Assignment - M&R

SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

GENERAL INFORMATION:
This assignment must be done in groups and has to fulfil the following conditions:
-

Length: between 8 and 10 pages

(without including cover, index or appendices if

there are any).

-

Type of font: Arial or Times New Roman.

Size: 11.

Line height: 1.5.

Alignment: Justified.

If for some reason you cannot do the assignment in groups, you will have to do it
individually (notice that individual assignments will be penalized. The maximum score a
student can get is 8/ 10). The individual assignment must have a length between 8 and 10
pages approximately (without including cover, index or appendix if there is any).
The assignment has to be done in this Word document and has to fulfil the rules of
presentation and edition, as for quotes and bibliographical references which are detailed in
the Study Guide.
Also, it has to be submitted following the procedure specified in the Study Guide. Sending
it to the teachers e-mail is not permitted. All the members of the group have to send the
assignment.
In addition to this, it is very important to read the assessment criteria, which can be
found in the Study Guide.
The assignment mark is 100% of the final mark.
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Assignment - M&R

Assignment:

Carry out the following task

You are expected to submit a kit of own-produced materials for a specified group of
learners in your current or a future context.
-

The kit should be a coherent block of work, produced in response to some observed
need of the learners.

It must be prefaced by a rationale, in which the issues that have been raised about
design, trialling, adaptation and evaluation in the subject are discussed, as they are
relevant to your circumstances and the materials. A rationale might include discussion
of the context, the age and level of the students, the nature of the syllabus and
materials used by the learners, the need you perceive, the belief about language
learning and teaching that the materials represent, and any other issues that are
relevant to your materials (for example because of the particular media chosen).

You must also include information about how you intend to evaluate the materials
when they are used.

You must submit copies of the materials you produce, with the teachers instructions
that make it clear how they are to be used. Write these instructions as if they were for
another teacher who could use them.

Note: You may find it useful to refer to the reading available in Assignment Materials
section (at the same place where you can find this paper).

Important: you have to write your personal details, the option and the subject name
on the cover (see the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these
conditions will not be corrected. You have to include the assignment index below
the cover.

Assignment - M&R

Name and surname(s):

EYMIS VASQUEZ PALACIOS

ELKIN CUESTA CAOLA
CIRA ISABEL LUCHETA RINCN

Login:

COFPMTFL886227
COFPMTFL870659
COFPMTFL744375

Group:

FP_TEFL_2015-02

Date:

July 27th of 2015

Assignment - M&R

INTRODUCTION

Taking into account the classification given by McDonough and Shaw (1993) when listing
elements of context to analyze the materials this group considered two issues:
Learners characteristics and educational setting in order to organize the program.

Learners characteristics:

Students are aged from 10 to 12 years old and according to the stage of development in
which they are, at this age, they are in a transition from kids to adolescents, and their
bodies are changing due to the hormonal process originated in the hypothalamus.
Both, girls and boys are going to hamper the movements as a result of the abrupt
changes of weight, size and height. It increases perspiration and body odour. They
are hard to control the pitch and timbre of the voice, which is also changed in a way
markedly sexed. In a given time, it can be uncomfortable in his new adult body and is
frequent to try to hide the changes that are taking place. They are going to begin to
express shame to be naked and affection in adults, especially if they are available to
the public. (www.educacin.navarra.es).

On the other hand, as Piaget focused in the cognitive process, this stage is named as
formal operations in which the person can pass from a concrete thought to an
abstract thinking.

But actually, these group of kids are just starting to think

hypothetically, their interests are focused in some cases, in the way they look like,
fashion, popular people, some of them have started to feel boys or girls attraction, and
others feel nobody understand them so they are asking for justice. At the same time,
there are other students who don`t feel they are adolescents but they are still kids. All
of them are trying to build their own identity at this age. Deductive thinking is still in
process. (Piaget: Cognitive Development Stages).

