USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS & COMMUNICATIVE TASKS TO PROMOTE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING

Stephen StoynoffMinnesota State University

Mankato, MN, USA

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING Focus on what English language learners need

to be able to do with the language. Identify and teach the linguistic and

nonlinguistic knowledge needed to communicate effectively in a language use situation.

Utilize communicative tasks to replicate or simulate language use in the real world.

Employ communicative tasks that require learners to collaborate in interpreting, expressing, and negotiating meaning.

Incorporate authentic materials into communicative tasks to the extent possible.

STEPS TO INCORPORATING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS & TASKS INTO ENGLISH LESSONS Identify something the learners must be able to do in English (a

language use need based on curriculum aims). Determine the linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge required

to fulfill a particular communicative purpose. Select an appropriate source for the language content of the

lesson based on the curriculum aims, interests, age, and proficiency level of the learners.

Identify an appropriate language use task based on the curriculum aims, interests, age, and proficiency level of the learners.

Obtain authentic material and modify the material if necessary. Develop the supplemental materials needed to scaffold the

learning and exploit the content of the authentic material (e.g., transcripts; instructions to learners; questions to guide listening, reading, writing, or speaking practice; tables for organizing and categorizing key information; etc.).

EXAMPLE FOR MIDDLE OR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS Learners need to comprehend standard spoken English (at

normal speed) related to a familiar topic (popular film). Linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge needed to fulfill the

task (linguistic: reduced forms (contractions) and word meaning/non-linguistic: genre, topic, and characters).

Internet Movie Database video trailers: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Listening cloze procedure with two different versions of the transcript. Learners complete their version and then read it to a classmate, respond to discussion questions, and construct additional discourse in the form of a written screenplay script.

Obtain video link to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2139556121/

TRANSCRIPT AND TWO-PART TASK Harry Potter! I have seen your heart and it is

mine. They are coming. You can’t fight this war on your own. He’s too strong. They are coming. You don’t stand a chance. Hey don’t!

Part A: Harry Potter! I _____ seen your heart and it is mine. _____ are coming. You _____ fight this war on your own. He’s too strong. _____ are coming._____ don’t stand a chance. ____ don’t!

Part B: Harry Potter! I have seen your _____ and it is mine. They are _____ . You can’t fight this war on your own. _____ too strong. They are _____ . You _____ stand a chance. Hey _____ !

EXAMPLE FOR ELEMENTARY LEVEL STUDENTS Learners need to practice the rhythm and stress patterns

of English spoken at normal speed and distinguish between English and non-English words.

Linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge needed to fulfill the task (linguistic: phonemic and graphophonemic characteristics of English [ph/f] and word meaning [including identification of non-English words]/non-linguistic: genre, topic, and characters).

Internet Movie Database video trailers: The Lion King Listening task in which learners compare aural and written

versions of the discourse and identify key features (graphophonemic variation and non English words). Learners respond to discussion questions, practice English rhythm and stress patters, and write a standard English transcript of the discourse.

Locate video link to The Lion King.http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi712181529/

TRANSCRIPT & TASK

Transcript: Akuna matata. What a wonderful phrase. Akuna matata ain’t no passing craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s a problem free philosophy.

Task: Learners listen and circle all the words that contain the sound /f/.

EXAMPLE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS OR ADULTS Learners can respond to information requests and

provide appropriate suggestions in a service encounter. Linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge needed to

describe cultural events and make a recommendation based on interlocutor’s expressed interests (Linguistic: key vocabulary, key expressions, question formation, register/non-linguistic: topic, key factual information)

Museum and gallery section of the The St. Petersburg Times. http://www.sptimes.ru/

Role play a service encounter between a hotel staff member and tourist. Prior to the role play learners complete tasks designed to practice key vocabulary, expressions, questions and answers, and learn details about the topic.

Obtain description of city sightseeing tours.

