Evaluating the transfer-promoting potential of ESOL materials

Mark Andrew JamesArizona State University

Mark.A.James@asu.edu / www.drmjames.info

Sunshine State TESOL, 36th Annual Conference, 2015

Overview

This hands-on session builds on an understanding that learning transfer is a fundamental goal of teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL). The focus in this session will be the practical application of a new concrete tool for evaluating the transfer-promoting potential of ESOL materials (e.g., textbooks). Session participants will try using this tool themselves to identify transfer-related strengths and weaknesses of some examples of current teaching materials. Discussion will focus on how the tool can be used effectively and efficiently, and ways the information it provides can be applied.

Why evaluate the transfer-promoting potential of ESOL materials?

• The value of ESOL education is limited if students cannot transfer learning to situations beyond the classroom.

• But, learning does not inevitably transfer.

• So, teaching in a way that aims to promote transfer is a good idea.

• This can involve using materials that have strong transfer-promoting potential ...

How do we know if materials have strong transfer-promoting potential?

We can look at materials for characteristics that are believed to help promote transfer. The set of questions on the handout can help us to identify those characteristics ...

How do we know if materials have strong transfer-promoting potential?

1. How, if at all, does the material make clear that students can ____ outside the ESOL classroom?

2. How, if at all, does the material demonstrate how to ____?3. Which activities, if any, require students to practice ____?

a) ... of these, which if any require students to pretend to be in some other situation (e.g., outside the ESOL classroom)?

b) ... of these, which if any require students to solve problems? (If there are multiple such activities, do they vary in content and/or context?)

4. What, if anything, does the material require students to generalize about related to ____?

5. What, if anything, does the material require students to analogize about related to ____?

6. Does the material require students to reflect on their ability to ____?

Group task• Which of the two sample materials looks like it

will be more effective at promoting learning transfer? ...

Compare the two samples based on one of the questions in the evaluation framework (see handout). ... remember to focus on the target outcome: Touchstone

– telling one’s life story; World English – talking about possible future situations.

... feel free to brainstorm for ways the samples could be modified to provide more positive answers to that question.

1. “make clear that ...”

1. “make clear that ...”

Touchstone World English

--- refers to a recording about the future of as a radio program tuna (Listening B, p.98). (Students can infer that they can hear this kind of text outside the classoom.)

2. “demonstrate”

2. “demonstrate”

Touchstone World English

provides a recording and transcript of Dan talking about his life (p.4, #1A).

provides a recording about the future of bluefin tuna (p.98, Listening B).

provides a written text about the future of fish (p.99, Communication A).

3. “practice”

3. “practice”

Touchstone World English

Pairs discuss questions like “How did you end up studying here?” (p.5, #2B).

Pairs discuss questions like “Can you think of someone you don’t miss seeing?” (p.5, #3).

Groups discuss impact of plans for solving fishing problems (p.99, Communication B).

Groups choose the best plan for solving fishing problems (p.99, Communication C).

3.a. “pretend to be in other situation”

3.a. “pretend to be in other situation”

Touchstone World English

--- Students pretend to be members of an environmental group that wants to solve fishing problems (p.99, Communication B).

3.b. “solve problems”

3.b. “solve problems”

Touchstone World English

--- Students discuss the impact of 3 plans for solving fishing problems, so they can choose the best plan (p.99, Communication C).

4. “generalize”

4. “generalize”

Touchstone World English

Ss choose or find forms of verbs (e.g., v+to+v) (p.4, 1.B; p.10, 1&2).

Ss find meanings for verbs give up, promise, put off, refuse (p.10, 2).

Ss are given a meaning of the word environment (Word focus, p.99).

5. “analogize”

5. “analogize”

Touchstone World English

---

---

6. “reflect”

6. “reflect”

Touchstone World English

Yes. For the sentence “tell interesting stories about my life”, ss check “I can” or “I need to review how to” (p.10).

Yes. The activity involving choosing the best plan is titled “Goal check: Talk about possible future situations” (p.99, Communication C). (Student can infer that they should monitor their performance.)

SummaryQuestion Touchstone World English

1 – “make clear that ...” ?

2 – “demonstrate” ✔ ✔

3 – “practice” ✔ ✔

3a – “other situation” ✔

3b – “solve problems” ✔

4 – “generalize” verb form / word meaning

word meaning

5 – “analogize”

6 – “reflect” ✔ ?

Possible modifications• Have ss ...

• make a list of situations in which they can tell their life story, or talk about possible future situations.

• tell their life story while pretending to be in a job interview.• tell their life story to convince a “hiring committee” of

classmates to hire them for a hypothetical job.• listen to multiple examples of life stories or talk about future

situations and identify various patterns, e.g., openings/closings.

• think about what telling a life story reminds them of (e.g., a movie), or how talking about future situations is like talking about past situations.

• rate their own ability to talk about possible future situations.

Follow-up questions

• Think about your own teaching context: How, if at all, do you think you could use this materials evaluation tool?

Sample units

Touchstone 4 (B1/Threshold-B2/Vantage) (CUP): http://www.cambridge.org/us/cambridgeenglish/catalog/adult-courses/touchstone-2nd-edition

Cutting edge intermediate (3rd ed.) (Pearson):http://www.pearsonelt.com/cuttingedge3e/samples

Thank you!

• Slides for this session will be available at:

www.drmjames.info

• Feel free to email me with any questions, at:

Mark.A.James@asu.edu