| Variety is the key to success for those | | | | has been designed for the classroom, and is |
| learning a new language or trying to build on | | | | usually edited to make it appropriate to a |
| their existing knowledge. Having interesting | | | | particular level of English. This kind of |
| and appealing material to study from is | | | | resource is best found in the classroom from |
| essential to maintain motivation as a | | | | certified esl and tefl teachers, or in the |
| student, and this article will attempt to | | | | school itself. It's a very effective form of |
| explain some of the more useful resources | | | | learning and covers categories like word |
| available. | | | | searches, dialogues and worksheets, amongst |
| | | | others. Correctly designed non-authentic |
| It is worth noting that new learners of a | | | | material has been built with a teaching idea |
| language really do need to build a solid | | | | or topic in mind, and should focus on helping |
| foundation of knowledge before attempting | | | | the learner to understand a specific point of |
| anything else, and it is most useful for them | | | | knowledge relating to grammar or vocabulary. |
| to use material intended for that purpose | | | | The English learner who wants to understand |
| such as structured textbooks and some | | | | an exact concept can use non-authentic |
| websites for beginners. Both of these types | | | | material as a strong and useful tool, and |
| offer constructive examples with relative | | | | then move back into authentic material for |
| variety. The good news is that for English | | | | the application. |
| learners with at least a basic level of | | | | |
| ability, there is an abundance of material | | | | 'Online material' is technically both |
| available as learning resources. In order to | | | | authentic and non-authentic, but has been put |
| create some order of what exactly is | | | | into its own category because it is such a |
| available, the following three categories | | | | unique phenomenon. The growth of the internet |
| have been constructed; | | | | over the last twenty years has helped |
| | | | numerous groups of people, with language |
| 'Authentic material' is material which has | | | | learners at the forefront. A massive number |
| not been created for the classroom. It can be | | | | of websites to help English learners has |
| thought of as original and unedited, and | | | | emerged, as Google proves with 85 million |
| covers areas like newspapers and magazines, | | | | results for the phrase 'learn English.' |
| business reports, leaflets and brochures, | | | | Without a doubt, the internet connects the |
| novels, and more. The advantage to using | | | | world and does so by uniting people from |
| authentic material as a study aid is that you | | | | different countries and backgrounds, and who |
| can get a first hand idea of how to apply | | | | speak different languages. For English |
| your English knowledge to real, everyday | | | | learners, the internet offers educational |
| situations. The problem for many learners is | | | | websites, but is not limited to that alone. |
| that they don't feel that they can use their | | | | It also has a huge selection of free |
| knowledge, but authentic material crosses | | | | authentic and non-authentic resources to |
| that bridge and is an endless source of | | | | cater for every need, and will continue to do |
| interesting and varied information. For | | | | so for years to come. |
| example, in a newspaper alone you can learn | | | | |
| about world events, improve your general | | | | As has been shown, the availability of |
| knowledge with related reports, or simply | | | | English learning resources is seemingly |
| find out what is on television in another | | | | endless and ever-increasing. Knowing which |
| country. Authentic material has such huge | | | | type of material is most useful for which |
| diversity that a learner can always find | | | | lesson is a matter of experience and unique |
| something relevant to their needs or | | | | to the individual, but by combining |
| interests, and new authentic material is | | | | authentic, non-authentic and the internet |
| being created everyday. | | | | together, any English student can succeed in |
| | | | their search for English learning resources. |
| 'Non-authentic material' is material which | | | | |