One of the readings we were assigned to read this week is the introduction from the book Developing materials for language teaching, which was written by Brian Tomlinson. The introduction discusses teaching materials and the issues associated with their development and evaluation. The issues include what should drive the development of materials, who should develop materials, how materials should be developed and evaluated, and whether texts should be authentic.

One of the concepts that resonated with me was that the needs and wants of learners, teachers, and administrators should all drive the development of learning materials. Tomlinson (2014) explains that teachers and administrators are concerned about conforming to existing curriculum, educational standards, examinations, and government policies. It is argued that teaching materials can be developed in ways that meets all of these needs. One way to achieve this is by consulting learners, teachers, and administrators before, during, and after the materials writing process (Tomlinson, 2014).

It resonated with me because it relates to the concept of participatory local development that I studied in university. My major in university was International Development Studies, which focused on subjects like the role and effectiveness of development aid and economic development in developing nations. It is common for government and aid workers to assume that they know what is best for communities. As such, project planning and the delivery of aid often occur without consulting members of a community. Participatory local development involves seeing members of the community as valuable sources of knowledge who deserve to give input on policies and projects that will affect their futures. Following community consultations, it is sometimes discovered that governments and aid organizations are creating and distributing projects that do not address immediate needs and the issues prioritized by the members of a community.

In English language teaching, administrators involved in curriculum design and creating standardized tests can assume that they know what teaching strategies will be most effective for meeting the needs of teachers and students without consulting them first. Teachers may conduct needs assessments when trying to plan lessons and discover that the objectives outlined in the curriculum and teaching materials do not reflect the immediate needs of their students. For example, the Canadian Learning Benchmarks do not hold the teaching of grammar and phonics to the same esteem as the development of the four language goals--listening, speaking, reading, and writing. However, teachers need to find a way to incorporate sentence forms and pronunciation in their lessons, particularly for lower level language learners. As such, it is important for administrators to involve teachers and students in curriculum design and the development of educational materials in order to address these needs.

In my own teaching, I want to ensure that the educational materials that I include in my teaching are helpful for my students. I can do this by seeking feedback from my students and by consulting other teachers and educators about the materials that they use in their classrooms. Another thing that I want to ensure is that, from my students' perspectives, my lessons reflect their immediate needs and interests. Thus, I want to prioritize the same things that they prioritize and for them to see value and purpose in classroom activities. I also want to find ways to incorporate grammar and phonics in my teaching that maintain the dignity of adult language learners and do not treat them like children.


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