Assignment - M&R

Most of the students show interest to learn English and enjoy the class; they avoid
readings and prefer to play games to learn as well as challenging activities where they
have to interact with others and move out of the classroom. This group of students
tend to follow their favorite music idols, they like to dance, act, and work in groups.
Their mother tongue is Spanish and sometimes they feel ashamed when talking in
English but they make an effort to use English is class. Just 1% of students are native
English students exchange whom come from other countries to study in Colombia and
learn from our culture. Finally, the selected group of sixth graders is very collaborative
and friendly what allows the teacher to develop creative and funny classes. They are
able to use tablets, cellphones, video camera, etc. to enrich the class.

Educational Settings:
San Bartolom La Merced is a private school located in Bogot, the capital city of
Colombia, calendar B, so school year starts on August and finishes on June; with an
intensive English Program, so kids study English 8 hours per week and some other
classes are also taught using this language such as Math, Science, and ICT (Information
and Communication Technology). Students use to travel frequently to other countries with
their families, which is a motivation for them to learn the language. Teachers are not
native, but the British Council certifies them as bilingual educators by presenting the IELTS
exam every two years. Moreover, most of them have a Master's Degree in Education.
This school belongs to the Company of Jesus and the principal is a Jesuit Priest of the
Company.
Teachers have several resources in their classrooms to develop their classes such as
video beam, computers, flashcards, memory games, and they are able to create their own
material as well. School has additional activities to practice English out of the classroom
like the Learning Journey where everyone (teachers, administrators, students, etc.) must
speak English during the whole day. Besides, there are immersion travel to Canada,
Ireland, New Zealand, and London for students and teachers.
1. RATIONALE OF THE MATERIAL

Assignment - M&R

Sixth graders compose the groups selected with 24 students per group. They have eight
English classes per week of 45 minutes each. But before to proceed with the activities,
this group of teachers analyzed the characteristics of students in order to detect
weaknesses to work with them as is shown here.

Analyzing the state of Art (using observation in class)

Detecting possible difficulties in the group and the causes (Poor vocabulary when
trying to express ideas, students feel uncomfortable when participating in class).

Formulating the problem: The lack of vocabulary, which prevent students, feel
comfortable when trying to express their own ideas.

Choosing a solution: plan the activities with a task based and content based
learning to promote oral expression and the use of vocabulary.

Planning: To organize activities according to their developmental stage, needs,

and students interests by following these methods: task based and content based
learning.

1.1. OBJECTIVE
To develop oral skills by using task based and content based activities in order to increase
the vocabulary and fluency having in mind student's interests. Having in mind students
have traveled to Canada in fifth grade and they will travel to Ireland in seventh grade, the
topic chosen was Countries. This will be developed in 8 classes as follow:

1.2 DESIGNING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CLASS

COLOMBIA STANDARDS
Describes people, places, objects, facts, and situations with familiar short sentences.
(Guide 22nd)
STAGE 1

TIME: 90 minutes GOALS: Recognizing expressions used to describe places.

RESOURCES: Video, papers, gluer, sticky notes, cardboard, marker, PC, TV, audio,
TASK

LANGUAGE FOCUS AND FEEDBACK

Assignment - M&R

To watch a video about countries of the

world

To identify vocabulary used when talking

Individual task. See the video again and

about countries.

write relevant information about the

countries.
-

Groups of three. Compare your ideas

Feedback:

with your partner answer questions and

The teacher will check both, the auto-

write them in a poster according (literacy, evaluation and the table about the best
welfare, health care, score, citizens, rate, countries of the world.

lifetime, per capita income, population

During class, register for a checklist

Stick poster on the wall

children who do not seem to understand

Silent march. March around the

the activity and can not find relevant

classroom and search information about

information. These students must have a

the other countries.

time of individual work with the teacher.

Create a presentation to explain the most You can use the checklist given in Annex
Self-evaluation by using the table at the
relevant features of the countries by
end of the class

using the vocabulary related to the topic.

Activities description:
First session (90 minutes)

Warm up: Watch the following video about the best countries in the world: (25)
minutes) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxtG2wYYZI4)
o

Write relevant information about the countries

According to the Video select the favorite place to visit and draw its flag on
a paper.

