Teaching Materials

 What kind of materials can help the learning process of our students? Which ones are the best: real-life, adapted, or teacher produced materials? These are some questions that teachers often ask to themselves. Teaching materials are as important as the English course, but one must be choose the correct ones carefully.

  It is important to keep in mind the difference between them. Real-life materials are the ones taken from real-life situations and/or created by native speakers; for instance, a newspaper, TV shows, sitcoms, etc.  Adapted materials are the ones that have been modified to the level of English of the students like books. Teacher produced materials are the ones that the teacher has created by him/herself.

  Moreover, one can consider helpful to use real materials. It prepares students to the real world. With real materials the student can practice real situations which can help them to have a better understanding with native speakers. On the other hand, adapted materials can be very useful especially for A1 and A2 students. Adapted materials can help these students to get familiar with the language. Once the students are familiar with the language, they can be ready to practice with Real Material.

  Bbclearningenglish.com is a useful website for EFL teachers. Teachers can find materials and ideas for their English classes. They can find free downloadable lesson plans, handouts and activities. Also, it is a useful website for students. They can improve their vocabulary skills by watching videos and listening to current news; also they can practice their English by making online quizzes or playing online games.

  In conclusion, it does not matter the kind of materials that we use in our class; the most important aspect is that the materials are helping our students. We must use the needs analysis to choose the correct materials. Other good option to keep in mind is the teacher produced material. If we create our own material, we will promote creativity in our students. Though it takes time creating our own material, it could create a big interest in our students.

Needs Analysis

Good teachers are often analyzing their environments. They are often observing the aspects that can affect the teaching/learning process, and they try to change them. After my teaching observation, I could notice the importance of needs analysis. Needs analysis can help teachers not only to find the aspects that can affect the teaching/learning process, but to try to change and adapt their classes according to students needs. It is important to focus on the importance of the needs analysis for the teacher and the students.

   Needs analysis should be present in each class. It helps teachers to have better results on the class; since they know what actually the students need in order to have a better academic performance. A good needs analysis can help teacher to choose the correct materials and teaching methods. In other words, a good analysis can make the curriculum more flexible. This will help the teacher to have successful classes and courses. Teachers should analyze their environment to avoid futures problems.

  Moreover, one of the most important aspects is that needs analysis helps to improve the learning process of the students. Since teachers analyze the students learning style and behavior; they can adapt the activities, lesson plans and curriculum to the needs of the students. Also, it can make students feel motivated. Since needs analysis provides information that will help the teacher to know the level of knowledge likes and dislikes of the students; they can adapt the course to the students. Teaches must keep in mind the needs of the students.

  In conclusion, once the teacher has analyzed the class the next step is to adapt the curriculum and lesson plan to the students learning style and needs. It is also important to keep in mind that needs analysis should be presented during the whole course because the needs of the students can change while they are getting familiar with the course.

Communicative Language Teaching

We are often thinking in a perfect method that can help our students to improve their language. Teachers have to keep in mind what students need during their teaching/learning process, and though many English teachers use different methods all of them have a common objective: that the student can achieve a C1level of English.

  There are a lot of methods that have been created throughout the years, but there is one that I consider useful: the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). Something very important when learning a new language is to put it into practice, and this method can help teachers to make their English classes more communicative. This can help students to put into practice their knowledge. One can consider this method is very useful because it allows beginner students to interact with their classmates using the target language. Unfortunately, this method is not appropriate for B2 and C1 students because it prepares students for real life situations and it does not prepare students for unexpected situations.

  There are many reasons why teachers complain about CLT.  This method makes difficult to monitor the whole class. Teachers feel frustrated when they have to teach a big audience of students. It is very difficult to help and correct students one by one. Also, one of the most challenges aspects is that the class becomes noisy, especially when there are a lot of students in a classroom. This makes the class more stressful for the teacher.

