Analysis of teaching resources used in EFL classes in selected Ecuadorian universities

Abstract

This study looks at how Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is implemented in Ecuadorian universities through analysis of teaching resources that teachers use in classes. A survey was conducted through the administration of a questionnaire. A total of 65 teachers responded to the survey. The results indicated that in developing productive skills, grouporiented activities such as pair-and-share scheme and role-plays are frequently conducted, and the use of worksheets, translator applications and audio materials were often used in developing students" receptive skills. Teachers did not often use resources on pronunciation activities, direction-oriented tasks and translation using Spanish. Analysis of frequently used resources showed that teachers tried to develop students" communicative competence, one of the core principles of CLT, however, most of these resources were not teacher-made but support materials of textbooks produced by publishing houses abroad. Too much dependence on these resources influences teacher interaction with students and also diminishes the role of the teacher as the frontline source of language use especially in listening and speaking when audio materials and worksheets replace the teachers" voice. Indeed, the selection of a teaching resource is as crucial as the method employed in CLT implementation in EFL classroom.

Supplementing Coursebooks--How, Why, and to What Effect: A Case Study

“…The research reported here, however, focused more specifically on the how and the why of materials supplementationthat is, how and why the teacher supplemented and how the teacher and the learners felt about the supplementation. The inclusion of learners' opinions was seen as furthering the studies (cited above) by Acosta and Cajas (2018), Jazadi (2003), and Katz (1996). Supplementary materials were coded and categorized not according to a preconceived notion but according to classroom moments as they evolved during the classroom experience.…”

“…These studies do not, however, provide insight as to the impact that such supplementation might have on learning, nor do they reveal the learners' perceptions of the materials. Acosta and Cajas (2018), in reporting the results of a survey administered to 65 English teachers of Ecuadorian tertiary institutions, provide their interpretation of how materials supplementation (or lack thereof) might impact student learning and motivation. Their study focused on the use of materials in the implementation of communicative language teaching (CLT).…”

“…Lastly, commercial coursebooks, especially those produced for a global audience, inevitably face difficulties in finding appropriate topics and in making appropriate cultural references. Acosta and Cajas (2018), in discussing imported commercial materials used in Ecuador, make the following comment: - [Students] would rather read a text about the Palacio Carondelet in Quito than about 10 Downing Street in London or the White House in Washington D.C.‖ (p. 103). Oddly enough, when coursebooks seek to avoid inappropriate or inaccessible cultural references, they often end up presenting a rather dull world lacking in both controversy and excitement (see Richards, 2001;Saraceni, 2013;Tomlinson, 2013a).…”

The Integration of ICTs in EFL Teaching in Ecuadorian High Schools: One Country, Two Realities

“…Besides, Acosta & Cajas (2018) carried out a study on the teaching resources used in EFL classes in both public and private Ecuadorian universities and applied surveys on 65 teachers to figure out what type of resources and how often they used them in class and concluded that ICTs were rarely used in their classes in favor of printed material of all sources, especially printed textbooks because of their ease of use when compared to the planning of a class that relies more on ICTs.…”

Factors Affecting English Language Teaching in Public Schools in Ecuador

“…Research completed discusses English language teaching and learning, focusing primarily on the various factors that can aid and impede EFL and English language teaching (ELT) in public school classrooms in Ecuador. Though, Acosta and Cajas (2018) explain how Ecuador is attempting to make EFL a top priority in Ecuadorian education. Many professionals from different regions in the world who work and complete research in EFL classrooms , such as Noom-ura (2013), Gulnaz, Ahmad & Mandouh (2016), Paker and Karaagac (2015), Dakhiel (2014) , and Hjalmarsson (2015) discuss various factors that affect English language learning in different levels of schooling beginning with young children up to teenagers.…”