Research for Materials Development in Language Learning: Evidence For Best Practice

This title examines current research in materials development and discusses their implications for the learning and teaching of languages. Recently there has been a dramatic increase in the attention given to materials development as an academic discipline. More universities are including modules on materials development on their MA in applied linguistics courses and more students are studying materials development in their PhD research. Yet to date there has been no publication focusing on reporting and discussing the results of research in materials development. This fills that gap, reporting on the results of recent research projects in materials development and discussing their implications for the learning and teaching of languages. The editors' introduction outlines the rationale, scope and objectives of the book and reviews previously published reports of research in materials development. There are concluding chapters which point out implications for second language acquisition theory and research methodology. The book features suggest applications of the reported research for materials development and proposals for future action in research in materials development for language teaching.

Brian Tomlinson is Professor of TESOL at Anaheim University, USA and Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Liverpool, UK. He has worked in Japan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, the UK, Vanuatu and Zambia, and is Founder and President of the Materials Development Association (MATSDA).

Hitomi Masuhara is Lecturer at the University of Liverpool, UK. She has worked in Japan, Oman, Singapore and the UK and has given conference presentations in over thirty countries. She is Secretary of MATSDA and has published many articles and books on materials development and on language acquisition.