  In conclusion, sometimes teachers focus their classes only on one method. This makes students feel bored because they do the same activities. We can consider being more flexible when teaching. We have to make our classes more interesting and dynamic for the students, and also try doing different things. A good idea is to try to combine different methods, and try to do different activities in our classes. We always have to consider doing different activities that the teacher and students can enjoy.

Jose Mario Ruiz
ELT Student
Costa Rica

Course Outline

 As part of our English teaching job, we have to be able to identify all the elements included in a course outline. The understanding of these elements will help us to easily plan our classes. It will help us to prevent future mistakes in our classes. Course outlines also help us to keep in mind what we have to teach during the course. In other words, understanding all these elements we can design a successful class.  Also, one can consider that a teacher who knows all the elements included in a course outline is a complete teacher. A teacher not only needs to know the theory that he/she is going to teach, but he/she needs to know how to create by him/herself all the teaching/learning process. The understanding of all these elements makes a complete teacher.

  Course outlines are very important because they are the beginning of the teaching/learning process, and knowing all the elements included in a course outline will help us as future teachers to have successful classes. During the teaching/learning process teachers need to be organized, and to bear in mind what they have to teach and what they do not have to teach. These course outlines help this process to be coherent, which will help our class to be successful. On the other hand, if a teacher does not have the basic knowledge about curriculum, his/her classes will be a disorder. Teachers who do not know the theory and the importance of these elements will have difficulties when teaching. Since curricula are the logical order in the course, teachers who did not study the elements will not have order during their classes. They will have problems with their classes and professional lives. To have successful class teachers need to know the elements of curriculum.

  On the other hand, the knowledge about the elements in curriculum can change your mind. Studying all the elements will help you to identify whether a course is well designed or not. You can identify what is wrong or right on a course outline, so you can change the content and adapt it to you and to your students. Also, you can be able to create your own courses when someone asks you to do it. As I mentioned above, knowing the importance of these elements will help you to be a complete teacher. Studying the curriculum elements will help you to be more professional, which means that you can become a complete teacher.

  In conclusion, course outlines is something that teacher must take as part of their job. Being a teacher not only means to have the teaching ability. Teachers need to know what is behind the learning/teaching process, and with that they can have better results on their English classes. 

Jose Mario Ruiz
ELT Student
Costa Rica

Elements in Curriculum Design

Curriculum includes lots of elements like Bloom’s Taxonomy, the ABCD learning objectives, and the Common European Framework (CEF). These elements are essential during the whole learning/teaching process. As we have learned the Bloom’s Taxonomy classifies objectives into three different domains: cognitive, psychomotor and affective, and this Taxonomy makes easier the creation of objectives. The ABCD method helps teachers to create very clear and complete objectives, and the CEF helps to know what our students are able to do, and also it helps to plan our classes according to their knowledge. 

  To start using all these elements it is very important to have the knowledge. It is very important to study the theory of these elements. We have to keep in mind why these elements are an important part of curriculum, and also we have to keep in mind how we can use them correctly. Knowing that, we have to put into practice the knowledge. The most important aspect that we have to do before create an objective is to identify the level of English of our students. Using the Common European Framework, we can identify whether our students are A1, A2, B1, B2, or C1. Once we have identified the English level, the next step is to create the objectives by mixing the CEF with the Bloom’s Taxonomy. In other words, we have to adapt Bloom’s Taxonomy according to the English level of our students. The last step to follow is to organize the structure of the objectives using the ABCD method. In this method, we have to keep in mind that A is for Audience, B is for Behavior, C is for condition, and D is for Degree. Keeping these steps in mind our English class and curriculum will be successful.

At the beginning of my English Teaching major, I did not have clear what a curriculum was. One might think that education starts since the first day of class, but everything has a carefully planned process. Curriculum is the beginning of education where the teaching/learning process starts, and this process is not easy at all. To have successful results in our students the teacher need to have practice, creativity and knowledge about all the elements. As I mentioned, the CEF and the Bloom’s Taxonomy are the most important aspects when creating curricula and lesson plans. If we do not include all these elements in our planning process, the quality of teaching will be very low.

