Material Development : Digital Language Learning Material

  Examples of Digital Language Learning Materials
     
  http://knowble.eu/ 
   eslcafe.com
   bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish
   a4esl.org
   tv411.org
   elt.oup.com/learning_resources

Criteria for evaluating digital learning material

Errors

Less serious errors that disturb the work of the user  serious errors that, example, endanger the preservability of the users’ outputs

Efficiency

refer to the experience of the users while operating the application or material after they manage to master using it in term of how well the experience goes.

Learnability

 the time taken for the user to use the system before they carry on to learn essential skills necessary to perform the tasks.

Memorability

The ability of an occasional user who has previously used the system to remember its operational principles. 

Criteria of pedagogical usability

    

     Feedback

           Student should be provided with encouraging and immediate feedback by the learning material will increases learning motivation and helps students to know their strength and weakness

Learning progress cannot be happened without immediate correction

Motivation

          Affects learning and makes people behave the way they do

          Motivation is the way to do things by reference to instincts, desires and reinforcement; support the direction on one’s general behavior. Motivation affects alertness and vigor

     Goal orientation

          When the goals of teacher, students and learning materials are closely aligned, the best results can be obtained. Goals should be clear cut and able to motivate the students to achieve the goals. When the students themselves do not set their goals, their meaningfulness should be justified from the point of view of motivation. Students should pursue their own interests in relation with learning goals

Learner control

           Learner’s memory should be pushed to the limit when learning a new topic. Materials should be broken down to be learned into small meaningful units

     Applicability

          The approach taken in learning material should correspond to the skills that the learner will later need in everyday and working life.The learners should be able to transfer the skills or knowledge to other contexts. Learning something new can be accomplished effectively by relating it to practical tasks. Learning materials should be at appropriate level from the point of view of learner’s learning process

     Added value

          To increase creativity in learners when using digital language learning material. Other kind of added value: adaptability to individual needs, number of flexible options, learning is controlled and initiated by learners, interesting contents, development of communication, active participation of students.

Rough Outline of Our Own DLLM
          
          The teacher will posts several pictures. Each picture will have its own captions that describe the picture. Using the picture the students need to make a diary entry. The students need to use their own imagination in order to come out with a suitable story line that go well with the picture. the students can post their diary entry in their blog so their peers can read it. this activity encourage students to be creative and in the same time peer evaluation can be carry out under teacher's supervision.
     
            Examples of picture :
                  

         

          

SLA theories and principles :

Theories :

• Behaviourist
• Innatist
• Interactionist

Principles :

• Materials should achieve impact
• Materials should help learners to feel at ease
• 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.

Week 2 : Tutorial

As future language teachers, developing language learning materials will become as aspect of your teaching career. Design a diagram on the aspects influencing materials development using the provided key words.  You can use either all or some of the key words. Present and justify the completed diagram using informed literature.

There are many aspects that will affect material development whether it’s directly or indirectly. Different country will come out with their own educational aim and objective but most of them show similar resemblance to one another in term of nurturing the intellectuality in their country. As teachers, we have to take all of the related aspects into consideration. The country’s vision will affects the curriculum goal and objectives directly. Since the government is in charges of shaping one unified curriculum goal and objectives to be used by every school all over the nation, all of us have one aim to be accomplished.

On the other hand, every school also put certain benchmark to be achieved. With this come the school administration aims and objectives. The school also wishes to incorporate their own goal within the country’s curriculum aim.

In material development, Principles of Second Language Acquisition, principle of teaching and learning and Teacher’s belief and rational are important elements. The right formula which consist of the combination of  all three is necessary in order to come out with the most eligible type of material.

Teachers also have to apply the principle of teaching and learning that relevant to the objective of the entire teaching and learning process. But the principle used depends whether it is suitable to the current situation. Every aspect of the learners surrounding has to be taken into consideration before applying certain principle. So here, Teacher’s belief and rational have to be taken into consideration since not all of the principles are applicable at any situation. Principles of Second Language Acquisition also have to be deliberated since the language is taught as a second language

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Material development should also be able to assist the students when it comes to language quiz, test or assessment. The material used during teaching and learning process should be able to prepare the students to be tested. It also should be able to make sure that students can learn more effectively and in the same time draw their attention in believing that learning process can also be interesting and fun.

Parent’s goals can also be a driven force or motivation for the students to perform better. Parents who really gone into the trouble of making sure their children can perform better in school with definitely expect an excellent result. Nevertheless, it all comes down to the learners themselves. Whether they want to make used all the efforts that being put on them or let it being wasted just like that. What the learning material can do is provide an alternative for learners to absorb the knowledge and try to gain something from it. In the end, it’s how the learners attitude towards it that’s matters.