USING AND ADAPTING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS TO HELP MOTIVATE STUDENTS

Richard Pinnerrpinner@sophia.ac.jp

Overview

Aims

To look at, observe and demonstrate tasks which utilise authentic materials.

Participants will adapt materials and design their own tasks.

OVERVIEW & DEFINITION OF AUTHENTICITY

Research background and issues

What is authenticity?

Fake

Gilmore (2007) 8 ‘inter-related’ definitions

1. “the language produced by native speakers for native speakers in a particular language community

2. the language produced by a real speaker/writer for a real audience, conveying a real message

3. the qualities bestowed on a text by the receiver, in that it is not seen as something inherent in a text itself, but is imparted on it by the reader/listener)

4. the interaction between students and teachers and is a ‘personal process of engagement’

5. the types of task chosen 6. the social situation of the classroom 7. assessment 8. culture, and the ability to behave or think like a target language group in order

to be recognized and validated by them”From Gilmore (2007: 98)

What is authenticity?

Native

Real

Self

Classroom

Task

Social

Assessment

Culture

The Authenticity Continuum

Useful Definition

Authentic materials are ‘designed not to transmit declarative knowledge about the target language but rather to provide an

experience of the language in use.’

(Tomlinson & Masuhara, 2010: 400)

“

Domains of Authenticity

authentic

Authentic Tasks– Example A: The teacher brings an English language newspaper to class and

has students read the text and underline every instance of the present perfect aspect or passive tense, and then ask them to copy them all out into their notebooks.

– Example B: The teacher uses an ‘inauthentic’ text from a published course book which was contrived specifically to practise reported speech and then discuss other ways in which the speakers from the text could have said the same thing using different language.

– Example C: The teacher asks students to use the internet to research about their favourite celebrity or hero and then create a short presentation in English to the rest of the class about that person.

• Unlike Texts, Authentic Tasks can come from any source.

Do you agree with this equation?

Authenticity

Motivation

What is Autonomy?

[Autonomy is] the ability to take charge of one’s own learning.

Holec (1979: 3)

“

Show of hands

Which do you find more motivating – materials from a course book or materials you have selected or created yourself?

The relationship between student and teacher motivation can be either positively or negatively

synergistic.

Deci et al (1997: 68)

“

Teacher

Motivation

Student

Motivation

Teacher

Motivation

Student

Motivation

What is Motivation?• Basically it’s why people do things.• For language learning it is often cited as the

reason students are successful (or not).• One of the main factors contributing to

motivation has been repeatedly shown to be…..• ….the teacher. (Dörnyei & Csizér, 1998 ; Chambers, 1999)

Extrinsic

Intrinsic

Intrinsic Extrinsic

Self-Determination TheoryDeci & Ryan (1985)

Integrative

Instrumental

People are more self-determined if..

Autonomy

Competence

Relatedness

Relatedness Relevance Authenticity

There is a strong theoretical link

Authenticity

Motivation

What is Authenticity?

Authenticity

• Texts• Tasks

PART 2 - METHODOLOGYA Theoretical Framework for adapting authentic materials

Authenticity

What are Authentic Texts?• Does authenticity come only

from native or L1 speakers of English?

• Can something be authentic if it was produced by learners rather than native speakers?

• If English is the world’s second language, what are authentic examples of English?

British and American

Indian

Singaporean

Korean

Geordie

Which English is More Authentic?

Native speakers may feel the language 'belongs' to them, but it will be those who speak English as a second or foreign language who will determine its world future.

David Graddol, The Future of English 1997

“

Kachru (1985)

Inner circleOuter circleExpanding circle

Graddol’s (1997) Three Circles of English Overlapping

Is World English Authentic?• What variety of English do you hope to teach

your learners?

Washback• How do exams affect your decision of what to

teach in class?• Is there any way for you to combine

authenticity and still prepare your students for their assessments?

Cheng & Watanabe (2004)

Authentic texts?

Are authentic materials too confusing?

What can you do to help

students deal with authentic

texts?

Dealing with difficulty• Get them used to authentic materials• Coping Strategies– Panacea Method

Nanotechnology is not a for the problems faced by modern medicine, but it can help overcome some of the difficulties.

panacea

ProblemsDifficulties

≠SolutionsAnswersCure

solution

Considerations for choosing

materials

Context of LearnersChoosing appropriate materials – what factors should you consider?

– Age – Language difficulty (Flesch-Kinkaid)– Engagement / relevance– Sensitive issues

Adapting Materials

Comprehension Form Focused (vocabulary and grammar). This should be dealt with in as interactive a way as possible – eg. Students could simply match up the numbers 1 -6 with a – e or they could check the words in a dictionary and teach them to their partners.

Engagement Once the main ideas of the materials are clear and students have been given time to prepare and understand, have them interact in a personal (authentic) way with the text/material. Eg. Asking opinions, debating, responding etc.

Reflection The students should be given a chance to reflect on the skills/language that they have used and the purpose this has in their own learning. In other words, Autonomy training.

Mishan’s (2005) 3 Cs

Culture

Currency

Challenge

Culture

Currency

Challenge

PART 3 - RESOURCESTraditional ‘Textual’ Authentic Materials

What are the best resources you know?

Evaluation

• Age of your learners• Language ability vs. difficulty of text• Engagement / relevance• Sensitive issues / appropriateness

Adaptation• Comprehension• Engagement• Reflection

Task: Adapting Authentic Texts

Form small groups

You will be given an authentic text to use

Discuss the merits of this text in groups

Plan a lesson which you think would be suitable for this text

Try to create some comprehension questions, discussion points and

communicative tasks

Explain your lesson plan to the class

Samples• Guardian Lessons• Weather Lesson• Film Lesson• Blockbusters

PART 4 – MULTIMEDIA MATERIALSUsing technology to expand communicative horizons

What are Multimedia Materials• Have you ever used them in class?• Are these more motivating for students?

Why?• Advantages and Disadvantages• What limitations are there? (facilities, time,

money)

Some Examples• D-Volver• Google Maps• Podcasts• WebQuests• Video Lessons• Online Exchange Programs• Remote Access Field Trip (RAFT)

My student’s Video Project

Moodle

Discussion• What are some of the possible constraints of

using these resources?• Are you a technophile or a technophobe?• Can you see any advantages/disadvantages to

using technology in class?

TED.com

Other ideas• Blended Learning• Moodle and Virtual Learning Environments• Webinars and Open Access Video Lectures

(Harvard etc)• Create your own media/lesson share club at

school. • Teacher training videos.com

Webquests

• Download• Make your own

Summary• You can download the slides and additional

resources atwww.uniliterate.com

• Please email me!rpinner@sophia.ac.jp

• Please also checkout www.cliljapan.org

KEEP

IT R

EAL

PART 5 - ASSESSMENTAdapting your own materials

Instructions• Time: 60 minutes• Sections: 2

• Part One: 45 MinutesThe first part is a short essay about how you see your relationship to authenticity.

• Part Two: 15 MinutesThe second part of the assessment is a short questionnaire about your attitudes to authenticity. This part is optional.

All materials must be submitted at the end, you will not be able to make a copy of this assessment.

Further• A resource for CLIL

in Japan www.cliljapan.org

• You can download the slides and additional resources at www.uniliterate.com

• Please email me!rpinner@sophia.ac.jp

Thanks for your attention!See you later, alligator.