Foundations
What is materials development?
It is a field of study and the practical work of designing, selecting, using, evaluating, and adapting/revising materials for language learning.
Name the 5 phases of ADDIE.
Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate.
List 3 adaptation moves.
Delete, add, reorder, replace, simplify, extend. Any 3.
Define blended learning.
A planned combination of online and face-to-face learning where each mode is used for what it does best.
Thornbury 'structure comes first' (meaning).
Traditional view where grammar structures are taught in sequence and communication follows; language form is prioritized as the organizing principle.
Name 4 different formats materials can take.
Print, audio, video, digital interactive (apps/LMS), realia, teacher-created handouts, live tasks. Any 4.
Which Bloom level: 'design a new task'?
Create
Define 'humanizing a coursebook'.
Making materials more personally meaningful, emotionally engaging, and connected to learners’ lives/voices, not just mechanically completing exercises.
What is complementarity in BL?
Online and in-class parts support each other; each prepares for, extends, or deepens the other (not duplication).
Why might a grammar syllabus be a problem?
It can ignore meaning/use, assumes linear acquisition, and may produce inert knowledge; may not match real communicative needs.
Explain the difference: instructional vs elicitative materials.
Instructional materials present language explicitly and guide controlled practice; elicitative materials prompt learners to produce/use language (e.g., problem-solving, discussion prompts).
Typical text-driven sequence (4-6 stages).
Engage/connect → experience/comprehend → notice language → practice (supported) → produce (open-ended) → reflect/transfer.
Two humanizing changes for a boring reading text.
Use a more relevant text; add a personal response task; turn it into a problem to solve; include learner-generated questions; connect to local context.
Two success factors for BL.
Clear integration, accessible tools/support, consistent routines, feedback, realistic workload. Any 2.
One alternative organizing principle.
Text/topic/task-based, functions/notions, projects, genres, themes, scenarios, can-do outcomes.
Why should learners' needs drive materials (and who else has needs)?
Needs ensure relevance, motivation, and appropriate challenge. Other stakeholders: teachers, institution/exam system, parents, society/employers.
Merrill Demonstrate vs Apply (difference + example).
Demonstrate: show/model the skill (teacher model, worked example, sample). Apply: learners perform the skill with guidance then independently (role-play, task completion).
Why trivial topics demotivate + fix.
They feel childish/irrelevant, lowering investment and identity. Fix by using age-appropriate themes, local issues, authentic goals, and learner choice.
Explain new digital divide beyond access.
Gaps in digital literacy, learning strategies, support at home, quality of devices/internet, ability to evaluate information and use tools effectively.
Why publishers may prefer closed exercises.
They are easy to standardize, mark, and sell; appear ‘safe’ and measurable; fit large-scale adoption/testing.
Name one strength and one challenge of teacher-produced materials.
Strength: high relevance/personalization and responsiveness. Challenge: time, consistency/quality control, limited design resources/copyright.
Explain how a framework guides assessment design.
Example (Bloom): if outcome is Analyze, assessment should require comparison/justification (not just recall). Or (ADDIE): evaluation criteria planned in Design, checked in Evaluate.
Principled compromise (exam focus + low motivation).
Keep exam skills but wrap them in meaningful tasks: exam-style reading + discussion project; targeted practice after communicative use; allow choice of texts but keep exam question formats.
Mini blended lesson design (online vs in-class + why).
Example: Online = input + guided noticing + quick quiz (self-paced). In-class = interaction, negotiation of meaning, collaborative production and feedback (better socially supported).
For vs against global coursebooks being principled.
For: with adaptation and principled tasks they can work; they provide structure and resources. Against: one-size-fits-all topics and conservative design may clash with local needs and SLA-informed practices.