UNIVERSITI UTARA MALAYSIA

SGRE3033

MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM COURSEWORK 3:WRITTEN WORK (INDIVIDUAL)

Prepared by:
NAMA: ANGKA GILIRAN: NO. K/P: NO. TELEFON: WAN A. AZLAN BIN BAHAROM 210057 680420-08-5429 012-5562874

TARIKH SERAHAN: 19 JANUARY 2012

Prepared For :`
MDM ROZALINA KHALID

SGRE 3033 MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LANGUAGE CLASSROOM MATERIAL EVALUATION 1. Introduction The process of teaching - learning depends upon the different type of equipment available in the classroom. There are many aids available these days like, audio, visual and audio- visual aids. They have very much importance in TLP (Teaching Learning Process). Teaching aids is defined as tools that classroom teachers use to help their students learn quickly and thoroughly. A teaching aid can be as simple as a chalkboard or as complex as a computer program. Because every individual learns in a different way, teachers rely on these tools to explain concepts to students with a wide variety of learning needs. Teaching aids are crucial for educators as they are key in differentiating instruction for all types of learners. A teaching aid is something which makes teaching easier for the teacher and make learning more effective and enjoyable for the student. An example of timeless teaching aid is Blackboard and chalk. Though with time blackboard has been evolving to be in different eye-catching colors and chalks are also becoming more colorful, sometimes digital and dust free. But the universal appeal of a blackboard is never going to decease from a classroom. So though blackboard is considered traditional it can be also be counted among timeless and modern teaching aids with. 2. Need of Teaching Aids 1) Every individual has the tendency to forget. Proper use of teaching aids helps to retain more concept permanently. 2) Students can learn better when they are motivated properly through different teaching aids. 3) Teaching aids develop the proper image when the students see, hear taste and smell properly. 4) Teaching aids provide complete example for conceptual thinking. 5) The teaching aids create the environment of interest for the students. 6) Teaching aids helps to increase the vocabulary of the students. 7) Teaching aids helps the teacher to get sometime and make learning permanent.

8) Teaching aids provide direct experience to the students.

3. Types of Teaching Aids Most teaching aids are visual in nature. Blackboards and whiteboards, posters, calendars, charts, drawings, and overhead projectors are all examples of visual teaching aids. This type of aid is important because many people learn best through use of visual/special thinking. Some teaching aids are aurally-based. These aural aids include recordings of spoken broadcasts and songs. Audio-visual teaching aids include film projectors, videocassettes, DVDs, and movies on the Web. Though audio-visual aids were once seen as a method for students to teach themselves, they are now considered to be educational tools rather than a replacement for teachers. There are many aids available these days. We may classify these aids as follows: i. Visual Aids

The aids which use sense of vision are called Visual aids. For example :- actual objects, models, pictures, charts, maps, flash cards, flannel board, bulletin board, chalkboard, overhead projector, slides etc. Out of these black board and chalk are the commonest ones. ii. Audio Aids

The aids that involve the sense of hearing are called Audio aids. For example :- radio, tape recorder, gramophone etc. iii. Audio - Visual Aids

The aids which involve the sense of vision as well as hearing are called Audio- Visual aids. For example :- television, film projector, film strips etc. 4. Modern Teaching Aids. Modern teaching aids are varied in nature and utility. From learning laptop to toys todays kids have an world of opportunities in terms of variety in teaching aids. There are games, activities according to the developmental stages of a learner, tools and systems etc which can make a

teachers task more enjoyable. But looking from a different point of view many teachers also complain about the complexity of modern teaching aids. But that is a different aspect altogether.

5. Types of Teaching Aids

Interactive Teaching aids: Interactive teaching aids include which involve both teacher and her students in learning. Any teaching aid can work as interactive teaching aid if teachers creates scope for students participation. Latest gadgets like Android phones, tablet PCs can be utilized instead of bulky computers and TVs in classroom. i. Visual teaching aids: All types of aids that makes learning happening through visuals are

considered visual aids. From flash cards, pictures to TV or LCD projector can be considered visual aids. ii Audio Teaching Aids: Audio teaching aids can be very effective in language classes.

