Tricia Escoto

BSED 4D-1

I. Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Enumerate Nunan’s Six Principles of Materials Design;
2. Understand the importance of the principles in materials design with
ease; and
3. Actively share their insights by connecting the previous discussion to
the lesson.

II. Subject Matter

Chapter 11 : The Principles in Materials Design
Nunan’s Six Principles in Materials Design

III. Discussion Proper

David Nunan (1988) identified the Six Principles of Materials Design

1. Materials should be clearly linked to the curriculum they serve.

Materials should be chosen on the basis of their relevance to the objective and
goals of the curriculum.

2. Materials should be authentic in terms of text and task.

Text refers to the authenticity of the input data which are used as point of
departure in materials development. Task authenticity refers to what learners actually
know in relation to input data learners asked to undertake tasks which replicate or
rehearse their communicative behaviors.

3. Materials should stimulate interaction.

Materials should stir interaction among learners. Materials must cause the
conversation among interlocutors for them to negotiate meaning, interprets signs and
symbols or understand dialogs.

4. Materials should allow learners to focus on formal aspects of the language.

There is evidence that learners can benefit from form-focused activities
that require them to solve problems, form and perform hypothesis, come to
conclusions and construct their own rules form instances and examples of
language use.

5. Materials should encourage learners to develop learning skills, and skills in

learning.
 Learning skills refer to 4C’s: Critical thinking, creative thinking, communication
and collaborating.
While, skills in learning are those Research on learning styles and work in
learner-centered curriculum development has led to the trend of incorporating into
materials activities that teach students about learning as it is impossible to teach
everything students need to know in class. Hence, it is necessary to provide learners
with efficient learning strategies, develop skills in selfevaluation, assist them to set
their own objectives and develop skills needed to negotiate the curriculum.

6. Materials should encourage learners to apply their developing skills to the

world beyond the classroom.
That a good language learner who always looks for opportunities to do must be
made a part of the materials. Many learners fail to make connections between the
language work done in class and the language they encounter outside. Tasks designed
to get learners to apply their skills needed to be elaborated.

AUTHENTIC VERSUS CREATED MATERIALS

 Authentic materials:  Nunan (1988) defines authentic materials as the

materials "which have been produced for purposes other than to teach language". 
Nunan (1999) defines authentic materials as spoken or written language data that has
been produced in the course of genuine communication, and not specifically written
for purposes of language teaching.

Other Definition of Authentic Material from the point of view of the following
writers:  According to Herod (2002) authentic learning 'materials and activities' are
designed to imitate the real world situations.  Herrington and Oliver (2000)
suggested a new pedagogical term, called "authentic learning".

This term is directly related to the students' real life and prepares them to face and
deal with real world situations.  Jacobson et al (2003, p. 1) sees authentic materials
as printed materials, which are used in classrooms in the same way they would be
used in real life. 

In other words, Stubbs (1996) defines authentic texts as "actual, attested, and such
that they have real authentic instances of use."  According to Carter & Nunan (2001,
p. 68) authentic materials are "ordinary texts not produced specifically for language
teaching purposes.

" Types of Authentic Materials: Teaching materials are a very essential part of
teaching and learning a foreign language. These days, the resources for teaching
materials are available for everybody.
 The internet is regarded as a very important and rich source for authentic
materials. Genhard (1996) classified authentic materials into three categories as
follows:
1. Authentic listening materials  Radio news, cartoons, songs, etc.
2. Authentic visual materials, such as street signs, magazines and newspapers
pictures, post cards, etc.
3. Authentic printed materials, such as sports reports, newspapers, restaurant
menus, train tickets, etc.

 Created materials:
Created materials refer to textbook and other specially developed instructional
materials. (Nunan, 1988) 
Materials expressly created for the foreign language learner (Gallien, Hotho &
Staines, 2000; Kmiecik & Barkhuizen, 2006). 
Those that are specifically designed for the language learners. They are either
adapted or simplified or written keeping in mind the language proficiency of the
learners in question. (Awasthi, 2006)