Planning Resources

1. Choosing the Right Material

Materials give teachers the support they need in class. Without them, the lesson could be
dull or not very appealing to the students. That is why it is important to choose your
materials wisely. Consider the following questions when choosing materials and resources:

How much time do you have to prepare?

Your materials should be ready at least 30 minutes before you begin class. When you are
planning your lesson, think about how long it will take to prepare the material. Will you
need any extra effort that may take longer than expected?

Is the material level appropriate?

The success of a resource is demonstrated by student satisfaction, understanding of the
material, and achieving the lesson goals. You can achieve all this by choosing level-
appropriate resources. If you choose a resource that is too advanced, the student could get
discouraged. However, you do not want to choose a resource that is below a student’s level,
which can lead to boredom or frustration.

Have you varied the type of resource?

You want to choose resources that allow your students to interact with the language in a
variety of ways. This includes having them read, listen, speak, and write. It also includes
having them use the language in different ways. Try to choose a variety of resources to keep
your lessons fresh and interesting.

Is the material adaptable?

Functionality and practicality are key, and you want material you can use with different
classes, ages, or topics. Considering the time you invest looking for material, try to find
resources that are flexible and can be used again.

1.1. Physical Resources

Physical resources are anything you have in your home and can show the student. They can
be things like dolls, flashcards, bulletin boards, masks, toys, etc.

Physical resources provide variety and help you reach your academic goals. They can bring a
little more excitement to the class and liven up your lessons. Imagine the following
situation: You are introducing the daily routine to a younger student. You try mimicking the
actions, but the student does not seem engaged. Now imagine bringing a little toy or doll
to perform the actions. Do you think this might get the student engaged in the lesson
again?

Here are some more examples of physical resources and their uses.
  You can use flashcards to review vocabulary you taught in class.
 Toys, dolls, or puppets are good for acting out role plays or sample conversations.
 Pictures or photos of famous people the student knows can be fun.
 You can use your personal belongings to show the student more about your
personality. (e.g. photos, clothes, souvenirs, etc.)
 Maps can help you talk about places around the world or give directions.
 Diagrams can help you practice vocabulary. (e.g. the body)

1.2. Digital Resources

These are resources on the computer, including the internet. Here is a list of aspects you
should consider when thinking about using online resources:

Is the site trustworthy?

You should use sites you know have correct content. There are many English teaching
websites that provide incorrect lessons or explanations. It helps to have a selection of sites
you can trust so you can find what you are looking for easily. Trustworthy sites are often
large organizations, such as the BBC or Cambridge. However, you do not want to be fooled
by fancy websites. If a website looks good, that does not always mean the information is
accurate. Whenever possible, try to compare multiple websites. This is especially true when
looking for grammar resources. Many websites give poor grammar explanations, so learn to
choose the best ones.

Do you need permission?

Some sites have strict copyright rules that prevent you from using the material in class.
Often the rules are about printing multiple copies, something you do not need to worry
about in online classes. However, you should ensure the digital resource you are using does
not have any copyright restrictions.

Does the material align with the lesson?

Like all material you choose, you need to make sure you are working toward a learning
goal.  If the digital content is fun, but students are not accomplishing anything, you should
choose something else. Digital resources are abundant, and it only takes some time to find
the perfect source to help the student achieve the lesson goals.

1.3. Creating a Repertoire of Resources

You need a variety of resources when teaching online English. If you want to save yourself
time in the future, start collecting material you can use for multiple lessons. These questions
can help you evaluate whether a resource is something you can use more than once:

 Are they useful for more than one lesson, topic, and age group?
 Will they be enjoyable for the students?
 Will I use it to introduce new topics or for further practice?
 Can it align with lesson plan objectives?
  Is it a main activity or a time filler?

Here are some other qualities of material you can save in your repertoire.

Effective
The best way to start creating your own repertoire is thinking of what you have already
used. If it worked once, it might work again. Do what works, modify what does not work,
and save it in your files.

Adaptable
A repertoire is effective not because teachers have every trick in the book, but because the
materials are adaptable and can be modified according to the student’s level. Sometimes it
is difficult to come across such materials, but as you start teaching, you will find adaptable
resources you can add to your collection.

Storable
You want resources that can be stored and organized easily. When you need to make a
change in your lesson, you need resources that are accessible. This includes physical and
digital resources. Digitally, make sure you organize your files well so you can access
anything you need. Using storable physical resources is even more important because they
take up space. Ideally, you will have a place near your desk where you can store your
physical resources.

Remember to think of ways to improve the repertoire so you can adapt the lesson no
matter the circumstances. Here are some strategies to make a teacher’s repertoire bigger
and better:

 Use your successful resources from previous lessons.

