Authentic Task-Based Materials - Bringing the Real World into the Classroom (by Gail K. Oura)

Well, it is recommended to keep a binder for notes and interesting idea during the course, but frankly speaking I hate all this paperwork that results in bales of paper. So if you don’t mind, I will keep all my notes here, in my blog.

I’ve just read an article Authentic Task-Based Materials - Bringing the Real World into the Classroom by Gail K. Oura. I found it very useful, so I’d like to point out the key ideas of the article.

Teaching materials should satisfy 2 requirements:

1. they should be authentic
2. they should promote task-based (TB) learning.

 Advantages of authenticity: 

1. it provides a direct relationship between the classroom (CR) and the outside world;
2. it increases learners’ motivation;
3. it leads to understanding of practical benefits of using the target language (TL).

TB learning implies the practical use of the language.

5 characteristics of TB learning (according to D. Nunan):

1. communication through interaction in TL; 
2. introduction of authentic materials into learning situation; 
3. focus is not only on the language, but on the learning process itself;
4. learner’s personal experiences are important elements of CR learning; 
5. linking CR language learning with language usage outside the CR.

 Tasks:

1. pedagogical tasks (during the instruction)
2. target tasks (in real world)

Task = what people do in everyday life.

TB teaching = organizing CR activities around target tasks.

TB approach is recommended for activities which teach culture.

Great ideas of TB activities: Eavesdropping (L), Culture Composition (W).