Livermore, Iowa TESOL Online & Teaching English Jobs

Overview This is a pretty complex issue and one which has many answers but a lot more questions. The choice is more the concern for the teacher and the level of the students which they are teaching. If you are teaching in a affluent institution then this will not be a problem as they are well stocked and can afford to buy materials which the teacher may need. But generally the teacher more often than not has to pick and choose with the availability which is on the ground. But here there is a way out because we can definitely use the internet which is a great source. This also brings variety into the process of learning. Authentic materials E.g. are magazines, newspapers, songs, poems, brochures, menus, films on video and because the native speaker has used them and gives confidence to them. Because authentic materials are not designed for the EFL student, they are not graded for level, and so should be selected carefully. We should also consider the level of the students . Following are reasons for the use of the above. ?They are real and therefore more interesting and motivating ?Students gain confidence when they understand them ?They can be geared to the interests of a particular group of students Created materials E.g. ?Crosswords ?Word search puzzles ?Role-play cards ?Flashcards ?Gap fill activities ?Picture stories The above are samples of which materials can also be used in grading.Nearly all teachers will have to follow materials which are given by the institution where they teach or follow a fixed program. The teachers which are more dedicated and artistic might use other materials which they have already tried or would try an experiment with. Course books Course books usually consist of a set of materials: Student's book (for classroom use) Workbook (for individual and supplementary work, class work, homework etc) Cassettes (for use in class and at home. Teacher's book (gives a step-by-step guide as to how to teach the material in the student's book. Often also contain progress tests) In some cases a video (video activities to reinforce the material in the student's book) Other published materials include – reading books graded to varying levels of students, test books, learner dictionaries, vocabulary flash Most commonly used course books today are the Headway, Reward, and English File series for British English, and Interchange/New Interchange for American English. Books used in different countries can vary enormously and depend on local availability Course book advantages ?It is usually expected by the students. ?It provides a syllabus which is graded to a level suitable for the students ?It provides security for students and teachers alike ?It normally provides a balanced mix of grammar, vocabulary and skills work ?It offers continuity and progression ?The materials will have normally been tried and tested before publication ?It is usually attractive and appealing to the eye ?It continually practices language items previously introduced ?The teacher's book offers many good ideas for the inexperienced teacher Course book disadvantages ?It does not always fit the specific needs and interests of all the class members ?The students may not like the book and might be reluctant to use it ?Exclusive use of a course book can become very predictable and boring for the students ?It can make teachers lazy, and stop them from being creative and searching for activities and materials which will motivate and interest their students ?A course book is almost always a compromise ?Most course books on the market are designed for use by all nationalities and may not cover in enough depth language problems specific to the nationality of students that you are teaching ?Teachers rarely get to choose the course book and many can be outdated and unattractive to your students ?Course books dictate what is to be taught. This can stop teachers analyzing particular problems that their students may have and prevent the lessons from being student centred. Best use of course books ?If you have the choice of course book, look at a range that could be used for your group. Which is the most suitable? ?Do not use the course book for the whole lesson.. ?When planning your lessons think about which items will motivate your students, and which need to be supplemented/adapted/replaced. ?Think about how much time will be needed for each task and create a balanced lesson. ?Explore ways to match the book to the needs of the students ?Approach the book critically: Read the teacher's book, but also do your own research into the language, and look for difficulties not highlighted by the authors ?Don't base all lessons around the course book. Look at what your particular students need too. ?Don't regard the course book as the solution to everything. Try out new ideas and vary your activities. Four different options for course book use 1.) Omit. Teachers may decide to omit certain lessons from the course book if they are not beneficial or relevant to their students. Care is needed though, because if the teacher omits too much, then the students might wonder why they bought the book in the first place 2.) Replace. Instead of omitting unsuitable material the teacher may choose to replace it with similar, but more appropriate material. 3.) Supplement. At times the teacher might want to add extra material to the course book to reinforce a language point, or to extend the students' engagement with the language. 4.) Adapt. This is where the teacher will use the same basic materials but in his/her own way and style. Analyzing a course book If the teacher is fortunate enough to be able to choose the course book for a particular class, he/she will probably need to analyze and consider the following factors: Price. Availability. Design. Methodology. Skills. Difficulty. Topic. Teacher's guide.