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Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching

2012, Vol. 9, Suppl. 1, pp. 283–297

© Centre for Language Studies National University of Singapore

Language Teaching Materials and the (Very) Big Picture

Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas

MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT (MULTIMEDIA & HYPERMEDIA)

Teacher: MAURA IMELDA DIAZ CASTIBLANCO.

Presented by: HUGO ANDRÉS ALVAREZ RUIZ

Code: 20091165059

Summary: Language Teaching Materials and the (Very) Big Picture

Andrew Littlejohn

What the article is about?

Andrew´s Littleton article first offers a journey through the history of the West from the 1950s until lates 1980s, he shows how ideas for creating materials were directly influenced by the ideas, beliefs, and interests that are typical of most people during this particular time in history and are expressed in the culture of those years . Littleton also offers an analysis of the contemporary developments in ELT materials and debates that the connection to social context has shifted from being an influence but to be imperative. The article shows how McDonaldization and Neo-liberalism are clearly being used nowadays in ELT materials design. The article closes with an analysis of the significance of this, and argues that language teaching professionals need to be aware of external influences.

What topics can be found?

ELT materials: the 1950s to the 1980s:

The 1950s/60s and the Cold War

It was a time when the launch of the Sputnik, by the Soviet Union (The world's artificial satelite) started a chase between the USSR and the United States to gain the control. The immediate reaction of the United States was to seek explanations and identify a course of action to remedy the situation, gave way to the insvest funds in foreign language teaching like a priority .

The late 1960s to the late 1970s

The period from the late 1960s onwards is characterised by the appereance of numerous methods like humanistic methodologies, which, although rarely implemented, were much talked about and cited. Some well know boos of this time was Stevick’s (1976) “Memory, Meaning and Method,” which featured methodologies such as Gattegno’s Silent Way (Gattegno, 1972) and Lozanov’s Suggestopaedia (Lozanov, 1978). Also well-known from this time is Moskowitz’s “Caring and Sharing in the Foreign Language Class” (1978), which offered a blending of language aims with humanistic aims.

The 1970s to the mid 1980s

During this period there was a concern with individuals’ linguistic wants and needs. Moreover, in this period, there was a development of tools for the specification of the individual’s particular needs through models such as those proposed by Munby (1981) and the continued development of ‘Special Purposes’ as a distinct branch of syllabus design.

The McDonaldization

Littlejohns releases a questions to the readers. Are we now witnessing the impact of McDonaldization on the design of language teaching materials?. Which refers to the standardised materials, displayed in different ways. One of the most obvious examples of this is the way in which materials are now routinely packaged into ‘chunks’ of two-page workplans, standardised into ostensible ‘50 minute lessons’, such that the teacher concerned can teach from a two-page spread. These spreads are often tied together into larger entities, often known as ‘units,’ ‘modules,’ ‘blocks,’ ‘themes’ or such like, which have a recurring structure, ensuring predictability across the materials as a whole. Thus, ‘warm up’ activities may be routinely followed by some reading, which may be followed by grammar work, which may give way to written practice, before ending with some "free work". McDonaldization has also changed how we view the value of education, students are now judged by statistics and grades

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