ERIC EJ1084479: Encouraging Learners to Create Language-Learning Materials

2015·0.18 MB·English

by  ERIC

VERONIKA MOISEENKO
Oman
Encouraging Learners to
Create Language-Learning
Materials
Student-produced materials are a powerful tool for promoting
learner autonomy. They challenge the traditional paradigm of
education because the very concept of learner-produced materials is
based on trust in the student-centered learning process; when developing
materials, learners do not rely on the teacher to make every decision.
Although material-development tasks are writer has to be creative, competent, and
typically initiated and guided by the instructor, sensitive to his or her educational context.
students are eventually left alone to create and One might argue that most students are
shape their own learning. They brainstorm, not ready to cope with such a heavy load;
plan, and make decisions as well as assess and however, students are not empty vessels
improve their work. In short, they use their waiting to be filled with knowledge. Most of
English and critical-thinking skills. The nature of them have enough creativity and imagination
English also changes in such a context: it is not to deal with tasks that are not within the
only a language to be learned but also a means scope of their classroom routine. At the same
of communication to complete a complex task. time, it would be wrong to challenge students
if, in the end, they are not going to develop
In this article, I will highlight the educational as language learners. This raises an important
value of learner-produced materials and discuss question: what are the benefits of learner-
methods to encourage students to create generated materials?
materials. As they do, they review content
themselves, provide opportunities for peers to One benefit of student-designed materials
review content and engage in peer learning, is that they contribute to peer teaching and
and contribute to the collection of stored learning. For instance, students might facilitate
materials available to other classes and future other people’s learning by creating and
students. I will also describe a few material- submitting materials to the self-access center
development activities aimed at empowering (SAC) of their college. According to Malcolm
learners to practice and improve their English. (2004), students in Bahrain were required to
submit materials to their SAC as part of their
self-directed learning program. The materials
WHY ENCOURAGE LEARNERS
designed were mainly worksheets with
TO CREATE MATERIALS?
crosswords, gap fills, multiple-choice exercises,
Creating materials is an arduous job because and so on. In addition to submitting materials,
it involves a number of challenges. A materials the students were requested to evaluate their
14 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 2015 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum
peers’ contributions to the SAC. Malcolm more autonomous. Bhattacharya and
(2004) states that most student-made activities Chauhan (2010) report on a study in which
were useful and appreciated. Yet the evaluation students were asked to create an individual
conducted at the end of the academic year blog including two articles; the first was
revealed that only around a third of the students an academic assignment derived from their
considered their contributions to the SAC syllabus, and the second explored a niche
valuable. The author attributes such reaction topic students considered worth discussing.
to the students’ deep-rooted belief that they The students sent emails advertising their
were consumers, not producers, of knowledge, blogs, commented on one another’s blogs, and
and speculates that some learners might have shared information. The results of the study
been annoyed by the extra work imposed on revealed that blog-assisted language learning
them. Nevertheless, the project offers guidance can contribute to learner autonomy, as it helps
for teachers interested in involving learners in students develop their language and cognitive
materials creation. skills while empowering them to make more
informed choices regarding their decisions.
But teachers should be aware that there are
other potential benefits and other types of These studies serve as a starting point for
learner-created materials. For example, instructors interested in incorporating
developing materials might take students one students’ materials into their teaching. Since
step further toward better English. Stewart results are limited to the contexts where the
(2010) describes a project carried out with her studies have been conducted, it is desirable
immigrant students; in an effort to empower for instructors to do their own research
her learners to write with voice—one’s personal to investigate the effect of student-created
and unique way to express thoughts—she asked materials on students’ learning and determine
them to produce a book of stories, essays, and which types of materials are most beneficial
poetry exploring the issue of immigration. for their students to create.
Stewart reports that at the end of the project,
students felt more motivated to read and write
FACILITATING MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT
in English as well as use voice in their writing.
They also felt they were able to define their Producing materials can be a face-threatening
identities as immigrants when describing their experience for students if they are not trained.
personal experiences. Here, training means not only modeling a task
for learners, but also creating an atmosphere
Materials creation as a joint endeavor helps where designing and sharing materials is a
learners enjoy one of the key components of natural extension of everyday learning.
collaborative learning: active engagement.
