I agree with a lot of the principles mentioned by others. Like others, I like materials that are visually pleasing and not cluttered. I also like materials where the directions are clear and organized appropriately. This is something that I struggle with when I try to create my own materials. In my head, the directions are clear, but putting it on paper for someone else can cause some confusion.
Making sure that the context I provide is also language-level appropriate is also something I sometime struggle with. Sometimes I get so excited in thinking about the creation of the activity that I forget to think about the students. Do they have enough context or background knowledge for this activity? Is the vocabulary I am providing appropriate for their level? This ties in with with making sure the directions are clear. In the end, the activity and materials are for my students and not just for me, and I have to keep that in mind when I am creating and checking materials for use in the classroom.
Picking the right context is an issue I always come back to, Suzanne. I see that I sometimes conciously try to hold back on what makes me enthusiastic so that I can more focus more on my students' interests and needs (as I feel that for certain age groups needs are driven by interests and vice versa).
ReplyDeleteI can relate to this Suzanne and I often find myself in the same situation. I often get so excited about a topic because I like it and tend to automatically think that my students will enjoy it too but sometimes I forget that the age gap is a limit and I need to put myself in their shoes and try to make choices that would take into consideration what they might like.
ReplyDeleteOh, an age-appropriate context is such a challenge for me sometimes! Figuring out how little kids think and what's funny, interesting, engaging, challenging to them! I also completely agree about clear instructions. A second pair of eyes is essential! And sometimes my coworkers and I do activities together before the classes, taking turns pretending to be students.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzanne, thank you for your thoughts. It made me smile to read about the things that you struggle with. That's familiar! I've created a lot of materials for my students in the past that were much more appealing to me than them. sometimes it's a good idea to ask students for feedback after using materials. You don't even need to tell them you created them. It's an opportunity to find out things that you wouldn't normally notice. As Anne says above, a second pair of eyes are essential. Maybe some of you can start finding a 'materials buddy' in this group, someone in a similar situation who you can show materials to to look them over.
ReplyDeleteKatherine Bilsborough I really like the idea of coordinating a "materials buddy"!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. I’ve often created material which was engaging for myself and no other. Especially when I get really deep in designing a task, I can sometimes overlook even the fact that it is irrelevant to the goals of the lesson or even the course. I believe that getting feedback in all stages of material designing is “life-saving”.
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