UNIT 25: Selection and use of supplementary materials and activities

Have you ever felt that there is unsuitable material included in the coursebook?  Or that the material does not fit your students’ needs?  If you answered yes to those questions, then it is time to use some supplementary materials in your class.  These material serve as an extension which include activities to develop skills, communicative activities and authentic sources. This entry will analyze supplementary materials advantages, disadvantages and use.

Referring to advantages and disadvantages, the class library of readers can encourage extensive reading while promoting vocabulary learning, one good book to use is Jane Eyre a British classic book.  However, some books may not be motivating for older learners. Electronic materials can work as a motivation for learners since they like to be updated and you can even use social networks for online activities, creating a Facebook group can help you with this, even though there you cannot provide human feedback. When it comes to supplementary materials use you can adapt it to provide appropriate materials for different learners, you can use scaffolding when there is an exercise too difficult and you are working in a mixed ability class, thus every student will be confident and included in your class.

For additional information check:

Murphy, R. (Author). (2015, October 19). 30 years of Grammar in Use Interview [Video file]. Retrieved January 15, 2016, fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndcAoHr1eVc

Edwards, L. (2011, December 21). How to use authentic texts as teaching materials. Retrieved January 16, 2016, fromhttp://www.pearsonelt.com/professionaldevelopment/articles/How to use authentic texts as teaching materials