Abstract:
Based on Krashen's (1980) Input Hypothesis, Swain's (1995) Output Hypothesis, and in
response to Brian Tomlinson's (2014) call for principled evaluations of language materials, this
study compared assignment sheets provided by ESL instructors from Ball State's Intensive
English Institute (IEI) with assignment sheets provided by First Year Composition (FYC)
instructors. Instructors were recruited from the advanced (levels 5 and 6) IEI Writing courses
and FYC English 103 courses. Assignment sheets were coded based on Littlejohn's (2010) model
of materials assessment and subject to a Chi-squared test of independence to determine if there
were significant differences in assignment feature frequency between the two contexts. The
target features were input form (graphic, individual words/phrases, extended discourse [based on
number of words] – written, extended discourse [based on number of words] – aural), input
source (instructor, student, or course textbook, or course-external), input nature (fiction, nonfiction)
and output form (graphic, individual words/phrases, extended discourse [based on
number of words] – written, extended discourse [based on number of words] – aural), output
nature (fiction, non-fiction, compare/contrast, cause/effect, and narrative). The results of this
study shed light on the transition from the ESL to FYC writing courses, while also presenting
potential problems with the application of Littlejohn's model.
