When Textbooks Fail: New Materials to Motivate a University Classroom

Seth YoderSangmyung University

Why Did I Choose to Research This Topic?

• To discover factors that effect student motivation.

• To find ways to make students more autonomous.

Key Points

• Research project.• Significant findings of my research.• Evaluation of materials.• Difference between authentic and artificial

materials.• Examples of classroom application.

The Participants

• 261 students • 18-24 years old. Average age = 19.34• 173 females & 88 males• 6 different academic disciplines

The Survey

Where is the Disconnect?

• The students’ desire to communicate with a native speaker.

Mean score = 4.94

• The students’ overall satisfaction with the course.

Mean score = 3.83

Student Interviews

• Time of the class affected their study performance.

• Number of students in the class was too large.• Textbook was not relevant.• Textbook/supplemental materials were

repetitive.

Evaluating Materials:Problems with ELT Coursebooks

1. Books are designed for a universal audience.2. Language level specified (beginner,

intermediate, advanced).3. Too much/little information in a unit.4. Book style (communicative, authentic,

functional).5. Lack of cultural reference.

(L.E. Sheldon, 1988:245)

How Do We Evaluate ELT Coursebooks?

1. Create a checklist or questionnaire.2. Avoid choosing a book based on popularity.3. Read teacher/student reviews of course

books.4. The book should be flexible or easy to adapt.5. There should be ample guidance for both

teachers and students.(L.E. Sheldon, 1988: 245)

Predictive and Retrospective Evaluations

• Predictive evaluation – An evaluation of the materials before they are used in the classroom.

• Retrospective evaluation – An evaluation of the materials once they have been used in the classroom.

(R. Ellis, 1997:36)

Difference Between Authentic & Artificial Materials

• Authentic materials – ‘Language produced by native speakers for native speakers in a particular language community.’

(A. Gilmore, 2007:98)

• Artificial materials – ‘Language or materials designed with the specific intent of teaching language learners.’

(W. Lee, 1995:325)

Authentic Materials

• Most frequently linked to intrinsic motivation.

• Alex Gilmore states the term authentic materials is too ambiguous.

(A. Gilmore, 2007:98)

• Matthew Peacock’s research highlights the correlations between learner motivation and authentic materials.

(M. Peacock, 1997)

Artificial Materials

• The aim of these materials are to provide the learner with linguistic and communicative competence.

• According to Krashen, any material should be motivating, interesting, and not cause cultural shock. But most importantly, it should be just beyond the grasp of the learner.

(S. Krashen, 1982)

Classroom Application

• Brian Tomlinson suggests that the era of CALL has opened a world of opportunities in the authentic material design market.

(B. Tomlinson, 2012:165)

• Vivian Wu’s study on the link between confidence and online EFL interaction is a perfect example.

(V. Wu, 2011)

Online Video Conference Course

• Frustrated with the lack of interaction with the materials.

• The course was conducted in a high tech computer lab and the students were required to complete tasks through the use of video conference calls with native speakers.

• Vivian Wu reported that the students described the course as fun, entertaining, and useful.

(V. Wu, 2011:119)

Limitations

• Not every teacher has access to high tech computer labs.

• Classroom environment often dictates the material selection process.

• But don’t let limitations stop you from experimenting…

New Material Design

• Something that is engaging, relevant, and fun.

• Students are curious about travel.

• Let’s make our own Seoul City guidebook.

Seoul City Tour Guide

• Assign a part of the city to research (hotels, restaurants, museums, etc.).

• Students gather evidence via the internet or the actual location.

• Students then prepare oral and written reports.

• At the end of the assignment, each group will do a presentation in which every member of the group should speak for a minimum of 3 minutes.

Provide Strategies Not Teacher-Fronted Materials

• Avoid lecturing when explaining the project.

• Give the students strategies to follow throughout the project.

• This will help make them more independent.(W. Lee, 1995:327)

Examples of Strategies

Before the project:

• How will you gather information?

• How will you record the information you found? (keywords, pictures, drawings)

Examples of Strategies

During the project:

• What techniques will you and your group members use to relax during the presentation?

• How have you measured your progress throughout this assignment?

Examples of Strategies

After the project:

• What were your group’s strengths and weaknesses?

• What was the most valuable lesson you learned from this project?

There’s No One Size That Fits All

• Evaluate based on your needs and environment.

• Have a good mixture of materials.

• Don’t be afraid to experiment.