SCAFFOLDING AND EXPLOITING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS Use graphic organizers

(e.g., charts that require learners to select or generate information based on a source and place it in an appropriate category, or organize a sequence of events or actions into the correct order by means of a time line)

Provide explicit instruction in key vocabulary and cultural information

Use effective questioning strategies(e.g., yes-no questions that elicit facts; short answer factual questions that begin with Wh-- and How; inference questions; opinion questions)

ENSURE COMMUNICATIVE TASKS FULFILL ONE OR MORE OF THE CLT PRINCIPLES The task requires learners to collaborate to

interpret the meaning(s) associated with the authentic material

The task requires learners to collaborate to express meaning(s) based on the authentic material

The task requires learners to negotiate meaning based on the authentic material

QUESTION POSING STRATEGY Prediction questions

Have you ever attended a football match? What kinds of incidents sometimes occur? Look at the picture. Then read the entries in the Police Incident Report.

Yes-No factual questionsDid an incident occur at the football stadium? (Yes) Did it occur in the morning? (No)

Vocabulary questionsDutch nationals typically come from what country?

DUTCH FANS’ EURO 2012 PARADE

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER FOR A POLICE INCIDENT REPORT OR LOGTime & Date

Location Subject(s) Event Description

13:0008/07/12

Stadium

13:3008/07/12

23-year-oldDutch football fan

14:3008/07/12

Police stop and cite driver for not yielding to a pedestrian in a crosswalk

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

WH and How factual questionsHow old was the Dutch suspect?Why was the driver stopped ?

Why did the Dutch soccer fan call the police? (inference question)

Prediction questionWhat happens to the driver of the car?

Personal expression Discuss with your partner the kinds of events you havewitnessed at football matches and work with your partnerto construct a newspaper report of the event that occurredat 13:00 on the day of 08/07/2012.

HOW DOES THE USE OF A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER AND QUESTION POSING STRATEGY WITH “THE DUTCH FAN PARADE” SATISFY THE PRINCIPLES OF CLT TASK DESIGN?

Learners collaborate to complete the table and answer questions and these tasks require them to interpret the meaning in the authentic material

Learners collaborate to answer questions and express personal experiences and opinions related to the authentic material

Learners collaborate to negotiate new meaning related to a text (complete incident report entry)

APPLICATION Use the task design grid to analyze and plan

a lesson for a target group of learners. Enter your response to each step in the box

in the far right column labeled Response. In the third step (Resources), identify a

source where you can obtain material for the lesson. The Communicative activities and resources for English courses handout contains some possible sources of authentic materials.

Be prepared to share your team’s results with the rest of us.

USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS TO DESIGN COMMUNICATIVE LESSONS

STEP QUESTION RESPONSE

Context Analysis

Who are the learners?

What do they need to know and to be able to do in English?

What constraints exist in the learning context?

Requisite Knowledge

What linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge do learners need to complete the purpose of the communication?

ADDITIONAL STEPSSTEP QUESTION RESPONSE

Communicative Task(s)

What language use task(s) will I include in the lesson?

Supplemental Materials

What additional materials (e.g., transcript, questions to guide learners’ engagement with the materials, graphic organizer, written instructions, etc.) do I need in order to exploit the authentic material?

REFERENCESBrown, J.D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum: A systematic approach to program development. New York: Heinle and Heinle.

Gatehouse, K. (2001). Key issues in English for specific purposes (ESP) curriculum. The Internet TESL Journal, 8, (10). http://iteslj.org/Articles/Gatehouse-ESP.html

Graves, K. (Ed.). (1996). Teachers as course developers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Graves, K. (2000). Designing language courses: A guide for teachers. New York: Heinle and Heinle.

Hutchinson, T. & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes: A learning-centred approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kelly, C., Kelly, L., Offner, M. & Vorland, B. (2002). Effective ways to use authentic materials with ESL/EFL students. The Internet TESL Journal, 8(11). http://iteslj.org/

Larimer, R. E. & Schleicher, L. (Eds.). (1999). New ways in using authentic materials in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.  

ADDITIONAL REFERENCESNation, I.S.P. & Macalister, J. (2010). Language curriculum design. New York: Routlege.

Opp-Beckman, L. & Klinghammer, S. (2006). Shaping the way we teach English: Successful practices around the world. Washington, DC: Office of English Language Programs, United States Department of State.

Orr, T. (Ed.). (2002). English for specific purposes. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.

Snow, M. A. & Brinton, D. (Eds.). (1997). The content-based classroom: Perspectives on integrating language and content. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (1998). Materials development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.