The job is important for English teachers in particular, as foreign language teaching requires fresh and up-to-date materials, Shu observed.

"They can cover the latest topics and materials in everyday life, publications and movies that fascinate the students and target the knowledge points that they need to learn," he said at the forum on June 9 - which attracted more than 130 scholars and experts in English-language teaching from all over the world, hosted at Shanghai International Studies University.

More teachers can start by participating in developing school-based textbooks and designing follow-up exercises, questions and interactions, Shu said.

"It also demands a lot from the teachers as the materials should not only serve to help with the students' language skills but also their comprehensive qualities and moral values," he said.

Foreign experts said that teachers universally have started to gain awareness of joining in with materials development.

Hitomi Masuhara, a lecturer of language teaching at the University of Liverpool, said a team of experts from the university have been involved in a project in Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province, to develop textbooks for primary and junior high schools.

"We worked with the education bureau and Chinese researchers, and local teachers were involved," she said.