometimes the most effective learning experiences are those that make use of unanticipated instructional materials: a letter to the editor,  a blog or tweet,  for instance, or a newly released video version of a literary work read by the class.

Criteria

Materials must (1) have a clear connection to established educational objectives and (2) address the needs of the students for whom they are intended

Connection to Educational Objectives

Instructional materials in the English language arts program should align with the general philosophy of the school

materials must be selected with an eye toward coordinating instruction within and between grade levels, courses, and disciplines. 

Relevance to Student Needs

Materials should be examined for level of difficulty. They must be readable if they are to be truly accessible to students. 

"Age-appropriateness" alone is never sufficient reason to include particular materials in the English language arts program; nevertheless, materials should be suited to the maturity level of the students for whom they are intended. A negative impact is also less likely if the typical student of that age is sufficiently mature to view the subject or manner of presentation within the context of the overall purpose of the work.

Procedures for Selection of Instructional Materials

Good schools, recognizing the importance of support from parents and the community. Materials selection and challenged materials policies are important parts of that framework. Well-established procedures for selecting instructional material ensure public involvement and professional guidance. 

Responsibility for Selection

Selecting materials requires in-depth knowledge: not just of students' backgrounds and learning experiences, but also of their abilities and interests; In short, responsible selection demands not only the experience and education needed to make sound choices but also the ability to defend the choices made.

Selection Procedures

Selection procedures may vary in terms of the size of the group. In general, selection is most appropriately done by the English language arts teachers who are closest to the students--that is, by teachers at the building level. 

As part of its evaluation process, the selection group should discuss every work under consideration for inclusion, giving extended attention to materials that are likely to be assigned for whole-class use. However, good English language arts programs typically involve classroom libraries and extensive reading lists that individualize and expand student choices.

the list of materials can be made available for comments by students, parents, and the public at any time.

Opportunity for Informal Selection

Creative teachers take advantage of opportunities to use materials which do not lend themselves to the formal selection process e.g., current online newscasts, websites, videos, blogs, e-books, articles, student writing samples, or materials for short-term projects to meet student needs.

 

 

 

 

CHOOSING AND USING 

Teaching and learning materials

By Department of Education and Children's Services

Goverment of South Australia

Summary by: Sandra Liliana Moncayo

Available: http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/policy/files/links/Choose_use_booklet_FA.pdf

 

1. PRINCIPLES FOR SELECTION AND ACCESS

Materials should be directly related to a preschool’s or school´s curriculum policy and program, based on the department’s framework of standards and accountability, and include, where relevant, support for the recreational needs of children and students.

Materials should support an inclusive curriculum, thus helping children and students to gain an awareness of our pluralistic society and the importance of respectful relations with others.

Materials should motivate children, students and educators to examine their own attitudes and behavior and to comprehend their duties, responsibilities, rights and privileges as citizens in our society.

Materials should be relevant for the age of the children or students for whom they are selected and for their emotional, intellectual, social and cultural development.

Materials should provide opportunities for children and students to find, use, evaluate and present information and to develop the critical capacities to make discerning choices, so that they are prepared for exercising their freedom of access, with discrimination, as informed and skilled adults.

 

2. SELECTING AND REVIEWING MATERIAL

In developing and implementing a process for the selection of teaching and learning materials and providing access to them, education communities should be informed by the premises and the principles for selection and access detailed in these guidelines. They should also consider the following:

• The preschool’s or school’s principles of selection and access.

• The range of perspectives informing the criteria for selection.

• The expertise available within the preschool or school to support the selection of materials.

• The criteria for selection; for example:

– Educational value within the context of the learning program

– Consistency with department policies and guidelines

– Consistency with other preschool or school policies

– Appropriateness for the children or students

– Degree to which material is likely to be controversial

– Physical quality and suitability of materials

– Aspects related to the particular medium (eg print, film, online access).

• The person, or persons, who will make the selection.

• The procedures for the selection of materials.

• The review procedures which are in place for responding to changes in preschool, school or department policies, parent or caregiver concerns, new legislation, the obsolescence of some materials, and the development of new materials and new media.

