Editorial: ELT Materials and Methods in the Digital Age

Abstract

Materials and methods in English Language Teaching (ELT) predominantly depended on conventional textbooks and visual aids. In the 21st century, the discourse around ELT materials and methods has progressively transitioned to non-traditional approaches, where the integration of multimodal digital texts and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is becoming standard practice. A central theme of this edition of MaJER (Volume 22, Issue 1) is the impact of technology on the engagement with ELT materials. A pertinent question is whether interaction with new technologies has resulted in significant changes to methodologies. Although traditional materials may continue to be relevant in contexts with restricted technological access, the incorporation of novel digital tools in ELT necessitates a deeper understanding of their effective application and the ways in which their integration facilitates innovative methodologies. Another focus of this issue is the role of English in instruction, which is a central to the topic of ELT materials especially where English serves as a lingua franca, extensively utilised for communication by non-native speakers of English. In such environments what constitutes standard English? Which variety should be used in communication and reading materials adopted in the classroom?