Authentic Materials versus Non-Authentic Materials

Teaching materials are the key component in most language programs. Whether the teacher uses a textbook, institutionally prepared materials, or his or her own materials, instructional materials generally serve as the basis for much of language input learners receive and the language practice that occurs in the classroom. In the case of inexperienced teachers, materials may also serve as a form of teacher training, they provide ideas on how to plan and teach lessons as well as formats that teachers can use.

Much of language teaching that occurs throughout the world today could not take place without the extensive use of commercial materials. These may take the form of:

1. Printed materials: books, workbooks, worksheet, or reads.
2. Non-print materials: cassette or audio materials, videos or computer-based materials.
3. Materials that comprise both print and non-print source: self-access materials and materials on the internet.

In addition, materials not designed for instructional use such as: magazines, newspapers, and TV materials may also play a role in the curriculum.

Materials have different roles in language teaching as:
1. A resource for presentation (spoken or written).
2. A source of activities for learner practice and communicative interaction.
3. A reference source for learners on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and so on.
4. A source of stimulation and ideas for classroom activities.
5. A syllabus (where they reflect learning objectives that have already been determined).
6. A support for less experienced teachers who have yet to gain in confidence.

Functions of the Materials:
1. A source of language.
2. A learning support.
3. A motivation and stimulation.
4. A reference.

Authentic versus Non-Authentic Materials
When plans regarding the role of materials in a language program are made, an initial decision concerns the use of authentic materials versus created materials.

Authentic Materials: refers to the use in teaching of texts, photographs, video selections and other teaching resources that were not specially prepared for pedagogical purposes.

Non-Authentic Materials: refers to textbook and other specially developed instructional resources.

Some have argued that authentic materials are preferred over created materials, because they contain authentic language and reflect real-world uses of language compared with the contrived content of much created materials.

Authentic Materials:
1. They have a positive effect on learner motivation, because they are intrinsically more interesting and motivation that non-authentic materials.
2. They provide authentic cultural information about the target culture: Materials can be selected to illustrate many aspects of the target culture.
3. The provide exposure to real language rather than the artificial texts found in non-authentic materials that have been specially written to illustrate particular grammatical rules or discourse types.
4. They relate more closely to learners’ needs and hence provide a link between the classroom and students’ needs in the real world.
5. They support a more creative approach to teaching. In using authentic materials as a source for teaching activities, teachers can develop their full potential as teachers, developing activities and tasks that better match their teaching styles and the learning styles of their students.

However, critics of the use of authentic materials point out:
1. Authentic materials can also be motivating for learners. Published materials are often designed to look like teenage magazines and other kinds of real-world materials and may be just as interesting and motivating for learners.
2. Authentic materials often contain difficult language and unneeded vocabulary items, which can be an unnecessary distraction for teachers and learners. Since they have not been simplified or written to any lexical or linguistics guidelines, they often contain language that may be beyond the learners’ abilities.
3. Non-authentic materials may be superior to authentic materials, because they are generally built around a graded syllabus and hence provide a systematic coverage of teaching items.
4. Using authentic materials is a burden for teachers. In order to develop learning resources around authentic materials, teacher have to be prepared to spend a considerable amount of time locating suitable sources for materials and developing activities and exercises to accompany the materials.

In many language programs, teachers thus use a mixture of non-authentic and authentic materials, because both have their advantages as well as limitations

Textbooks
Commercial textbooks together with ancillaries such as: workbooks, cassettes, and teachers’ guides are perhaps the commonest form of teaching materials in language teaching.
Textbooks are used in different ways in language programs. For instance: a reading textbook might be the basis for a course on reading skills, providing both a set of reading texts and exercises for skills practice. A writing textbook might provide model compositions and a list of topics for students to write about. A grammar textbook might serve as a reference book and provide samples as well as exercises to develop grammatical knowledge. A speaking text might provide passages for students to read and discuss. A listening text input in a listening course.
The use of commercial textbooks in teaching has both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:
1. The provide structure and a syllabus for a program: Without textbooks a program may have no central core and learners may not receive a syllabus that has been systematically planned and developed.
2. They help to standardize instruction: The use of a textbook in a program can ensure that the students in different classes receive similar content and therefore can be tested in the same way.
3. They maintain quality: If a wee-developed textbook is used, students are exposed to materials that have been tried and tested, that are based on sound learning principles, and that are paced appropriately.
4. They provide variety of learning resources: Textbooks are often accompanied by workbooks, CDs and cassettes, videos, CD-ROMs, and comprehensive teaching guides, providing a rich and varied resource for teachers and learners.
5. They are efficient: They save teachers’ time enabling teachers to devote time to teaching rather than materials production.
6. They can provide effective language models and input: Textbooks can provide support for teachers whose first language is not English and who may not able to generate accurate language input on their own.
7. They can train teaches: If teachers have limited teaching experience, a textbook together with the teachers’ manual can serve as a medium of initial teacher training.