According to Maltese (1991), student-created Having experimented with student-created
puppet shows and yearbooks featuring the materials for almost three years, I have
novel Lord of the Flies allowed learners not recorded eight principles to guide myself.
only to read well but also to visualize and These principles are, of course, affected by
experience the reading material. my own teaching experience in the Omani
educational context. However, other teachers
Student-generated materials also have the might find them transferable to their teaching
potential to encourage students to become and learning contexts.
Materials creation as a joint endeavor helps learners
enjoy one of the key components of collaborative learning:
active engagement.
americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2015 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 15
1. Believe in students’ creativity. If teachers direction of cells (across and down) and
have basic trust in their class, no matter types of clues (definitions or example
how unmotivated it seems to be, they sentences).
should have the courage to train students
to complete difficult tasks. This does 6. Give scaffolded feedback. Scaffolding
not presuppose blind trust in students’ comprises much more than giving
abilities: teachers have to be aware of students the right solution to a problem.
the difficulties students face. However, Teachers lead learners toward solving
treating students as creative individuals is a proposed problem by hinting at
of great help. To show learners that their correct answers or giving them advice
creativity is appreciated, teachers could, or information that will enable them
for instance, read student stories, essays, to think about the problem (Finn and
or poems to the class. Metcalfe 2010). Instructors should steer
learners in the right direction rather than
2. Set a clear goal for each activity. If teachers give a set of dogmatic instructions.
decide to review questions in the present
simple tense, they can ask students to 7. Have students share their work. Knowing
produce a sentence-scramble exercise that their materials (e.g., wikis) will be
including such questions. Establishing evaluated by their instructor and peers
a purpose allows students to alert motivates students to invest more effort
themselves to important information. In in their work (Weber 2013). Therefore,
addition, it helps teachers use their time learners need an opportunity to share
in the best possible manner (Fisher and their creations in class or submit them to
Frey 2011). the instructor for further use.
3. Refer students to something familiar. 8. Store students’ materials. Instructors should
According to schema theory, past create an easily accessible database of
experiences cause people to create the best materials. Having constant
mental networks that will eventually access to student-generated materials
help them figure out new experiences will help teachers not only supplement
(Liu 2012). That is why it is best to ask their teaching but also model materials
learners to develop materials similar to production for future students. Such
those they have seen in textbooks and a database will also allow instructors
class handouts. to share students’ materials with their
colleagues.
4. Let students work on simple tasks first.
Learners need to get into the habit of Teachers can refer to these principles before
developing materials. It is desirable that asking their learners to develop materials,
they create simple exercises before doing while the learners are developing the
more demanding and time-consuming materials, and after learners have finished. In
tasks. For example, they can start with fact, examining these guidelines after students
five-item matching exercises and only produce a certain material helps teachers
then, after completing them, work on reflect on their own performance and look for
more complex projects. ways to overcome the challenges students have
encountered.
5. Provide examples. To visualize their future
creations, students should first analyze
WHAT KINDS OF MATERIALS CAN
the content and structure of a similar
LEARNERS DEVELOP?
type of material. For example, they
could focus on the words in a sample Students can develop a variety of materials
crossword puzzle and then discuss the ranging from visuals to crossword puzzles.
16 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 2015 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum
Ideally, all materials that learners develop to a unit compiled by the teachers turned
should help them become better users of their students into highly motivated learners.
English. In addition, the materials should Second, students will feel more in control
supplement and support the course(s) of their own learning when they create
learners are taking. For example, medical their reading material. Another advantage
students can develop their own pronunciation of student-created texts is that they offer
dictionary of medical terms to help valuable insight into students’ needs and
themselves articulate the vocabulary items interests (Chou et al. 2007).
