Perspectives on Language Learning Materials Development

by Mishan, Freda; Chambers, Angela

• ISBN13: 9783039118632
• ISBN10: 3039118633
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-06-24
• Publisher: Peter Lang Pub Inc

Author Biography

The Editors: Freda Mishan is a lecturer on the M.A. course in English Language Teaching at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her research and publications include a book, book chapters and articles in the areas of language learning materials development and the use of ICT for language learning. She has over 30 years' language teaching and training experience worldwide. Angela Chambers is professor of applied languages and director of the Centre for Applied Language Studies, University of Limerick, Ireland. She has co-edited a number of books and published several articles on aspects of language learning. Her current research focuses on the use of corpus data by language learners.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Introduction	p. 1
Materials Development and Naturally Occurring Discourse	p. 9
Bridging the gap between corpus and course book: The case of conversation strategies	p. 11
Corpora for materials development in language teacher education: Underlying principles and useful data	p. 33
Teachers telling tales: Exploring materials for teaching spoken language	p. 63
Helping learners to fill the gaps in their learning	p. 87
Technology and Materials Development	p. 109
Catching words: Exploiting film discourse in the foreign language classroom	p. 111
Task and task authenticity: Paradigms for language learning in the digital era	p. 149
Tailoring Materials for Learner Groups	p. 173
Why should we make activities for young language learners meaningful and purposeful?	p. 175
Using ethnography to develop intercultural competence	p. 201
ESOL materials: Practice and principles	p. 223
Designing materials for a twelve-week remedial course for pre-university students: A case study	p. 249
Notes on Contributors	p. 271
Index	p. 275
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Language learning materials development remains a surprisingly under-supported aspect of language teaching. This book constitutes a much-needed resource in the area, aiming to support and advance the craft of materials design. The volume offers a snapshot of the contemporary influences on language learning materials development from diverse perspectives around the globe. These influences include the demands of teaching ESOL in Britain and Ireland, the impact of Corpus Linguistics, the needs of young learners and of diverse worldwide audiences, the development of intercultural competence, as well as the integration of L2 acquisition research. Contributors to the volume are drawn from a broad range of teaching, research and materials development backgrounds. The book includes some chapters based on papers given at the MATSDA (Materials Development Association) 2008 conference.