Disadvantages:
1. They may contain inauthentic language: Textbooks sometimes present inauthentic language because texts, dialogues, and other aspects of content tend to be specially written to incorporate teaching points and are often not representative of real language use.
2. They may distort content: Textbooks often present an idealized view of the world or fail to present real issues.
3. They may not reflect students’ needs: Because textbooks are often written for global markets, they may not reflect the interests and needs of students and hence may require adaptation.
4. They can deskill teacher: If teachers use textbooks as the primary source of their teaching, leaving the textbook and teachers’ manual to make the major instructional decisions for them, the teacher’s role can become reduced to that of a technician whose primary function is to present materials prepared by others.
5. They are expensive. Commercial textbooks represent a financial burden for students in many parts of the world.

Preeminent questions when selecting ESP materials:
1. Will the materials stimulate and motivate?
2. To what extent does the material match the stated learning objectives and your learning objectives?
3. To what extent will the materials support the learning process?

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods are best articulated by answering the queries, "What is the purpose of education?" and "What are the best ways of achieving these purposes?" For much of prehistory, educational methods were largely informal, and consisted of children imitating or modeling their behavior on that of their elders, learning through observation and play. In this sense the children are the students, and the elder is the teacher. A teacher creates the course materials to be taught and then enforces it. Pedagogy is usually the different way a teacher can teach. It is the art or science of being a teacher, generally referring to strategies of instruction or style of instruction. Resources that help teachers teach better are typically a lesson plan, or practical skill involving learning and thinking skills. A curriculum is often set by the Government with precise standards. These standards can change frequently, depending on what the Government states.

Diversity in Teaching in the Classroom

For effective teaching to take place a good method must be adopted by a teacher. A teacher has many options when choosing a style to teach by. The teacher may write lesson plans of their own, borrow plans from other teachers, or search online or within books for lesson plans. When deciding what teaching method to use, a teacher will need to consider students' background knowledge, environment, and learning goals. Teachers know that students learn in different ways but almost all children will respond well to praise. Students have different ways of absorbing information and of demonstrating their knowledge. Teachers often use techniques which cater to multiple learning styles to help students retain information and strengthen understanding. A variety of strategies and methods are used to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to learn. A lesson plan may be carried out in several ways: Questioning, explaining, modeling, collaborating, and demonstrating.

Questioning
A teaching method that includes questioning is similar to testing. A teacher may ask a series of questions to collect information of what students have learned and what needs to be taught. Testing is another method of questioning. A teacher tests the student on what was previously taught in order to identify if a student has learned the material. Standardized testing is in about every Middle School and High School. (i.e. Ohio Graduation Test (OGT), Proficiency Test, College entrance Tests (ACT and SAT). Before that we have to teach how to make questioner. If the questioner is perfect then this method will be effective.

Explaining
Another teaching method is explanation. This form is similar to lecturing. Lecturing is teaching, giving a speech, by giving a discourse on a specific subject that is open to the public, usually given in the classroom. This can also be associated with demonstrating and modeling. A teacher may use experimentation to demonstrate in a science class. A demonstration is the circumstance of proving conclusively, as by reasoning or showing evidence.

Modeling

It is used as a visual aid to learning. Students can visualize an object or problem, then use reasoning and hypothesizing to determine an answer.

Demonstrating

Demonstrations are done to provide an opportunity in learning new exploration and visual learning tasks from a different perspective. Demonstrations can be exercised in several ways. Here Teacher will be also a participant. He will do the work with his/her Student for their help.

Collaborating
Students' working in groups is another way a teacher can enforce a lesson plan. Collaborating allows students to talk among each other and listen to all view points of discussion or assignment. It helps students think in an unbiased way. When this lesson plan is carried out, the teacher may be trying to assess the lesson of working as a team, leadership skills, or presenting with roles.

Second - Language Teaching Methods

1. The Grammar - Translation Approach:

This approach was historically used in teaching Greek and Latin. The approach was generalized to teaching modern languages. Classes are taught in the students' mother tongue, with little active use of the target language. Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists. Elaborate explanations of grammar are always provided. Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words together; instruction often focuses on the form and inflection of words. Reading of difficult texts is begun early in the course of study. Little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis. Often the only drills are exercises in translating disconnected sentences from the target language into the mother tongue, and vice versa. Little or no attention is given to pronunciation.

