Assignment - DLSC

Assignment instructions:

Take the unit from the course book Bachillerato Made Easy, Richmond Publishing,
available in the Evaluation materials section (at the same place where you can find
this paper): Materials 1, and the unit ‘Botellón!’ from an English textbook published in
the Basque Country (2010) for teenagers: Materials 2. Compare and contrast the way
the two units deal with the four skills. You should refer to the following matters:

- The learning theories implicit in the way the units are presented and developed.
- The extent to which the skills are integrated.
- The product-process aspects of the two units.
- The ‘authentic/genuine’ aspects.
- The issue of simplification of text
- The relationship between the skills work and the learning/practice of grammar.
- The opportunities for production (oral and written) the units provide.
- The types of production required.
- The variety (or otherwise) of the activity types.
- Which unit do you prefer? Why?

Of course, add any other aspects that you consider relevant or important. The above
list is simply a suggestion of the sort of considerations you will need to make in order to
analyse the two books critically, and to arrive at a conclusion as to which of the two
units you prefer, if indeed you have a preference.

Important: you have to write your personal details and the subject name on the
cover (see the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these conditions
will not be corrected. You have to include the assignment index below the cover.

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 Assignment - DLSC

Assignment:

Developing Language Skills in the Classroom

Pair work

Name and surnames:

Antonio Jesús Aguilera Martín

Sofía Daniela Parada Venossa

Group:
(in pairs)
25-03-2022_AAguilera_SParada_DLSC

Date:

March 25th 2022

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 Assignment - DLSC

Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................. 3

The learning theories implicit in the way the units are presented and developed. 3

The extent to which the skills are integrated.............................................................4

The product-process aspects of the two units..........................................................5

The ‘authentic/genuine’ aspects.................................................................................5

The issue of simplification of text..............................................................................6

The relationship between the skills work and the learning/practice of grammar.. .7

The opportunities for production (oral and written) the units provide / The types
of production required.................................................................................................7

The variety (or otherwise) of the activity types.........................................................8

Unit preference............................................................................................................. 8

Conclusions................................................................................................................. 9

References.................................................................................................................10

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 Assignment - DLSC

Introduction

In our daily lives we are constantly performing tasks that involve a natural integration of
language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking are rarely used in isolation.
McDonough & Shaw (2013) believe that by designing meaningful tasks in which skills
are in conjunction, learners will gain a deeper understanding of how communication
works in the foreign language as well as becoming more motivated. In other words
special attention has to be paid to how courses present and deal with skill integration
so as to guarantee success in EFL.
This assignment analyses the complex issue of skill integration in two materials:
“Bachillerato Made Easy” unit 7 and unit “Botellón”. By comparing and contrasting
aspects such as product-process relation, authenticity and simplification we will be able
to have a better understanding as to why the integrated-skill approach promotes
meaningful language learning.

The learning theories implicit in the way the units are presented
and developed.

At first glance both materials display characteristics of CLT. This does not come as a
surprise since CLT serves as an umbrella term for various approaches to language
learning. As we have already studied in the subject Methodological Approaches,
communicative approach is based on the idea that learning a language successfully
comes through having to communicate real meaning. In the Communicative Approach,
the ultimate goal is to present a topic in context as natural as possible. Materials 1 and
2 are contextualized (the former deals with Teen Links and the latter discusses the
Spanish phenomenon Botellón) and pay attention to elements of communicative
competence. Because there are varying degrees of CLT, it is necessary to identify
how skills are presented and intertwined in both materials; as Widdowson (1978) states
“the aims of a language teaching course are very often defined with reference to the
four skills” (p.1)
“Bachillerato Made Easy” gravitates towards a communicative approach to learning;
providing activities for all the receptive and productive skills. However, there is a strong
focus on form: grammar is somewhat at the center of the unit and accuracy seems to
be the ultimate goal of the material (they are explicit in the goals, grammar sections, do
and make charts, among others). In terms of context, grammar and vocabulary are
around the same topic: teen links.

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In the other hand, “Botellon” focuses on function rather than form: language is at the
service of communicative intent. That is why there is not such division of activities by
skill, learning English is not explicit in the materials. Grammar and vocabulary are not
segregated but rather integrated within the goal of organizing ideas, giving opinion and
objecting.

The extent to which the skills are integrated.

