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This unit covered the topic of the use of textbooks for teaching English as well as other resources available to the teacher. Materials that the teacher uses to supplement for the course textbook are divided into two categories: authentic materials and created materials. Authentic material is material that the native speaker would hear or read. For example, films, television programs, magazines, brochures and newspapers. Authentic material is not graded to the student's level and therefore must be carefully selected. Created materials are materials that the teacher creates and can be graded to the student's level. The lesson provided samples of created materials in order to give the learner some ideas for creating his/her own material. Next, the lesson discussed the use of course books which usually come in sets as well as other published materials that the teach can purchase. In addition, the lesson discussed the advantages and disadvantages for using course books. Some advantages include that the material is graded to the student's level, it is safe for both student and teacher, students expect to use course books, the teacher's book offers ideas for the inexperienced teacher and it continually practices language items previously introduced. Disadvantages for using course books are that they many times do not fit the need or interest of the students, they can come predictable and boring and there is almost always a compromise when using course books. If a course book is used, the lesson suggests that you choose the course books that are most suitable for the class, do not use the course book for the entire lesson, look at the course books critically to determine their weaknesses, do not base all your lessons off the course book and do not consider the course book as a solution to everything instead, use other ideas and activities to supplement for the course book. Next, the lesson discussed four options for using course books. These include omit, replace, supplement and adapt the material in the course book. Lastly, the lesson covered analyzing a course book.
I feel that this lesson was very practical and useful for the beginning teacher because it provided a good overview of how to choose the material the teacher will use. It provided practical tips for varying a lesson through the use of authentic, created material and the use of course books. The lesson gave the teacher a list of items to consider when deciding whether or not to use course books as well as options for using course books.