Wave your flag and find two other partners who has the same country than
you

Pair group: Answer the following questions according to the video and using the
words you need from the following list (literacy, welfare, health care, score, citizens,
rate, lifetime, per capita income, population): (20 minutes)
o

What are the 3 best places from the list shown in the video for you? Why?
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Assignment - M&R

Have you ever visited any of these countries before? Describe your

experience while you were there. (people, places, date, skyscrapers,

season, weather, activities, food etc.)
What are the main features to take in mind when talking about the best

countries of the world according to the video?

Silent march. March around the classroom and search information about the other
countries. Write this information in your notebook. (10 minutes)

Check your first list of ideas and if you have another information about the country stick
or write it
Check over your poster and read the suggestions realized by your partners and
teacher

Personal work:
o

Create a presentation and design a table to compare the countries

mentioned in the video as in the example. If you are missing information
search in Internet to complete it: (20 minutes)

THE BEST COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

COUNTRY

TOTAL
AREA

WELFARE

ECONOMY

AVERAGE OF
EXPECTANCY

ICELAND

99% of literacy
Banks
work 76 for men
Good education and without policemen 81 for women
health care for citizens
Crime is 0%

AUSTRALIA

One of the wealthiest

nations in the world.

LIFE

Reflective task:
Why do you think education is so important for the development of a country?
Discuss with the rest of the group. (5 minutes)

Self-evaluation: (10 minutes)

STAGE 2

TIME: 90 minutes

GOALS: Using new vocabulary when talking about countries

RESOURCES: Papers, sticky notes, flashcards, marker.
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Assignment - M&R

TASK

LANGUAGE FOCUS AND FEEDBACK

Solve a word-

To use new vocabulary when describing a country.

search for using

Feedback:

the words to

Self -evaluation by using the table at the end of the class.

describe other

The teacher will check both, the auto-evaluation and the text written

features of the

about their favorite country to visit to.

countries

Identify students who have had difficulty in using the new vocabulary
and help connect new vocabulary with images and pronunciation

Stage 2: To use new vocabulary when describing a Country. (90 minutes)

Activities description:

Warm up: Organize the class in groups of 4 people to play a game.

Memory game: Students will write the meaning of the word studied last class in a
card and the word in another. Then, all cards are going to be mixed in order to play
a memory game matching the meaning with the corresponding word. (30 minutes)

Personal work:
o

Solve the following word search related to countries:

(Museums,

amusement park, language, location, climate, wildlife, vegetation). (10

minutes)
o

Select your favorite place to visit and create a description of it by using the
words studied last class and the ones found in the word search above.
Write more than 100 words in the same presentation where you designed
the table. (20 minutes)

Reflective task:

In your opinion, what are the most attractive issues for people to visit a country? Share
your answer with a partner. (10 minutes)

Self-evaluation: (10 minutes)

STAGE 3
TIME: 180 minutes
GOALS: Describing a country by integrating the vocabulary learnt in a video.
RESOURCES: Video, internet, PC, TV, audio, Windows Movie Maker Program
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Assignment - M&R

TASK

LANGUAGE FOCUS AND FEEDBACK

In pairs record a video

Stage 3:

of 5 minutes talking, in

To express orally the vocabulary learnt about countries during 5

which you can describe minutes.

your favorite 10 places Feedback:
to visit. (90 minutes)

Self- evaluation by using the table at the end of the class.

The teacher will check both, the auto-evaluation and the video.
Each group will receive a written and oral feedback from the

Share it with the whole teacher.

class. (90 minutes)

The final production will be shown during the Learning Journey

of the school to the rest of students.

Stage 3: To express orally the vocabulary learnt about countries during 5 minutes. (180
minutes)
Activities description:

Warm up: Watch a video about Toronto and places to visit there (15 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xusiL43CcI4 in order to create their own video.

Pair work:

Students are journalists and they must create their own video to describe their
favorite 30 places to visit around the world by using a video editor like Windows
Movie Maker. 75 (minutes)

In their recordings they must add:

A general description of the place (location, population, economy, level of

education, food etc.)

