Supplementary materials are a term that every English language teacher encounters in their ELT career. These resources provide pivotal support for tutors, offering an opportunity to move beyond the traditional coursebook and its components. They allow teachers to introduce students to a broader and more diverse world of knowledge. Even the best textbooks cannot address every need in the classroom, as no single set of written materials can fully cater to the wide range of learning challenges that may arise in English language teaching. Before exploring their significance further, it is essential to define what supplementary materials truly are.
Kinds of supplementary materials
Supplementary materials typically consist of books and other secondary resources used alongside the coursebook. These include handouts, videos, and podcasts that focus on developing skills such as grammar, vocabulary, and phonology. They also encompass collections of activities to enhance communicative abilities, teacher resources with additional exercises for early finishers (e.g., reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary tasks), and web-based materials like downloadable handouts or gamified online tasks. Supplementary materials may also come from authentic sources, such as newspaper or magazine articles and videos. Some coursebook packages provide supplementary resources specifically designed to align with the syllabus, as well as websites where teachers can download materials to enrich their lessons.
The significant role of supplementary materials in teaching
According to Dodd (2015), supplementary materials enhance learners’ motivation by triggering their interest in learning and encouraging them to use the target language in class. This is supported by Chwo, Jonas, Tsai, and Chuang (2010), who analyzed the positive effects of adopting supplementary materials to improve the listening and speaking strategies of L2 learners. Similarly, Nikolakopoulou (2020) argues that young students in Greek schools responded better to realia, as most favored the use of authentic materials based on their comments and attitudes in class. Thus, the use of authentic materials had a positive effect on their motivation.
Supplementary materials also help learners comprehend and retain details from texts and tasks. A crucial advantage is their role in providing information about the people and culture of the target language community, which aids in contextualizing the teaching and learning environment. This diversification enriches lessons by exposing students to experiences beyond the confines of their classroom, fostering respect for diversity and cultures. Additionally, these materials save time and effort for teachers by reducing the burden of presenting new concepts. They enable teachers to introduce more topics, complete tasks more efficiently, and engage students in peer conversations. In turn, communicative and social skills are strengthened, and productive dialogue is encouraged—an essential skill in today’s era of soft skills and communicative competence.
Another significant contribution of supplementary materials is maintaining learners’ direct contact with objects, places, concepts, and individuals introduced in the material. As a result, students are less likely to rely on their mother tongue during classroom activities, ultimately achieving the teacher’s goal of target language immersion.
Reasons to choose supplementary material in our classroom
There are multiple reasons why teachers choose to use supplementary materials and activities in their teaching. First and foremost, they may wish to replace material that is unsuitable or redundant in the coursebook. Often, tasks fail to meet expectations or deviate from the intended lesson trajectory. Another significant reason is to fill gaps in the coursebook with content deemed essential. This approach greatly benefits teachers by enabling them to tailor lessons to learners' specific needs and interests, fostering engagement and effective learning. Additionally, providing learners with extra language or skills practice not only addresses their needs but also enhances teaching by introducing variety.
Conclusion
The selection of supplementary materials and activities often depends on several factors. It is widely recognized that, over the years, the field of language teaching has faced significant challenges, including declining motivation among students. While teachers have the tools and desire to help students excel, many learners struggle with a lack of interest or low performance, which further demotivates them. Engaging students with fresh, modern, and innovative materials is a goal for every teacher.
In Greece, where language learning is often certificate-oriented rather than focused on holistic education, this lack of interest is particularly pronounced. Even the most engaging topics or resources may fail to capture students' attention. This is where supplementary materials with thought-provoking and insightful content become invaluable. Such materials can stimulate critical thinking and build confidence in both learners and teachers.
Recognizing when coursebook content is insufficient and knowing how to find appropriate supplementary materials are essential skills for effective teaching. While many teachers incorporate diverse materials into their classrooms, the question remains: Are these materials always used effectively and successfully?
Bibliography:
The TKT Course Modules 1, 2 and 3 (2011), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139062398.027
Cambridge University Press, P 161-165
Chwo, G., Jonas, A., Tsai, C., & Chuang, C. (2010). Adopting supplementary material to enhance listening and speaking strategy used by Taiwanese college EFL learners. Retrieved from http://gas.hk.edu.tw/main/download/journal/59/25-41.pdf
Dodd, A. R. (2015). The use of supplementary materials in English foreign language classes in Ecuadorian secondary schools. English Language Teaching, 8 (9), Retrieved from http://www.ccsenet.org/ journal/index.php/ elt/article/viewFile/ 5
Nikolakopoulou, S., (2020), Devising Supplementary Materials for the 4th Grade EFL book, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
