Abstract:

Practical Content Based Teaching

Authentic Materials/Authentic Responses

A model for using Canadian Content in the Classroom

By Andrew Reimann, Nihon University

Content Based teaching and the implementation of relevant materials in the classroom, have recently become growing trends in English instruction in Japan. The impetus for this change coming largely from success achieved when classes are student centered, focus on students needs and endeavor to peak student’s interest and motivation by providing relevant material. According to Hall (2001), “It is not, primarily, the materials themselves which have to be authentic. It is, rather, the response to the materials – what is done with them – that should be authentic”. Relevant and authentic materials are important however, if they are not applied in a practical and authentic manner or context the ultimate results will be mediocre and far below their maximum potential. Many types of methodologies and practices have been able to apply and utilize high quality authentic materials, such as English for Special Purposes (ESP). However the manner in which they are presented, often does not simulate how they are used in the real world and therefore can trivialize the content, making it irrelevant, uninteresting and ineffectual in aiding the language learning or teaching process. Immersion classes achieve authenticity in the sense that the aim is to teach subject matter, but nevertheless, the language acquired is still confined to the classroom context and not of the real world. Many immersion classes are also not communicative nor are they student centered. Research by Tarone and Swain (1995) investigating the need for context, concluded that immersion students had high levels of language comprehension but demonstrated comparatively lower levels of production ability. The learning of practical language for communicative purposes requires a context, and context specific elements, which are difficult to recreate in a classroom setting. This is the fundamental component of a successful communicative environment, without which, quality or quantity of authentic materials is insignificant. Breen and Candlin (2001) propose that the classroom itself is a genuine context, although this is a valid claim and worth consideration, it would seem that the crux of an authentic context lies in it’s potential for creating a need for communication and ultimately bridging the gap between what is learned in the classroom and what is used to the real world. Hall (2001) proposes three conditions which are necessary for real communication to take place. These are as follows: “(1) We must have something that we want to communicate. (2) We must have someone to communicate with. (3) We must have some interest in the outcome of the communication.” The presence or absence of these points can account for the success all people have learning their first language, the degree of fluency people will achieve in a second language and why traditional language instruction rarely results in fluency. The challenge then, if language instruction is to improve, is in determining how teachers can best create an authentic and communicative atmosphere in the classroom.