Module 7: Lesson 2 - Authentic materials Flashcards
What are authentic materials?
Texts that are written for any purpose except for language learning.
These are texts written for everyday life; be it by native speakers or fluent second-language speakers.
The topics of these texts are aimed at a target audience of fluent speakers and some types of text may be technical.
They may be written in local dialects or have specific registers, such as formal or academic writing.
Examples: TV programmes, YouTube videos, TED Talks, podcasts, and any other sources of English that might enrich language use. Authentic materials are not adapted in any way.
Advantages and importance of authentic materials - name 3.
- Learners are more prepared for real-life communication.
- Learners are guided towards specific language for a required context.
- They help learners communicate, as authentic language is ‘real’.
- Excellent resource for receptive skills.
- Good for higher-level learners.
- Good way to introduce a topic.
- Learners may prefer this as the materials or content is ‘real’.
Explain TV clips.
TV clips can be used for all ages of learners.
They provide great examples of authentic language in realistic situations.
How can you use TV clips for very young learners (VYLs)?
- TV cartoons like Peppa Pig can be very entertaining and has dialogue.
- BBC has shows on YouTube (Topsy & Tim) showing dialogue.
- CBBC for older children and adults discussing topic news subjects - Newsround.
- Topic-based work (Horrible Histories)
- Videos & quizzes (National Geographic Kids).
How can you use TV clips with older teens and adults?
Dragon’s Den: good pitches, bad pitches, create their own.
The News: wide range of vocabulary and fast native speech.
Weather forecast: listen and present their own forecast.
Master Chef: talk about food and cooking, get them to present own meal.
Who wants to be a millionaire: general knowledge vocabulary.
Documentaries: can be chose to fit class.
Films: extracts can be used to consolidate language.
Explain newspapers as an authentic material.
- They contain a wide variety of language styles and grammar.
- They can be written in both informal and formal styles of writing.
- They provide great modeling for new language use.
- They provide opportunities for reading and speaking.
- They can provide the possibility for creative writing exercises and report writing.
How can we use newspapers in the classroom?
- Onestopenglish and Busyteacher.org
- Gap fills
- Grammar focus
- Focus on a topic
- Looking at headlines
- Making predictions from headlines
- Using horoscopes for predictions
- Adverts for language use
- Cartoon strips as reading material
What are some online sources for newspapers you could use in the classroom?
Breaking News English: current news articles. The articles are adapted and leveled for non-native speakers and they have a wide range of student activities.
News in levels: several articles weekly that come in three different levels. The articles can be read or listened to.
Weekly topical news lessons: come in different levels, some starting from elementary and some going up to advanced level. Each article has a corresponding worksheet
First News: children’s newspaper. It can be used with both children and adults, though. It is a subscription site, but there are also free resources available.
Explain magazines as an authentic material in the classroom.
Magazines are a fantastic resource because they are so visual.
They also can be very specific to a topic, for example, cars, IT, fashion, football, or any other hobbies and interests.
Name 3 uses of magazines in the classroom.
Fashion magazines are often full of fashion trends and ideas. This can be a useful tool to talk about fashion in the UK, fashion around the world, prices of fashion, designer fashion and the cost, fake fur vs real fur, and seasonal wardrobes.
Famous icons - Magazines are often full of celebrities. This could be a way of looking at famous icons and compare them with icons from their own country. You can use it as a debate topic for higher-level learners about what it means “to be famous.”
The TV guide can be a way of practicing questions related to time - the news begins at 6am, for example.
What considerations are there before using magazines in the classroom?
- Are the materials suitable for your class?
- Have you checked the resource thoroughly to make sure there is no explicit language, sexual references, or cultural insensitivity?
- Is it too long or too difficult?
- Is the content relevant to what you are teaching?
- Is it interesting? Try to think from the point of view of the student.
Explain music as an authentic material in the classroom.
Music can help engage and motivate learners and can create a productive learning environment in your classroom.
Lyricsgaps.com has a whole collection of songs with gap-fill activities, karaoke, and quizzes for three different levels.
How can you use music in the classroom?
Consolidate a topic.
Look at a particular grammar point.
Focus on a particular language point.
Focus on the lyrics to create a conversation/debate.
Look at a particular phoneme or phonemes.
Use questions related to the song lyrics to start a conversation.
Motivate a class. Ask your learners what music they enjoy, see if you can personalize some music genres, and incorporate them into your class.
What should you consider before using music in the classroom?
The lyrics - check the lyrics carefully.
Will your learners like the song?
Is it far too fast or difficult for the students to understand?
Take into account the age and level of the class, make sure you have a clear learning objective.
Culture - some cultures may not like the idea of listening to music.
Don’t play the song more than 3 times, even if the students like the song; they will bore easily.
Explain social media as an authentic material in the classroom.
Using social media is a great way to interact with your students, whether they are young learners, teens, or adults.
You can use it for videos to written posts, you can utilize all your skills to engage with your learners in a fun and interactive way.
