Catherine Thomas
C h i l e
Meeting EFL Learners Halfway by Using Locally Relevant
Authentic Materials
A
fter teaching a university conversation class of future
English teachers in Chile, in which I used picture postcards depicting works by famous nineteenth-century European artists, I asked the students to comment on the materials and the activity. The students complained about their complete lack of familiarity with these paintings, and one of them indignantly declared, “This is not our reality!” From that moment forward, I became acutely aware of the critical need to consider my students’ interests and realities when developing materials.
In another class, I used materials based on the poems of Pablo Neruda, a Chilean poet and Nobel laureate. I used English translations of his poems, audio recordings of English-speaking celebrities reading the poems, and topics related to the poems’ meanings. Once again, at the end of class, I asked my future English teachers to comment on the materials and activities. The students enthusiastically confirmed that they had been captivated and confessed their amazement that Neruda’s poems were appreciated beyond Chile’s borders. The surprising success of this class encouraged me to continue seeking, selecting, and using authentic materials that have local relevance.
2 0 1 4 N umber 3 | E n g l i s h T E a
With these experiences as background, I believe that teachers can benefit from using authentic materials in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. In this article, I define and describe authentic materials, and I outline benefits and challenges associated with using them. In addition, I review Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and Ellis’s Output Principle to explain why locally relevant authentic materials are an ideal source of comprehensible input for stimulating output from EFL learners. Then, I offer suggestions for selecting and finding locally relevant authentic materials, and for planning activities appropriate for use with these materials.
Defining and describing authentic materials
What are authentic materials? The scholarly literature on this subject contains a variety of explanations. Swaffar (1985) says that “an authentic text, oral or written, is one whose primary intent is to communicate meaning” (17). The author emphasizes that authentic texts must possess “an authentic communicative objective,” as opposed to the purpose of foreign language textbooks, which is to “teach language per se rather than to communicate information” (17).
According to Little, Devitt, and Singleton, an authentic text is “created to fulfil some social purpose in the language community in which it was produced” (as cited in Guariento and Morley 2001, 347). For Tomlinson (2012), “an authentic text is one which is produced in order to communicate rather than to teach. . . . The text does not have to be produced by a native speaker and it might be a version of an original which has been simplified to facilitate communication” (162).
We can safely conclude that authentic materials are produced for real communication and that the purpose of authentic materials is to communicate meaning and information rather than to teach language. The key to understanding what makes materials authentic is to think of them as texts that were not intentionally produced for language classrooms or learners. In this context, the most significant synonyms are genuine and natural; on the other hand, the most significant antonyms are artificial and unnatural. Finally, I would like to emphasize that it is acceptable to adapt an authentic text, if necessary, to suit the proficiency level of your students.
Two examples of the types of authentic materials that create engaging EFL classroom activities are cooking recipes and restaurant menus. These texts are authentic because they were created to communicate useful information in the real world rather than to teach language. The ongoing evolution of web content and web applications ensures that the possible sources and formats of authentic materials are ever expanding and diversifying.
Benefits of authentic materials
Tomlinson (2012) reports that several researchers “argue that authentic materials can provide meaningful exposure to language as it is actually used, motivate learners and help them develop a range of communicative competencies and enhance positive attitudes towards the learning of a language” (161). Gilmore (2007) states that “authentic materials, particularly audio-visual ones, offer a much richer source of input for learners and have the potential to be exploited in different ways and on different levels to develop learners’ communicative competence” (103). Spelleri (2002) notes that “authentic materials offer real language that is contextually rich and culturally pertinent” (16). Peacock (1997) empirically investigated the use of authentic materials in the classroom and concluded that motivation and on-task behavior increased significantly when learners used authentic materials.
To summarize, we can say that authentic materials are beneficial because they:
• expose learners to language that serves a useful purpose;
• provide a refreshing change from the textbook;
• focus more closely on learners’ interests and needs;
• provide information about a variety of topics;
• increase learners’ motivation; and
• connect the classroom with the outside world.
Challenges of using authentic materials
According to Gilmore (2007), “authenticity doesn’t necessarily mean good, just as contrivance doesn’t necessarily mean bad” (98). Gilmore cautions that it is difficult to “accurately measure learners’ motivation in classroom-based studies” (107). Gilmore also warns that “rating a text’s difficulty is not an exact science and is, to some extent, dependent on the learning context in which it is used” (108) and recommends “careful planning, selection and sequencing of materials and tasks” (112) to overcome the challenges you may face when using authentic materials.
