This book is the compilation of eight research studies conducted by students from the Master's in Education with Emphasis on English Didactics at the School of Education in Universidad Externado de Colombia, and one study carried out by the professors from the same Emphasis. The articles focus on the role of teachers as materials developers in their English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context and the importance of developing contextualized materials to promote students' learning processes. These issues comprise several themes such as teacher-developed materials in a Master's programme in Education with Emphasis on English Didactics, helping high-intermediate students develop argumentative skills in writing, enhancing undergraduates' reading comprehension through the awareness of reading strategies, digital storytelling to foster EFL writing, the effect of combining two corrective feedback strategies on written errors correction, self and peer assessment on students' oral performance (CALLA), communicative games to foster oral interaction in the EFL classroom, and promoting the reading process through collaborative strategic reading (CSR). This book is divided into eight chapters. Each chapter explains the corresponding research process undergone by the students. It describes their theoretical considerations, instructional and research designs, data analysis and findings, and conclusions in relation to their concern.

This valuable, research-based guide gives middle and secondary English teachers the tools they need to improve the comprehension skills of all their students. Core chapters explain specific practices for fostering learning from texts; leading students to a thorough, lasting understanding of subject matter; nurturing meaningful responses to literature; explicitly teaching comprehension strategies; and engaging students in higher-order thinking. An additional chapter highlights vocabulary instruction. Throughout, attention is given to building comprehension skills in a diverse range of students, from high achievers to struggling readers and English language learners. A wealth of hands-on materials are featured, including lesson plans, scaffolded reading experiences, and a richly detailed example of a teaching unit that shows how all facets of comprehension instruction can be brought together in the classroom.

This book is the compilation of eight research studies conducted by the students from the Master\'s in Education with Emphasis on English Didactics at the School of Education in Universidad Externado de Colombia, and one study carried out by the professors from the same Emphasis. It illustrates the students\' research process focused on various English didactíc issues relevant to the EFL community of teachers. This issues comprise several themes such as materíals development for teachers\' professional growth, undergraduate students\' critical thinkíng skílls revealed through ín-dass debates on controversial íssues ín an EFL dassroorn, the enhancement of wrítíng through cooperative learning, the improvement of oral fluency through vocabulary learníng actívíties based on collocations, materials development for learning English for specific purposes, development of task-based vocabulary to enhance reading comprehension, the process approach to develop argumentative skills, meaningful photographs to engage students in oral activities, and fostering reading strategies through the use of authentic materials. This book divided into nine chapters. Each chapter explains the corresponding research process undergone by the students. It describes their theoretical considerations, instructional and research designs, data analysis and findings, and condusions in relation to their concern.

Comprehensively revised and updated to take account of the impact of technology on the field of materials development

Teaching Materials and the Roles of EFL/ESL Teachers is published amidst a decade long increase in academic publications and training courses concerned with the evaluation and design of English language teaching materials. It is timely to consider what effect the advice on offer has had on teachers' practice. Are teachers evaluating materials carefully, using textbooks in the ways expected by textbook writers, developing their own materials, and mediating between materials and learners in the ways advised in the professional literature? The book explores these issues from a variety of perspectives. The views of publishers/textbook writers, those contributing to the professional literature, and teacher educators are synthesised to establish a 'theory' of how teachers can best fulfil their roles vis-à-vis materials and learners. This is then compared with 'practice', as represented by published accounts of teachers' actual practices and learners' perspectives. The conclusion reached is that teacher education in materials evaluation and design is essential and suggestions are offered as to the form this might take. The book is intended particularly for MA students and teacher educators concerned with materials evaluation and design, but is of interest to all those concerned with the publication and use of English language teaching materials.

This much-needed text provides a coherent and strategic approach to teacher development Teacher Development for Language Teachers examines ten different approaches for facilitating professional development in language teaching: self-monitoring, support groups, journal writing, classroom observation, teaching portfolios, analysis of critical incidents, case analysis, peer coaching, team teaching, and action research. The introductory chapter provides a conceptual framework. All chapters contain practical examples and reflection questions to help readers apply the approach in their own teaching context.

Defying Culture Hegemony through Teacher Generated Materials contributes to the growing literature on the critical analysis of English language teaching and learning materials used with students in local contexts. This research draws on contextualised teacher generated materials that contest decontextualised and standardised cultural content present in generic and commercial EFL textbooks. Six in-service teachers developed contextualised EFL materials (workshops and worksheets) for the pedagogical interventions of their qualitative action research (five teachers), or case studies (one teacher) to be used in state-funded and private schools, two private universities, and a non-formal public institution. Two full-time professors of the emphasis conducted a qualitative documentary research whose main purpose was to critically analyse the cultural content of EFL materials generated by these in-service teachers. These sociocultural mediations correspond to local realities of those who learn and teach English with these mediations in state-funded and private educational institutions in the Colombian context. Besides being designed from a critical stance and being implemented with students of varied English proficiency in state-funded and private educational institutions, these contextualised materials counter conventional resources used in EFL education, make up for their absence, or complement the existing ones. EFL materials proposed by the six in-service teachers create reflective, meaningful, and constructive learning environments. They also challenge the long-term cultural hegemony of commercial and instrumental EFL textbooks produced by foreign publishing houses or their local branches in our country. Furthermore, the study explores the role of contextualised teacher generated materials in fostering the development of students' cultural awareness, self-esteem and self-concept, and inquiry skills such as observation, prediction, interpretation, and communication. Additionally, it enquires into students' inferential reading and speaking in a blended learning setting, and in-service EFL teachers' oral interaction. This volume portrays a dimension of English teachers that reclaims their role as critical researchers and materials developers and invites them to envision themselves as autonomous and prospective educators and ponder their renewed identity.