Materials

Flashcards
Word and picture matching games
Storybooks
Phonics games
Games in general
Dice and counters
Puppets
Dress-up props
Print in the learners native tongue
Posters
Voice
Facial expression
Gestures
Body language
Pointer/wand
Tables
Chairs
Pens
Pencils
Paper
Workbooks
Dictionaries
Thesaurus
Exercise books
Textbooks
Photographs
Magazines
Newspapers
Syllabus
Institutional scope and sequence
Maps
Diagrams
Menus
Application forms
Advertisements
Instructional leaflets
Recipes
Lego
Blocks
Puzzles
Paint
Crayons

Technology
Blackboard/whiteboards for writing
and reading script, drawing
Audio recorders students can
record and listen back on their oral
performance
Video recorders as above
Computers be presented with
learning material, play games for
learning
Printers print resources for students
or so students can print their work
Scanners scan students work in to
create a narrated story or movie
iPads iMovies, apps, watching
videos, Skyping native English
speakers, creating texts, recording
audio and video for self/peer/teaching
evaluation
Tablets as above
Laptops as above
Microphones to record their speech
to practice or self-assess or to speak
with others
Headphones to hear audio from
computers/laptops, cd/cassette
players, iPads/tablets
Speakers as above
Dvd player to watch learning
material present through DVD or to
watch a movie/show as a text to be
studied
Television to watch visual learning
materials or to playback their own
recordings
CD player to play CDs
Cassette player/recorder to play
cassettes or to record students
Projector to present materials to
students, shadow puppets, resource
for students to give presentations
Photocopier to reproduce
worksheets
Internet to research and access
extra learning materials

The Role of Instructional Materials

Engages learners
Revises earlier understanding
Stimulates and challenges students current understanding

Enables progress
Caters for cultural differences
Provides learning for students to take away
Presents materials
Is a source of activities for student practice and communicative
interaction
Allows feedback for students on their learning
Clarifies instruction and content goals
Assists in learning
Appears relevant to the learners
Uses authentic language
Provides opportunities for success
Allows self-assessment of learning

Kern, R. 2006. Perspectives on technology in learning and teaching language.

TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 183-210
Richards, J. 2001. Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, pp. 251-285. (Chapter 8: The role and design of
instructional materials).