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Authentic, Simulated Authentic and Non-Authentic Materials. Use Constraints

Authentic materials are those designed for purposes other than language teaching, and can come from various sources like videos and newspapers. There are different types of authenticity including goal, environment, text, task, and learner authenticity. Simulated authentic materials appear authentic but are designed for language practice, while artificial materials are designed specifically for practicing language. Teachers should use at least simulated authentic materials to help students acquire skills to handle authentic texts, as students may not be able to cope with fully authentic materials at first.

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Asier Ramos
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660 views

Authentic, Simulated Authentic and Non-Authentic Materials. Use Constraints

Authentic materials are those designed for purposes other than language teaching, and can come from various sources like videos and newspapers. There are different types of authenticity including goal, environment, text, task, and learner authenticity. Simulated authentic materials appear authentic but are designed for language practice, while artificial materials are designed specifically for practicing language. Teachers should use at least simulated authentic materials to help students acquire skills to handle authentic texts, as students may not be able to cope with fully authentic materials at first.

Uploaded by

Asier Ramos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AUTHENTIC, SIMULATED AUTHENTIC AND NON-AUTHENTIC MATERIALS.

USE
CONSTRAINTS (TOPIC 23)

The main aim of our teaching is to enable our pupils to reach communicative competence; this
means that our materials should have, at least, some degree of authenticity.

1. Authenticity

Nunan (1988) describes authenticity as materials which have been designed for purposes other than
to teach language. This means that our materials can come from very different sources; video clips,
extracts from TV, newspapers…

Cadlin and Edelhoff add to this at least four types of authenticity; of goal, of environment, of text
and of task. To these, Nunan, adds a fifth one, the authenticity of learner, being this one the most
important one.

To fulfil it, we need to respect two criteria:


1. They must be recognised by learners as having a place in our classroom
2. They must engage the interest of our pupils by relating to their interests, stimulating genuine
communication

2. Simulated authentic and artificial

Harmer defined a non-authentic text as “one designed especially for language learners”.
Furthermore, we can divide non-authentic texts between those made for the practice of specific
language (artificial) and those which appear to be authentic (simulated authentic).

The reason to use simulated authentic is clear, as our pupils will not be able to cope with authentic
texts, but they need to practice with texts that seem authentic. The use of these texts will help our
pupils to acquire the needed skills to handle authentic materials.

So, as conclusion, we can say that at least we need to use at least simulated authentic.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cadlin, C. & Edelhoff, C. “Challenges. Teacher’s Book” London Longman 1982
Harmer, J. “The Practice of English Language Teaching” Longman London 1983
Nunan, D. “The Learner-centred Curriculum” CUP Cambridge 1988

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