 Search the internet.
 Shop at dollar stores or bargain stores for fun physical resources.
 Share materials with other teachers.
 Read professional development material to give you ideas.
 Try new things and use your imagination.

1.4. Supplementary Material

Supplementary resources are the extra materials that teachers use to add value to the
lesson. There are many types of supplementary resources a teacher can use during different
parts of instruction.

Supplementary materials keep students interested. They allow teachers to innovate and
change the way content is presented in the classroom while giving students opportunities
to interact with the language.
Supplementary resources aid the teacher in providing an engaging lesson. They can add
some extra flare to the lesson, even if the topic is not very interesting to the student. They
can also help students by giving them a second or third way to see the material, which
allows for further understanding. Below are some ideas teachers can consider when
choosing supplementary resources.

Know the purpose of your resource

You should choose resource with a learning goal in mind. This could be reviewing
vocabulary, introducing a grammar topic, or fostering conversation. You need an explicit
goal when you choose a resource, and this is something you should consider in the
planning stage.

Individualize your resources for different students

You should think about the age, level, and interests of each student when you choose your
resources. You should also have a good idea of the needs of each of your students. Choose
materials that help students improve aspects of the language where they need it the most.

Vary the resources you use

You have an incredible amount of choices for resources, so do not simply use the same
ones over and over. If students enjoy a certain type of material, it does not mean it should
be the only resource you use in the classroom. Evaluate the effectiveness of the resources
and be prepared to change them or modify them when needed.

Give clear instructions to use the resources

You may have great material, but if the student is lost trying to use it, you will not have a
good result. You need to explain how to use each resource to maximize its effect. The table
below shows you how to give instructions for different types of resources.

Here are some tips to help you provide instructions with your resources:

 Check that the resources have instructions.

 Modify the instructions to make them simpler when needed.
 Go over the instructions with the student or give the student time to read
instructions individually.
 Use examples to help the student understand.
 Model the task when appropriate.
 Ask concept-checking questions to confirm the student understands the instructions.

Since many of the resources are tasks for your students to complete, you should have
samples or models ready whenever possible. Here are some possible situations and ways to
use examples in instructions:
  You give the student 10 multiple-choice questions. You can complete the first
question together as an example.
 You give the student a conversation prompt, for example “tell me about your
favourite movie.” You can model the task first by telling the student about your
favourite movie.
 You give your student a worksheet asking for sentences in the simple future. You can
write a few examples first as a model.

Decide if you want authentic material or not

Authentic resources are not made to teach English. They are what students may call “real
English.” You may also see the term realia, which is an educational word for real material.
Here are some examples of authentic material:

Using authentic material in the classroom can have a variety of benefits. First, it gives
students confidence to use “real English”. Understanding a movie, reading a news article, or
laughing at a n English joke are excellent confidence boosters for students.

Second, students see a more natural way of using the language. Authentic resources have
more idioms, slang, and less formal constructions that students will need to communicate.
ESL textbooks or inauthentic material often leaves this out.

Third, authentic materials are often about topics that are more interesting. English textbooks
can sometimes be a little too generic. Students can only learn about foods of the world and
famous cities so many times. However, with authentic material, students can watch a movie
trailer of the newest blockbuster, listen to popular bands, or read about the most recent
news. This is all much more interesting that what you find in textbooks.

While authentic material can be great, this is not to say that inauthentic material is bad.
Both types of material are good, depending on the situation. You need to decide which is
best for different situations. Normally, authentic material is used with higher level students.
This makes sense when you consider that a beginner student will not understand natural
English. However, with beginner students, you can adapt authentic material, something you
will learn about next.
1.5. Adapting Resources
When using authentic material, you will need to make changes so your students can
understand. Although it is wonderful to give students chances to interact with “real English”,
sometimes this is too challenging. However, you can make authentic reading and listening
material more accessible to lower-level students. Here are some tips:

Listening
Understanding natural English when listening can be a real challenge for students. Many
students say that the language in songs, videos, or conversations is simply too fast. Here are
some ways you can help:

 Slow down the video speed. This is easy in platforms like YouTube, where you can
choose 75% or 50% of the speed.
 Play the listening more than once. While this does not replicate real-life listening
situations, sometimes you do not have a choice. Many students will ask to hear the
listening again.
 Shorten the listening. You do not need to listen to everything. For lower-level
students, try using shorter authentic listening clips.
 Pay attention to background noise. Many of the videos on the internet today have
background music. This can be very challenging for students struggling to
understand the speaker. Try to find videos that do not have background music.
 Use good quality listening pieces. You should have clear listening pieces that can
be understood. You should also have good volume. You do not want extra listening
challenges for the student.
 Simplify the requirements. For example, you could ask students to write down any
words they hear. One popular listening activity is to write pairs of words. (e.g. hat/cat,
dog/fog, etc.) Then the students need to decide which of the words they hear.
 Ask main idea questions. This is another way to simplify the requirements. Instead
of asking specific detail questions, ask students to give you the main idea. For
example, instead of asking something like “when was she born”, try questions like
“what was this video about?” or “what was the purpose of this conversation?” 

