Define the terms that are significant in materials development.

What are Materials?

• Anything which is used by teachers and learners to facilitate the learning of a language.
• The defining characteristic of materials is that the materials designer builds in a pedagogic purpose. What is
Materials Development?
• Refers to all the processes made use of by practitioners who produce and/or use materials for language learning.
• It includes materials evaluation, their adaptation, design, production, exploitation and research. What is
Materials design?
• It is a special case of the application of the sophisticated kind of thinking that expert teachers possess.
• It includes (1) analyzing potential lesson content (realia, text) and identifying how to transform into teaching
resource, (2) identifying linguistic goals, (3) developing instructional tasks as basis for tye lesson.
• This is also one of the core skills of an expert materials writer.
What is Language Pedagogy?
It encompasses theories and practices related to teaching second, foreign or heritage languages in a variety of
institutional, cultural and political contexts

Discuss the concepts of materials development.

• Language teaching has five important components: students, teachers, materials, teaching methods and
evaluation.
• Nunan(1992) states that teaching materials are often the most substantial and observable component of
pedagogy.
• In addition, Cunnings (Richards, 2003) summarized the role of materials (particularly textbook) in language
teaching as a resource - for presentation materials; activities for learners’ practice and communicative interaction; for
learners on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation stimulation and ideas for classroom activities; a support for less
experienced teachers
Generally, teachers tend to use all guidance provided by a textbook. However, it is a fact that a textbook does not
always meet the variety of conditions in a language class (Ur,1996; Richards, 2003).

• Teachers need to explore teaching materials outside textbooks and modify them in order to be relevant to the
need and demands of particular group of students.
• Teachers’ experiences and understanding of their students is very important in materials development, so that
the students are motivated in learning the target language.
• According to Tomlinson (1998) materials development refers to anything which is done by writers, teachers or
learners to provide sources of language input in ways which maximize the likelihood of intake. In doing so, materials
developers, including teachers, may bring pictures or advertisements in the classroom, compose a textbook, design a
student worksheet, read a poem or an article aloud.

Materials can be classified into some types as follows:

• Printed materials: Textbook, student’s worksheet, pictures, photographs, newspapers & magazines
• Audio materials: Cassette & compact disc
• Audio visual: Video compact disc, film
• Interactive teaching materials: Web based learning materials, computer assisted instruction.
• Authentic materials refer to the use in teaching of texts, photographs, video selections, and other teaching
resources that are not specially prepared for pedagogical purposes.
• Created materials refer to textbooks and other specially developed instructional resources.

Edge (1993) uses the term “teacher-produced materials” and “student materials” to refer to how the materials are
produced or used during the process of teaching/learning in the classroom.

❖ Teacher-produced materials play an important role to bridge the gap between the classroom and the world
outside. In doing so, teachers might produce their own worksheets for their students.

❖ Student-produced materials- Teachers can ask the students to produce simple maps that they know as the basis
for an activity. In this way, students are then using their own knowledge & personal background to produce learning
materials for their classmates.

❖ Students as materials: When we see the learners as materials, we can also use our methods to make learning
enjoyable. In doing so, teachers could, for instance: ask a student to close his/her eyes & describe what someone
else is wearing; describe what someone else is wearing until the rest of us can recognize that person; divide the class
into pairs and ask each pair to do one the above.
4.3. State the importance of creating materials for learning.
• Most countries attribute the English Language to be the global language. As a result, English is used in
international communication both orally and in written communication, for general as well as specific needs.
• English teachers usually teach their students by using available textbooks. However, such learning materials
which are ideally suitable for the needs of the students are not always available. This situation should not discourage
teachers as far as they have the objectives of the teaching. By having objectives of the teaching/learning or being
familiar with the needs of the learners, the teachers can develop their own materials for the learners to achieve the
objectives or to fulfil the learner’s need.
• Learning materials are important because they can significantly increase student achievement by supporting
student learning. For example, a worksheet may provide a student with important opportunities to practice a new skill
gained in class. This process aids in the learning process by allowing the student to explore the knowledge
independently as well as providing repetition. Learning materials, regardless of what kind, all have some function in
student learning.
• Learning materials can also add important structure to lesson planning and the delivery of instruction. Particularly
in lower grades, learning materials act as a guide for both the teacher and student. They can provide a valuable
routine. For instance, if you are a language arts teacher and you teach new vocabulary words every Tuesday,
knowing that you have a vocabulary game to provide the students with practice regarding the new words will both
take pressure off of you and provide important practice (and fun) for your students.