Remedial English programme: Materials design and evaluation

This paper discusses ways of developing and evaluating instructional materials through an action research conducted by teachers on a mandatory English remedial programme. As a system-wide programme offered to 50–60% of a Year 2 student cohort in a university in Hong Kong, the remedial programme requires weaker students to take additional module hours on grammar and vocabulary alongside their regular enhancement programme. Published research on ELT material design has focused mainly on the evaluation of coursebooks or analysis of methodological approaches in different types of materials. This presentation will discuss the merits and effects of the remedial materials that combine the training in proficiency language standards (IELTS) as well as explicit language awareness activities in grammar and vocabulary. The discussion will also cover how a more objective materials evaluation ‘checklist’ for grammar and vocabulary can be used by teaching teams to take into account the “reasons, objectives and circumstances of (material) evaluation” for specific situations (cited in Tomlinson 2001, p. 69). Copyright © 2018 Asia TEFL.