they are learning. Likewise, law students
might stage a mock trial that allows them to Teachers can adopt two approaches to student-
use legal English in a meaningful context and produced text. They can promote traditional
in the process develop documents, worksheets sharing (i.e., students read and comment on
on useful phrases and procedures, and mock- their peers’ essays, stories, poems, blogs, and
trial guidelines for future classes. Teachers so on). Alternatively, a learner-created text can
simply need to choose activities that are useful serve as a stimulus for another activity. I am in
and potentially interesting for their students. favor of the latter approach because it is related
to peer teaching: students produce materials
I usually ask students to work in pairs to give their peers an opportunity to improve
because pair work gives them better chances their English. One such activity allows students
to contribute to the final product. The two to enhance their writing skills by working on
students are encouraged to share responsibility story starters—the first three to five lines of an
and work hard, as there is no other person incomplete story—produced by their peers, as
to help. However, teachers might need to in the following steps:
divide their students into groups, depending
on class size or the type of activity. Working a. Conduct a whole-class discussion about
individually is also an option if teachers feel a what kinds of stories students like to
student can cope on his or her own. read and write.
Following are five activities I have used b. Explain what a story starter is. Be ready
with my elementary, pre-intermediate, and to show students an example if necessary.
intermediate learners (18- to 20-year-old
university students). They can also be used c. Inform learners that each of them needs
with students of other ages and levels. For to write a story starter. Emphasize that
instance, young learners might enjoy creating the story starters need to grab their peers’
a word-scramble exercise if they are asked to attention. If you are using story starters to
include the names of colors or animals. I have help students review past simple and past
used these activities during one class period; progressive, for example, you could first
therefore, they are described in the form of elicit what they know about the formation
a step-by-step plan to help teachers visualize and usage of these tenses. You can also
what they need to do. The activities might assign different topics, or students can
last for forty to sixty minutes, depending on be asked to create their own scenarios.
students’ abilities and level of English. They can also come up with their own
interpretations of the same topic; for
Activity 1: Student-Produced Text instance, they can all write about a scary
Instructors can promote learner-centered night (real or fictional), but any topic that
teaching and learning by asking their students fits students’ interests and experiences
to produce reading material. First of all, could work. Walk around the class and
student-generated texts might boost learners’ provide help as needed.
motivation. Cloud, Lakin, and Leininger
(2011) report that having students create d. After students finish writing, divide
stories about their names and contribute those them into pairs. Ask them to exchange
americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2015 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 17
their story starters. Tell students to finish own? This exercise might help them feel their
their partners’ stories. You can make contributions are valued by the teacher. At the
the activity more competitive by telling same time, students get a chance to review
students that there is a prize for the what they have already learned. Activities
best story. 2 and 3 provide examples for teachers who
would like to encourage their learners to
e. If there is time, have students read their design reading and spelling quizzes.
stories and, if you want, ask the class to
vote on their favorite. The pair who has Activity 2: Reading Quizzes
produced the best story can get a small One thing teachers can do is ask students
prize. You could also ask students to hand in to write comprehension questions about a
their stories and, after you read them, you reading passage. When writing the questions,
can announce the winner in the next class. students have a chance to process the text
by focusing on its main idea and details. In
One option is to ask students to read their addition, they will learn new vocabulary.
stories in groups of four. Each student reads To facilitate quiz development, teachers can
his or her story to the group, and the group follow these steps:
chooses the best one. Each group then
nominates a speaker to read the story to the a. Mentally, divide your class into pairs
class. Each student in the group explains before the lesson. Then select two texts
why he or she likes the story. Encourage (Set A and Set B) from a review unit
students to say as much as they can; otherwise, in the textbook you are using in order
they will be tempted to produce simplistic to expose students to similar content.
utterances like “I loved it” or “It is interesting.” If there are no review units, you could
Instead, they can focus on the content (actions select two other texts. If there are 20
and characters described in the story) and students, the first five pairs will get a
language (grammar, vocabulary, and spelling). text from Set A, and the other five will
It is their chance to use English meaningfully get a text from Set B.
while reflecting on a peer’s work.
b. Bring the texts to class. Divide students
Story starters can be a source of inspiration into pairs and distribute the texts.
for teachers and students; they can also
enrich other teachers’ repertoire of activities. c. Encourage students to read carefully. They
For instance, the best story starters can be need to understand the text thoroughly
compiled in a book and then published. The in order to write proper questions. Allow
book could also include the best stories based them to use dictionaries if they want.
on students’ story starters. Later, the book
can be used by the same school or shared d. After students finish reading, elicit
with other schools that may be experiencing a information about two question types:
shortage of teaching materials. True/False and Wh– questions. Write an
example of each on the board. If you are
Quizzes dealing with an advanced class ready to
Most students take quizzes on a regular basis. cope with a challenge, include multiple-
Why not ask them to design a quiz of their choice questions as well.