The list below summarizes challenges associated with using authentic materials (Gilmore 2007; Peacock 1997; Spelleri 2002; Tomlinson 2012):
• The cultural content may seem too unfamiliar.
• The content may become obsolete too quickly.
• The language may be too difficult.
• The vocabulary may be too specialized.
• The grammar structures may be too complex.
• The preparation may require too much time.
How can you overcome these challenges? First, you can decide to select locally relevant authentic materials in order to avoid materials with unfamiliar cultural content. Next, you can adapt authentic texts in order to match your students’ proficiency. In addition, you can develop an efficient organizational system that will allow you to gradually create a portfolio of reusable materials. Also, with practice, you will become faster at finding and preparing authentic materials for classroom use. Finally, you may discover exciting ways to empower your students to do more of the work for you—and ultimately, for themselves.
Regardless of the challenges, classroom use of carefully selected authentic materials can significantly enrich EFL teaching and learning. In order to explain this statement, I review Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and Ellis’s Output Principle.
The Input Hypothesis and the Output Principle
The Input Hypothesis offers support for the use of locally relevant authentic materials. For example, Krashen and Terrell (1983) state that acquisition occurs when learners are able to comprehend challenging input and that comprehension is aided by clues related to the situation and context, among other factors. Their notions have implications for the EFL classroom: you need to make the input comprehensible but challenging, and the input should also be engaging, interesting, and relevant. In addition, you need to facilitate activities that promote a constant flow of comprehensible input and meaningful communication.
Reviewing the advice of Krashen and Terrell (1983) for how to aid your students’ comprehension of challenging input, you may wonder what the authors mean by clues related to the situation and context. Along with your facial expressions, physical gestures, and body language, you may be able to depend on a variety of audiovisual materials. In addition, I suggest that you focus on the arts, customs, food, holidays, places, situations, and traditions that are relevant to your local context. And to ensure that the input is engaging, interesting, and relevant, and that the communication is meaningful, you should develop classroom activities based on authentic materials.
Ellis (2008) argues that “most researchers now acknowledge that learner output also plays a part in second language acquisition” and that “successful instructed language learning also requires opportunities for output” (4). According to Ellis’s Output Principle, output is beneficial because it helps learners notice grammar and automate and internalize existing knowledge, gives learners more control over topics, provides learners with autoinput (their own language production), and generates more relevant input (when the input is offered in response to learners’ output).
Clearly, both input and output play significant roles in EFL classrooms, and these roles are enhanced by the use of locally relevant authentic materials. When you select authentic materials, try to match subjects, topics, and themes to your students’ realities. Content that is authentic, familiar, and engaging can meet Krashen’s prescription for input that is comprehensible but challenging. When planning lessons, develop several activities for any given authentic text; classroom activities that are designed to take full advantage of appropriate input offer opportunities for the beneficial output prescribed by Ellis.