Main facts of the history

Places to visit and activities to do inviting people to go there.

Final activity: Students must organize all countries viewed during these classes
in the same presentation, and their work will be shown during the Learning Journey
to the rest of students.

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Assignment - M&R

The teacher will give a feedback to each group after checking all of them. (80
minutes)

Self-evaluation: (10 minutes)

ASSESMENT PLAN
STAG
E

TOPIC

Expression
s used to
describe
places

Features of
the
countries

Country
description
s

GOALS

Recognizin
g
expression
s used to
describe
places

Describing
a country
by
integrating
the
vocabulary
learnt in a
video.
Describing
a country
by
integrating
the
vocabulary
learnt in a
video

TYPES OF
ASSESSME
NT
Diagnosed initial,
Qualitative
Partial
Formative.
Procedural.
QualitativePartial.
Cumulative.
Quantitative.
FormativeProcedural
Cumulative.
Quantitative.
Formative
procedural.
Qualitative
Cumulative.
Quantitative.

ACTIVITY

PECERTAGE
.

TIM
E

Students
interaction

Rubric
Selfevaluation
Practice
poster
production
Observation
Memory
game
Selfevaluation
Students
presentation
.
Checklist
Practice
Collaborativ
e work
Observation
Rubric
Checklist

TOTAL

90M

15%
10%

90M
20%

90M
20%
90M
25%
100%

SELF- EVALUATION

8H
Answers

How many new words you learnt with this activity?

How many new words you used from the vocabulary when talking about
countries?

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Assignment - M&R

How long you talked during the class in average?

Did you have a progress using the new vocabulary?
Did you feel comfortable talking in class? Yes ___ No ____ Why?
Did you like these kind of activities? Yes___________ No_______ Why?
Did you find difficult words to express? Yes________No_________
MATERIAL EVALUATION
1. Did the material meet the students needs?
Yes___________

No___________

2. Was the material authentic and useful for the students?

Yes____

No ____

3. Were the material instructions clear and easy to understand?

Clear ___ No clear

____ easy

_____ not easy_______

4. How did the students feel when they were realizing the activities?
_____Comfortable _____ Uncomfortable ____
5. What do you suggest to improve the structure of this didactic sequence?
____________________________________________________________________
6. Are the resources proper for development of the activities?
______ Yes _______ No.

Use this instrument for monitoring Students progress in the sequence Checklist
Teachers name: ______________________________

Scales:

1. Never

2. Rarerly

3. Sometimes

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Course: ____

4. Always

Assignment - M&R

Criteria

Discussion
contribution

Attitude to the
activity and
performance
in the light of
authorized
material
Adherence to
the activity
norms
(reading of
previous
postings,
politeness,
empathy,)
Language

3
Very active,
even daily.
Stimulate
discussion

2
Somewhat,
active. Postings
distributed
harmoniously
throughout the
week, though
not daily.
Sometimes,
stimulate
discussions
Good attitude
and acceptable
ideas,

1
Poor
participation.
Almost no
contribution at
all

Excellent.
Every aspect
has been tightly
followed

Good. Aspect
has been
followed,
somehow

Fair adherence
to activity norms

Clear and
understandable
message

Understandable,
though with
certain
problems

Unintelligible
ideas or even
absent

Excellent
attitude and
appropriate
ideas

Rubrics to evaluate participation

adapted from:

13

Reluctant
attitude and
arguable ideas

Assignment - M&R

BIBLIOGRAPHY
DUBIN, F. & OLSHTAIN, E. (1986): Course Design: Developing Programmes and
Materials for Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
LIN, L. Y. & BROWN, R. (1994): Guidelines for the Production of In-House Self Access
Materials in ELT. Journal Vol 48/2, April 1994
MINISTERIO DE EDUCACION DE COLOMBIA: Estandares Bsicos de Competencias
en Lengua Extranjera, Ingles. (2006)
Webography
http://at.simmons.edu/blendedlearning/learnhow/casestudies/haavind/docum
ents/pdfs/sample_rubrics_for_discussions.pdf (Read: Junio 8, 2015, GMT-5)

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