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28Scientific Journal Impact Factor
THE LINGUODIDACTIC POTENTIAL OF USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION
Hafizov Abror Alisher ugli Teacher of Foreign Languages Teaching Department, International Islam Academy Email: abrorbek.hafizov92@gmail.com
Abstract: The article is devoted to the discussion of the linguodidactic potential of using authentic materials in foreign language education. A special emphasis is placed on the necessity for using authentic materials in the foreign language classrooms. It highlights the linguodidactic peculiarities of applying authentic materials in the teaching process and overestimates the value of authentic materials in foreign language acquisition development. As a result of the study, the article proposes the use of authentic materials in the language classroom due to the following linguodidactic potentials derived from different perspectives: linguistic, socio-cultural and psychological.
Key words and phrases: linguodidactics, language and education, authenticity, authentic materials, authentic exposure, authentic tasks, real language use, language acquisition, learner needs.
A contemporary insight into foreign language education can be characterized by the use of the following approaches to foreign languages teaching: communicative language teaching, learner-centered approach, intercultural competence-oriented approach and interactive approach. Under the framework of these approaches to language education, there is a high potential for a language learner to develop his/her ability to use the target language for communication, acquire a foreign language according to his/her learning needs and preferences, communicate cross-culturally through the target language and interact with one another in the language classroom. In this connection, this article is devoted to the discussion of the linguodidactic potential of using authentic materials in the language classroom and highlights the potential of authentic materials in developing language competences such as language use for communication, individual learning style, intercultural communication competence and interactive learning ability in learners.
It is widely known that the main focus of teaching foreign languages is to develop language learners' skills to communicate in the target language effectively and appropriately. In other words, it can be noted that for effective and appropriate communication in a foreign language, a learner is required to acquire a foreign language for communication purposes but not a linguistic knowledge acquisition.
I. INTRODUCTION
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This assumption means that nowadays a foreign language should be taught for real meaningful purposes which can be achieved through communication-oriented contexts. In order to achieve this goal, it is important to follow the main principles of language teaching and learning in modern methodology of foreign language education. One of the key principles of teaching foreign languages is to use authentic materials in the EFL classrooms to develop language skills of learners. This article is a product of a thorough review and synthesis of related literature.
It should be mentioned that there have been a number of researchers who studied the issue of using authentic materials in the EFL classes. The results of their works devoted to the problem of authentic materials use in a language classroom showed that it has been proved to be fruitful to apply authentic materials in the English classes to develop student' language skills to a certain degree. Therefore, this article aims at investigating this question more deeply and exploring the linguodidactic potential of using authentic materials in teaching foreign language (particularly, English) in the language classrooms. Besides, it is often claimed that the use of authentic materials in the English classroom can create a positive learning atmosphere as it encourages student motivation and autonomy.
Now, it is essential to deal with authentic materials and before this, it is reasonable to define the term authenticity and authentic materials. The concept of authentic materials in language learning is very comprehensive and wide. According to Nunan (1997) the term of authenticity can be noticed in lights of the materials used in a given teaching activity, and as claimed by Candlin and Edlehoff, there are four types of authenticity which are crucial for language learning and teaching: authenticity of goal, environment, text and task. Another type of authenticity called learner authenticity is also mentioned in related literature. This authenticity type refers to the realization and acceptance by the learner of the authenticity of a given text, task, set of materials or learning activity. Materials can be authenticated by learners, initially by recognition as having a genuine place in the language classroom; then engage the interests of the learner by connecting with his interests, background knowledge and experience, stimulating sincere communication.
Similarly, Breen (1985) also states that there are four categories of authenticity as outlined below: text authenticity, learner authenticity, task authenticity and authenticity of the classroom: Authenticity of text: refers to the authentic qualities of a text. It is claimed that authentic texts in the context of language learning, means any source of information used to help learners to develop an authentic understanding. Authenticity of learners: refers to the ability of learners to interpret the meaning present in the text like the native speakers do in the real world.
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
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Authenticity of the tasks: refers to the chosen tasks provided for the learners to be engaged in an authentic communication and authentic aims for learning. Authenticity of the classroom: the most important role of the classroom is to enable the learners to experience "public and interpersonal sharing of content of language learning, the sharing of problems with such content, and revealing of the most effective means and strategies to overcome such problems."(p. 67).