Selecting and using locally relevant authentic materials
Every local context is different, and w
แคทเธอรี ThomasC h ฉัน l eเรียน EFL ประชุมอยู่ตรงกลางโดยเฉพาะที่เกี่ยวข้อง วัสดุอาหาร After สอนมหาวิทยาลัยการสนทนาของอนาคต ครูภาษาอังกฤษในประเทศชิลี ซึ่งเคยแสดงโดยปั้นจั่นศตวรรษยุโรปมือ โปสการ์ดภาพผมถามนักเรียนแสดงความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับวัสดุและกิจกรรม แนะนำนักเรียนเกี่ยวกับการขาดความคุ้นเคยกับภาพวาดเหล่านี้สมบูรณ์ และหนึ่งในนั้น indignantly ประกาศ "นี้ไม่ใช่ของเราจริง" จากช่วงที่ไปข้างหน้า ฉันเป็นทั้งทราบสำคัญต้องพิจารณาผลประโยชน์และความเป็นจริงนักเรียนของฉันเมื่อมีการพัฒนาวัสดุในชั้นเรียนอื่น ฉันใช้วัสดุตามบทกวีของปาโบลเนรูดา Chilean กวี และผู้ได้รับรางวัลโนเบล เคยแปลบทกวีของเขา บันทึกเสียงของดาราอังกฤษอ่านบทกวี และหัวข้อที่เกี่ยวข้องกับความหมายของบทกวีภาษาอังกฤษ ครั้ง จบคลาส ถามครูของฉันภาษาอังกฤษในอนาคตแสดงความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับวัสดุและกิจกรรม นักศึกษาใหม่ ๆ ยืนยันว่า พวกเขาได้รับหลัง และสารภาพความประหลาดใจของเนรูดาที่บทกวีที่นิยมนอกเหนือจากขอบของชิลี ความสำเร็จที่น่าแปลกใจของคลาสนี้สนับสนุนให้ฉันการแสวงหา เลือก และการใช้วัสดุแท้ที่มีความเกี่ยวข้องในท้องถิ่น2 0 1 4 N umber 3 | L E n g ฉัน h s T E เป็นWith these experiences as background, I believe that teachers can benefit from using authentic materials in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. In this article, I define and describe authentic materials, and I outline benefits and challenges associated with using them. In addition, I review Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and Ellis’s Output Principle to explain why locally relevant authentic materials are an ideal source of comprehensible input for stimulating output from EFL learners. Then, I offer suggestions for selecting and finding locally relevant authentic materials, and for planning activities appropriate for use with these materials.Defining and describing authentic materialsWhat are authentic materials? The scholarly literature on this subject contains a variety of explanations. Swaffar (1985) says that “an authentic text, oral or written, is one whose primary intent is to communicate meaning” (17). The author emphasizes that authentic texts must possess “an authentic communicative objective,” as opposed to the purpose of foreign language textbooks, which is to “teach language per se rather than to communicate information” (17).ตามน้อย Devitt และเดี่ยว ข้อความแท้จริง "แล้วเพื่อตอบสนองวัตถุประสงค์บางอย่างทางสังคมในชุมชนภาษาที่มันถูกผลิต" (เป็นอ้างอิงใน Guariento และ Morley 2001, 347) สำหรับ Tomlinson (2012), "ข้อความที่แท้จริงเป็นที่ผลิต เพื่อการสื่อสารแทนที่สอนการ... ข้อความที่ไม่จำเป็นต้องผลิต โดยเจ้าของภาษา และอาจเป็นรุ่นต้นฉบับที่มีการประยุกต์เพื่อให้ง่ายต่อการสื่อสาร" (162)เราได้อย่างปลอดภัยสามารถสรุปว่า มีผลิตวัสดุอาหารสำหรับการสื่อสารจริง และวัตถุประสงค์ของวัสดุที่แท้จริงว่า การสื่อสารความหมายและข้อมูลแทนที่สอนภาษา กุญแจสำคัญที่จะทำความเข้าใจกับสิ่งที่ทำให้วัสดุที่แท้จริงคือการ คิดให้เป็นข้อความที่ไม่ตั้งใจผลิตสำหรับผู้เรียนหรือห้องเรียนภาษา ในบริบทนี้ คำเหมือนที่สำคัญเป็นของจริง และ ธรรมชาติ บนมืออื่น ๆ antonyms อย่างเป็นธรรมชาติ และประดิษฐ์ ในที่สุด ฉันอยากจะเน้นว่า มันเป็นที่ยอมรับการปรับข้อความแท้จริง ถ้าจำเป็น ให้เหมาะสมกับระดับความชำนาญของนักเรียนของคุณตัวอย่างของชนิดของวัสดุอาหารที่สร้างกิจกรรมห้องเรียน EFL ฉลาดจะทำอาหารสูตรอาหารและร้านอาหาร ข้อความเหล่านี้เป็นอาหารเนื่องจากพวกเขาได้สร้าง การสื่อสารข้อมูลที่เป็นประโยชน์ในโลกจริงมากกว่าสอนภาษา วิวัฒนาการอย่างต่อเนื่องของเนื้อหาบนเว็บและโปรแกรมประยุกต์เว็บให้แน่ใจว่า มาและรูปแบบของวัสดุอาหารเคยขยาย และกระจายBenefits of authentic materialsTomlinson (2012) reports that several researchers “argue that authentic materials can provide meaningful exposure to language as it is actually used, motivate learners and help them develop a range of communicative competencies and enhance positive attitudes towards the learning of a language” (161). Gilmore (2007) states that “authentic materials, particularly audio-visual ones, offer a much richer source of input for learners and have the potential to be exploited in different ways and on different levels to develop learners’ communicative competence” (103). Spelleri (2002) notes that “authentic materials offer real language that is contextually rich and culturally pertinent” (16). Peacock (1997) empirically investigated the use of authentic materials in the classroom and concluded that motivation and on-task behavior increased significantly when learners used authentic materials.To summarize, we can say that authentic materials are beneficial because they: • expose learners to language that serves a useful purpose;• provide a refreshing change from the textbook;• focus more closely on learners’ interests and needs;• provide