Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified in Kansas? Are you interested in teaching English in Ashland, Kansas? Check out our opportunities in Ashland, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English in your community or abroad! Teflonline.net offers a wide variety of Online TESOL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Here Below you can check out the feedback (for one of our units) of one of the 16.000 students that last year took an online course with ITTT!
This unit provided helpful information regarding the use of course books, authentic materials and created materials in the class room. As a teacher, I would certainly want to incorporate authentic materials (magazines, newspapers, songs, films), as they can help students gain more confidence when they understand the materials. Furthermore, authentic materials can be geared to the interests of the particular students, which can help motivate the students to do the work. I would also want to design my own materials for my classes because unlike authentic materials, created materials can be graded to the level of the students. Created materials can also be a welcome change from the course book, which often does not fit the specific needs and interests of the students.
However, it is important to recognize that there are still many advantages to using course books in the classroom. For instance, course books are graded to the level of the students, they provide a balanced mix of grammar, vocabulary and skills work, they offer continuity and progression, and ultimately, using a course book is easier and less time-consuming for the teacher, as they have far less to prepare. Therefore, if a teacher is going to use a course book in the classroom, it's important that they do not base all lessons around the course book. They should think about which lessons will motivate the students and which will need to be supplemented/adapted/replaced. It's also important that they explore ways to match the book to the needs of the students. And lastly, teachers should not perceive the course book as the solution to everything. They should continue to try out new ideas and vary activities.