  In conclusion, the planning process is something that has to be carefully planned. We have to create clear objectives, but what is more important is that we have to create effective objectives. In other words, we have to create objectives that will help students to develop all their language skills, and with this they can have a better domain of the language. On the other hand, one can consider that MEP is not using these elements on their English curricula, but what can be happen is that they are not mixing these elements correctly. The problem of the low level of English in Costa Rica goes beyond the curriculum design. English instructors are not teaching the language appropriately, and they spend five years teaching the same grammar structures.

Jose Mario Ruiz
ELT Student
Costa Rica

The Importance of Lesson Plans

To have a successful class the teacher has to be prepared and organized. This will help him/her to avoid improvisation and to feel confident during the class. Lesson plans are very important because it is a useful tool. First of all, planning a lesson will help the teacher to be organized. Objectives, time, procedures, and also the materials are controlled on a lesson plan. This can help the teacher to follow a coherent order, which can help students to learn in a correct way. A lesson plan can help the teacher to avoid future problems. For instance, if the teacher is going to be absent, the lesson plan will guide the substitute teacher. Other reason is that lesson plans help the teacher to notice with anticipation when an activity is not going to work, and if a class is appropriate for the students. Something that for me is very important is that a lesson plans keep the teacher guided. If a teacher plans a class, he/she will keep in mind the next step to follow. As I mentioned above, this will avoid improvisation and the teacher will feel confident. It is important to know why a lesson plan cannot be planned without Bloom’s Taxonomy, and a useful method for planning.

Bloom’s Taxonomy has been a synonym of organization for many teachers. Lesson plans and Bloom’s Taxonomy are strongly connected. If a teacher plans a lesson without this taxonomy, the class will be a disorder. This taxonomy presents what a successful lesson plan needs. It allows the teacher to create their lesson plan according to the level of knowledge of their students. Since teachers need to be organized, this taxonomy helps the teacher to choose the correct verb to create perfect objectives, and with that, the teacher can create the appropriate procedures for the class.  It is very difficult to create and organize a class without Bloom’s Taxonomy.

On the other hand, a useful method for planning and creating objectives is the ABCD method. This method helps teachers to create very clear objectives. In this method, we have to keep in mind that A is for Audience, B is for Behavior, C is for condition, and D is for Degree. This method is very useful when you want to write very specific objectives. Though sometimes writing an objective is very difficult, following this format will help you to write objectives easily.

In conclusion, lesson plans are essential for teachers. There are a lot of advantages when a teacher plans his/her classes. A perfect lesson plan will help not only the teacher, but also students. With a good lesson plan the teaching/learning process becomes easier. The students will learn in a coherent way and it will be easier for the teacher to keep in mind the things that he/she has to teach, and the things that are not appropriate to teach. H. Stanley Judd describes perfectly why is so important to plan. He said, “A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there." 

Jose Mario Ruiz
ELT Student
Costa Rica

Bloom's Taxonomy

  

To have a successful class the teacher has to be organized, not only in the way he/she controls the class, but also in the way he/she plans a class. It is important for the teacher to write clear objectives and classify them. Classifying objectives will help the teacher to choose a correct teaching method and evaluate students correctly. An easy and useful tool to classify objectives is the Bloom’s Taxonomy. This Taxonomy classifies objectives into three different domains: cognitive, psychomotor and effective. The cognitive domain includes objectives related to information and knowledge and is divided into six different levels: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating and creating. The psychomotor domain includes objectives related to physical movements and the affective domain includes objectives related to attitudes, appreciations and emotions. Bloom’s taxonomy can guide our teaching and planning process in different ways, and also it can be used beyond the curriculum design.

Bloom’s Taxonomy has been an easy and useful tool for teachers. It is helpful when you want to organize your activities. This taxonomy helps teacher to classify objectives according to student’s thinking level. For instance, if you are teaching beginners you must include on your objectives verbs like define, locate, spell, etc. which are included in the lowest level according to the Bloom’s Taxonomy. In other words, using this Taxonomy correctly the student can improve his/her knowledge little by little. On the other hand, Bloom’s Taxonomy helps the teacher to think in the way he/she wants to teach. Using this Taxonomy makes easier the process of creating activities for a class and also helps the teacher to use a correctly teaching method. For these reasons Bloom’s Taxonomy has been a useful task for teachers.

