1.0 Introduction

In the current era of globalization which the world experiences today, communication and learning are constantly evolving due to the emergence of new methods and practices. In the field of teaching, the requirements of students are changing fast and the educational setup must take into account the growing needs of the current day and age. As a result, the evaluation of language teaching materials must be carried out from a fresh perspective that endeavors to represent the situation of language teaching as it is today. Authors such as Brown, McGrath, Howard, and Tomlison provide an expansive evaluation process and criteria which has been previously used to uphold the language teaching design. This paper will provide an expressed criteria for effective language teaching materials design, one that can also be used to critique the works of key authors in the field. In the latter half of this paper, the works of Brown “Teaching by principles,” and Harmer, “The practice of English language teaching,” will be discussed and evaluated in light of the provisioned criteria.

The first and foremost factor that has necessitated the need for teachers to form their own teaching materials is personalization. It has been argued by Block (1991) that if teachers craft and design their own teaching materials, they are able to give a personal touch to the teaching which they impart (Tomlison, 2003). Moreover, Block noted that students appreciate such a manner of teaching and are likely to be more motivated and communicative if they know that their teacher has personally and individually designed the course which they are being taught. There is a dire need, therefore, to come up with a criteria for evaluation of the teaching materials which instructors may have designed themselves. Such a criteria will be used to discern what kind of overall learning experiences the materials generate and how effective they are in teaching new languages to students (Tomlison, 2003).

Given that any form of teaching process must take into account the needs of the learner, the starting point of any discussion should be the requirements of students. One must analyze and respect their fundamental role in shaping teaching principles and their subsequent evaluation criteria. It must be taken into account that learners have a variety of different needs, and though most teaching principles take into account the requirements of the majority of students, each individual must be regarded as vital to the teaching process. Therefore, a criteria must be implemented which looks at students in an individualized and personalized manner, and fully considers their respective needs.

Language learning classrooms are unique in that they attempt to impart training and familiarity with a foreign, alien mode of communication. Students are being invoked to delve in a language that belongs to another culture, which may have a set of values entirely dissimilar to that of the learners. It must be noted, therefore, that the first languages and cultures of learners play an important role in deciding their openness and willingness to acquire understanding of a new language (Brown, 2007). An approach that takes into account individualized needs will pay heed to the experiences of every student. It will also build upon the first language of the students to incorporate a teaching method that builds upon the first teaching language. It has been suggested by Thomas and Collier (1997) that bilingual approaches are the ones which have proven to be the most effective in developing the competence of students in a second language (Brown, 2007).

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1.1 Criteria for evaluation

Teachers may design their materials in the form of either single-use items or extensive learning programs which incorporate different tasks, assignments, and activities to impart a holistic learning experience that covers all the modes of learning available to students. Teachers may try to implement a form of learning that is based on experience or a lecture based learning environment that relies on the ability of students to absorb the given material. A uniform criteria is required to judge whether the implemented design is effective in teaching languages to students. The proposed criteria is as follows:

• Requirements of learners,
• Meaningful learning,

 

1.11 Requirements of learners

The material designed by teachers for teaching new languages must be contextualized to the needs and requirements of the students and the classroom requirements. According to Howard, this involves taking into account the, “experiences, realities, and first languages of the learners.” As a result, what must be done is the implementation of a “culture-specific learning process” that can be used for the intended learners (Howard, 2009). The teaching materials used should therefore be explicitly linked to the relevant knowledge and skills which students already have. It should built upon their existing capacities instead of imparting entirely new technical knowledge about a foreign language. It should also consider a culture-specific approach considers language as a component of culture. Not only will this lead to the use of teaching materials that focus on imparting a cultural experiences that enhances the learning capabilities of students, but also build upon the existing cultural experience which has already been gained by students previously. This may be their experience with the first language or the second language being taught. It can be seen that the requirements of learners may range from technical needs relating to the teaching method, some form of cultural association with the secondary language, or an individualized perspective that endeavors to provide an experience based learning practice and not just a lecture based method (Howard, 2009).

