Using Real Materials to Teach Foreign Languages Effectively

“Open up your coursebook to page 57, check the pre-reading questions and skim the news article on gardening technology.”

“Ugh, not the book again teacher!”

Sound familiar?

Coursebooks are valuable tools for both online tutors and classroom teachers. They deliver a structured syllabus and facilitate targeted practice in reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Additionally, they save educators significant preparation time, allowing them to focus more on teaching.

Let’s be honest: traditional coursebooks can sometimes fall short in capturing learners’ interest or relevance. The bright side? There are exciting alternatives to teaching English that go beyond the confines of a standard coursebook.

There is a treasure trove of authentic materials and resources available to enhance your online classes. Utilizing these tools can help you create engaging and motivating lessons that effectively align with your students’ learning goals.

There are many reasons to want to incorporate authentic materials in your lessons, so let’s explore. 

What is authentic material in language teaching?

The term “authentic” in authentic materials refers to texts, videos, or audio resources that were not specifically designed for English language instruction. Instead, these materials reflect real-world language use, making them valuable tools for learners to engage with genuine content.

Rather than relying on traditional textbooks, the learning material is sourced from authentic outlets such as news articles, podcasts, or video platforms. Teachers then create tailored questions, activities, and projects based on this real-world content, ensuring they are appropriately challenging for their students’ skill levels.

What are the advantages of authentic materials in English teaching?

There are lots of advantages to teaching English with authentic texts and materials. For example, you can more easily:

1. Teach to your students’ interests

On your first day of online tutoring, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with your student or students, gaining valuable insights into their interests, aspirations, and the challenges they face. This understanding will pave the way for a more tailored and effective learning experience.

You can then easily curate lesson materials that directly relate to a student’s personal or professional interests and goals. 

How can you do this quickly and easily?

While a quick Google search can yield useful information, consider diving deeper into your students’ interests by following their favorite sports teams or relevant social media accounts on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or Pinterest. These sources can provide you with engaging stories, videos, and social posts that can enhance your lessons and connect with your students on a personal level.

2. Show how far they’ve come 

Relying solely on coursebook materials can make students feel like they’re bowling with bumpers—safe but restricted. In contrast, incorporating real-world texts, videos, and listening materials sparks their motivation and engagement, allowing them to connect more deeply with the learning experience.

After all, they see that they can really comprehend real-world texts (rather than course book materials). 

What should you be aware of?

It’s essential to keep a close eye on their progress and exercise patience. Guide them through the content as many times as necessary, ensuring they feel supported and not disheartened by any challenges they may encounter.

3. Talk about topical stories

In addition to discussing your students’ interests, consider incorporating current news stories or local events into your lessons. Relevant news topics, when chosen carefully to avoid upsetting or overly controversial subjects, can serve as excellent conversation starters and enrich your teaching.

Should you use any type of news story?

Ultimately, the success of a classroom discussion hinges on your judgment about what will engage your students. It’s wise to steer clear of topics that are sad, controversial, or divisive. Additionally, make sure to align your discussion with lesson objectives and relevant language points before you begin.

4. Make Business English class material more relevant

Many Business English coursebooks tend to be quite generic. Although they include essential business vocabulary and some useful role-play activities, it’s rare to find exercises that are specifically tailored to your student’s unique role.

So why not start using authentic materials relating to your student’s industry or company?

An excellent strategy is to utilize content from the company blog, customer reviews, or news articles about the company. This type of material is particularly relevant and valuable for students, helping them connect real-world insights to their studies.

Should you avoid any types of company-related content?

While it may seem obvious, it’s essential to steer clear of negative reviews and unfavorable press. Additionally, avoid sharing news about layoffs or other stress-inducing topics that could create anxiety for your students. Keeping your communications positive and uplifting can significantly enhance their experience.

What are examples of authentic materials?

Here are some examples of authentic materials and how to use them.

Newspaper or magazine articles 

To effectively engage students in an online classroom, newspaper and magazine articles serve as excellent resources. The choice of text length and complexity should align with your teaching goals, as well as your students’ interests and proficiency levels. Whether you opt for headlines, short clips, or complete articles, these authentic materials can enhance learning and stimulate discussion.

If you’re uncertain whether a text is appropriate for your students or if the vocabulary might be too challenging, try using Text Inspector. This free tool evaluates the text’s level and aligns its vocabulary with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Additionally, it identifies difficult words, making it easier for you to prepare effective pre-teaching activities.

For lower-level learners, opting for shorter and simpler texts is usually the most effective approach. Additionally, incorporating articles that feature clear images or illustrations can enhance context and boost comprehension.

Recent non-controversial news topics are fantastic for students, as they often come with prior knowledge and personal opinions about the stories. This familiarity can spark engaging classroom discussions and create valuable opportunities for language development.

What activities can you try in class?

Similar to a traditional ELT coursebook, incorporating pre-reading activities can effectively introduce complex or unfamiliar vocabulary. Engage students with a variety of prediction exercises to foster critical thinking, along with comprehension tasks, quizzes, sequencing activities, and role-plays. These strategies not only enhance vocabulary understanding but also promote active participation in the learning process.

