3. An authentic material is ……
“any material which has not been specifically
produced for the purpose of language
teaching.”
(Nunan, 1998)
4. Sources of Authentic Materials
TV commercials,
films, news items,
weather forecasts,
announcements,
radio talks,
interviews,
debates, songs
video shorts
animation
recipes, articles,
schedules, notes,
letters, cards
advertisements,
brochures, poems,
application forms,
instruction manuals
catalogues, lyrics
magazines,
newspapers, internet
Audio / Visual Written
5. Why use Authentic Materials?
Using authentic materials is a very contentious
point in language instruction.
Many people recommend using them – others
say never. However, the truth lies
somewhere in between.
6. Advantages of
Using Authentic Materials
Motivating!
Interesting and Relevant!
Exposes learners to “how the language IS”
Promotes deeper cultural knowledge
Brings creativity into classroom practice
Closer to actual learner needs and interests
Current and Topical!
7. Disadvantages of
Using Authentic Materials
Lots of prep time
Difficult language demotivates students
Culturally biased
Doesn’t promote “CO”, comprehensible input
Lack of materials development skills of
teachers
No structure or sequence building.
8. How to select? Questions to ask?
How can I exploit this?
How suitable is the content?
Is it familiar to my students (in their L1)?
Does it support my courses goals and
objectives?
Are my students prepared for “what they
don’t know?
Does the positive outweigh the negative?
How long will it take me to prepare?
9. Authentic Materials are powerful
They offer the student a chance to practice
“real” language use.
They promote “real” learning – students try to
understand the meaning without knowing
everything.
They bridge the “test tube” of the classroom
with the eventual “real” world.
10.
11. Further Reading / Resources
Glossary Terms
Teaching with Authentic Materials.
Effective Ways to use Authentic Materials
Authentic Materials and Cultural Content
Authentic Materials: an overview
Authentic Materials – interactive Webquest
Using Authentic Materials in the EFL
Classroom