Engaging with materials can shape the teaching experience, teachers' practices and mindsets, and, ultimately, students' learning experiences. This issue of "Learning Professional" looks at an area of emerging interest: curriculum materials and the role they play in the daily work of educators and leaders. Educators, researchers, and…

This paper examines the ideological underpinnings of the English as an Additional Language (EAL) curriculum that drive the practice of secondary teachers in Victoria, Australia, and how students' needs and rights are seen and addressed in and through English discourse and hegemony. Bakhtin's (1986) dialogic approach and van Lier's (1996) AAA…

Second language acquisition (SLA) as a sub-branch of applied linguistics has been researched by Chinese and foreign scholars for over 40 years, but few researches have been done on its implications for Business English teaching which needs more language teaching theories to support. This paper makes a review of related studies, and puts forward a…

Compares three major types of syllabi--structural, situational, and notional--to determine how the last differs from the others. For each, the author examines its focus, its basis for selecting and ordering materials, and its typical manner of presentation. Discusses in considerable detail macro- and microstrategies consistent with the notional…

A university teacher of English as a second language in Japan describes his rationale, methods, and materials for teaching language through literature. Literature was chosen for its intellectual sophistication and ability to motivate adult learners. The use of recorded readings and/or video or filmed versions of texts is recommended as a means of…

This article offers teachers a comprehensive set of questions to ask themselves in evaluating their instructional materials and offers proposals for the adaptation and design of materials. These suggestions are postulated on a definition of language as communication and language teaching as a communicative process. The following are discussed: (1)…

As higher education institutions increase their use of distance teaching methods and materials, they will be increasingly accused of bias in selection of materials and design of curriculum and therefore of misrepresentation of content issues. Such judgments must be made within the discipline and not by administrative or external authorities. (MSE)

Educators often fail to implement improved teaching systems because they lack a method of choosing among instructional alternatives. The Rand Coporation is developing for the Air Force a means--called Method of Designing Instructional Alternatives (MODIA)--whereby instructors can select a preferred instructional system. Using MODIA, one begins by…

In addition to presenting detailed guidelines for foreign language curriculum development in Georgia public schools, this guide includes illustrations of a variety of classroom approaches to meeting course goals. The overall rationale for the guide is to bring programs and curricula at all levels in line with both societal needs for…

The basic philosophy of mastery learning is that all students can learn if they are provided with effective instruction and practice. Research on mastery learning has been done in many countries and at all levels of education in different subject areas, and it has repeatedly shown excellent results. This teaching and learning strategy succeeds in…

The use of microcomputers and courseware for native language instruction is discussed. Five dimensions of instruction that are helpful in evaluating microcomputer use are examined: (1) student motivation; (2) educational objectives; (3) the appropriateness of the computer and related software as instructional tools; (4) the learning model…

This document presents the United States Department of Defense Dependents Schools' (DoDDS) framework for developing and evaluating curriculum. The primary innovation described is a 7-year cycle, adopted to make curriculum evaluation more flexible and less costly than under the existing 5-year cycle. Seven high-priority subject areas (science,…

This booklet, the fourth in a series of four volumes on the Designing a Curriculum (Dacum) process, is intended to assist instructors and trainers in examining some of the issues involved in translating a Dacum chart and curriculum objectives into an instructional program. Discussed first are various points of view as to where program development…

The guide is intended as a resource for North Carolina teachers and administrators concerning second language education. Part 1 offers a rationale for second language education, and provides specific reasons for studying French, German, Latin, Spanish, and uncommonly taught languages. Part 2 describes instructional program models for elementary…

Proceedings of a seminar on communications skills training for English-as-a-Second-Language teachers in the context of aid projects overseas are presented in the form of papers, presentations, and summary narrative. They include: "Educational Project Management: Survey of Communications Skills Requirements in Aid Projects in Indonesia"…