Story starters can be a source of inspiration for
teachers and students; they can also enrich other
teachers’ repertoire of activities.
18 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 2015 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum
e. Inform students they need to write at you might display the quiz on the screen.
least five questions (depending on the You should end up with a quiz like that in
length of the passage) about the text Figure 1. You do not have to include the
they have read. Emphasize that they given words in your quiz; however, it is
can mix different types of questions. best to provide words your students tend
For example, they can write two Wh– to misspell.
questions and three True/False questions.
b. Ask students to take the quiz you have
f. When the questions are ready, ask students provided. This task should not take too
to exchange their text and questions with much time because there are only two
a pair that worked with a different text. exercises and four items.
Provide learners with enough time to read
and answer their peers’ questions. c. Divide students into pairs. Tell them they
need to create a similar quiz for their
g. Students exchange the questions again peers. Ask them to choose words they
and check their peers’ answers. normally misspell. They need to include
five items in each exercise.
h. Allow students to give feedback to their
peers. Have them sit with the pair that d. Give students enough time to complete
has answered their questions. Encourage their quizzes. Monitor and provide
students to refer their peers to the text assistance if needed.
while giving feedback. The feedback
could relate to the questions that were e. Tell learners to exchange the quizzes and
developed by one pair or to the answers check their peers’ answers. Then select
given by the other pair. two or three quizzes and read aloud some
of the words students have used. Ask
The teacher could also photocopy a different individual learners to spell the words.
text for each pair. Another option is to ask Write them on the board.
everyone to work on the same text. This
option will save the teacher preparation time An option, if you want students to take
and allow him or her to give feedback on the multiple quizzes, is to ask each pair to post
quality of students’ questions. its quiz on the wall. Allow students to mingle
and take as many quizzes as possible. Tell
Activity 3: Spelling Quizzes them to write the answers on their own
Spelling is a major problem for many English paper; otherwise, the original will become
learners. To help them master the intricacies unusable.
of English spelling, I ask them to develop
simple spelling quizzes consisting of a word
scramble and an error-correction exercise.
Spelling Quiz
I have chosen these two exercise types
because my students seem to enjoy 1. Unscramble the two words below.
unscrambling words and correcting spelling
a. dgsein –
mistakes. Other teachers are free to include
the items they find suitable. Nevertheless, b. tehri –
they could first examine the steps I have 2. Correct the spelling errors in the
described below.
two words below.
a. Provide students with a sample quiz. You a. becouse –
can either write it on the board or make b. communicat –
photocopies for your students. If there is
an overhead projector in your classroom, Figure 1. Spelling Quiz
americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2015 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 19
If teachers find spelling quizzes boring, they words should be taken from a textbook
can tell students to make a word search for learners are using or lessons they have
their peers. Looking for problematic words studied. Otherwise, learners might
in the puzzle might help students remember select words that are unfamiliar to their
the sequence of letters. Alternatively, learners peers, which is both counterproductive
could list five to ten words and replace and unfair. In any case, students have
problematic vowels or consonant clusters with to understand that one purpose of the
blanks. In this case, other students will have to puzzle is to help their peers review the
provide the missing letters. vocabulary covered. Walk around to
check if students are following your
Instructors can experiment with a variety of instructions.
quizzes. What matters here is good scaffolding.
Learners should be presented with a clear d. After students write down the words,
example and only then be asked to create a give them enough time to draw cells
quiz. That is why teachers need to make sure for the letters and write the clues. Walk
the sample quizzes they are showing are clear around and help.
and easy to imitate. A successful sample saves
time and makes quiz creation less threatening e. Once the puzzles are ready, allow
for students. students to check their work. They
need to make sure there are no spelling
Activity 4: Crossword Puzzles mistakes or missing cells.