information about a variety of topics;• increase learners’ motivation; and • connect the classroom with the outside world.Challenges of using authentic materialsAccording to Gilmore (2007), “authenticity doesn’t necessarily mean good, just as contrivance doesn’t necessarily mean bad” (98). Gilmore cautions that it is difficult to “accurately measure learners’ motivation in classroom-based studies” (107). Gilmore also warns that “rating a text’s difficulty is not an exact science and is, to some extent, dependent on the learning context in which it is used” (108) and recommends “careful planning, selection and sequencing of materials and tasks” (112) to overcome the challenges you may face when using authentic materials.The list below summarizes challenges associated with using authentic materials (Gilmore 2007; Peacock 1997; Spelleri 2002; Tomlinson 2012):• The cultural content may seem too unfamiliar.• The content may become obsolete too quickly.• The language may be too difficult.• The vocabulary may be too specialized.• The grammar structures may be too complex.• The preparation may require too much time.How can you overcome these challenges? First, you can decide to select locally relevant authentic materials in order to avoid materials with unfamiliar cultural content. Next, you can adapt authentic texts in order to match your students’ proficiency. In addition, you can develop an efficient organizational system that will allow you to gradually create a portfolio of reusable materials. Also, with practice, you will become faster at finding and preparing authentic materials for classroom use. Finally, you may discover exciting ways to empower your students to do more of the work for you—and ultimately, for themselves.Regardless of the challenges, classroom use of carefully selected authentic materials can significantly enrich EFL teaching and learning. In order to explain this statement, I review Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and Ellis’s Output Principle.
The Input Hypothesis and the Output Principle
The Input Hypothesis offers support for the use of locally relevant authentic materials. For example, Krashen and Terrell (1983) state that acquisition occurs when learners are able to comprehend challenging input and that comprehension is aided by clues related to the situation and context, among other factors. Their notions have implications for the EFL classroom: you need to make the input comprehensible but challenging, and the input should also be engaging, interesting, and relevant. In addition, you need to facilitate activities that promote a constant flow of comprehensible input and meaningful communication.
Reviewing the advice of Krashen and Terrell (1983) for how to aid your students’ comprehension of challenging input, you may wonder what the authors mean by clues related to the situation and context. Along with your facial expressions, physical gestures, and body language, you may be able to depend on a variety of audiovisual materials. In addition, I suggest that you focus on the arts, customs, food, holidays, places, situations, and traditions that are relevant to your local context. And to ensure that the input is engaging, interesting, and relevant, and that the communication is meaningful, you should develop classroom activities based on authentic materials.
Ellis (2008) argues that “most researchers now acknowledge that learner output also plays a part in second language acquisition” and that “successful instructed language learning also requires opportunities for output” (4). According to Ellis’s Output Principle, output is beneficial because it helps learners notice grammar and automate and internalize existing knowledge, gives learners more control over topics, provides learners with autoinput (their own language production), and generates more relevant input (when the input is offered in response to learners’ output).
Clearly, both input and output play significant roles in EFL classrooms, and these roles are enhanced by the use of locally relevant authentic materials. When you select authentic materials, try to match subjects, topics, and themes to your students’ realities. Content that is authentic, familiar, and engaging can meet Krashen’s prescription for input that is comprehensible but challenging. When planning lessons, develop several activities for any given authentic text; classroom activities that are designed to take full advantage of appropriate input offer opportunities for the beneficial output prescribed by Ellis.
Selecting and using locally relevant authentic materials
Every local context is different, and w
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