The role of materials in the innovation of the ELT curriculum

The Role of Materials in the Innovation of the ELT Curriculum 

Astrid Díaz Cabrera

adcabrera93@gmail.com 

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico

Isis Armilevy Vázquez Alegría

isisvazquez1314@gmail.com

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico

Abstract

An essential component of curriculum involves the selection of materials for teaching and learning because curriculum materials “provide guidance and structure to teachers as they enact the intended school curriculum” (Reys, Reys, Lapan, & Holliday, 2003, p. 74). However, curriculum is not what is written in textbooks or in policy guidelines; it is what actually takes place in the classroom (Remillard, 2000). Thus, when teachers adapt curriculum materials to meet their students’ needs, they are innovating the intended curriculum. Consequently, the current study focuses on the role of materials in the innovation of the ELT curriculum based on the hypothesis that materials foster curriculum innovation. The paper discusses two approaches to the use of materials, needs analysis as an essential tool in materials development and the role of materials in curriculum innovation. The literature review indicates that as hypothesized, materials foster curriculum innovation.

Keywords: materials, curriculum, materials adaptation, needs analysis, curriculum innovation

Introduction

Language learning materials are usually associated with course books. However, Halim and Halim (2016) claim that materials are not limited to mere textbooks. They assert that materials can be “anything used by teachers or learners to facilitate the learning of a language” (p. 634). These resources play a crucial role in creating effective teaching and learning environments, as they provide the means to structure the learning and teaching situation. Thus, they are of significant importance in the language learning process (Núñez & Téllez, 2009). However, as Remillard (2000) points out, ‘good’ curriculum material should provide multiple possible routes for teachers and learners through a defined pedagogic field. She asserts that this flexibility of curriculum materials is essential because “the paths that teachers and students take through the pedagogic space cannot be predetermined by writers, but are the results of day-to-day and moment-to-moment decisions” (p. 346). This assertion might then raise the question of whether materials foster or prevent curriculum innovation. It is hypothesized that materials foster curriculum innovation. Hence, this study aims to explore the role of materials in the innovation of the ELT curriculum. To achieve this purpose, this paper presents a literature review divided into three sections. The first section contrasts two approaches to the use of materials: adaptation and adoption. The second section highlights the importance of needs analysis in the decision-making process about the goals and content of the course or curriculum and the materials to be used. Finally, the third section analyses the role of materials in curriculum innovation as language teachers strive to implement the intended curriculum. 

1. Approaches to the use of materials

According to Halim and Halim (2016), there exist two ways of approaching the use of materials: adaptation and adoption. On the one hand, materials adaptation is “the application of some strategies to make the textbook more effective and flexible” (p. 634). Hence, adjusting and/or changing some parts or a complete course book represents the adaptation of that material. Núñez and Téllez (2016) discuss the importance of reflective practice in the adaptation of materials. They state that “reflective practice is a two-fold concept implying a dialogue of thinking and doing through which teachers become more skillful” (p. 172). Thus, the fact that teachers reflect on what is happening inside the classroom enables them to make better decisions when creating or adapting material to fulfill particular students’ needs and learning settings. On the other hand, material adoption means that very few or no changes are made to a textbook because it is considered the authority (Halim & Halim, 2016). Nonetheless, there is some criticism towards materials adoption given that some educators, particularly novice teachers, might implement course books as a memorization tool for their students. Furthermore, some experienced teachers claim course books do not always fulfill learners’ needs. However, Darici (2016) explains that this issue is not entirely negative because it allows teachers to have a better overview of the situation with the available materials in the market and use this information in their needs analysis.

2. Needs analysis as an essential tool in materials development

Needs analysis, also known as needs assessment, refers to the systematic investigation of the needs, lacks and wants to improve the design of a language course (Darici, 2016). Needs analysis tends to be associated with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and is disregarded in the general English classroom (Seedhouse, 1995). However, Long (2005) affirms that “no language teaching program should be designed without a thorough needs analysis” (as cited in Darici, 2016, p. 32). Similarly, Núñez and Téllez (2009) assert that needs analysis procedures represent a central ingredient in the development of language learning materials. 

During needs analysis, researchers need to collect information to develop a profile of the language needs of a group of learners to make decisions about the goals and content of the course or curriculum and the materials to be used. This analysis will mostly benefit teachers and learners, leading to effective teaching and learning settings. Thus, as Pineda (2001) claims, needs assessment should be “the point of departure to make academic decisions such as syllabi development, instructional strategies and materials selection, as well as assessment and evaluation implementation” (as cited in Nuñez & Téllez, 2009, p. 167). This assertion means not only that needs analysis should be a mandatory phase in curriculum and syllabus design because it determines which language skills are most needed by students and the curriculum and syllabus are created accordingly, but also that by identifying the needs, it will be much easier to include the most appropriate materials that address and meet those needs. 

