USING AUTHENTIC MATERIALS TO TEACH ENGLISH: RECIPES, NEWS, AND PODCASTS
Keywords:
Authentic materials, language acquisition, ESL, motivation, cultural relevance, podcasts, recipes, news, communicative competenceAbstract
Authentic materials—texts not originally designed for language instruction—have emerged as powerful tools in English language teaching. Recipes, news articles, and podcasts bring real-life language into the classroom, making learning more meaningful and motivating for students. These materials encourage the use of critical thinking, cultural exploration, and contextualized vocabulary acquisition. This article explores their theoretical foundation, practical applications, and role in boosting language acquisition and learner autonomy. It also provides recommendations for teachers and discusses potential challenges along with realistic solutions. Authenticity in language teaching bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world communication.
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