영어속독--Using Authentic Texts

영어속독--Using Authentic Texts

 

Authentic texts are those produced for the genuine reader, not for teaching. There is an increasing tendency for language teachers to use these texts, rather than contrived ones. At the same time, these teachers try to ensure that the tasks they set are also authentic. The trend is a good one, not least because most pedagogic texts are impoverished sources of language input. They were constructed to promote oral practice, so they do not develop the sort of reading skills that will be useful to students later in life.

 

Availability and sources

Authentic texts are obtainable without difficulty in most countries. Newspapers or magazines are excellent sources for cuttings and offer constant variety. Short stories and novels can be read in their entirety at advanced levels, but selected paragraphs or pages are often usable lower down the school. Recipes, books, labels, poems, instructions, songs, letters to newspapers, airline schedules, advertizements, rhymes, menus, the leaflet from a medicine pack and so on, all offer short reading possibilities. Anything that was written for a native speaker community is the possible basis of a short reading activity or even a full lesson.

 

Visual impact

Authentic text should be duplicated in their original form if possible, they look more genuine than retyped versions. An editor spent time planning the visual presentation, so it is a pity to lose this. It is enormously satisfying for a class to see that they are working with real English materials.

 

It is a good idea to number every fifth line on any long text before you photocopy it. This facilitates the identification of any words or phrases that you or students want to talk about.(279 words)

 

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