Another aspect that results relevant in the selection of materials is setting goals and objectives. These terms are defined by Graves (1997), who states that goals are “the general or overall long-term purposes of a course and objectives as the specific form in which goals will be attained” (as cited in Núñez & Téllez, 2016, p. 178). Hence, establishing goals and objectives will provide a sense of direction and will help the teacher in the selection of the most appropriate materials for the course. These actions, in turn, will allow teachers to “make opportune decisions that foster a harmonious and efficient development of their classes and the attainment of students’ learning objectives” (Núñez & Téllez, 2016 p. 180), which adds up to effective teaching. 

Overall, it can be stated that even if publishers and teachers sometimes ignore the importance of needs analysis in the development of language learning materials, it is undeniable that selecting the appropriate textbooks and making a suitable adaptation of them should be in line with students' needs. Núñez and Téllez (2006) argue that these teacher-developed materials boost not only effective learning settings and outcomes but also teachers’ pedagogical practice/performance. They further state that the learning materials by themselves are not sufficient to create effective teaching and learning settings since “a lively EFL/ESL classroom depends largely on good materials used in creative and resourceful ways” (p. 184). 

3. The role of materials in curriculum innovation

Materials play a significant role in language teaching and learning since they “provide guidance and structure to teachers as they enact the intended school curriculum” (Reys, Reys, Lapan, & Holliday, 2003, p. 74). Reys et al. (2003) further assert that “instructional approaches suggested by materials often influence teachers’ pedagogical strategies, particularly if the content and pedagogical approaches in the curriculum materials closely mirror the implemented curriculum” (p. 74). Similarly, Love and Pimm (1996) assert that materials play an essential role in curriculum innovation along with teachers’ interpretive function. They argue that “curriculum is how a teacher interprets or uses text, stating that materials - even textbooks - are resources, not the curriculum” (p. 398). Eisner (1990) agrees with this view when he states that “no curriculum teaches itself, and how teachers interpret what they receive is crucial to the kind of education students receive, and the kind of growth teachers have an opportunity to experience” (p. 63). Remillard (2000) also indicates that teachers' task is critical to the process of curriculum innovation since teachers ultimately determine what is taught. Thus, the teacher’s role as curriculum innovator entails more than merely selecting and redesigning curriculum plans; it also involves enacting those plans in the classroom situation with the learners. 

According to Haberman (1992) curriculum decisions are not confined to the planning and structuring phases but are an essential feature of classroom interactions. He further adds that the benefits of greater teacher involvement in curriculum innovation are numerous, since it will lead to improved teacher self-concept, a greater sense of responsibility and commitment to the school and the curriculum, and increased student motivation. He specifies that the teachers’ personal commitment to the curriculum can be a primary factor in motivating the students to be more interested in the materials being presented, which will contribute to improvements in the teacher-student relationship. Additionally, these improvements in the teacher-student relationship will not only enhance teaching, but will be evinced in students’ achievements.

In conclusion, it can be asserted that materials foster curriculum innovation because when teachers lead their students to have materials interact appropriately with their needs and interests in order to facilitate learning, they are innovating the intended school curriculum. However, according to Calderhead (1984), little help is given to teachers to adjust materials or teaching approaches, and consequently, many curriculum innovations have a superficial impact on classroom life. Hence, teachers should be allowed to select the materials they consider significant in the classroom environment because that experience would not only facilitate students’ learning, but would also contribute to their professional growth as they improve their knowledge, skills and creativity, raise their consciousness as regards teaching and learning procedures, and act as agents of permanent change. 

References

Calderhead, J. (1984). Teachers’ classroom decision-making. Worcester: Billing & Sons Limited.

Darici, A. (2016). The importance of needs analysis in materials development. In Issues in Materials Development (pp. 31-41). Sense Publishers.

Eisner, E. W. (1990). Creative curriculum development and practice. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 6(1), 62-73.

Haberman, M. (1992). The role of the classroom teacher as a curriculum leader. NASSP Bulletin, 76(547), 11-19.

Halim, S., & Halim, T. (2016). Adapting Materials: Revisiting the Needs of Learners. International Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies, 2(4), 633-642.

Love, E., & Pimm, D. (1996). 'This is so': A text on texts. In A. e. Bishop (Ed.), International handbook of mathematics education (pp. 371-409). Dordrecht: Springer.

Núñez Pardo, A., & Téllez Téllez, M. F. (2009). ELT materials: The key to fostering effective teaching and learning settings. Profile Issues in Teachers Professional Development, 11(2), 171-186.

Remillard, J. (2000). Can curriculum materials support teachers’ learning? Two fourth-grade teachers’ use of a new Mathematics text. The Elementary School Journal, 100(4), 331-350.

Reys, R., Reys, B., Lapan, R., & Holliday, G. (2003). Assessing the impact of Standards-Based Middle Grades Mathematics Curriculum Materials on Student Achievement. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 34(1), 74.

Seedhouse, P. (1995). Needs Analysis and the ‘General English’ Classroom. English Language Teaching Journal, 49(1), 59-65.