Language Theories Donation through Materials Development A case study in Jordan

Materials development assists the teachers to understand and apply language learning theories and achieve professional development (Tomlinson, 2001) which this research has shown. This research aims to find out to what extent theories match the actual practice of materials and to help ‘theorists’ reflect upon language theories which are implicitly or explicitly embedded in the materials. It also aims to reveal the teachers’ and learners’ contributions in determining the practical theories. The sample of this research was purposive, that is, it was selected for a specific purpose to collect qualitative data and cover as wide a range as possible. The researcher interviewed thirty Jordanian teachers and students using qualitative research methods. The findings revealed some key principles donated by the participants, for example, 1) the materials should provide the learners with a variety of useful samples of discourse to enable them to use the language communicatively and meaningfully; 2) the materials should encourage the teachers’ and learners’ creativity; 3) the materials should take into account the teachers’ and learners’ preferences; and 4) the materials should take into consideration the specific and sensitive cultural aspects. Insightful implications and recommendations were suggested for future research.