Tutorial Week 9

• Preview extracts from a local textbook
• Form 2 Textbook Chapter 3: Famous Faces

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•  How closely do you feel that the listening process is mirrored in these materials?
• Learners are required to converse with a partner in classroom. One of them can take the role of a famous personality. The roles of a fan and a famous person can be reverse so that both the learners can have the chance to express, listen and react.
• To what extent do they assist in developing the listening skills of our learners?
• Authenticity exist in this task as the language reflect real discourse when they are giving compliment and congratulate. Language used is not difficult. For example ‘You sang the song beautifully.’ The other partner has to listen for the compliment and give acknowledgement.

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• How closely do you feel that the listening process is mirrored in these materials?
• Learners are required to listen to the conversation in order to fill in the blanks to complete the statements given in the task. It is a must for learners to listen attentively to given conversation, if they fail to do so, they will not be able to answer the questions correctly.
• In task B, the situation is the same. Learners are to listen to the conversation again to answer the questions given in task B.
• To what extent do they assist in developing the listening skills of our learners?
• Learners are to listen to the conversation attentively in order to understand and also identify the answers. Learners are listening for a purpose, with this, they will pay more attention to the conversation given.
• Not only that, learners have a background knowledge regarding the theme of the conversation as they have learnt it in the previous tasks. This allows them to be familiar and have a rough idea on the conversation where top-down processing occurs.
• The more exposure the listener has to them, the greater the ability to comprehend.

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• How closely do you feel that the listening process is mirrored in these materials?
• In activity A, learners are required to say words after the teacher. This activity focuses on the consonants of /v/ and /w/.
• In activity B, learners are required to pronounce words that they have learned in activity A.
• To what extent do they assist in developing the listening skills of our learners?
• In activity A, it is a bottom-up practice activity. Learners have to listen and repeat to the words after the teacher. Learners have to pay attention and listen accurately to the sound in order for them to get the pronunciation correctly.
• In activity B, it is a top-down activity since learners have to use their schemata of correct pronunciation of the words so that they can say the sentences aloud. This encourage learners to discuss what they already know about.
• We noticed that this activity has both bottom-up and top-down approach. Correlation between two approaches can help the learners to sharpen their listening skill.

• Preview extracts from a local textbook.
• Form 2 Textbook Chapter 13: Our Green Heritage

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• How closely do you feel that the listening process is mirrored in these materials?
• For task A, the learners are to listen to a recording and then pay attention to the sequence of the story. After that, they need to sequence the picture given in the textbook.
• For task B, the learners need to listen to the recording again and then they need to sequence the sentences given in the textbook.
• To what extent do they assist in developing the listening skills of our learners?
• For task A and B, the learners are listening for a purpose, they need to listen attentively to details from the recording.
• The task relates to top down process as it requires learners’ background knowledge to enable them to relate the description of recording with the picture given.  

Reflection Week 8

This week’s lecture was e-fied, and it looks at materials adaptation. My position as a future teacher feels that this week’s topic is closely related to what we have faced and are facing now. My experience of adapting materials such as textbooks in both my teaching and learning has made me realise that there were a huge differences depending on who we are looking at the textbook as. In this topic, it made me recall back the experience of teaching History where the same textbook was used as a material for teaching and the fact that I have used the textbook before as a student in my secondary school years. The way the materials is used has given me the idea on the reasons why the materials are created that way. There were certain confusion when reading the articles, whereby, many techniques were included and suggested by quite a few authors, but after reading again and referring to the slide given, the confusion managed to be overcome. I believe that teacher knows best what are their abilities in teaching their students, thus, when evaluating and creating a new materials, teachers’ views and opinions should be taken into consideration and not to be ignored. Based on my readings, there are many techniques proposed that can be used as a reference in evaluating a materials in order to improve them. Looking at the connection of this week’s tutorial with my knowledge I can say, it is now has been showed clearly. I now understand better on why does certain materials do not work out as expected because it does not meet certain criteria that suits ones learning styles. Therefore, by having to know the techniques in evaluating materials, as a future teacher I can make full use of a given materials to ensure that my students’ learning opportunity will be maximized.  

