Understanding the Role of Teaching Materials in a Beginners’ Level English as a Foreign Language Course: A Case Study

• Published in: PROFILE issues in teachers' professional development Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 125 - 137
• Main Authors: Cruz Rondón, Elio Jesús, Velasco Vera, Leidy Fernanda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Bogota Universidad Nacional de Colombia 01.07.2016; Departamento de Lenguas Extranjeras, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• Subjects: Alternative material; beginners; Blogs; Case Studies; College Students; Colombia; course book; EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH; Educational materials; Electronic Publishing; English (Second Language); English as a foreign language; English as a second language; English as a second language instruction; English as a second language teaching materials; Foreign Countries; Foreign language instruction; Foreign language learning; inglés como lengua extranjera; Instructional Materials; Introductory Courses; Learning Processes; libro de texto; material alternativo; materiales de enseñanza; Native Language; Observation; Phonetics; principiantes; Pronunciation; Qualitative Research; Role; Second Language Learning; Second language teachers; Semi Structured Interviews; Student Attitudes; teaching materials; Teaching Methods; Textbooks; Video Technology; New York; Colombia; United States > US; principiantes; course book; libro de texto; Alternative material; inglés como lengua extranjera; English as a foreign language; beginners; material alternativo; materiales de enseñanza; teaching materials
• ISSN: 1657-0790; 2256-5760; 1657-0790
• DOI: 10.15446/profile.v18n2.52813

Learning a foreign language may be a challenge for most people due to differences in the form and structure between one’s mother tongue and a new one. However, there are some tools that facilitate the teaching and learning of a foreign language, for instance, new applications for digital devices, video blogs, educational platforms, and teaching materials. Therefore, this case study aims at understanding the role of teaching materials among beginners’ level students learning English as a foreign language. After conducting five non-participant classroom observations and nine semi-structured interviews, we found that the way the teacher implemented a pedagogical intervention by integrating the four language skills, promoting interactive learning through the use of online resources, and using the course book led to a global English teaching and learning process.