The acronym SARS stands for Select, Adapt, Reject, and Supplement. It is how teachers approach material selection and adaptation in the classroom. While many teachers do not simply select tasks from the coursebook, they prefer to adapt or replace them entirely, favoring activities, conversations, songs, and texts from widely recognized books such as Headway or Interchange. Teachers also increasingly turn to materials shared on social networks, in magazines, or in newspapers to better align their teaching to contemporary interests and trends. However, despite these efforts, selecting, adapting, rejecting, and supplementing materials requires a deeper understanding of the material and the academic needs.
The Importance of Material Selection
The key idea of effective material selection is that all materials should align closely with the lesson objectives as outlined in the syllabus. Good teachers always select materials appropriately while motivated and aiming to improve learning outcomes. However, material selection is not a one-size-fits-all process. Some teachers struggle to adapt materials, particularly in complexity or appropriateness. They may fail to consider the sociocultural backgrounds, interests, learning styles, interaction patterns, and critical thinking needs. That can lead to materials that do not fully resonate with students, hindering the effectiveness of the lesson.
Additionally, selecting material from authentic sources, such as textbooks from other contexts or books not specifically designed for the course, does not guarantee that these materials will meet all the necessary criteria for the specific teaching-learning situation. As Masuhara (2006) suggests, teachers should become well-versed in material development and evaluation to become more creative and critical in their teaching. This knowledge not only helps teachers improve their professional skills but also enables them to foster more effective learning environments.
Coursebooks: A Double-Edged Sword
While coursebooks are resources in language classrooms, experts like Cunningsworth (1995) caution against relying too heavily on them. According to Cunningsworth, they can reduce the teacher’s flexibility and limit their creative input. They may serve as a useful framework, but too much dependence on them can inhibit the teacher’s ability to innovate and address the specific needs of their learners. Teachers must be prepared to look beyond the coursebook and explore other materials that better suit their teaching style and students’ needs.
What to Consider When Selecting, Adapting, or Rejecting Material
Before using any material in class, teachers should evaluate it carefully to ensure appropriateness. Below are some suggested questions that can serve as a checklist during the preliminary evaluation of materials:
- Does the material align with the exit profile?
- Is the topic relevant to the learners’ global competence goals?
- Are the sentence structures and vocabulary familiar to learners?
- Is the instruction clear, concise, and familiar to learners?
- Is the material suitable for the learners’ age, level, and needs?
- Does it engage learners’ interests and motivation?
- Does it cater to different learning styles and cognitive abilities?
- Is the material appropriately challenging for the learners?
- Is the material the right length?
- Does the material assess learners’ understanding?
- Does the material encourage critical thinking?
- Does it convey any values?
- Does the material promote autonomy and responsibility in learners?
- Does it encourage creativity in language use?
- Is it relatable to learners’ real-life situations?
- Is it communicative and contextualized?
- Does it encourage collaborative work (e.g., pair or group activities)?
- Is the material well-graded from simple to complex?
- Are the materials illustrated or visually supported?
- Does it prepare learners for future problem-solving tasks?
- Is the source of the material mentioned?
- Is the material free of errors?
Teachers can use this checklist as part of their ongoing material evaluation process. By reflecting on these criteria, they can decide whether material needs to be adapted and how to improve it to serve their academic needs.
Practical Strategies for Adapting Materials
Once materials are selected, teachers often find that they need to adapt them to fit the specific context of their classroom. Here are some strategies for adapting materials:
- Addition: Teachers can add sentences, images, or diagrams to make the material more accessible or better aligned with the lesson’s objectives and the learners’ level.
- Subtraction: Simplifying the material by removing complex sentences or unnecessary information can make it more manageable for learners.
- Conversion: Changing the format of the material can be useful. For example, transforming a written text into a dialogue or task can help meet learners’ needs differently. Additionally, shifting the delivery medium —from print to digital formats or from a video to a conversation—can provide new opportunities for interaction.
- Reorganization: Rearranging tasks, questions, or instructions from simple to complex can help scaffold the learning process. That ensures learners gradually build on their understanding rather than facing overwhelming challenges.
Conclusion
Selecting and adapting materials for the classroom is a dynamic process that requires careful consideration of the students’ needs, the lesson objectives, and the appropriateness of the materials. By using a checklist for evaluation and applying strategies like addition, subtraction, conversion, and reorganization, teachers can enhance their teaching effectiveness and create more engaging and relevant learning experiences for their students. Teachers who master material evaluation and adaptation can revitalize their classrooms, making learning more engaging, interactive, and effective. Sharing best practices and ongoing improvement is key to fostering a culture of creativity and innovation in teaching.
By embracing these strategies, teachers can move beyond simply using materials—they can transform them to serve their students’ diverse needs, encouraging greater learner autonomy, creativity, and critical thinking.