Reflection Week 7

This week’s lecture touched on Digital Language Learning Materials (DLLM). We are required to answer a few questions during tutorial. Articles were given, thus we divided our tasks. Meanwhile, the tutorial ask requires us to create an example of DLLM and present them in front of our classmates. We created our DLLM by referring to articles read. I was actually quite confused at first, because I could not understand what are we required to do. Therefore, I asked and clarify things with lecturer and fellow classmates. When things are so much clearer, we proceed with the questions.
From what I can relate to, this week’s lecture require us to apply the concepts found in the articles in developing our DLLM. I furthered my understanding on DLLM, where it serves as educational purpose as its main function. The word ‘digital’ sometimes has made us easily forget that we need to create a digital material so that it can serve as a learning material not just a high-tech software but it does not have much learning concerns. This I believe, all future and present teachers should bear in mind. It does not mean a high-tech or latest software provides better learning opportunity, it depends factors such as teacher, students and also the feasibility of the materials. Based on experiences, teachers easily gets excited presenting a new digital materials to the students without actually thinking on how they can use them to provide maximum input to their students.

Tutorial Week 4&5. Presentation on the article: The analysis of language teaching materials 'Inside the Trojan Horse'

Analysis of language teaching materials.pptx

Week 7 e-fied task

We completed this task in our assignment group where we discussed on each checkpoint.

·         Declan

·         Elucia

·         Glenn

·         Kat (Loh Chia Yee)

·         Stennia

Checkpoint 1: Search for digital language learning materials.

• Bitstrips
• http://www.bitstripsforschools.com/
• Fakebook
• http://www.classtools.net/FB/home-page
• Pronunciation Animation
• http://www.cambridge.org/elt/resources/skills/interactive/pron_animations/index.htm
• Glogster
• http://www.glogster.com/
• Languagelab
• http://www.languagelab.com/
• 19 pencils
• http://19pencils.com/
• English4u
• http://www.english-4u.de
• Edudemic
• http://www.edudemic.com/

Checkpoint 2: List down SLA theories and principles

Theories

• Behaviourist
• Innatist
• Interactionist
  

Principles

• Materials should help learners to develop confidence
• What is being taught should be perceived by learners as relevant and useful
• Materials should require and facilitate learner self-investment
• Learners must be ready to acquire the points being taught
• Materials should expose the learners to language in authentic use
• The learners’ attention should be drawn to linguistic features of the input.
• Materials should provide the learners with opportunities to use the target language to achieve communicative purposes.
• Materials should take into account that the positive effects of instruction are usually delayed
• Materials should take into account that learners differ in affective attitudes
• Materials should permit a silent period at the beginning of instruction.
• Materials should not rely too much on controlled practice
• Materials should provide opportunities for outcome and feedback
• Materials should help the learner to develop cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Materials should reflect the reality of language use.
• Materials should help learners to learn in ways similar to the circumstances in which they will have to use the language.
• Materials should help to create readiness to learn.

Checkpoint 3: Sketch out a rough outline of your DLLM.

Checkpoint 4: Summarize explanation for each criteria

• Errors: Errors are divided into two groups which are serious and less serious. Serious is when the users’ outputs are threatened while less serious refers to the work of the users are disturb.

• Efficiency: It is to know how well the experienced users can operate an application after they have mastered it.
  

• Learnability: It depends on the duration of time for the beginners uses system before they learn the important skills necessary to do tasks.
  

• Memorability: Refers to an occasional users’ ability who has previously used the system to remember its operational principle.     

Explain each criteria for visual design

• Harmony: It is the way to which the display in DLLM interacts together in a pleasing-manner. This can achieved through repetition and rhythm. It pulls the pieces of visual image together and the rhythm is the flow of depicted in a visual and helps direct eye movement. For example when we use prezi or power point, we need to use 3x3 grids to ensure there is harmony.
• Balance and symmetry: It refers to the element of different sizes can be brought into balance by either moving them closer or further from the centre of the page. Symmetry is when one half of a visual display is a mirror image of the other half. There are different types of symmetry:
• Horizontal symmetry
• Approximate horizontal symmetry
• Radial symmetry
• Asymmetry
• Emphasis: It is to create dominance and focus in their work. It emphasis on colour, value, shape or other design elements to achieve dominance. For example, the colour of the background must be dark and the written words on the slides must be in light colour. This is to ensure that there is a contrast on the slide. Also, the main topic must be either middle or on top with bigger font size to tell what is the main topic.
• Alignment: It is important for the material to have alignment as it is for the organization and grouping. Should visually maximize differences between texts, label and pictures.
• Unity: Unity is the relationship among visual elements that helps all the elements to work together. It gives a sense of closure or oneness to visual image. It can be achieved through use of similar shapes, common pattern or use of a common background.

