In order to answer this question, it is helpful to look at what editing normally involves. The editing process involves a number of different stages which most professional editors call “passes.” These are editing stages that are used to progressively refine and improve the text. Each pass focuses on one specific aspect of the writing, and multiple passes are necessary to achieve a clean and polished final draft. The following passes are an essential part of the editing process:
The content pass is used to evaluate the overall structure and content of the writing. The editor will only focus on clarity, coherence, and organization of ideas. At this point suggestions can involve changes in the order of paragraphs or sections to improve the flow of the text.
The next logical step is copyediting, which normally involves checking grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style. The main focus is on sentence-level issues, such as correcting errors, improving sentence structure, and ensuring consistency in language usage.
Absolutely essential in non-fiction texts is a fact-checking pass. Editors verify the accuracy of facts, statistics, names, dates, and other information presented in the text. This will involve checking things like credibility of information, scientific facts, and the validity of sources.
A further possible step could involve a style pass of the text. Editors normally apply a specific style guide to ensure that the document adheres to consistent formatting and citation rules. It is also important to ensure that terminology, abbreviations, and formatting are consistent throughout the document.
Editors may review the writing to ensure that the voice and tone match the intended audience and purpose. They may suggest changes to make the writing more formal, informal, persuasive, or conversational, as needed. In some cases, the editor will read the text aloud to assess aspects such as spoken English. It is essential that transcripts of spoken dialogues sound authentic and use real spoken English.
The final stage is the proofreading pass, which is a final review intended to catch any remaining errors or before the document is considered final. Editors carefully review the entire document to ensure that no errors have been missed.
What is special about EFL writing? Editing language learning materials will involve all of the above steps, but also will require additional more specialised passes and checks.
For example, editors will have to check if the language used is graded correctly, appropriate and comprehensible to the target audience. This involves checking the vocabulary level using an online tool such as the Oxford Text Checker to see if the vocabulary aligns correctly with the appropriate CEFR level. Metrics that measure readability and sentence complexity, such as the Flesch-Kincaid score, are also helpful to align with proficiency standards. Editors should check a number of metrics to correctly assess the grading of materials.
In addition to checking the implementation of the style sheet and guidelines, the editor will have to assess whether the contents fulfil the lesson objectives outlined in the course syllabus. Is the pedagogical approach consistent throughout? Has the writer used the agreed activity types for each of the pedagogical stages? Does the scaffolding progressively decrease so that tasks gradually become more challenging? Has the writer considered the different types of cognitive load which may obstruct the learning process? Has the writer considered design elements like pictures, fonts, formatting, word limits and the overall accessibility of their materials?
One of the main issues that an editor will have to take care of is the whole issue around task instructions, or rubrics, as some people call them. Most publishers will create a list of approved instructions for different exercise types. It is essential that editors check if these instructions have been used consistently throughout. The editor will also need to check if the use of terminology is consistent, especially when introducing new vocabulary or grammatical concepts. For example, editors must ensure that metalanguage, definitions and explanations are consistent, clear and concise throughout the content.
If this does not sound complex enough already, there is still more. Editors need to be aware of cultural nuances and sensitivities in the content. It is the final opportunity to avoid potentially offensive or culturally biased material. This involves checking if the materials are diverse and inclusive concerning nationalities, genders, minorities and body types. A lot of editors will also need to check the implementation of the PARSNIP guideline. This is an anacronym for things that writers should avoid when they are writing EFL materials: politics, alcohol, religion, sex, narcotics, -isms and pork.
Editing EFL training materials is a specialized task that requires a deep understanding of language acquisition, teaching methodologies, and the unique challenges faced by non-native English speakers. Collaborating with experienced TEFL trainers and undergoing multiple passes can help ensure that the materials are of the highest quality and effectiveness for language learners.
Rory Braddell
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