The advent of communicative language teaching (CLT) in the 1970s put traditional
approaches and methods’ view of language skills at stake. The first advocate of skill
integration was Widdowson (1978) who claimed that language uses take place in the
form of discourse and in specific social contexts, not in discrete units. Therefore, in
order to be a competent language user, the learners should develop receptive and
productive skills in both spoken and written discourse. Harmer (2007) believed that the
receptive skills and the productive skills are two sides of the same coin. They cannot
be separated because one skill can reinforce another in various ways.
Rebecca Oxford (2001) understands language learning and teaching as a tapestry
made of factors from the teacher, learner, setting, and relevant language. Moreover,
this complex interwoven tapestry also includes a strand of the four primary skills of
listening, reading, speaking and writing. As she puts it “optimal ESL communication is
present when all the skills are interwoven during instruction” (Oxford, 2001, p.5)
When analyzing the materials, just by taking a look at the organization of “Bachillerato
Made Easy” skills are divided in sections (Reading, Language, Speaking and Writing).
Even though the activities are somewhat contextualized, it appears that some skills are
separated just for instructional purposes. The strong grammar focus and accuracy
makes the material less authentic and skills appear, in some cases, segregated.
Contrary to this, Botellón positions its communicative goal at the center of the
materials: giving students the opportunity to speak, write, read and listen throughout
the entire lesson. The main difference with “Bachillerato Made Easy” is the problem-
oriented nature of the material: which makes language (together with skills) at the
service of the communicative goal of the lesson. As Oxford asserts (2001) the best
feasible ways of working with skill integration is Content- Based and Task Based
lessons. The main advantage of TBL is that it requires comprehending, producing,
manipulating and interacting in authentic language simultaneously while paying specific
attention to meaning rather than form.

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The product-process aspects of the two units.

“Bachillerato Made Easy” and “Botellón” approaches towards their particular view of
product-process are somewhat opposed.
The first material seems to incline towards a typical product approach-oriented
material; mainly because “students are encouraged to mimic a model, usually is
presented and analyzed at an early stage” (Gabrielatos, 2002, p.5). For example, the
writing section, students are supplied with a standard sample of text and they are
expected to follow the model to elaborate a new piece of writing. Students are
expected to demonstrate their knowledge of language and its linguistic rules (usage). In
addition, the strong focus on accuracy and grammar points, places the product as the
ultimate evidence of language learning.
Contrary, “Botellón” favors the process: students are given considerable freedom within
the task. They are not “curved by the preventive teaching of lexical or grammatical
items” (Gabrielatos, 2002, p.5). It is important to mention that grammar is not
disregarded, but a variety of grammar forms can be dealt with to communicate different
language functions. In “Botellón” students are more concerned with the real use of
language rather than usage. Also, group and pair work are central in the material:
students’ real-life discussions and schemata are used as input and resource in order to
carry out the task.
It is also relevant to notice that while product-oriented approaches position the teacher
as the ultimate judge in assessing the final product, process-oriented approaches put
the teacher as a facilitator and encourages students to collaborate and self-assess
while using language in a meaningful context. In the material “Botellón” students
collaborate in the designing and criteria selection of their own debate rubric.

The ‘authentic/genuine’ aspects.

Nowadays, the language teaching community has agreed on the benefits of using
authentic materials for instruction. Scholars have claimed that using authentic materials
bridges the gap between classroom knowledge and student’s capacity to participate in
meaningful and real life events (Wilkins, 1976). What is less clear are the differences
between authentic and genuine materials, the importance of the authenticity of the task
and the genuineness of the purpose.
According to Widdowson (19780) genuine refers to the characteristic of the material
itself: it is an absolute quality of not being adapted. On the other hand, authenticity is
the relationship between the material, the reader and the appropriate response.

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“Bachillerato Made Easy” has been clearly designed and adapted for instructional
purposes (teaching grammar and vocabulary). However it contains some genuine
resources such as the scene from the Friends sitcom. One of the crucial aspects to
consider is task authenticity: does the task promote genuine communication? Is
language used for a genuine purpose? Willis (1996) distinguishes these kinds of
activities (tasks) from activities where the language learners are simply producing
language forms correctly. “Bachillerato Made easy” pays special attention to grammar
exercises, drills, and practice activities in which the emphasis is on a particular
linguistic form.
“Botellón” was also created for instructional purposes, yet students are expected to use
language for expressing their ideas, feelings and opinions like they would in a real- life
situation. Therefore, the material positions an authentic response as the ultimate goal.
As Guariento (2001) explains “one of the crucial aspects of task authenticity is whether
real communication takes place; whether the language has been used for a genuine
purpose” (p. 349)

The issue of simplification of text.

Since authenticity has become one paramount aspect in EFL, the question of
simplification naturally arises. There is a debate between adapting or maintaining
materials as they were originally intended. Widdowson (1978) claims that simplification
can take place while maintaining and authentic learner response. Lynch (1996) coined
the term successful simplification which “contributes both to the current communicative
event and to the long-term language development” (p.15)
Oversimplification can be counterproductive, and as Harmer (2007) states “ it is vital for
students to get practice in dealing with written text and speech where they miss quite a
few words but are still able to extract the general meaning” (p.273)
The best way of tackling this issue, is to carefully select materials, simplify based on
your students’ needs, provide the proper scaffolding, and design meaningful activities
to get the best authentic response from learners.

As previously mentioned, both “Bachillerato Made Easy” and “Botellón” have been
designed for instructional purposes, but the first material may have been adapted to
meet the grammar needs of the unit. In addition, one can find in “Bachillerato Made
Easy” that the comprehension questions presented are hardly ever found in real life
contexts and they jeopardize the real-life authentic response.

