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    Chapter 11: Selection of Teaching Materials

      Ensuring Student Success- Chapter 11

       

      How do we choose what instructors will use in the classroom?

      ► Depending upon the size and type of the program, this is a decision that is sometimes made solely by the program manager but is usually a consultation between the program manager and the instructor(s).

       

      Selection of Teaching Materials 

      There are several options with regard to sourcing your instructional materials. Carefully considering what materials to use is key to ensuring your instructors can help students learn effectively.

      1.  Creating materials 

      2.  Choose materials online

      3.  Use a variety of materials from textbooks and activity books

      4.  Choose a textbook or textbook series

      5. Use premade lesson plans

      6.  Any combination of these!

      ■ How do I know if these are the right materials for our students? What are some things we should consider when selecting materials?

      Below are some checklists that can guide you through choosing materials; the chart to the right is an overview of what these resources cover.

       

      Considerations when selecting instructional materials

      (click to enlarge)

       
       

      ■ What are some options for materials?

      Adult ESOL Textbook Series:

      Each of these textbooks has multiple levels that students can progress through. These textbooks have lessons that can build on each other. The texts also can be used for drop-in classes with self-contained units. Many have multilevel workbooks that can be used when you would need to combine classes. They may also have assessment guides.

      • Future: English for Results, Pearson Education
      • Stand Out, National Geographic/Cengage
      • Step Forward, Oxford University Press
      • Ventures, Cambridge University Press
      • Side by Side, Pearson
       
      Supplementary resources for students:
      • Oxford Picture Dictionary, Jayme Adelson-Goldstein and Norma Shapiro. 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2008.
      • Word by Word Basic Picture Dictionary, Steven J. Molinsky & Bill Bliss. 2nd edition, Pearson Education ESL, 2009.
      • Understanding and Using English Grammar, Betty S. Azar and Stacy A. Hagen. 5th edition, Pearson Education ESL, 2017.
      • Books full of activities that teachers can use: Recipes for Tired Teachers: Well-Seasoned Activities for the Esol Classroom, Christopher Sion. Pearson, 1984.
      • 101 Bright Ideas: ESL Activities for All Ages, Claire Marie Ford. 1st Edition, Pearson Education ESL, 1996.
      • ESL Classroom Activities for Teens and Adults: ESL games, fluency activities and grammar drills for EFL and ESL students, Shelley Ann Vernon. 2nd edition, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012.
      • Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics—An Engaging ESL Textbook for Advanced Students, Tony Aberson. 2nd edition, BookSurge Publishing, 2007.
      • Grammar Games: Cognitive, Affective and Drama Activities for EFL Students, Mario Rinvolucri. Revised edition, Cambridge University Press, 1985.
      • Five-Minute Activities: A Resource Book of Short Activities, Penny Ur and Andrew Wright. 23rd edition, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
      • Keep Talking: Communicative Fluency Activities for Language Teaching, Friederike Klippel. Cambridge University Press, 1985.
      • Games for Language Learning, Andrew Wright, David Betteridge and Michael Buckby. Third Edition Cambridge, University Press, 2006.
       
      Sources for Adult ESOL Lesson Plans:
      • Minnesota Literacy Council Curriculum and Lesson Plans

      https://www.literacymn.org/pre-beginning-esl-curriculum
      https://www.literacymn.org/beginning-esl-curriculum
      https://www.literacymn.org/intermediate-esl-curriculum
      https://www.literacymn.org/advanced-esl-curriculum

      • Seminole State College ESL Lesson plans

      https://www.seminolestate.edu/els/lesson-plans/

      • Maryland Department of Labor ESOL Customer Service Training Curriculum

      https://www.dllr.state.md.us/gedmd/customerservice.​shtml

      • Arlington Public Schools REEP Curriculum (Lesson Planning Activities)

      https://www.apsva.us/reep/eslcurriculum/

      • Literacy Activities: Appalachian State University Center for Canadian Language Benchmarks (lesson plans are on the lower part of the page)

      https://www.language.ca/publications/english-publications-downloadable/

      Selection of Teaching Materials

      ♦ NOTES FROM THE FIELD

      TASK-BASED LESSON PLAN: FIRE SAFETY

      Christ Episcopal Church English Conversation Club statisticsBelow is a sample “task-based” lesson developed by former Program Director Mary Belknap and the teachers of the English Conversation Club at Christ Episcopal Church. Developed for use in a drop-in conversation club, this lesson model has the express purpose of enabling learners to come away with the ability to achieve a certain task in English after only one class session.

       
       
       
       
       
       
      Talking about Fire Safety in the Home 

      Purpose: By the end of the session, the students will be able to:

      1 Give two pieces of advice about fire safety
      2 Give information over the phone about a fire

       
       
      Round robin topic: 7:00–7:10

      Do you know what these images mean?
      (Smokey, Sparky, stop, drop and roll)

       
      Lesson #1: 7:15-8:15—Fire safety
      Preparation for the task (10 minutes)

      Review facts and vocabulary on the handout. Brainstorm: ways to prevent fires at home. Point out the communicative differences between ‘could’ (possibility) and ‘should’ (recommendation). Give examples. Task—Giving advice about fire prevention (seven minutes to work in pairs). Divide into groups. Each group develops a list of five actions that will make their house safer from fire. Each group selects their two best ideas to present to the rest of the class. 

      Presentation: Students present their ideas

      Highlight how English works—Expand on the uses of ‘advice’ verbs (could = uncertainty, politeness and should = advice). Point out that ”would” is a polite suggestion that can only be used with ‘I’ in statement. “I would get rid of newspapers”. “I wouldn’t use extension cords”..

       
      Lesson #2: 8:15–8:25 (if time)
      Talk about the use of the 911 number.

      Remind students that it is for emergencies only. Call 411 for non-emergencies.
      Task: Tell the class they will work out this following scenario with a partner. Pretend you are calling the 911 Office. The operator already knows the problem and your name, but needs your address. Tell your partner your address. She/he writes it down. You check how accurately your partner understood you.

       
      Wrap-up of the Session 8:30

      Quick check (draw student’s attention to what they can do now) 

      What is one thing you are going to do this week to improve fire safety in your home?

      (Click to enlarge)