Evaluating ESL Resources
In unit #2 we had elaborate an assignment to demonstrate our skills in evaluating ESL materials and resources. We needed to keep into account the learners' type, age, CLB level, academic/professional background, goals, motivation, etc. We also had to think about the objectives of the lesson and the type of materials that we could use in our teaching to help the students achieve them.
To evaluate these ESL materials, I considered the criteria listed by Tomlinson in Developing Materials For Language Teaching. Each criterion was assessed with a score of 1-5 and brief reasoning for such rating obtained.
Jenny Carmona
TESL 140 Resources Development and
Assignment #2
|
Lesson Plan: Tenant’s Insurance
Evaluation of Materials
|
Classroom Context: Government funded adult ESL class in an elementary school. There is a total of 17 students from which most are males. The students' ages are between 29 - 46 years old, and the majority have been living in Canada for less than two years.
Time: Each class is 3 hours/ twice a week.
Length: 10 months (2 semesters).
CLB Level: 5-6
Students’ Background: Students are immigrants that have come through the Provincial Nominee Program (through their spouses) and refugees. Many of these students hold professional and educational backgrounds.
Goals: Students are interested in improving their English level in all skill areas of Speaking, Listening, Writing, and Reading with the purpose of obtaining a job in their fields and/or enter a higher level of English academic program.
|
Objectives
|
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
- Learn the need and the purpose of having a tenant’s insurance.
- Know why it’s important to be protected?
- Name the different types of insurance coverage.
- Understand what’s a policy.
- Identify the vocabulary and language used in the description of a policy (focus on nouns, verbs, and a few idioms) and brochures.
|
Rationale for material selection: The set of materials selected for this lesson are appropriate for the topic of Tenant’s Insurance. The materials are simple, somehow attractive to the learner and authentic in their use. The language use is at CLB 5-6 level, and a variety of materials such as videos, pamphlets, interview, and Q&A worksheets are provided with the right amount of writing and reading for each worksheet.
|
Rationale for choosing these materials:
The criteria that I have selected is based on the principles listed by Tomlinson in Developing Materials for Language Teaching.
Although I have no experience in the area of teaching yet, I have tried to follow the examples of my peers by categorizing the principles in the evaluation of these materials to the best of my ability.
Another factor that I considered to be important for me when I chose to evaluate these materials was the fact that the lesson was created under the PBLA guidelines in mind.
|
Evaluation Criteria
|
Score: 1- 5
1=Poor 5= Excellent
|
Comments
|
Universal Criteria
|
Do the materials expose the learner to language in authentic use?
|
4
|
There is a brochure from one (real) insurance company with information on What’s Tenant’s insurance and Why is it important?
The lesson also provides another sheet with information about different types of policy from a different company.
|
Do the materials help the learners use the language in situations they are likely to find themselves in the future?
|
5
|
The language used in this lesson is targeted at buying a tenant’s insurance. The students will be able to use the language learned in their own experiences.
|
Are the activities in the unit linked to each other to help the learner?
|
5
|
The activities begin with an introduction to the topic and then moves to activities such as videos, interviews, reading authentic material and group discussions.
|
Are the visuals clear to what they refer to?
|
5
|
Attractive pictures are used for the PowerPoint presentation, colourful brochures and names of real insurance companies are also displayed for the learner on the PowerPoint.
|
Do the materials stimulate interaction?
|
5
|
There are activities such as peer discussions, interviews, and class presentations.
|
Universal Criteria Score: 24 /25
|
Teacher Criteria
|
Do the materials give the learners something they can take away from the lesson?
|
5
|
The materials used in this lesson are authentic and therefore meaningful to the learner. They will have a clear idea of what tenant’s insurance is and the importance of having one.
|
Are the materials easy to use in the classroom?
|
5
|
The materials are easy to follow. Starting with a PowerPoint consisting of 16 slides. The first 4 slides are the introduction of the topic and then each slide after refers to a specific activity - reading, writing, speaking, listening. Worksheets are also provided for activities such as interviews, Q&A, and group discussions.
|
Do the resources have clear instructions which will be easy for the learner to follow?
|
5
|
The materials promote students’ autonomy, and they are presented in a simple way for the students to follow the instructions of each activity. Answer keys and extra notes (under ea. slide) are also provided for the teacher.
|
Do the materials teach something the learners feel they can use?
|
4
|
The information presented to the students has been done in a simple way that they can understand it. However, due to cultural beliefs, some students might not find the information relevant or useful.
|
Do the materials take into account the learners’ different learning styles?
|
5
|
A variety of activities are done throughout this lesson - the use of visuals, videos, listening activities, interviews, reading, and writing will cover the needs of the students’ abilities and strengths.
|
Teacher Criteria Score: 24 /25
|
Content Criteria
|
Do the activities (S, L, W, R) and other examples of conversations in the resources replicate real-life scenarios?
|
4
|
There are opportunities for group discussions, but not role plays that the students can do. The lesson suggests bringing a real insurance agent to do a class presentation and possibly do a role play between him/her and the teacher or volunteer. I think it would be more effective if the students do a role play themselves instead.
|
Do the materials provide an opportunity for outcome feedback?
|
3
|
The materials do not provide any feedback assessment sheets or ideas for the student or the teacher; however, the creator of this lesson advices the user to create them.
|
Content Criteria Score: 7 /10
|
Total Evaluation Score: 55 /60 (Excellent)
Poor = 0 - 29 OK = 30 - 49 Excellent = 50 - 60
|
Conclusion: In my opinion, the materials chosen for this lesson reflect the objectives outlined for this lesson. The materials have a clear framework and are easy to follow when delivering the lesson. In addition, these materials reflect the adequate CLB level of the students, along with PBLA guidelines that have been taken under consideration, and they promote interest in the students to take something valuable away from the information presented.
Therefore, I would rate these materials as an EXCELLENT resource to be used with students who are at CLB 5-6 level and who would like to learn about Tenant’s Insurance.
|
Resources:
- Rick Hulbert, December 18, 2016, Tenant’s Insurance: CLB 4, 5, and 6, retrieved from https://tutela.ca/Resource_20485
- Canadian Language Benchmarks, retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/pdf/pub/language-benchmarks.pdf?
- Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (2013). Developing materials for language teaching. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Academic.
<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License</a>.
No comments:
Post a Comment