Reading
Understanding natural English when reading is also very challenging. Your job is to adapt
authentic reading material when needed. Here are some ways you can do that.

 Pre-teach vocabulary or other concepts. Sometimes before reading, it is necessary

to teach any new or unknown ideas to the student. This helps with comprehension
when it is time to read.
 Remove challenging language from the text. It is great to use authentic readings,
but you can also make changes as you see fit. Look for vocabulary or grammar that is
too high above the level of the student. You can remove this when planning the
reading activity.
  Give students choice. When they read something they are interested in, your
students will be more successful.

2. Cultural Awareness
Teachers should provide an environment in the classroom where all students feel welcome.
In order to do this, teachers have to adapt the lessons to the sociocultural environment of
the students they are teaching. Lessons must be inclusive and respectful of differences and
not cross any cultural boundaries.

The following are some reasons why it is important to plan lessons with cultural awareness
in mind.

It allows teachers to understand behavior

When teachers are aware of student culture, it makes it easier to understand certain cultural
behaviours. In some cultures, for instance, students are not allowed to talk to adults unless
they are talked to first. Understanding this, will help teachers plan the lesson accordingly. 

It allows teachers to understand language barriers

The way languages are used might vary from country to country, and that could create
limitations with the way students understand the language. Therefore, teachers should be
aware of the differences that might interfere with the way students interact with the target
language. It is crucial to plan the lessons considering any important aspects of students’
mother tongue, especially the following:

 Grammar rules
 Grammar structures
 Phonetics
 Syntax

As an example, Russian have a different system of using articles than in English. Japanese
people do not have the same R and L sounds like in English. Spanish or French speakers
have male and female nouns, but English does not. Differences like these cause real
difficulties for English learners. The more you understand a culture and its language, the
better prepared you will be to help your students.

It allows communication to run smoothly

Once teachers understand the differences and similarities with culture and language, the
lessons have a higher chance of running smoothly, which means both teachers and students
are on the same level of awareness and understanding.

It shows that the teacher cares

Caring about a student can be shown by planning a lesson that caters to their needs and
makes them feel involved. When teachers show an interest in the culture of the student, it
helps increase engagement. Students who believe the teacher cares about them are more
likely to stay involved in the lessons.

2.1. Culturally Appropriate Resources

Your first consideration when choosing resources should be if the material is appropriate for
the student and the lesson. Cultural sensitivity is a large part of making this determination.

Do not choose controversial topics

While controversy and debate may be good for adults, young learners often struggle with
these types of activities. As such, try to avoid controversial topics in your lesson planning.
The two most common are politics and religion.

First, politics is seldom an interesting topic for young people. It also creates a situation
where you may have very different opinions with your students. The goal of your lesson is
not to persuade them toward one of your political beliefs. This can be especially challenging
when you are from a different country than your student. Your political beliefs may be
extremely different than your student based on your different backgrounds.

Second, religion is usually not interesting for students. It is also another area where you may
have completely different beliefs. Your students do not want to feel challenged on their
religious beliefs. The religion that people practice is a personal choice, and it does not need
to be made public or discussed during a lesson. The classroom should be a welcoming place
where no student feels judged.

While politics and religion are the most common topics to avoid around the world, you
should know the controversial topics in your students’ countries. In some places it would be
inappropriate to speak about health, money, family, or personal beliefs. In other countries it
would be fine, so it is your job to know your students.

Avoid stereotypes
Of course, you never want to show negative stereotypes, which may be offensive or racist.
However, you may come across another problem. Many English resources about cultures
around the world have a problem with stereotypes. Since they do not have time to
investigate a culture deeply, resources often give stereotypical overviews of different
cultures. Mexicans wearing sombreros, Japanese people eating sushi, or industrious
Germans are some examples you will see. When possible, try to dig a little deeper into a
culture rather than simply showing the common stereotypes. If you can move away from
food and festivals, you will be investigating cultures a little more deeply.

