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In this unit we were able to review the types of material a teacher can resource to in order to give students the best learning experience possible. These materials are basically divided into two big categories: the authentic material and the created material. The lesson also reviews the use of course books.
We consider authentic material all material that has not been designed for a language course and it is not graded to level. It is actually just material that a native speaker would hear or read. The advantage of using this material is mostly the fact that it gives the student confidence since they can understand material that a is used in real life and the content might be more interesting or better suited for some students and levels.
Created material includes all worksheets, flash cards, word puzzles, crosswords, role-play activities, etc. that the teacher has created or provided in order to replace or supplement any course book being used in class.
Course books are sets of materials for both the teacher and the students (student's book, workbook, teacher's manual and other materials) that can be used as part of the lessons. They are best when mixed with other resources and materials according to the needs of the class. Some of the advantages of using a course book are: they are less time consuming and easier that creating your own material, they have been tested and usually have a good balance of all skills to be developed, they are graded to level and provide continuity and progression. Among the disadvantages are the fact that the content won't always fit the needs of the class, they can be outdated and the content will be more general and won't necessarily address specific issues of your students learning process. That is why, when using course books, it is best to omit sections that do not apply to your class, replace the content with more adequate material, supplement the course with additional material or adapt the book course to the needs of the class whenever necessary.