1.12 Meaningful learning

According to Brown, ‘meaningful learning’ refers to a method of learning opposed to rote learning. Meaningful learning leads to better long term retention of the given material than other forms of learning (Brown, 2007). It subsumes new information into the existing learning structures and memory systems of students and results in the formation of live associations that create links between pieces of information. If the designed material is meaningful in terms of the content being taught, then the learning process is no longer the assimilation of isolated bits of materials that have no connection or overall association. Brown notes that “children are good meaningful acquirers of language because they associate sounds, words, structures, and discourse elements with that which is relevant and important in their daily quest for knowledge and survival.” It has also been observed that the classroom is not actually a suitable place for meaningful learning (Brown, 2007). Concepts are drilled into students and they are mostly expected to memorize and remember factual information which they are presented with. However, there is a need for the implementation of different forms of learning such as audiological learning that focuses on using phonetics, rhythms, and patterns in order to make it easier for students to associate meaning with what is being taught, thereby making the content easier to remember (Brown, 2007).

1.13 Flexibility

It has been noted that rigid materials design which are inflexible and do not adapt quickly to a changing environment are vulnerable. The growing needs of students and evolving teaching methods must be considered as part of the educational setup which demands that the courses and materials designed by teachers be flexible in their form. Flexibility entails that the materials created by teachers will focus on adapting to the needs of students (Brown, 2007). The variety of learning styles, the requirements of students, and the changing learning practices are all factors that play a large role in determining the effectiveness of course material. Since students may have different requirements and because they have different learning capacities as well, the teaching material cannot be formed in isolation without the consultation of these needs. Flexibility is therefore a vital aspect to all teaching materials implemented by teachers for the purpose of teaching students a secondary language (Brown, 2007).

2.1 Materials Evaluation

The following two teaching materials will be evaluated for their effectiveness in accordance with the aforementioned evaluation criteria. They will be tested for their focus on the individual needs of students, their provision of meaningful learning and an overall holistic learning experience, and their flexibility. The chosen materials are “The right word at the right time: a guide to the English language and how to use it,” and “The Elements of Style.” Both teaching resources are implemented at the intermediate level of learning.

2.2 The Right Word at the Right Time: A guide to the English language and how to use it

“The right word at the right time” focuses on imparting an understanding of the English language to students unacquainted with it in a manner that tries to make students appreciate the need for the professional and charismatic use of the English language. It states that “sloppy language makes for muddled thinking” and uses this as a starting point for inculcating a respect for words into students. The guide focuses on the practical aspect of training in the English language (Resourcing and Materials, 2009).

2.21 Requirements of learners

The book, by providing the initial foundation for focusing on the professional use of the English language, starts by considering the most appropriate teaching standards and methods that will be suitable for the majority of students. Though the guide does not take into account the individualized needs and the personal needs of students, it still endeavors to implement a teaching standard that can be reflective of the needs of the large majority. As a result, the guide provides an exposition of the different variants of the English language and allows readers to assimilate what the variants are composed of. Moreover, it also provides a description of each culture in which the variant is currently in use (Resourcing and Materials, 2009). As a result, the reader is given a brief cultural experience and an in-depth analysis of why and how each variant of the English language is used. The guide is personalized in the sense that it caters to the words, phrases, and punctuation standards of the different variants. Students, after deciding which variant they want to study, can simply open up the section that is relevant to them. The words and phrases have been arranged alphabetically and according to their theme as well so that students can use any section or chapter which they are interested in. The book need not be read from end to end, something which most learners may find intimidating – rather, the section which the student is interested in can be opened up and read. Thus, to a limited extent, the individual requirements of language learners are taken into account in this guide.

2.22 Meaningful learning

The guide also provides instructions for pronunciation, something which many other guides ignore. Moreover, quotations are incorporated into the words that are discussed in the guide. As the guide essentially focuses on which word to use, and how and when to use it, the use of quotations from popular authors is something which readers can associate with if they have read the works of that author before or if they are simply familiar with them. This goes a long way in building associations in what has been previously learnt and what is being taught by this guide. It paves the path to meaningful learning and by virtue of making the content more interesting, students aren’t hammered with concepts. Rather, they find that they can engage with it given that a wide variety of exercises and marking schemes are incorporated in this guide. Students can do different exercises themselves and then rate themselves to see how much they have learnt. As a result, students focus on interaction with the material. Since a guide has also been given on pronunciation, students are made to learn how to pronounce properly what they are saying. If they understand the initial purpose of the author, which is to inculcate a professional understanding of the English language, then the reader can attach meaning to the content of this guide. The guide also shows the common mistakes which most people make with regards to their use of English in sentence structure. Subsequently, the guide also shows how the mistake can be rectified and what the right way is.

