An emerging instructional materials design model for English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) senior high school contexts

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate one instructional materials design model anchored on students' needs for English Language Teaching (ELT) materials. Design/methodology/approach: It made use of a three-pronged approach, specifically the descriptive developmental-evaluative research. The first phase used the parallel mixed-methods technique to identify the features of the model that address the specific needs of ESL and EFL students for ELT materials. The second phase was the model development. From the factorial and thematic analyses, nine major features emerged to compose the SFC model. The features are under sociocultural, functional, and constructivist language learning tenets. The third phase was the validation-and-refinement phase through a modified web-based Delphi method. Findings and Originality/value: This study resulted in the development of Bulusan's Socio-Functional Constructivist (SFC) instructional materials design model. It is apt for both English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. This study also concludes that students' needs for ELT materials may vary from one context to another, but converging needs can be identified to create an instructional materials design model. Moreover, Bulusan's SFC model proves that pedagogical theories and concepts could be mixed without necessarily refuting one another and disparaging other time-tested ELT frameworks. Ramifications to 21st Century material developers, curriculum evaluators, and ELT practitioners were exhaustively discussed in this paper.