Using the Web as a Source of

Authenticity in EFL Classrooms

Aaron Royer, English Language Fellow
Overview

◈ Back to the Basics: CLT

◈ A Closer Look: Tasks and Authenticity

◈ A Few Examples

◈ Pitfalls and Helping Hands

◈ Lesson Plan Activity

Worth thinking
about..
Why is authenticity (of tasks and materials)
important in language instruction?

What does 'authentic' mean in an EFL/ESL

context?

What barriers sometimes stand between

teachers and authenticity?
Back to the Basics: CLT
From these..

◈ What is the nature of language and its

representation in the brain?
◈ What is the nature of second language
acquisition?
◈ What does it mean to ‘speak’ a language?
◈ What is communication?

Come these..
Meaning over
form Student
centered
Tasks
Errors vs.
Mistakes
Communicative Language
Teaching
Authenticity Input, input,
input
Back to the Basics: Tasks
“ an activity where the target
language is used by the learner
for a communicative purpose in
order to achieve an outcome.

(Willis, 1996, p. 23)

◈ Communication: “The
expression and
interpretation of meaning
in a given context.”

(VanPatten, 2014)

◈ Unit of organization

◈ Answers…what does it
mean to ‘speak’ a
language?
“ directly related to the
communicative behaviors
learners will need to carry out in
the real world.

(Nunan, 2004, p. 139)

Back to the Basics:
Authenticity
“ spoken or written language data that
has been produced in the course of
genuine communication and not
specifically written for the purposes of
language teaching.
(Nunan, 1999)
 Objectives
& Purpose

Situation Authenticity Texts &

& Context Materials

Participants
◈ Rich source of input

◈ Consistent with input-

based ideas in SLA

◈ Connects language
learning to real life

◈ Increased motivation

◈ More learner autonomy

“ I believe authenticity – that is to say
classroom language that reflects ‘real-
life’ language use – is achievable in the
language classroom, and, that, as
teachers of language use, such
authenticity should be our goal.

Scott Thornbury
An A-Z of ELT
 Authentic or…Not?
◈ After discussing job-related
language, students role-play a
job interview with a partner.

◈ After studying persuasive

language and discussing
various controversial issues,
students create and record a
PSA.

◈ After studying argumentation,

students post an opinion piece
on a class blog.
..Web 2.0 platforms add
authenticity..
A Few Examples
How do they fit into a lesson?

Determine Plan Learning

Identify Desired
Acceptable Experiences
Results
Evidence and instruction

Backward Design
“ I can write on general interest, academic and
professional topics. I can write organized
paragraphs about events and experiences in
various time frames.

I can manage and edit an online journal, blog, or

discussion forum.

(ACTFL Can-Do Statements – AL, Presentational

Writing)
Instagram Channel
Meets students where
they are

Real audience

Provides many
opportunities for
vocabulary
development and
focus on form
“ I can make presentations on a wide variety
of familiar topics using connected sentences.

I can give a short presentation on a famous

person, landmark, or cultural event.

(ACTFL Can-Do Statements – IM, Presentational

Speaking)
International
Student Orientation
Video
Real audience

Lots of collaboration
Place your screenshot hre

Can be ‘umbrella’ which

includes many tasks
“ I can write briefly about most familiar topics
and present information using a series of simple
sentences.

I can write about a school, workplace, famous

place, or place I have visited.

(ACTFL Can-Do Statements – IL, Presentational

Writing)
TripAdvisor Reviews
Real audience

Accommodates a range
of levels

Lots of models (i.e.,

input)
Pitfalls and Helping Hands
Comprehensibility Inflexible Contexts
◈ More an issue with ◈ Start small (and
authentic materials maybe stay small..)
than tasks
◈ Integrate with
◈ Brief text analysis existing materials
-- Oxford 3000 and curriculum
-- Lingo Rank
-- English Profile

◈ Slow down listening

◈ I can present information on
most familiar topics using a
series of simple sentences. I
can present information on
plans, instructions, and
directions.

◈ I can write short messages

and notes on familiar topics
related to everyday life. (1) I
can ask for information in
writing. (2) I can write a short
announcement, invitation, or
thank-you note.
Any questions?
Email:
aaronbroyer@gmail.com
Slides: goo.gl/vxrHuV