Apart from the resources, you also need to avoid stereotypes in the classroom and in your
planning. For example, if you have a student from Brazil, you do not want to plan a lesson
on soccer simply because you assume the student will like it. Or, you do not want to plan a
lesson where your Japanese student gives instructions to make sushi. While soccer is
popular in Brazil and sushi is popular in Japan, it may offend students if you assume these
details about them.

2.2. Culturally Relevant Materials

Being culturally aware is more than simply avoiding controversy and choosing respectful
resources. You also need to choose resources that are relevant to the culture of your
students. Having some background information about the culture of the students will help
choosing resources easier. Here are some suggestions on how to choose culturally
appropriate materials.

Do research
The objective of the lesson should include the outcomes from the curriculum document.
This ensures teachers are covering the expectations of the course. However, it can be much
easier to achieve these goals if they have researched what is popular in the student’s
country/culture. It is also very helpful to find out what children their age like in terms of
hobbies, sports, music, movies, etc. This can help teachers design lessons that the students
will find more interesting and relevant.

Choose relevant materials

Students will be more likely to participate if they can talk about what they know and interact
with materials that are familiar to them. That means teachers should be familiar with
students’ culture to use it as reference to make the lesson more appealing. Here is a chart
with examples of culturally relevant and irrelevant materials.

Focus on students’ knowledge of the world

Choosing to incorporate what students know of the world to teach new things is an
effective way to foster learning. It allows students to participate and feel confident about
what they know, and at the same time it helps teachers scaffold with familiar concepts and
ideas. Teachers should allow students to describe or discuss familiar topics like their country,
city, family, school, or life. That way it is easier for students to digest new topics, and it is
more likely they participate from the beginning of the lesson to the end.
2.3. Reflection Exercise
Consider some resources for a student in China. Fill in the table with the resources you think
you should and should not use with young learners in China.

Culturally Appropriate

Culturally Inappropriate 

3. Language Focused vs. Skills Focused Lesson

Language acquisition in the classroom occurs because of the combination of language-
focused and skills-focused activities.

Language-Focused Resources
These resources are based on knowledge about language. They teach and show students
how the language is used correctly. They give students opportunities to interact and use
language in targeted ways. Examples include:

Grammar resources help students understand the rules they need to follow for correct
English.

 Syntax resources show how to arrange sentences correctly.

 Vocabulary resources help students learn or review new words.
 Pronunciation resources target specific difficulties in English pronunciation

You will find many different examples of resources that can help with grammar, syntax or
vocabulary. The table below shows you some.

Skills-focused Resources
The tables below show you the common receptive and productive skills which are based
on using language. They are certainly not the only skills English learners need, but they
should give you a good idea about the differences.
3.1. Balance Language Knowledge and Skills
When creating lessons, it is important to have an appropriate balance between language-
focused and skills-based resources. This balance is something that shifts based on several
factors, including the following:

Student Level
Beginner students often need more language-focused resources. This is because they do
not yet have the language abilities to worry about skills such as reading news articles or
understanding videos. As they build their language, they can start to be exposed to more
skills-based resources. Yet, the opposite is not true for advanced students. While they can
benefit from learning higher-level skills, they will likely still need to know the language
structures and rules.

As for receptive and productive skills, beginners are more likely to focus on receptive skills.
This is because they are not yet ready to produce much language. However, they certainly
need opportunities to produce the language. Likewise, more advanced students should see
a good balance between receptive and productive skills.

Student Age
Younger students usually need more language-focused resources. This is because they
probably still do not have the higher-level skills in their own language. Could you make
inferences, identify author intent, or make predictions when you were a child? Probably not,
so trying to teach these skills to young learners, in a different language no less, is often not
worth it.

Older students, on the other hand, may be ready to learn the receptive and productive skills
they need to use the language. However, you should be the judge of what your students
can and cannot do.

Learning Gaps
As you plan your lessons, you are trying to eliminate the learning gaps your students have.
Each student will need to develop specific language or skills. This could be things like suing
past tense verbs, writing paragraphs, understanding the main idea, or using punctuation
correctly. These learning gaps should determine the types of resources you choose. If you
have a student who struggles with grammar, you will use more language-focused resources.
In contrast, if your student has trouble understanding spoken English, you may need to use
skill-based resources to build that ability.

3.2. Reflection Exercise

This section covered what language-focused and skill-focused materials are. Now you will
think of your own examples. Write down a skill-based and a language-based resource
for each situation.

 Learner is missing the proper conjugation of the present progressive.

 Learner cannot pronounce the word 'treasure' correctly, and don't understand its use
as a verb.
 Learner understands what the teacher says, but he/she is not communicating back.
 Learner is making a lot of spelling mistakes when writing.