Using+Authentic+Texts+in+L2+Reading

In the language teaching profession, contextualizing new language is seen as essential. However, contextualizing lessons around structures and functions alone is insufficient. What is needed is to begin with the use of authentic texts (texts which have been created for some purpose other than language teaching) which cater to the L2 learners language needs. Such texts present the structures, functions, and discourse features to be taught in a realistic form. (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 2003, pp. 1-2) In this paper, I will discuss the role of authentic texts in the instruction of reading and writing skills for second language learners. I have also provided four samples of authentic texts and will attempt to demonstrate how they can be used to develop reading and writing skills in an integrated fashion. Central to the aims of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is the push toward real communication. As such, many in the field promote the use of activities that mirror the real world, as much as possible, and the utilization of authentic sources to teach target language. According to this approach, the function of reading in class should mirror that of reading in real life. Arguments on the side of using authentic materials are many. Firstly, they provide the student insight into the culture of the target language. Additionally, learners are exposed to real language. They can also be more closely tailored to the specific needs of learners. Lastly, they allow teachers to adopt a more creative approach to their instruction. (Richards, 2006, p. 20) There are two commonly held views of appropriate methods to exploit texts for teaching the forms, functions, and patterns of a language. One is to teach these partially in isolation with the lesson specifically focused on these language features. The other is that the focus on the informational content alone provides an effective way for incidental or implicit acquisition of the language features. In content based language teaching approaches, there is commonly a mixture of both of these techniques. (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 2003, pp. 1-2) In recent decades, there has been trend toward the use of authentic materials at all levels of L2 instruction. All the same, the majority of L2 learning texts, particularly at the beginning and intermediate levels, rely upon simplified texts. (Crossley, Louwerse, McCarthy, & McNamara 2007) Many in the field do not see authentic materials as being important. For example, Widdowson (1987) as cited by (Richards, 2006, p. 21) states that materials need not be sourced from authentic texts as long as the learning activities that are derived from them are authentic. Furthermore, there is some criticism of the use of authentic materials. Firstly, created materials can be just as intrinsically motivating as authentic materials. Given that they are part of a graded syllabus the created materials may be in fact superior. Moreover, authentic materials may contain material that is too difficult or irrelevant. Using authentic materials also places just one more demand on teachers’ time. (Richards, 2006, p. 21) According to Crossley et al., there is disagreement among L2 theorists and researchers on the issue of using either authentic or simplified as a source of input for beginning and intermediate level L2 learners. Proponents of both sides claim that the use of linguistic features, syntax, and discourse structures as supporting evidence for their positions. Nevertheless, there is no conclusive study providing observed evidence that has considered these distinctions and their implications for second language instruction. In support of authentic texts, Shrum & Glisan, (2000, p. 131) cite Vigil (1987) who observed considerable improvements in comprehension, oral, and written skills in beginning language students who read unedited authentic texts. They provide further evidence to support the use of unchanged authentic material by quoting Young (1993). He found with lower level Spanish learners there was an increase in comprehension with the use of authentic texts. To further back the case for the use of authentic texts, the National Capital Language Resource Center, Washington DC (2004) advocates the use of unmodified authentic texts. It claims that the difficulty of a text comes not from the complexity of the language but rather from the conceptual difficulty and the types of tasks students are expected to complete. The NCLRC argues that simplifying a text removes natural redundancy and so makes the organization of the text more difficult to forecast. In this way, simplified texts may be more testing for students. Instructors can make authentic texts more reachable by activating students background knowledge in pre reading activities, previewing new vocabulary, and asking students to execute tasks within their existing abilities; for instance, looking for main ideas and specific information. Furthermore, the National Capital Language Resource Center, Washington DC (2004) states reading material needs to be authentic. It needs to be the kind of material that students will be motivated and required to read outside the class for the purposes of such things as travelling or studying abroad. A strongly held view in the literature is the genuine link between reading and writing. This is perhaps best illustrated by a quote from Lunsford (1978) taken from Hirvela (2004, p. 37) which was pitched to L1 teachers of writing, but Hirvela himself sees as applicable, at least in principle if not in all scenarios, to L2, where he states, “the teacher of writing must automatically and always be a teacher of reading as well”. Hirvela (2004, p. 37) explains that there is, at present, no definitive model of reading and writing connections. In the areas of reading to write and writing to read, much is known on how to steer instruction in each of these paths. In other words, we know a lot about writing to support reading and vice versa. Conversely, a model that successfully combines these two approaches into a single coherent unit does not yet exist. Some obstacles in formulating such a model, with particular regard to L2 instruction, include the significant challenge faced by learners trying to achieve an assortment of competencies in a language and rhetoric that is foreign. Native language literacy skills have an affect on skills acquisition in addition to the complexities involved in L1 to L2 transfer. Therefore, we can draw on ideas that derive from literature pertaining to reading and writing connections in the L1 context. In this view, a strong and