3. ACCESS TO RESOURCE CENTRE MATERIALS

In resource centres3 it is appropriate that children and students exercise some freedom of choice in selecting texts. However, in a large collection of resources it is important that children and students receive guidance in making such selections. Sites, therefore, need to develop a clear process to guide the borrowing of and access to materials. Considerations which might inform such a process include:

• Ensuring that children and students do not access materials, intentionally or otherwise, which are inappropriate for their age and maturity.

• Supporting the curriculum needs of senior students by ensuring their access to a broad range of texts.

• Providing opportunities to extend the reading and viewing preferences of children and students.

 

4. RESPONDING TO CONCERNS

Despite the care taken to select materials for child, student and educator use, concerns about a selection will be raised occasionally by a member of the public.

Preschools and schools are required to have a process for responding to concerns about the selection of particular materials in learning programs. This process should enable open communication, information giving and consultation to occur, with sensitivity to differing values, and support members of the education community in their understanding of:

• The preschool or school selection policy

• The principles upon which it is based

• The selection and access procedures adopted within the preschool or school

• The reasons for selecting and/or limiting the use of particular materials

MATERIALS DESIGNED FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING- A CRITICAL EVALUATION

by Magdalena Bobek.

Summary by: Angie Plata &
Andres Hoyos

Available: http://www.slideshare.net/magMagdalenaBobekMAELT/materials-designed-for-english-language-teaching-a-critical-analysis 

 

It starts talking about coursebooks, which are convenient in the language classroom because provides structure and methodological support. But it explain that coursebooks can never completely meet the needs for specific class of learners, that’s why they need the integration of additional material to make students learn, identify and enjoy.

Coursebooks are not completely bad, the bad thing is depending of them. Teachers can adapt or change textbook-based text, to make them appropriate to the class and the learners.

There are interesting cousebooks to follow, as “Messages 1” by Diana and Noel Goodey, but it has a lot of reading material with bound and reference to the British, American and Australian cultures, so learners from other countries maybe would not identify its contents, and will need additional explanations and context.

If we don’t have to do that, I would serve to other purposes such as get more easily into grammar review, reading, writing and speaking practice.

If the materials are adapted it will help slower leaners to felt less intimidated, overcome their shyness, participated better and were able to adopt certain things much faster. Sometimes, teacher can use this lack of context by using it as activities for students, as searching in the internet, sharing the info founded and express themselves, being engaged to the language activity.

Learning a language is a “jointly constructed and socially motivated process, contingent on the concerns, interests, desires and needs of the user” and the role as teachers is among other things to manage and facilitate the social processes out of which and for which language develops.

I personally believe that the reading was just itself a summary about the importance of designing materials for teaching English and it involves really good tips for us as future teachers, and we have to keep it in mind, not only for the different cultures but for the kind of learners we have, because we can’t use the same materials for adolescents and for adults, to make the process appealing, enjoying, interesting, and meaningful.

The atmosphere in the class is very positive as they seem to get along very well with one another and help each other out whenever necessary. The main aim for learning English at this stage of their second language acquisition (SLA) is to obtain a good level of knowledge of the language, which is a prerequisite for successfully completing their scholastic year and continuing at the next level.

The reading involves a theme that is of particular interest to the learners, I will often supplement it with additional material from other sources and try to bring it as close as possible to their own life experiences. Having done that it can then serve other purposes more easily such as for grammar review or extended reading, writing and speaking practice.

As a practitioner I firmly believe that learning a language is 'a jointly constructed and socially motivated process, contingent on the concerns, interests, desires, and needs of the user', and that my role as teacher is among other things 'to manage and facilitate the social processes out of which – and for which – language develops' (Thornbury and Meddings 2001:11). I will not deny using the coursebook in my teaching, however, not to the extent that it dictates how I teach or which learning element I give priority to in a particular unit. Using a variety of approaches and allowing learners to interact with one another, where they can make use of what they have learned, through activities that 'encourage learner initiation and creativity' and allow 'the possibility of peer feedback' (McGrath 2001:209), adds to the vitality needed in successful SLA, where the learners are not only receivers of knowledge, but also decisionmakers.