Abstract
The need for curriculum design, material development, the creation of units, and lesson plans is incontrovertible in that they all provide teachers with the opportunity of enhancing self-directed learning, enthusiasm, and learner confidence besides building language awareness, particularly in virtual classes. To that end, a unit design entitled ‘World without Crime' has been shaped to strengthen the intake of young adults or teenagers at the pre-intermediate level. This design was composed of four language skills with pre-, while-, and post-activities to be implemented in some e-learning platforms. Likewise, grammar and vocabulary exercises were incorporated based on a process-oriented approach and integrated syllabus. Communicative practices were adopted considering the issues of visual literacy and digital citizenship to promote the learning of the connected online community. Finally, some recommendations have been presented for future directions and foreign language teachers.
TopIntroduction 1
Recently, quite a few course-book designers and policy-makers seem to have internalized the philosophy of using a cookery book rather than a recipe while offering language materials to learners. However, instead of following the so-called effective instructions in material development or implementing them without questioning, referring to past experiences or the things getting inspired by during the design and respecting the underpinning theories of adopted practices are of high consequence (e.g. Stickler et al., 2020, Tanner & Green, 1998). In that sense, determining a correct road map is associated with the significance of quality in addition to concentrating on the strategic course of action rather than being stuck on the quantity of knowledge, units or guidelines. Nonetheless, current practices seem to have a negative backwash effect on lesson planning, syllabus design, and developing materials because of some external factors (e.g. the constraints on learning), or abiding by the policy of the Ministry of Education (‘MoE’ henceforth), and its moderate attitude towards spoon-feeding (Ersöz & Cephe, 2000; Kang et al., 2019). Most importantly, the Covid-19 pandemic crisis has also caused all stakeholders in the education system to face other challenges, such as the sudden transition of face-to-face teaching methodologies, curricula as well as learner assessment to online settings or (emergency) remote learning environments. These factors must be making teachers and learners lag behind the objectives of the lesson at times. In turn, learners would feel that they get bogged down in an inevitable circumstance, and they cannot deal with this paradox at all. In that case, language teachers must be encouraged to grapple with this difficulty by offering them some practical and functional designs, materials, or plans.
In light of these concerns, a technology-integrated unit with the support of social networks has been designed for English language teachers according to the contents of online courses, distinct approaches, methods in remote language teaching settings, or digital classes. The unit has not only been prepared by associating the basic components of lesson plans as if they were the bricks of a building but the designer has also regarded Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Furthermore, the macro politics of classes have been respected with the internationalization of Higher Education Institution (HEI), which would pave the way for teachers and students to adapt their education strategies and philosophy to the current reforms and the universities around the globe.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Flipped Learning: A pedagogical model that introduces learning materials to students in advance, making them aware of the content and thus facilitating the learning process, unlike traditional classroom teaching models.
Visual Literacy: The ability to interpret information and comprehend potential messages immersed in visuals or other multimedia tools.
Unit Design: A plan in which visual or written resources and all kinds of digital or tangible materials incorporated to conduct the lesson most efficiently in the light of teaching principles.
Digital Citizenship: The ability to participate in digital settings critically and proficiently by leveraging impressive communication skills besides considering human rights with ethical technology use.
Computer-Mediated Communication: A connection type in which people transmit the knowledge and their learning intake to the interlocutor(s) through a digital platform or a software system.
Jigsaw Technique: A learning strategy which heartens students to specialize in specific content and share their knowledge with other learner groups cooperatively.
Autonomization: The process of making students independent and self-directed by taking responsibility for their learning to gain self-efficacy.