According to Gilmore (2007), the term authenticity can include the following components or elements as described below: a) the language produced by native speakers for native speakers in a particular language community; b) the language produced by a real speaker/writer for a real audience, conveying a real message; c) 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; d) the interaction between students and teachers; e) the types of task chosen; f) the social situation of the classroom; g) relevance to assessment; h) culture, and the ability to behave or think like a target language group in order to be recognized and validated by them.
III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The study is qualitative and descriptive by nature. It is a theoretical research rather than empirical study. Thus, the aim and tasks of research are based on the nature of study. According to the research aim, some applicable methods of investigation are selected and applied within the study. They are as follows: descriptive-analytic method, pedagogical observation, socio-pedagogical analysis, generalizations and concretizations. The selected methods can enable researcher to carry out research goal and draw consistent conclusions so far.
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Based on the analysis of some literature above, we will elaborate and discuss some elements of authenticity notion in the following table:
Table 1: Main components of the term "authenticity"
Components of authenticity Interpretation
Native production of language The authentic materials can provide native production of language
Language production for real message The authentic materials can provide an opportunity for learners to produce a language for real communication
Text interpretation The authentic materials can help
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qualities learners to interpret the text more effectively
Interaction between teacher and students Interaction between teacher and student can be developed through using authentic materials
Appropriate tasks The tasks provided in the authentic materials can encourage learners to communicate in the target language more effectively as they are connected with real life situations.
The social situation of classroom The authentic materials can make learners socially interact with one another as it contains authentic message
Relevance to assessment Authentic assessment can encourage learners to study independently
Culture acquisition The authentic materials are culture specific and relevant
It is clear from the table that the use of authentic materials can encourage learners to acquire a foreign language for real communication.
Similarly, Jordan (2012) another researcher who investigated the problem of authentic materials use in the classroom, he mentions four aspects of authenticity: authenticity of language input, task, event, and learner experience. Similarly, the researcher who is McKay (2013, p 186) defines authenticity as:
> Content-based where authentic language learning texts are not those that serve a non-pedagogic purpose with another community of users but rather those texts that particular group engage with and create discourse around for meaningful purposes;
> Interaction-based where there is a desire to prepare learners for "real" interactions outside of the classroom.
It is clear from these assumptions that authenticity in language education can possess the potential of creating a learning atmosphere for meaningful communication or discourse and encouraging real world situations for learning.
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Another scholar who worked in this field of language teaching methodology Brandl (2008), materials should be authentic to reflect real-life situations and demands. As he mentions, authentic materials can be characterized by the following assumptions such as: a) expose students to real language in contexts where it naturally occurs; b) relate more closely to learners' needs and provide a link between the classroom and students' needs in the real world; c) supports a more creative approach to teaching, allows teachers to develop their full potential, designing activities and tasks that better match their teaching styles and the learning styles of their students. A mixture of both textbook-based and authentic materials use that are pedagogically necessary and manageable is suggested by the writer (p, 186).
According to Saliha A. and Fatima Z. B. (2015), the authentic materials can be used to provide real world situation for learners and as they cited: "authentic materials are important features in order to improve the skills because they help to bring the real world into the classroom in condition to be selected and well controlled" (p, 22). As cited in Saliha A. and Fatima Z. B. (2015), "Richards and Schmidt (2010) define authentic materials as those materials that were not originally developed for pedagogical purposes, such as the use of magazines, newspapers, advertisements, news reports, or songs. Such materials are often thought to contain more realistic and natural examples of language use than those found in textbooks and other specially developed teaching materials. Nunan (1989) provides the conventional definition of authentic texts: he says authentic materials are usually defined as those which have been produced for purposes other than to teach language" (p, 23). The following resources can be main types of authentic materials: newspapers, TV programs, menus, magazines, the internet, movies, songs, brochures, comics, literature, texts.
In this research it is also agreed that authentic materials can be used in favor of students' needs and knowledge. They are natural and motivating to learners, and helpful to the language learning process. In addition, they help bring the
real world into the classroom practice, support a more creative method to teaching, provide authentic cultural information. They have important education value, so the pupils will be aware of the outside occasions. Authentic materials is significant since it increases students' motivation for learning, makes the learner be exposed to the "real" language as discussed in related literature. Authentic materials are believed to be valuable to the learning process and an actual means for providing, presenting real language and integrating target culture.
