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What is evaluation? Evaluation = a matter of judging the fitness of something for a particular purpose Why evaluate materials? To identify how successful the materials used in the classroom are. To examine whether the materials fulfill the prescribed course To examine the extent to which materials allow Ss to achieve learning objectives. To identify whether the designs of the materials are suitable for a syllabus. To provide a good theoretical base for writing another materia
EVALUATING ELT MATERIALS WHY EVALUATE MATERIALS??? • • • • • • What is evaluation? Evaluation = a matter of judging the fitness of something for a particular purpose Why evaluate materials? To identify how successful the materials used in the classroom are To examine whether the materials fulfill the prescribed course To examine the extent to which materials allow Ss to achieve learning objectives To identify whether the designs of the materials are suitable for a syllabus To provide a good theoretical base for writing another material Criteria by Mc Donough & Shaw (1993) * External evaluation ‘overview’ from the outside E.g + Cover + Introduction + Table of contents * Internal evaluation more detailed The External Evaluation * The ‘blurb’/ the claims made on the cover of the teachers/students book * The introduction & table of contents Components of typical ‘blurb’ + introduction • The intended audience • The proficiency level • The context in which the material are to be used • How the language has been presented & organized into teachable units/lessons • The author ‘s view on language and methodology Other factors to consider Are the materials to be used as the main ‘core’ course or to be supplementary to it? Is a teacher’s book in print & locally available? Is a vocabulary list/index included? What visual material does the book contain? Is there for cosmetic value only or is it actually integrated into the text? Is the layout and presentation clear or cluttered? Is the material too culturally biased or specific? Do the materials represent minority groups and/or women in a negative way? Do they present a ‘balanced’ picture of a particular country/society? The inclusion of audio/video material & resultant cost essential? 10 The inclusion of tests in the teaching material useful? The internal evaluation The presentation of the skills in the materials - Are all the language skills covered? In what proportion? Is this appropriate? - Are the skills treated discretely or in an integrated way? The grading (level) and sequencing • Some materials: ‘steeply’ graded >< Others: no grading at all • - Types of grading: Grading within the unit Grading across the unit the progression of difficulty: linear fashion ‘Modular’ grading = grouping a set of units at approximately the same level * In cases of no grading investigate the extent to which we think this is true Criteria by Tanner & Green (1998) MATERIALS • • • • • • • • • Method Appearance Teacher-friendly Extras Realistic Interesting Affordable Level Skills METHOD • Does the book’s method suit your own teaching method and overall aims? (Grammar-Translation Method? Audio-Lingual Method? Communicative Approach? Theme-based? Task-based? Projectbased?) • Does the book focus on grammar, or does it have lots of fluency activities, groupwork and mingling? • Are the questions open-ended, or of the yes/no variety? APPEARANCE • Is the book’s appearance appealing & attractive? + cover + design + illustrations + color + feel • • If a book looks very ‘busy’ overwhelming for learners If there are a lot of mistakes T is likely to question the level of expertise of the course book writer Clearly laid out activities bright colors adequate amount of white space TEACHER-FRIENDLY = How easy or difficult it is for the teacher to use * Is it well organied? • If the book has teaching ideas form part of a T’s professional development The book should: • • • save T’s time + information should be easy to find Include an index or table of contents with the skills and/or grammar focus of each unit Include Answer key to exercises EXTRAS = downloadable listening activities, a DVD, an adaptable workbook, a student CD, a website, a teacher’s book and supplemental materials REALISTIC • • • Does the textbook use authentic language or not? Does the language seem true-to-life and current? Authentic + up-to-date Decide what is authentic and balance it with words ARTIFICIAL VS AUTHENTIC LANGUAGE Dialogue 1: - Rin: Hello Mai.How are you? • • • • • Mai: I’m fine, thank you And you? Rin: I’m fine, thanks Do you have free time tonight, around p.m? Mai: Yes, I Rin: Let’s go to the cinema I have bought tickets for “Guardians of the galaxy 2” Mai: That sounds great!I’d love to.I like that film very much” Dialogue • Rin: Hey, how are you? • Mai: Oh not too bad How are you? • Rin: Fine Well are you available tonight, around p.m or so? • Mai: Yup sure! How come? • Rin: Errr Do you fancy going to Lotte Cinema with me? Actually, I’ve got tickets for “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” • Mai: Are you kidding me? I’m a big fan of that film.I’ll definitely come! Problems with dialogue The sentences are correct, BUT: + sound “robotic” and “unreal” with well-formed sentences + NOT a genuine communication ARTIFICIAL Features of authentic dialogues • length and turn-taking patterns • lexical density • repetitions • pausing • discourse markers: “well” “oh” “like” “of course” “actually” • hesitation devices: “ah”, “errrr”, “um” • back-channelling: “I see”, “OK”, “yes”, “uh huh”, “yeah” INTERESTING • By looking at the topics in a course book, a teacher can decide if they are relevant and interesting to his or her learners • The topics should be relevant and interesting to the teacher as she has to use the topics as a vehicle for teaching AFFORDABLE • • If the book is too cheap, it may not be valued by the learner as authoritative If it is too expensive, the learner may have unrealistic expectations about how much they will achieve by using the book LEVEL • The course book should be aimed at the level of the learners being taught • Whether classes are leveled or not, the course book should provide for flexibility in the multi-level class SKILLS • • • • If it is a multi-skills class, does the course book adequately cover the skills that are required? If it is a conversation class, does the course book teach conversation skills, or is it merely a speaking course? Does a writing book have a process or product approach to writing? Does a reading book look to develop reading skills into reading strategies, or does it merely have a reading section followed by comprehension questions? Whatever the situation, the course book needs to fit the class syllabus ... what is taught by the course material The overall evaluation The usability factor The generalizability factor The adaptability factor The flexibility factor Criteria by Tanner & Green (1998) MATERIALS... are suitable for a syllabus To provide a good theoretical base for writing another material Criteria by Mc Donough & Shaw (1993) * External evaluation ‘overview’ from the outside E.g + Cover... cheap, it may not be valued by the learner as authoritative If it is too expensive, the learner may have unrealistic expectations about how much they will achieve by using the book LEVEL • The