Your materials need to be as well suited as possible to your classes and teaching context. There are, therefore, bound to be moments when you need to adapt or write them yourself.

Whether you are looking to evaluate materials to use, or to design and write them yourself, you need to keep in mind that the most effective materials for children:

• • provide natural, meaningful exposure to language;

• • take account of all aspects of children's development;

• • engage children cognitively and affectively;

• • focus on meaning before form;

• • develop discourse skills, not just single words or chunks;

• • are inclusive and take into account learning differences;

• • promote purposeful participation and communication;

• • provide a variety and balance of experiential activities;

• • personalise learning;

• • offer choice and encourage independence;

• • provide a suitable level of challenge (see Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) or the ‘Goldilocks rule’ – not too easy, not too difficult but just right);

• • provide support to ensure the challenge is achievable;

• • promote learner independence;

• • provide varied, appealing modes of input and practice;

• • incorporate educational issues such as social and emotional learning, values and life skills.

My key tips for adapting or writing materials are:

• 77 Don't be a slave to the coursebook!

• 78 Collect additional materials and resources

• 79 Adapt your approach to cater for mixed age groups

• 80 Design and write the course yourself – but think twice first!

77 Don't be a slave to the coursebook!

If you’re a busy, full-time teacher, there's no doubt that a coursebook can save your life. All the organisation of materials and sequencing of language is done for you, and you can get by with minimal preparation if need be. At the same time, there are ways in which it may be beneficial to make changes to your coursebook. These include:

• • Learning differences: adapt activities to support these (see 72).

• • Use of images: images may not be representative or culturally appropriate, or they may be attractive but not actively exploited. Be ready to provide a balance (see below).

• • Practice activities: these may be highly controlled, never giving children an opportunity to take risks. Find ways to extend them, for example, by incorporating activities that go beyond stories (see 24).