By reviewing the literature related to the research topic, it has been identified that there are a number of approaches to the materials used in the language classroom. For example, according to Richards (2001) two types of materials are identified.
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They are such as authentic materials (unprepared teaching resources such as texts, photographs, video clips etc.) and created materials (textbooks and other specially developed instructional resources). Now, it is important to claim that many published materials integrate authentic texts and other real-world sources. As Richards (2006) claimed that "classroom activities should in all probability mirror the real world and use real world or "authentic" sources as the basis for classroom learning. Authentic materials are good since they provide cultural information about the target language; they provide exposure to real language; they relate more closely to learners' needs; they support a more creative approach to teaching. Although many critics of authenticity have opposing view on those positive sides, however, since the arrival of CLT, textbooks and other teaching materials have taken on a much more "authentic" look." (p. 20-21).
According to Mishan (2005), the peculiarities of authentic materials can be summarized in the following way: After reviewing and synthesizing various assumptions and opinions, she formulated her synthesized criteria for authenticity. According to her, authenticity is a factor of the: a) provenance and authorship of the text; b) original communicative and socio-cultural purpose of the text; c) original context (e.g. its source, socio-cultural context) of the text; d) learning activity engendered by the text; e) learners' perceptions of and attitudes to, the text and the activity pertaining to it.
According to Scrivener (2011) only if the teacher is characterized to have such values as respect, empathy and authenticity, the language classroom becomes stronger, deeper, and educational climate becomes more positive, supportive, encouraging learner autonomy and student motivation. Language exposure may come through texts that are specially prepared and simplified for students or are not adapted, authentic texts from non-specialists sources. The author claims that there should be an authentic exposure to language and this can be achieved through (p, 187):
In this connection, it is important to deal with the linguodidactic potential of using authentic materials in the classroom. According to some literature analyzed, authentic texts possess the following advantages: a) provide the best sources of rich and varied comprehensible input for language learners; b) elaborate change to a text enrich coherence better than does simplification; c) impact on affective factors indispensible for learning such as motivation, empathy, and emotional involvement; d) generate students' motivation and interest; e) enable learners to communicate and interact socially in the target language environment, thus having an integrative learning value; f) learning style pose no problem to the efficacy of the use of authentic texts and tasks for learning ; g) suited to a naturalistic, consciousness-raising approach to learning target language grammar; particularly
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Scientific Journal Impact Factor SJIF 2021: 5.423
suited to the disposition of the more holistic mode of language processing, top-down processing; h) stimulate whole brain processing which can result in more durable learning; i) keep students informed about what is happening in the world, so they have an intrinsic educational value; j) textbooks often do not include incidental or improper English; k) language change is reflected in the materials so that students and teachers can keep abreast of such changes; l) books, articles, newspapers etc. contain a wide range of text types, language styles not easily found in traditional teaching materials; m) produce a sense of achievement, e.g., a brochure on England given to students to plan a 4-day visit; n) materials are constantly updated and topical easy availability of various types of texts; o) provide authentic cultural information ; p) relate more closely to learners' needs.
The linguodidactic peculiarities of using authentic materials in the EFL classroom can be summarized in the following table:
Table 2: Summary of linguodidactic features of authentic materials
Advantages Interpretation
Rich and varied comprehensible input Learners can comprehend and acquire sufficient input from authentic materials
Coherence provision The content of authentic materials is often more coherent than that of created materials
Affective factors: motivation, empathy, emotional involvement The authentic materials use in the classroom can provide an atmosphere for learners to be comfortable in their affection
Student motivation and interest The use of authentic materials can motivate and interest learners in the learning process
Socially appropriate context for communication The use of authentic materials can provide socially appropriate context for communication
Learning style consideration Learning styles of learners are often considered when authentic materials are used in the lesson
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Natural approach to learning; top-down processing Learners are provided a learning environment which is natural to learn
Whole brain processing It involves whole brain functioning in the learning process
Real world communication It provides a real life situation for communication
0 Incidental or improper English It contains incidental and improper language
1 Language change occurrences It more tends to include materials in which language changes happen
2 A wide range of text types It provides a mixture of text types for learning
3 A sense of achievement It can encourage a sense of achievement in learners
4 Topical and updated The authentic materials are usually topical, updated and real world issues
5 Cultural information provision It provides cultural info
6 Learner needs recognition Learner needs as learning styles, strategies, multiple intelligence, interest, ability
It is clearly seen from the table that there are a number of advantages of using authentic materials in the EFL classroom. In this research we consider these advantages and take them into account when we design lessons.