Creating crossword puzzles has important
benefits. First, learners are exposed to the f. If possible, photocopy the puzzles so
spelling and definitions of words they have that you can reuse and recycle them,
already learned. Second, they focus on the or encourage students to make copies
words they would like to review instead of themselves. The photocopies can be used
relying on their teacher’s choice. with another class you are teaching and
kept for future students.
I first challenged my learners to create
a crossword puzzle three years ago. The g. Ask students to exchange crosswords
experiment proved to be successful, although with another pair or triad. Give them
somewhat time-consuming at first, and since enough time to complete the puzzles.
then I have been using the following steps to
encourage my learners to create crossword h. Students exchange the puzzles again and
puzzles at least twice a semester. check their peers’ answers. To make it
more fun, you can ask students to give
a. Show students a sample crossword their classmates a mark out of a possible
puzzle. Discuss its structure. This will ten points (ten words, with one point
activate students’ schemata and will later given for each correct answer).
help them create a puzzle of their own.
i. Students give feedback to those who have
b. Create student pairs or triads. Inform completed their puzzle. They sit together
students they will create a crossword and comment on the words selected,
puzzle. You will need to explain that the clues, any misunderstandings that
they are doing the activity to review the occurred, and mistakes their peers may
vocabulary they have learned. This might have made.
help them feel more positive toward an
entirely new task. j. Students might have made mistakes in
their puzzles. You might want to collect
c. Have each pair or group write down all their puzzles and provide feedback in
ten words they have learned. The the next lesson.
20 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 2015 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum
Creating a crossword may be followed by and an example sentence of their own.
extension activities. For instance, teachers Make sure students write new example
could tell students to choose five words from sentences and do not copy the ones
their crossword and use them in a short text, already written in their logs.
such as a letter or a story. Learners could also
do mini-research on some of the lexical items c. Give students enough time to make
by exploring their word families, synonyms, posters. Monitor and provide support
and antonyms. if needed. In fact, watching students
work can offer invaluable insights into
Activity 5: Visuals their creative abilities. For instance, the
Creating a visual seems to lie beyond the students I taught last fall were extremely
limits of an English classroom because creative. Some drew sophisticated images
learners are not really producing language. depicting words like departure, destination,
However, working on a visual has a number and allowance. Others adopted a more
of benefits. Students are preparing a powerful innovative approach. For example,
stimulus that generates feelings, reactions, a group of girls drew a bouquet of
and, more importantly, a desire to express tulips: the words and parts of speech
thoughts in the target language. Also, some were written on the stems, while the
visual aids assist students in understanding definitions were written across the petals.
what has been taught (see Hoffman 2003).
d. When the posters are ready, ask students
Visuals can also help students review. Being a to check them for spelling and grammar
loyal fan of English vocabulary, I am never able mistakes. Walk around and help.
to resist the temptation to review the words
my students have been learning. In this section I e. Put the posters on the classroom walls
describe a vocabulary review activity that is, in a to share your students’ work with their
way, similar to the crossword puzzle presented peers and with other classes.
above. The underlying concept is slightly
different, though, because students draw pictures If teachers have time, they can ask students
and create posters to visualize lexical items to reflect on the experience. Students can
recorded in their vocabulary logs. That is why the discuss creating vocabulary posters in pairs
activity can be named Visualize the Vocabulary or write a reflection paper. If students write,
Log. Teachers using the activity for the first time they can focus on the challenges they faced
are advised to consult the steps below. and the decisions they made; this feedback
will help you next time you do the activity.
a. Tell students that one way to remember Making posters helps students explore their
the words in their vocabulary logs is called own creativity and review vocabulary, and
visualization. To help students understand reflection is a way to extend that process.
what you mean, draw a picture of a bone Students can discuss or write about their
and write the word bone inside, or use a reasons for choosing certain vocabulary terms,
drawing and word of your choice. whether the activity helped them retain and
use the vocabulary terms, how different pairs
b. Divide learners into pairs. Give each represented the same terms, how they can
pair a piece of paper and some pencils apply the principles of the activity in their
or markers. Tell learners they need to future learning, and so on.