  On the other hand, Bloom’s Taxonomy can be used beyond the curriculum design. This Taxonomy helps the teacher to be organized during a class, and make easier the process of creating objectives on a lesson plan. But it can also be used beyond the curriculum and lesson plan design. For example, it could be a useful tool to evaluate students. This taxonomy can be used on rubrics to evaluate the level of knowledge of each student. This can help the teacher to know whether the student is ready to continue with the next level or not.

In conclusion, Bloom’s Taxonomy allows teachers to create successful objectives.  This taxonomy helps teacher to classify objectives according to student’s thinking, and also helps the teacher to be organized during the class. This Taxonomy makes easier the teaching and planning process which can help us to have a successful class.

Jose Mario Ruiz
ELT Student
Costa Rica

English Curricula in Costa Rica

  The design of curriculum has been a big controversy especially when it is about English curricula.  A well-designed curriculum can make easier and more successful the English courses. People, especially English teachers, are blaming MEPs curricula because they are useless and unsuccessful. English teachers from public schools and high schools complain that it is impossible for them to teach how to speak the language, and they say that it is due to the MEP curricula.  To have a better thought about this problem, it is important to analyze how curricula can be fully executed in our learning/teaching environments at MEP schools, and analyze if it possible to better the quality of English in Costa Rica.

     It is important to know how a curriculum can be fully executed. First of all, a very important aspect that English teachers have to take into account is to analyze the learning style of their students. Teachers must analyze if most of their students are kinesthetic, visual or auditory learners. Knowing that, it is also important to adapt the curriculum according to students needs. Choosing the correct teaching method, according to their learning style, will help students to learn in a correct way and will help the teacher to have a successful class. On the other hand, having a competitive attitude is also important. Teachers have to be willing to keep learning and following all the objectives in the curriculum. Though sometimes is difficult, having a nice attitude during the class will make easier to follow all the curriculum objectives. It is also important to keep students motivated. As I said before, teachers have to adapt the curriculum according to students needs. Also, they have to keep a nice environment during the class. This will help students to feel comfortable and learn faster. Knowing these aspects will be easy for us as teachers to fully execute a curriculum.

      On the other hand, it is possible to better the quality of English in Cost Rica. Some of the problems of the low quality of English in our country are due to the low level of English that teachers have. This sometimes is due to the poor preparation that teachers had in Universities or most of all; it is due to the few hours that teachers spent studying the language. Also in my opinion, private and public universities would grade the level of English that teachers have when they finish the major. This will help them to notice whether they are well prepared or not. On the other hand, changing the MEP’s curricula will help to improve the quality of English in Costa Rica. The curricula should be focused on communication rather grammar and vocabulary. The classes should be more communicative since the development of speaking skills is the main purpose of learning a new language. Also, it is very important to motivate students by incorporating technology like audios, videos, internet and topics of their interest. Having these ideas in mind will help us to better the quality of English in Costa Rica.

    In conclusion, there are many aspects responsible of the low level of English in Costa Rica. Teachers often blame the MEP’s curricula, but there are other aspects to take into account. As I mentioned before, one of the main reasons is the low level of English that most of the teachers have. In my opinion, if we want to better the level of English in our country, the MEP must help and obligate teachers to have a C1 level of English. Other important aspect is to change MEP’s curricula and the teaching methods. The Curricula and teaching methods should be focused in the Communicative approach rather the Grammar-Translation method. Also, teachers should adapt their classes according to the learning style of their students. But we have to keep in mind that we are the ones who can make the change and create a new generation of English teachers. We are the ones who can make possible something that for others is impossible. 

Jose Mario Ruiz
ELT Student
Costa Rica