2. The Direct Approach:

This approach was developed initially as a reaction to the grammar-translation approach in an attempt to integrate more use of the target language in instruction. Lessons begin with a dialogue using a modern conversational style in the target language. Material is first presented orally with actions or pictures. The mother tongue is NEVER, NEVER used. There is no translation. The preferred type of exercise is a series of questions in the target language based on the dialogue or an anecdotal narrative. Questions are answered in the target language. Grammar is taught inductively--rules are generalized from the practice and experience with the target language. Verbs are used first and systematically conjugated only much later after some oral mastery of the target language. Advanced students read literature for comprehension and pleasure. Literary texts are not analyzed grammatically. The culture associated with the target language is also taught inductively. Culture is considered an important aspect of learning the language.

3. The Reading Approach:

This approach is selected for practical and academic reasons and for specific uses of the language in graduate or scientific studies. The approach is for people who do not travel abroad for whom reading is the one usable skill in a foreign language. The priority in studying the target language is first, reading ability and second, current and/or historical knowledge of the country where the target language is spoken. Only the grammar necessary for reading comprehension and fluency is taught. Minimal attention is paid to pronunciation or gaining conversational skills in the target language. From the beginning, a great amount of reading is done in L2, both in and out of class. The vocabulary of the early reading passages and texts is strictly controlled for difficulty. Vocabulary is expanded as quickly as possible, since the acquisition of vocabulary is considered more important that grammatical skill. Translation reappears in this approach as a respectable classroom procedure related to comprehension of the written text.

4. The Audio-lingual Method:

This method is based on the principles of behavior psychology. It adapted many of the principles and procedures of the Direct Method, in part as a reaction to the lack of speaking skills of the Reading Approach. New material is presented in the form of a dialogue. Based on the principle that language learning is habit formation, the method fosters dependence on mimicry, memorization of set phrases and over-learning. Structures are sequenced and taught one at a time. Structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills. Little or no grammatical explanations are provided; grammar is taught inductively. Skills are sequenced: Listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed in order. Vocabulary is strictly limited and learned in context. Teaching points are determined by contrastive analysis between L1 and L2. There is abundant use of language laboratories, tapes and visual aids. There is an extended pre-reading period at the beginning of the course. Great importance is given to precise native-like pronunciation. Use of the mother tongue by the teacher is permitted, but discouraged among and by the students. Successful responses are reinforced; great care is taken to prevent learner errors. There is a tendency to focus on manipulation of the target language and to disregard content and meaning.

5. Community Language Learning:

This methodology is not based on the usual methods by which languages are taught. Rather the approach is patterned upon counseling techniques and adapted to the peculiar anxiety and threat as well as the personal and language problems a person encounters in the learning of foreign languages. Consequently, the learner is not thought of as a student but as a client. The native instructors of the language are not considered teachers but, rather are trained in counseling skills adapted to their roles as language counselors. The language-counseling relationship begins with the client's linguistic confusion and conflict. The aim of the language counselor's skill is first to communicate empathy for the client's threatened inadequate state and to aid him linguistically. Then slowly the teacher-counselor strives to enable him to arrive at his own increasingly independent language adequacy. This process is furthered by the language counselor's ability to establish a warm, understanding, and accepting relationship, thus becoming an "other-language self" for the client.

6. The Silent Way:

Procedures:

This method begins by using a set of colored rods and verbal commands in order to achieve the following: To avoid the use of the vernacular. To create simple linguistic situations that remain under the complete control of the teacher to pass on to the learners the responsibility for the utterances of the descriptions of the objects shown or the actions performed. To let the teacher concentrate on what the students say and how they are saying it, drawing their attention to the differences in pronunciation and the flow of words. To generate a serious game-like situation in which the rules are implicitly agreed upon by giving meaning to the gestures of the teacher and his mime. To permit almost from the start a switch from the lone voice of the teacher using the foreign language to a number of voices using it. This introduces components of pitch, timbre and intensity that will constantly reduce the impact of one voice and hence reduce imitation and encourage personal production of one's own brand of the sounds. To provide the support of perception and action to the intellectual guess of what the noises mean, thus bring in the arsenal of the usual criteria of experience already developed and automatic in one's use of the mother tongue. To provide duration of spontaneous speech upon which the teacher and the students can work to obtain a similarity of melody to the one heard, thus providing melodic integrative schemata from the start. Materials The complete set of materials utilized as the language learning progresses include: A set of colored wooden rods A set of wall charts containing words of a "functional" vocabulary and some additional ones; a pointer for use with the charts in Visual Dictation A color coded phonic chart(s) Tapes or discs, as required; films Drawings and pictures, and a set of accompanying worksheets Transparencies, three texts, a Book of Stories, worksheets