Tape recorders or voice recorders can produce better results while correcting mistakes in pronunciation in spoken English or even the first and other languages. iii Alphabet and charts: Alphabets and numerals in clay or plastic play very important role

in pre schools while teaching alphabets and numerals for beginners. Alphabets can grow up with students age and play an important role in increasing vocabulary. iv X. iiv Abacus : Abacus is a very old teaching aid. In fact it is considered the predecessor of Charts can be prepared both by teacher and students and becomes handy in discussing

complex ideas like judiciary system etc in science and social studies in higher classes like IX to

computer. But for beginners it is still considered one of the most effective teaching aid for learning basic ideas of addition and subtraction. iiiv Puzzles: Similarly for the students of higher classes should be given mathematical

puzzles, word puzzles etc which help in intellectual development and vocabulary build up.

6.

Books as Teaching Aids Books are actually teaching aids, though many find it difficult to buy the idea. Even

during those days books were both the purpose of school education and a means of learning. Textbooks clearly survive because they satisfy certain needs Halina (2009). But experts today believe and are trying implement to the idea that books are basically a teaching aids. And with handy instructions, activity ideas, games incorporated with a lesson books are actually becoming the best teaching aid for a teacher. Unlike yesteryears when books, its lessons, and question answers were the only purpose of learning, today books are more interactive. A textbook is a manual of instruction or a standard book in any branch of study. They are produced according to the demand of the educational institutions. Textbooks are usually published by one of the four major publishing companies. The textbook becomes the most important, if not the only vehicle for the curriculum. Using the textbook, skills, concepts and content required by the curriculum can be taught. In the absence of any other widely available sources of information, the textbook also becomes the most important and often the only source of content and pedagogic information for the teacher. Heather Willis Allen (2008) said. at beginning stages of teaching, teachers can be challenged to identify textbook activities that support particular goals for a classroom lesson and to discuss why and how they think certain activities would (or would not) enable FL development. Textbook is a teaching tool (material) which presents the subject matter defined by the curriculum. In the field of Education, TLM is a commonly used acronym that stands for "teaching/learning materials." Broadly, the term refers to a spectrum of educational materials that teachers use in the classroom to support specific learning objectives, as set out in lesson plans. Although there are debates over whether textbooks are the best learning tools for students, they are still indispensable and a necessary part of learning. The extent of the use of textbooks is often

dependent on the type of course. Nonetheless, for any teacher, it is important to use textbooks in conjunction with other materials, activities and evaluation criteria.

7.

Materials From Textbook. In Year Six English Language Textbook, on page 62,there are a series of pictures and a

dialogue that represent a dream of a boy named Anand, who was given a drawing task by his teacher. In his dream, the brushes and the colours helped him to get the idea of what he is going to draw for his teacher. Using this page, the teacher can carry out a talking activity with the pupils. The colourful pictures will attract the pupils as most of the will definitely fond of colours. Research done by Cobun (1968) indicated that: 1 % of what is learnt is from the sense of TASTE. 1.5% of what is learnt is from the sense of TOUCH. 3.5% of what is learnt is from the sense of SMELL. 11% of what is learnt is from the sense of HEARING. 83% of what is learnt is from the sense of SIGHT.

Harmer (2001:134) states that Teachers have always used pictures or graphics whether drawn, taken from books, newspapers and magazines, or photographs to facilitate learning. In my experience, English teachers tend to feel that using pictures in teaching new words makes the process enjoyable and memorable. Pictures can also help learners with abstract words, as associating the words with a concrete object makes these words easier to remember.

This teaching material is suitable for the Year Six pupils of mine by the level of difficulty. It is also readable and draw upon pupils background. Both comprehension and motivation are easily enhanced when they can activate relevant background knowledge as they read, connecting their personal experiences.

