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Unit 14 covers course books and lesson materials. Course books provide a framework for English language teaching. Students usually expect course books and it provides a syllabus which can be graded to a level suitable to the students. Although the materials may not be suitable for your class, it provides a time tested framework/scaffold for the course allowing the teacher to augment the materials with their own creations. It provides students a way to measure their progress and provides a balanced mix of grammar, vocabulary and skills work. The materials will also allow students to continually practice language items previously introduced and the teacher's manual often has many good ideas for the inexperienced teacher. Course books also have their down sides. It does not alway fit the needs of all members in a class. Exclusive use of the course book can become boring, cause teachers to not create more appropriate coursework. They may not be specifically suited to the language learner and can be outdated/ unattractive and can keep the educator from analyzing the particular problems of their class. Course books are best used when they are not used for the whole lesson and have teacher created materials to supplement the book. They can help for planning time and and lesson content. However, they should be reviewed to make sure that they have practices that may or may not be helpful and teachers should do their own research as well. All lessons should NOT be based on the course book but rather try new ideas and vary activities. teachers may decide to omit lessons that are not beneficial or relevant. Teachers should feel free to replace material with similar but more appropriate materials. In addition, teacher might supplement materials to continue the students' engagement with the activity. Teachers also may use the materials in their own way and style.
When teaching other materials should be included. These fall in two categories of materials of authentic and created. Authentic materials include magazines, songs, poems, brochures, menus and other items. They are helpful in the classroom because they are more interesting/motivating, boost confidence when students understand them and can be created to the interests of the class. Created materials are made by the teacher and, unlike authentic materials, can be graded to the level of the students. Some ideas include crosswords, word search puzzles, role-play cards, gap fill activities and picture stories.