visualize ten words in their vocabulary
logs. Then they can draw what they want
INCORPORATING STUDENT-CREATED
as long as it helps them remember the
MATERIALS INTO A COURSE
words. In any case, students also need
to write each word and then provide its Using learner-created materials may cause
English definition, its part of speech, challenges for the teacher. One of them is
americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2015 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 21
making room for such materials within a spelling when drawing the cells and focus on
course or curriculum. The most practical its meaning and part of speech when providing
mode of incorporating student-created context for the clues. The first exercise of the
materials into routine teaching would be the set can be used after the first two weeks of
traditional classroom mode. This suggests the course, while the second one should be
that teachers need to use student-developed introduced halfway through the course. The
materials during a regular lesson. crossword puzzle can serve as a review activity
near the end of the course.
Instructors using learner-developed materials
for the first time might want to start with a Teachers can but do not have to focus on the
set of three materials. These can be selected same skill when selecting materials for their
according to the skill or subskill teachers set. To provide more variety, they could ask
would like to reinforce. For instance, students their learners to create different types of
can develop a set of three vocabulary revision materials. For instance, within one semester
exercises. First, students will develop an or course, learners can create a story starter, a
error-correction exercise requiring their reading quiz, and a vocabulary poster. If there
peers to correct spelling mistakes in five is enough time, teachers can introduce a new
vocabulary items they have learned. I suggest activity every week or two or use variations
starting with this type of exercise because of of the same activity. For example, they could
its familiar format: most students encounter first ask students to work on peer-created story
error-correction exercises in the learning starters and then, two weeks later, tell them to
materials they are using. Moreover, an exercise write stories based on peer-provided endings.
like this is not very difficult to develop.
CONCLUSION
However, students should be given a chance to
transition to more challenging materials later The amount and type of materials learners can
in the course. This transition will boost their create is extensive, and the activities described
material-development skills and help them in this article are merely examples. Teachers
experiment with different formats. As a result, are free to adjust them to their context.
the second activity I would include in the For instance, they can extend or shorten
set requires learners to produce a matching each activity and come up with their own
exercise based on five words or phrases and guidelines and requirements. The outcome of
their definitions. It is more challenging than such activities might not always be ideal, so
the first exercise and exposes learners not it is important to consider learner-generated
only to the spelling but also to the meaning materials as a learning opportunity. Students
of the vocabulary items they have chosen. The will not always create perfect materials, but
last exercise of the set is a crossword puzzle mistakes are a sign they are processing the
including about a dozen vocabulary items target language. Neither should teachers over-
students have learned. The advantage of this challenge learners. It is important to find the
material is that it helps students use higher- right balance between students’ language level
level thinking skills, as they have to produce a and the specific material they are being asked
well-organized network of cells. At the same to generate. Teachers should also be ready
time, they deal with each vocabulary item in to face and overcome students’ resistance.
a number of ways. They pay attention to its In more traditional educational contexts,
students might not be willing to challenge
their traditional role and act like “teachers.”
Students will not always create perfect
Resistance from the institution is another
materials, but mistakes are a sign they
factor to consider, especially in the case
are processing the target language.
of long-term projects. In many contexts,
students are left out of materials development
22 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 2015 americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum
on the assumption that teachers and textbook learner-generated materials in spite of the
authors are the only ones responsible for challenges they face every day.
creating materials. Nevertheless, teachers
could use three strategies to get the support
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269–283.
generated materials motivate learners to
Weber, E. D. 2013. Lighting their own path: Student-
improve their English.
created wikis in the Commedia classroom. Pedagogy 13
(1): 125–132.
Finally, teachers can promote learner-created
materials by submitting them to the SAC,
if there is one. If the administration sees Veronika Moiseenko received her MA in TEFL from
students benefit from their peers’ work, they the American University of Armenia, Yerevan. She
might encourage more teachers to experiment currently teaches English at the Language Center of
with learner-developed materials. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.
The activities presented in this article might
seem helpful on paper. However, they will
work only if teachers are motivated to try
something new in their classroom. The success
of any innovation depends on passion. If
teachers are passionate about exploring new
ways of learning, they will make room for
americanenglish.state.gov/english-teaching-forum 2015 ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM 23