2.23 Flexibility

The guide follows a coherent structure throughout and does not deviate from it at any point. However, it is still flexible because the needs of the majority are taken into account. The guide anticipates that many readers will require that they be able to use exercises so that they can test themselves and see whether they are learning. Therefore, exercises have been incorporated at the end of each chapter so that the reader can test whether they are applying what they have learnt in the right manner. The guide is, however, inflexible in terms of the different learning capacities of students. It is important that modern guides consider that all students are not equal in terms of their learning and understanding. Different standards need to be used at different points so that the entire classroom can move ahead in tandem. This guide does not take such an approach into consideration and uses one standard of difficulty in terms of the exercises. Exercises are not arranged in an order of less difficult to more difficult questions, rather they are simply placed in a randomized order and students don’t know which questions to perform to test their level of understanding (Tomlison, 2003).

Overall, this book has been widely appreciated by teachers of the English as a secondary language. Critics have lauded the book for its precision and for its impartation of knowledge with regards to the practical use and applications of the English language.

3.0 Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B White

This guide to the English language has been written to examine the uses of the English language. It heavily focuses on the proper and appropriate use of the many techniques in English. Moreover, it illustrates some mistakes which the authors believe are common with regards to the current practices and uses in English. By way of conversing with the reader in the form of a colloquial tone, the guide demonstrates the good use of English in one’s daily life (Richards, 2001).

3.1 Requirements of learners

In terms of the requirements of learners, this book is concerned with individuals that are already acquainted with the use of English at a basic level. It teaches them how to rectify certain common mistakes which individuals do not realize they are making. The book takes on a conversational tone that focuses on communicating with the reader at the individual level and this goes a long way in implementing a personalized touch that is motivating for learners. This book guides rather than instructing. It focuses on coaching students rather than just pointing them towards a path and leaving them to follow it (Richards, 2001). It also focuses on teaching the different meanings of techniques and words used in English so that readers with different learning capacities can follow what is being told. At the end of the book, a compressed version of the different instructions is given so that students do not have to go through the entire book again. Moreover, these instructions are compiled so that they can address a wide audience and tell them how to improve their language and communication skills (Strunk & White, 2000).

3.12 Meaningful learning

Due to the use of a conversational tone throughout the body of this guide, it is important to note that the style in which it has been written allows learners to transcend the traditional rote based learning style which has been traditionally implemented. Different stories have been incorporated and the examples given are important in illustrating how to use English properly. As a result, students are able to form associations with the content and are able to make connections with different pieces of information that are otherwise only considered in isolation. The use of quotations, remarks, anecdotes, and personal opinions make the guide more interesting and more personalized for readers (Strunk & White, 2000). Students do not have to take this guide as a banal instruction manual that drones on and on about how to use English, rather they can read it as a novel that communicates and imparts an appreciation for the proper use of English.

3.13 Flexibility

As the guide does not have a strict structure, it is largely flexible. It does not incorporate any exercises, rather it caters to people with different levels of understanding by simply showing them everything which they need to know in the first place and then showing them what is wrong with what they have traditionally been doing (Resourcing and Materials, 2009). As a result, the guide becomes flexible in terms of the teaching content and the style used to impart an understanding of the material. Therefore, people from different backgrounds can use this guide thoroughly. Moreover, the types of instructions given such as “do not focus on dialect unless your ear is good,” and “avoid fancy words” are a few examples of the sort of instructions given (Strunk & White, 2000). These are applicable to a wide variety of students and the individual needs of all students are considered.

4.1 Conclusion

Through discussing the different elements of the criteria used for evaluating the standard teaching materials, we can try and evaluate the effectiveness of the materials used in classrooms. The criteria discussed in this paper have been selected because of their pertinence and applicability to students and learners of all backgrounds. Through consulting this criteria, teaching materials can be evaluated in light of modern practices and techniques. Two popular course materials have been evaluated in light of the provided criteria and, as a result, a conclusion can be formed with regards to the effectiveness of the materials.

References

Brown, H. D. (2007). Teaching by principles: an interactive approach to language pedagogy                    (3rd ed.). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.

Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching (4th ed.). Harlow, England:                                      Pearson Education.

Howard, Jocelyn. (2009). Guidelines for designing Effective English Language Teaching                                      Materials. Christchurch College of Education.

Richards J. C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge                   University Press.

Resourcing and Materials. (2009). The purpose of resources. Teaching and learning languages: a guide.

Tomlison, Brian. (2003). Developing Materials for Language Teaching. A&C Black.

The Right word at the Right time. (1999). The Right word at the right time. Readers digest                        association limited.

Strunk, William. White, E.B (2000). The Elements of Style. Macmillian Publishing.