The commonly used categorical system for conditionals (zero, first, second, and third) has been repeatedly demonstrated to be inadequate because it is unable to account for many conditional types attested in actual usage. ELT coursebooks and pedagogic grammars are criticized for ignoring the evidence and persisting with its use, but the reality…

This study explored how secondary school EFL teachers engaged in professional learning opportunities when they participated in the development of ELT materials. While increasing research has examined language teaching materials and teacher learning, the two research fields have remained largely disconnected, hindering the potential of materials…

This paper explores the applications of pattern grammar and local grammar in English language teaching, focusing specifically on the design of teaching materials. It shows that grammar patterns can be systematically analysed from a local grammar perspective, and further argues that the practice of local grammar analyses helps to raise language…

Intriguingly, at a time when the ELT market is inundated with state-of-the-art coursebooks teaching modern-day English, a 30-year-old series enjoys continuing popularity in some secondary schools in Hungary. Why would teachers, several of whom are school-based teacher-mentors in the vanguard of the profession, purposefully choose materials which…

Describes an information gap procedure to teach a new structure which requires students to look for and exchange information in order to complete a task in an English as a second language class. Illustrates the method with a set of materials and suggests ways for teachers to produce similar materials. (SED)

Examines position, nature, and scope of language awareness work in English language teacher education courses. By means of a sequence of language awareness activities, an attempt is made to identify the essential features of such activities for teachers and trainee teachers to provide an interim framework for materials writing, and illustrating…

Discusses some of the reasons why idioms are difficult for second language learners to learn, including the fact that most materials for teaching idioms are inadequate. Criteria are suggested for choosing idioms to teach; 10 activities are described which will help students understand and produce idiomatic English. (Author/SED)

The psychological and linguistic foundations of the cloze procedure are outlined, and standard approaches and terms used are reviewed. Notes are given on cloze in testing, in relation to language structure, and as a teaching device, focusing on the manipulation of the technique for a variety of purposes and situations. (MSE)

Describes how plays can be improvised and written by English-as-a-Second-Language students, and how the end-products can be modified in a variety of ways to create new teaching material. (six references) (GLR)

Recounts how the author planned one computer-based language lesson, which she describes as a "disaster," and how she combined her own analysis with feedback from the students to plan a more successful second lesson. Discusses student failure, purpose and motivation, appropriateness of materials, process-oriented learning, and openness between…

Looks at the pedagogical aspects of the communicative approach, especially as it relates to syllabus design and authentic materials. Suggests that language teaching should integrate semantic and formal syllabi and combine authentic with specially written teaching materials. Argues that the communicative approach ignores the importance of the…

Describes a method of drawing on the students' own knowledge and resources in developing language teaching materials. Discusses the use of folk stories as a source of reading materials and examines the process of preparing a Mullah Nasreddin story, first told in a classroom discussion, for publication as a bilingual reader. (SED)