         

Tutorial 6: Evaluation and Problems faced while using Littlejohn's Checklist.

Evaluation and Problems Faced While Using Littlejohn's Checklist

MD Reflection Questions (Week 2)

How does it affect me as a pre service teacher?

This tutorial task has given me a deeper exposure on materials development. As a pre service teacher, this task has given me ideas on how important materials development and also the characteristics of good materials, not forgetting the numerous principles related to it. Therefore, this task affects the way I look at materials development.

 How it affects my current knowledge?

This tutorial task has made me understand more on different principles related to materials development. In week 1, which was introduction to materials development has given me a larger picture on what will I be learning in this course. Week 2, we are starting to enter and look into detail on the principles. By having a sort of a little bit background knowledge from week 1, work from week 2 has been made easier.

How can i use that knowledge to improve myself?

By having the knowledge on the principles, I believe that I can apply those principles in developing materials in both my upcoming assignment and also when I go out to teach in schools. I will not rely only on certain materials, but this course has given me examples of many other materials that I can use. In a way I felt challenged and I want to explore other materials that I never used before. 

Materials Development Tutorial : Week 2

A. Which principles for materials development did Short apply when producing his materials?

Materials should achieve impact

Jeremy short’s materials are very attractive and appealing to the students.

-          However, it may not be impactful in terms of learning. 

-          Although the material appeals to the student, we are uncertain that it would allow students to learn more.

What is being taught should be perceived by learners as relevant and useful

-          Jeremy Short’s materials relate to learners’ interests and ‘real-life’ tasks. For instance, he talks about “Tales of Garcon” and “University Life”, both of which learners could relate to what they are experiencing in real-life.

-          Also, through Short’s graphic novels, students obtain the message through stories that relates to real-life situation which differs from the usual textbook model.

-          Hence, through Short’s graphic novel, learners could discuss the solution of the problem since it relates to real-life situation.

Materials should provide opportunities for outcome and feedback

-          Short gotten feedback from his students on how boring the textbooks were and that’s how he started  producing his materials.

-          After he created and shared the materials, students also provided feedback and asked him “what’s going to come next?” It shows that students are interested in the materials he produced and wants to know more.

-          However, asking him “what’s next?” may mean that they’re only interested on the graphic novels and may have not grasp what they are supposed to learn.

B. Design and complete the following diagram.

The diagram below shows the aspects influencing materials development. We decided to put country’s vision as the main aspect that influences materials development because we are looking at the bigger picture of the development of materials. Country’s vision includes improving many areas such as the economy, politics, social, and education. Since we are focusing on education, we feel that the county’s vision is to produce a better generation of learners in the future. Therefore, in order to achieve this vision, we need to have curriculum goal and objectives (eg: Malaysian Education Blueprint). 

After the country’s vision, we are going to see a smaller picture which is the curriculum goal and objective. In order to achieve country’s vision in the education field, educators need to set goals and objectives. Hence, school administration aims and objective plays a significant role in carrying out the process of moving towards the target. These three aspects mentioned can be achieved through materials developments.

Materials development is influenced by two principles namely principles of teaching and learning and the principles of second language acquisition.  Both of these principles influence teachers’ belief and rational as these principles act as a guidance in producing material. However, teacher’s belief and rational are also affected by the learners; with this, teachers need to adapt by taking into consideration which principles are applicable in developing the materials. The teachers’ belief and rational, we feel, is how he/she adapts and then implement these principles and beliefs in developing materials in teaching.

Having the experience of a learner in our high school lives, we realised parents’ goals are one of the main factors that affects us. Most parents have expectations towards their children’s (learners) development which in turn affects the learner in their learning. Due to this situation, teachers are affected as they need to cater to the parents’ expectation of their children.