Emma Page & Csilla Varga

starting point for further activities a proposal for action

Its guidance on how language structures and skills should be taught

Provides professional development opportunities

Reduces the amount of planning

reduces the level of unpredictability for learners Helps the teacher foresee how a particular lesson will fit into the course

It gives the students some control over their learning Some course books provide authority and expertise

Straitjacket
Limits creativity
Restricts freedom allowed in class

Creates negative washback

Boring
Out of date

Dull reading topics

Repetitive exercises/activities

Communication
Not interactive

Not authentic
Culturally biased

its all about the learners

- to teach the people, not the pages - to localise/personalise the learning - to add a communicative purpose - to vary the pace - to reflect the range of learning styles present in the student group - to create opportunities to recycle/reinforce/develop previous learning

Lets put our ideas into practise and lift our lessons off the page.

Students age, nationality, cultural features Students abilities, intelligences Motivations Feedback type

Attention span
Interaction forms Media types used

A final thought

Adapt your materials so that you enjoy using them. If you do enjoy them using them there's a good chance your students will too. If you don't there's no chance. Brian Tomlinson, Nov. 13

Listening
Add pre-teaching Replace for authenticity

Reading
Replace for interest Add prediction Delete for cultural inappropriacy

Vocabulary Add if needed for a text Edit the type of activity

Speaking
Add if non-existent Edit for grammar or vocabulary practice Edit for credibility

Pronunciation Add if non-existent or for specific needs

Edit
Photos, texts, exercises

Add
Pre-teaching, prediction, follow-up

Delete
drop

Replace
Wet Friday afternoon effect

Use ice-breakers, warmers, fillers Take the pictures, headlines off the book Add pictures to text to predict or help students understand Make the feedback competitive The lesson is dynamic if the activities are snappy and not long Explain why they work in pairs or teams Use the internet and phones Turn exercises into boardgames, quizzes, etc.