For starters, a simple news article headline or article can turn into:

• A prediction activity: After reading the headline, ask students to predict what happened next.
• A research and writing activity: Have students research the story and write their own blog post.
• A debate: Give students roles and have them prepare an argument based on the content. 
• A grammar transformation activity: Have students rewrite the headline using different tenses or in the passive voice, for example. 

Here’s an example of a conversation-based reading activity, suitable for teens or adult learners using a headline and article:

Read the headline. What do we know about the subject of the story and what do you find surprising? 

Next, skim the article and look at the article subheadings. What do you think happened?

Then answer the following comprehension questions. 

• When did Rhonda buy her bitcoins and how much did she spend in total?

• Why couldn’t she access her bitcoins?

• How much were her bitcoins worth when she contacted the hackers?

• In total, how much money did she have?

• What percentage did she pay the hackers?

• What did she use $10,000 for?
• Etc.

Once you’ve finished reading, select ten new words that pique your interest and look them up in the dictionary to explore their meanings. This will not only enhance your vocabulary but also deepen your understanding of the text!

Engage in a discussion with a partner or teacher about the merits of investing in cryptocurrency. Do you think it’s a wise choice? Share your thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages, and explore the reasons behind your opinions.

Tweets or other social media posts

Social media posts offer a significant advantage over traditional newspaper articles due to their brevity. This concise format makes them particularly effective for online classroom settings, where quick comprehension and engagement are essential.

It’s essential to recognize that social media is like uncharted territory—full of surprises and potential pitfalls. Therefore, it’s crucial to supervise your students closely during class, particularly when teaching teenagers or young learners, to ensure they don’t wander into inappropriate or distracting online spaces.

Plan your social media posts in advance for a smoother experience. Opt for tweets and content from established brand accounts, as they typically steer clear of controversy. You can easily capture this content by taking screenshots or copying and pasting the text into a shared document for easy access.

What activities can you try in class?

You are only limited by your students’ language learning goals. For example:

• Vocabulary challenge: When teaching beginners, students can look up unfamiliar words or paraphrase the tweet you have given them.
• Change the tone: Students can adapt the register of the tweets, making them more informal or formal.
• Practice answering: They can draft replies to the tweets (agreeing, disagreeing, or asking a follow-up question. 
• Encourage Research Skills: Have students fact-check tweets to promote online research, enhance reading comprehension, and expand vocabulary in the classroom.

TikTok videos

Incorporating TikTok videos into your classroom can make you a standout favorite among your students. However, it’s essential to approach this with caution. Allowing students to freely navigate the platform during class can lead to distractions and disrupt the learning process. Stay focused on your lesson objectives to ensure a productive and engaging experience.

So instead of sending a link to a video, download it using a tool like Snaptik.

Plan your lesson content in advance to maximize engagement. Select videos that connect with your students’ interests or capture their attention in a meaningful way. This thoughtful approach can enhance their learning experience significantly.

What activities can you try in class?

Remember, the videos you create don’t need to focus solely on vocabulary! Feel free to showcase stunts, dances, or humorous content—without any guilt. The key is to ensure that your activities are centered around language. Here are some engaging ideas to get you started:

• **Dance Movement Description Activity:** Instruct students to observe a dance performance and articulate the movements using previously learned action verbs. For instance, they might say, “They raised their arms, spun, fell, and shook their hips.”
• What happens next: Play half of a video and have students predict what happens next.
• Encourage Student Engagement: Ask students to write a comment as if they are enthusiastic superfans of the featured TikToker in the video.

Here’s a quick example of a conversation-based activity, suitable for teens or younger learners, using this TikTok video:

Step one: Look at the screenshot of the “baby” in the fast food restaurant. What do you think is happening?

Step two: Watch the first 10 seconds of the video. What challenge were they completing?

Step three: Make your predictions – were they successful or unsuccessful?

Step four: What was the outcome?

Step five: Watch the video again and note down any vocabulary you thought was interesting. 

Step six: work with a partner and create your own challenge. 

Final words

There are countless authentic resources you can explore to enhance your learners’ English skills. Consider incorporating podcasts, TV or radio interviews, movie clips, trailers, and even advertisements or posters into your lessons. These diverse materials not only engage students but also provide real-world context for language learning.

A great way to kick off this type of content is by inviting your students to discover it themselves! Encourage them to search for an intriguing video, article, poster, advertisement, or any other engaging piece of content that sparks their interest and that they’d like to delve into during class.

Encourage them to send the materials to you ahead of time, allowing you to adequately prepare engaging activities for the lesson.

We hope this has ignited some fresh ideas for your upcoming class and encouraged you to incorporate authentic materials into your lessons. If you found these suggestions beneficial, you may also enjoy reading “The Ultimate Dos and Don’ts Guide to Teaching Kids Online.”

Finally, sign up to teach English online at LingualNeeds now!