María Sol Torres

Applied Linguistics
Licenciatura en Inglés

Why use authentic materials in a second language classroom?

‘Content without purpose is only trivia’ once exclaimed Steve Revington, Authentic Learning pioneer. Such
learning refers to real-life situations of learning in which all the senses are engaged. In fact, its main premise
states that the content taught at schools must be meaningful for students to learn and remember. Undoubtedly,
purposeful content may be translated to the use of authentic materials in a language course they make
communication real; Thus, authentic materials should be used in a second language classroom since they aid
acquisition by increasing learners’ motivation, accommodating to their interlanguage systems and engaging them
cognitively.
It follows that Authentic Learning is related to the Communicative Approach in Language Learning. In
other words, the latter explains effective language learning is based on real communication activities in which
learners use natural strategies for language acquisition. Additionally, such activities should involve authentic
content in which language is used in real-life contexts. To clarify this, Cook (2018) describes the use of authentic
materials in a second language course as ‘simply using examples of language produced by native speakers for
some real purpose of their own rather than using language produced and designed solely for the classroom.’ As a
result, non-authentic material may refer solely to those specially designed for learners of a second language.
Initially, the use of authentic materials in a second language learning classroom increases learners’
self-confidence which in turn aids acquisition. When learners realize they can deal with real-life materials and
activities, their personal motivation is stimulated which results in self-confidence. Such a premise is related to one
of the hypotheses from Krashen’s Input Model which affirms that there may be a mental block that prevents
learners from learning the content due to lack of motivation or anxiety issues; Therefore, creating an
acquisition-rich learning environment is essential (Krashen, 1982). Nevertheless, opponents may contend that
contrived materials can also be motivating for learners. While it may be true that much non-authentic content aims
to be motivating, I still maintain the fact that such material is not often found. Related to this, one of the world’s
leading experts on materials development for language learning, Brian Tomlinson (2016) points out that
‘language coursebooks are not typically very successful in facilitating language acquisition’. Indeed, the use of
authentic materials increases learners’ motivation because of its fun content and topics. As a consequence,
learners’ self-confidence is high as they reach a feeling of accomplishment for understanding content intended for
native speakers, resulting in acquisition. In this way, motivation is a result of achievement, not a cause.
Pursuing the last idea further, not only does authentic material increase second language learners’
motivation but also it accommodates to their interlanguage systems and in that way, it aids acquisition. Suffice it
to say that authentic materials provide rich input that is more likely to cater to the different stages of development
and individual differences that exist within any classroom population. It does it so by displaying a wider range of
features than normally exposed in, for instance, coursebooks. Particularly, such a premise is based on the
weak-interface model of L2 acquisition with Professor Rod Ellis being one of its main supporters. Such model
proclaims that a degree of awareness is important before linguistic items can be absorbed into the developing
interlanguage systems of learners or as Ellis (1994) exclaims ‘no noticing, no acquisition (p: 89)’. To rephrase,
learners cannot notice what is not available to them in the input, in this case, the materials of the course. Once
the learners notice the gap between what they already know -their current competence- and the information that
is presented to them, intake or acquisition occurs (Ellis, 1994). Therefore, providing learners with rich authentic
input allows them to take different aspects of the lesson to suit their particular interlanguage systems (Gardner,
1959). A common argument against this position is that authentic materials exhibit impoverished data which may
result in the acquisition of improper language. Although I agree that it sometimes does include hesitations, false
starts, and ill-formed structures, I believe that teachers must consider these as usual constituents of real
communication and teach them as such. As a result, exposure to authentic input is necessary for SLA since
learners may acquire more language than with contrived material.
Along with the fact that real input displays many language features that learners can internalize, authentic
materials also present a cognitive challenge for them and this helps acquisition of the second language to
transpire. As aforementioned, authentic materials include a vast range of linguistic features for the learner to
grasp from. In fact, such features may be ones the learner has never seen or heard of before. On account of this,
the challenge of encountering true-to-life materials is just beyond the learners’ level of competence in the second
language (Krashen, 1982). Nevertheless, critics argue that authentic materials display a high level of linguistic
difficulty which may deter beginners from acquiring the language. While it may be true for some materials, others
can be effectively used with lower level learners such as menus, calendars, and plane or any other tickets
(Harmer, 2015). Furthermore, even in the case the material is complex for the learners’ level, the teacher may
devise activities that tackle such difficulties and make them easier to understand, thus, resulting in acquisition.
Overall, there are many advantages of using authentic materials in a SLA course. Opponents may say
that such materials are confusing and have ill-formed language. Nonetheless, authentic materials cater to
students’ needs in that they display language in fun updated contexts which results in motivation and
self-confidence. Likewise, the impoverished language they present constitutes samples that teachers may use to
illustrate language in real use. Finally, authentic materials are complex and difficult only when the teachers do not
have imagination to create activities that simplify them. All the above reasons state why authentic materials
should be used in the second language classroom to aid acquisition.

References

● Cook, V. (2018). ​Using authentic materials in the classroom.​ Retrieved November 17, 2018 from
http://www.viviancook.uk/Writings/Papers/AuthMat81.htm
● Ellis, R. (1994) The Study of SLA. Oxford: Oxford University Press
● Gardner, R and Lambert, W. (1959) ​Motivational Variables in Second Language Acquisition. Canadian

Journal of Psychology, 13.

● Gilmore, A. (2018). Authentic materials and authenticity in foreign language learning. Retrieved November
17, 2018 from
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/authentic-materials-and-authenticity-in-
foreign-language-learning/1AE0DE71E691F3D738A8FC9825C07607
● Harmer, J. (2015) ​The Practice of English Language Teaching. ​London: Pearson Longman
● Jack, R. (2018). Using Authentic Materials. Retrieved November 17, 2018 from
https://www.professorjackrichards.com/using-authentic-materials/
● Krashen, S. (1982) Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Retrieved November 17,
2018 from ​dkrashen.com/Principles_and_Practice.pdf
● Revington, S. (2018). ​Authentic Learning. Retrieved November 17, 2018 from
http://authenticlearning.weebly.com/
● Tomlinson, B. (2016). ​SLA Research and Materials Development for Language Learning. London:
Routledge.