7. Functional-notional Approach:

This method of language teaching is categorized along with others under the rubric of a communicative approach. The method stresses a means of organizing a language syllabus. The emphasis is on breaking down the global concept of language into units of analysis in terms of communicative situations in which they are used. Notions are meaning elements that may be expressed through nouns, pronouns, verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, adjectives or adverbs. The use of particular notions depends on three major factors: a. the functions b. the elements in the situation, and c. the topic being discussed. A situation may affect variations of language such as the use of dialects, the formality or informality of the language and the mode of expression.
8. Total Physical Response James J. Asher defines the Total Physical Response (TPR) method as one that combines information and skills through the use of the kinesthetic sensory system. This combination of skills allows the student to assimilate information and skills at a rapid rate. As a result, this success leads to a high degree of motivation. The basic tenets are: Understanding the spoken language before developing the skills of speaking. Imperatives are the main structures to transfer or communicate information. The student is not forced to speak, but is allowed an individual readiness period and allowed to spontaneously begin to speak when the student feels comfortable and confident in understanding and producing the utterances.

The Educators’ Role in the Costa Rican Educational System

Educational systems play a preeminent role all over the world and Costa Rica is not the exception. Our education system defines our society and the way Costa Ricans perceive reality. Therefore, teachers have to deal with many vital functions within the learning process. Assuming that the teaching-learning process is a social task for both present and future times, all of us should not delay our efforts to improve this process. It seems to me that the ultimate purpose of the different components of our educational policies is focused on the intellectual development of the students. Although this may sound illusory, it is a fact that Costa Rican educators have to keep this in mind when teaching. Unfortunately, people in charge of programming and developing aspects such as: number of students by classroom, curricula and methods have to stick on statistics and available budget which causes leaving most of the students and teachers needs unattended. In other words, both students and teachers have just become a number for the system which responds more to international economical policies than to real needs.


The integral transformation of the Costa Rica’s Educational System implies a change of aspects such as: curricula components and educational policies to make better the different students’ profiles expected in a globalized world. Educators are expected to reinvent the teaching techniques as well as what and what for students learn. Doubtless, teachers have an important role as means of change of every single aspect that citizens have to deal with in our society. Unfortunately, educators have to work based on curricula focused on what the companies expect the students to be skillful in. That is why, Costa Rica invests lots of money to support and improve technical education (INA and technical public schools) and academic schools have been left behind by not covering all their money needs. Teachers of English have seen how their job conditions have changed because international companies need bilingual personnel. In order to make better teachers for the coming years, the government has to develop workshops to discuss new didactic techniques, curricula, and evaluation criteria and take into account the observations educators make. We cannot expect that teachers will make relevant changes if they do not have all the tools they need.

The programs to be developed by teachers are too full of contents which not necessarily respond to what pupils want to learn. As a result, both teachers and students work in a heavy atmosphere not good enough to neither teaching nor learning. Another aspect which is against teachers and as a consequence against the learning process is the fact that educators have to deal with tons of paper work and by doing so, they get easily tired, confused and unmotivated. Health problems are part of teachers’ complications as a result of excess of work and not getting enough rest in a system that does care about neither students nor teachers needs. In other words, teachers became more involved in paper work than in teaching.

Long time ago, educators have seen that most of students “don’t learn”, For instance, pupils can memorize o repeat some information, but they will not be able to remember it all their life. For that reason, educators must apply innovative methods to get a proper acquisition of the knowledge in some intellectual and behavior aspect of each student. Educators must not continue teaching by means of strict and routinely pedagogical practice. Therefore, they are obligated as teachers to begin a continuous educational process, taking into consideration new techniques and efficient didactic methods. Thus, all of us will be able to achieve and fortify the teaching-learning process in our classrooms. The Costa Rican Educational System is derived from foreign educational imitations which are not according to physical, mental, academic and cognitive characteristics of our students. Besides, it is originated from mental sub-development of the Politians that are in the government. These situations make difficult to accomplish a strong educational system. It is said, the learning process becomes more artificial, formalist and academic.


The national teaching staff is able to apply a curriculum and build it too. Also, teachers are ready to identify many pedagogic options during their profession. So, they have criteria to select information and become the social necessities in basic necessities of learning. Pedagogues are a significant symbol in the concretization and comprehension in all countries around the whole world. The educator is a scientific, an inverter, a visionary, a knowledgeable of the human behavior, a sower of kindness and he is able to promote peace and happiness. He is a walker with light saddlebag who walks among thirsty hearts of tenderness; his light will become delicious nectar which eradicates the thirstiness and fills that hearts with the sweetest honey.