The vocabulary used are also those they are familiar with. Words such as sky, sun, coconut, tree, house, road, pots etc are familiar to them. Vocabulary is, according to Hatch & Brown (1995), the list of words that speakers of a particular language use. As language teachers we use different types of teaching aids to explain the meaning of new words. Using pictures is one of the teaching aids that teachers depend on in their teaching So, it is easy for the pupils to understand what the teacher is talking about and they can convey their opinions easily and this would motivate them to talk about things relevant to the pictures shown. The talking point is also given to guide the teacher in giving suitable questions for the pupils to encourage them to speak. Ibraheem Saeed Al-Jaafari (2009) teachers feel that pictures can make a positive contribution to vocabulary teaching and learning while learners also appreciate the role that pictures can play in helping them to learn English. An easy way of explaining the meaning of the word aeroplane, for example, is to have a picture of one. Of course, not all new words can be taught using pictures but most concrete vocabulary can.

8.

How This Material Is Used. In activity 1, after the set induction, this material is used as reading material where a few

pupils will be chosen to read the dialogue and then teacher will talk with the pupils pertaining to the dialogue and the pictures to allow pupils to talk and give ideas. I cannot tell in advance where the questioning will lead. I depend on what the students come up with and hope they are imaginative. They may need some prompting if they are short of ideas. Encourage them to think like scriptwriters for a soap. The more inventive they are, the better. Grammatically there are good opportunities to practice various tenses, including imperfect (what was just happening before the scene?) and conditional: what would happen if...? Fan Fang (2010) said, English teachers can use pictures to promote group discussions, thereby helping students understand the informational and cultural background of various topics.

Talking point (Activity A, page 62) 1. Why was Anand upset?

Anand was upset because he could not paint the picture his teacher gave him very well. (Accept all appropriate answers) 2. Name the coloured pencils and paints that you think painted the picture. Blue, yellow, green, brown, red , grey, white, black, turquoise, light brown, beige, lime brown) 3. Have you ever felt like Anand? What did you do about it? Yes/No. I asked my sister/brothers to teach me. I asked my teacher what to do and asked her help. I love colouring. I always practise colouring. (Accept all appropriate answers) The teachers skilful questioning plays a vital role in this context, helping students to identify thinking processes, to see the connections between ideas and to build new understanding as they work their way to a solution that makes sense to them. Effective questions provide a manageable challenge to students one that is at their stage of development. Generally, open questions are effective in supporting learning. An open question is one that encourages a variety of approaches and responses. Open questions help teachers build student self-confidence as they allow learners to respond at their own stage of development. Open questions intrinsically allow for differentiation. Responses will reveal individual differences, which may be due to different levels of understanding or readiness, the strategies to which the students have been exposed and how each student approaches problems in general. Open questions signal to students that a range of responses are expected and, more importantly, valued. By contrast, yes/no questions tend to stunt communication and do not provide us with useful information. A student may respond correctly but without understanding. 9. Conclusion In conclusion, I would say that this teaching materials which is taken directly from the textbook is good in the sense of it is easy to apply to various activities, it is educational about

cultural and moral issues, it is effective for reinforcing the students' memorization, it is enjoyable for both the students and teachers and it encourages the students to use more English. The teacher just need to think of activities that can make the class more active. It is also needed to set the goal for the activities and notify the students what the goals of the activities are. Pre-activity and post-activity teaching is necessary and be consistent with the previous and the following lessons. The most important thing is to make the material as communicative as possible which is not just exchanging oral messages but try to incorporate activities that can allow the learners to use/improve more than two skills. This teaching material should teach students to learn, that they should be resource for ideas and activities for instruction/learning, and that they should give teachers rationales for what they do. It is true that in many cases teachers and students rely heavily on textbooks, and textbooks determine the components and methods of learning, that is, they control the content, methods, and procedures of learning. Students learn what is presented in the textbook, and the way the textbook presents material is the way students learn it. The educational philosophy of the textbook will influence the class and the learning process. Therefore, in many cases, materials are the center of instruction and one of the most important influences on what goes on in the classroom. English textbooks should have clear instructional procedure and methods, that is, the teacher and students should be able to understand what is expected in each lesson and for each activity.

Referrences
Anthony D. Fredericks The Complete Idiot's Guide to Success as a Teacher 2005 Alpha Books, Penguin Group (USA) Inc.