Supplementary Materials in the ESL Classroom: Why and What?

Abstract

Supplementary materials? What are they? Well, they can comprise anything from books of listening materials or dialogues, to compendiums of puzzles, problems and games, and books containing discussion topics and ideas for role play activities. Basically, they are books for dipping into. They are not coursebooks — or textbooks, as we call them in Malaysia. They are ‘solo’ books which contain a number of activities which, more often than not, vary in kind, intensity and length.