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 Assignment - DLSC

The relationship between the skills work and the

learning/practice of grammar.

Materials differ in the way grammar is seen and dealt with. As previously mentioned,
“Bachillerato Made Easy” has a strong grammar focus by introducing grammar
deductively (explicit in the goals, grammar section, grammar boxes and optional
grammar). Contrary, “Botellón” deals with grammar inductively by positioning form and
structure at the service of different language functions and communicative intent. If one
takes a look at SECTION 3 of Watching the Debate, a plethora of expressions are
introduced to the same function of agreeing or disagreeing.
“Botellón” gives the opportunity to tackle different language forms depending on the
context and communicative intent, without the necessity of isolating grammar, but
rather integrating it to the whole sequence of tasks. Lock (1996) believes that
understanding grammar just as a set of rules which specify all the possible grammatical
structures of a language is somewhat limited. He asserts that learning about grammar
using these preconceptions creates an artificial idea of how language actually works.
He proposes an approach in which language is first seen as a system of
communication and the primary aim of instruction is to “understand how grammar of a
language serves as a resource for making and exchanging meanings” (Lock, 1995, p.
3)
This does not mean that grammar cannot be explicitly dealt with, it means that
appropriate grammar-focusing techniques have to be embedded in meaningful,
communicative contexts and contribute to communicative goals (Brown,2007).

The opportunities for production (oral and written) the units

provide / The types of production required.

There is a remarkable difference between the two materials opportunities for

production and the quality of these.
“Bachillerato Made Easy” presents a plethora of activities in which students have to
read, write, speak and listen. However, there is a strong focus on drilling, true/ false
statements, closed questions and activities that promote accuracy.
What is most evident is perhaps the approach to writing, which positions product at the
center rather than process. Students are provided a model to follow, with some guiding
questions to get an idea of the schematic structure of the text. There is not drafting, or

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collective deconstruction/construction of the text, so as to grasp a better understanding

of the genre. Pair work appears in some sections, allowing students to produce
language within the limits of the unit.
Contrary, “Botellón” makes students bring their own schema to the lesson, getting them
to speak by discussing, compromising and sharing ideas. Their own contributions,
together with the material, are used as input for the ultimate communicative goal.
Functionalists like Halliday (2014) explain that there is a close relationship between
genre, register, and language. “Botellón” takes into careful consideration these
aspects: by making students learn about and discuss the topic, reading different texts
expressing opinions and dealing with for and against texts, using graphic organizers,
writing, and self-assessing. A clear focus on process rather than product, guarantees
not only skill integration but also authentic responses from learners.

The variety (or otherwise) of the activity types

Materials offer a wide variety of activities to develop different skills. “Bachillerato Made
Easy” proposes activities such as ordering, translating, matching, true or false
statements, look for synonyms, re-write, among others. Whereas “Botellón” promotes
activities such as inferring, discussing, listing, identifying, self- assessing, organizing,
etc. As previously mentioned, the most evident difference between “Bachillerato Made
Easy” and “Botellón” is the extent to which the activities encourage authentic
responses from the students.

Unit preference

If we were to choose one material for teaching a course we would definitely select
“Botellón”. This material not only deals with a social phenomenon, but also its problem-
oriented nature promotes critical thinking and has a direct effect on student’s
motivation.
The process oriented approach, together with the focus on function rather than form,
makes learning a foreign language a meaningful yet complex endeavor that challenges
both students and teachers.

Conclusions

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 Assignment - DLSC

The ultimate goal of learning a foreign language is to achieve communicative

competence. Unlike the traditional segregated language skills approach; integrated
language skills presents reading, listening, speaking and writing in conjunction so that
are able to use it real communication.
Research shows that integrated skills lessons have direct impact in the improvement of
students’ language skills. However, in order to work with this approach, it is compulsory
for teachers to have good understanding of discourse, the methodological knowledge
to avoid segregation, the concept of authenticity, flexibly and readiness to implement
this student-centered learning approach.

References

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 Assignment - DLSC

Brown, D. H. (2007). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language

Pedagogy (3rd ed.). Allyn & Bacon.

Gabrielatos, C. (2002). EFL writing: Product and process. ELT News, 1-12.

Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2014). Halliday’s introduction to

functional grammar (4th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching (4th ed.). Pearson
Longman ELT.

Lock, G. (1995). Functional English Grammar: An Introduction for Second Language

Teachers (Cambridge Language Education) (1st ed.). Cambridge University

Press.

Lynch, T. (1996). Communication in the Language Classroom (Oxford Handbooks for

Language Teachers Series) (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.

McDonough, J., Shaw, C., & Masuhara, H. (2013). Materials and Methods in ELT:

Teacher’s Guide (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.

Widdowson, H. G. (1978). Teaching Language as Communication (Oxford Applied

Linguistics) (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.

Willis, J. (1996). A Framework for Task-Based Learning (Longman Handbooks for

Language Teachers). Pearson P T R.

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