According to related literature analysis, some other linguodidactic peculiarities of authentic materials can be revealed in the following lines: a) communicative approach to language education; b) the development of language skills of learners through authentic materials use; c) teaching English to learners for real
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communication, real life situations, meaningful communication, real world communication. In this respect, it should be underscored that the use of authentic materials in teaching English to learners can provide a positive learning atmosphere for language learners to use language for real communication because authentic materials are good means of creating an opportunity for real language use.
The linguodidactic peculiarities of authentic materials can be also noticed by the fact that it provides learners with the exposure to real language in a real context. Other positive feature is seen when applying authentic materials; learners are highly motivated, given a sense of achievement when understood and encouraged for further reading. It can be assumed that they are exposed to real language and feel that they are learning the "real" language. To sum up, it is worth mentioning that the main advantages of using authentic materials in the classroom are formulated by: a) having a positive effect on students' motivation; b) giving authentic cultural information; c) exposing students to real language; d) relating more closely to students" needs; e) supporting a more creative approach to teaching.
In addition to those peculiarities, Gebhard also noted that linguodidactic peculiarites of using authentic materials can also be as follows: a) saves time in choosing the materials for the classrooms; b) systematically guide the teacher and students step by step through a series of lessons; c) can reinforce for the students the direct relation between the language classrooms and the outside world (contextualize language learning). All things considered, it can be noted that according to Gebhard, there are additional positive features of using authentic materials in the EFL classroom which can be summed up as: time saving nature; systematic approach to foreign language teaching and learning; construction of the relationship between the language classroom and the outer world.
As cited in McGrath (2002), there are eight criteria to be considered when choosing appropriate authentic texts. Such criteria are constructed by the following criteria: a) relevance to course book and learners' needs; b) topic interest; c) cultural fitness; d) logistical considerations; e) cognitive demands; f) linguistic demands; g) quality, and h) exploitability.
It can be noted that the use of authentic materials in the language classroom can be successful for some reasons as discussed in previous paragraphs. As the review of literature related shows that there are a number of advantages of using authentic materials in the EFL classroom. The advantages of using authentic materials can be summed up in the following way: a) having a positive effect on students' motivation; b) giving authentic cultural information; c) exposing students to real language; d) relating more closely to students" needs; e) supporting a more creative approach to teaching.
V. CONCLUSION
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General conclusions and implications
To sum up, as a result of the investigation, the following conclusions can be drawn:
The linguodidactic peculiarities of using authentic materials can be revealed in the following viewpoints: linguistic, socio-cultural and psychological.
a) The linguodidactic peculiarities of using authentic materials from linguistic perspective: the use of authentic materials encourages: native production of language, language production for real communication, appropriate and authentic tasks use, relevance to assessment, an exposure for real language acquisition
b) The linguodidactic peculiarities of using authentic materials from socio-cultural perspective: the potential of authentic materials to foster: a social context for meaningful communication or discourse and encouragement of real world situations for learning; the target culture acquisition, intercultural competence development, the social situation of the classroom, interaction between teacher and students.
c) The linguodidactic peculiarities of using authentic materials from psychological perspective: the potential of authentic materials to foster: learners' needs consideration, provision of a link between the classroom and students' needs in the real world, a more creative approach to teaching, generation of students' motivation and interest.
1. Brandl, K. Communicative Language Teaching in Action: Putting Principles to Work. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.2008.
2. Breen, M. P. Learner contributions to task design. In C. N. 1987.
3. Gilmore, Alexander, Authentic materials and authenticity in Foreign Language Learning, in Language Teaching, 2007.- pp 97-118.
4. Gilmore, A. Getting real in the language classroom: Developing Japanese students' communicative competence with authentic materials. Unpublished PhD Thesis. 2008.
5. Jordan, R.R, English For Academic Purposes: A guide and resource for teachers. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, 1997.
6. Mishan, F. Designing Authenticity into Language Learning Materials. Intellect, Bristol, UK. 2005.
7. Nunan, D. Designing tasks for the communicative classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
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