inseparable connection between reading and writing is assumed. Hirvela (2004, p. 37) Hirvela (2004, pp. 38-39) outlines a set assumptions that have emerged from research into the connection between reading and writing in recent decades. > > > > > > In looking at the use of authentic materials in reading and writing, apart from looking at reading and writing from an integrated perspective, it is also useful to look at each skill separately in order to develop strategies and activities for the classroom. Firstly, Grabe (2004, p. 46) summarizes a set of fairly well supported implications for reading instruction which have emerged from extensive research. > > > > > > > > Secondly, Byrne (1988, pp. 27-29) presents a set of guidelines for writing instruction. > > > > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For this assignment, I have chosen four authentic texts taken from the internet. I have chosen to center all the texts on the one theme of the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa. Krashen & Brown (2007, p. 2) claim the narrow reading strategy in which students read texts by a single author or on a singular topic of interest makes academic texts more comprehensible. They claim that this aids increased comprehension and a natural repetition of vocabulary and grammar. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The texts chosen for this assignment are all targeted to students at a TOEFL level of between approximately 450 and 500, or between IELTS band 5 and 6. In addition, the texts have been specifically chosen for students currently in the Pre-College Program intending to study in the Tourism Industry Management Major at Mahidol University International College, Thailand. The reason being is to allow for the utilization of background knowledge. Research has shown that texts on familiar topics that exploit background knowledge tend to be more comprehensible than texts on unfamiliar topics. Krashen & Brown (2007, p. 2) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My approach to using the texts to integrate reading and or writing are partly informed by the views of Stephen Krashen as quoted by Hirvela (2004, p. 113) when he states that writing instruction should focus on subconscious acquisition of form. In other words, reading input provides knowledge of the rules and conventions of writing. These rules and conventions are, in Krashen’s view, difficult to learn through explicit instruction, so it may be more useful to give meaningful exposure to writing in the target language to trigger the natural processes central to language acquisition. It is intended that learners will internalize L2 rules and conventions, to build upon their competence from which they can draw from in order improve written competence. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, I am drawing on ideas taken from Hirvela (2004, pp. 105-106) who describes how writing can be used to enhance reading in the content-based approach teaching. He cites Shih (1986) who explains how this occurs. Writing tasks provide opportunity for students to paraphrase and reshape information and ideas from their readings. This allows students to develop skills in gathering, synthesizing, and interpreting new information from research and link it to previous knowledge and skills. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Further task choices have been influenced by reading from Shrum & Glisan (2000, pp. 222-223) cite Scott (1996) who offers suggestions for teachers of L2 writing born out of writing research. One is to provide focused practice on syntax. Engage learners in reformulation activities where they a) analyze a poorly written text consisting of only three or four sentences; b) rewrite the text; and c) compare their edited version to a model version. In doing so, learners integrate knowledge, of grammar, vocabulary and syntax and make judgments about the content of the text in order to edit it. Another is to combine reading with writing through exposing learners to authentic models of written discourse. Skimming or looking for the gist for example, can help learners learn about discourse patterns. Detailed study of a text can provide models for students to emulate in their own writing.  <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, an effective reading strategy used to teach writing comes from Greene (1993) as cited in Hirvela (2004, p. 116). In this technique termed mining, beyond just a critical reading of the text, the teacher guides the learner to search for and learn about certain rhetorical and linguist convections buried in the text. The strategies that the learners see modeled in the text can become part of their own repertoire. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For the four chosen texts, I have identified a set of learner objectives based on knowledge from the sources cited above in my discussion on the use of authentic texts and the connections between reading and writing. In working with these four texts, students will > > > > > > > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The general procedure for using these texts, with a view to integrating reading and writing, comes from Nunan (1995, p. 216) who discusses three elements in the use of authentic materials in instruction, which are referred to as topic, text, and task. Teachers begin with a topic, such as in the example in this assignment ‘travel and 2010 World Cup’, then collect texts related to the topic, and then create activities connected to the topic and that are designed to develop the communicative needs of the learners. He offers an eight step procedure which he asserts can be used by teachers to exploit authentic texts in class. I have borrowed his procedure and adapted it to my topic and texts as outlined below. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 1: Select a topic – travel/2010 World Cup <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 2: Collect data – Four authentic texts related to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 3: Determine what the learners need to do in relation to the texts <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obtain information regarding issues relating to travel during special events or festivals. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Talk about difficulties pertaining to planning overseas travel. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 4: Create pedagogical activities/ procedures <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Skimming and scanning for detail <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obtaining the meaning of new vocabulary from context with special emphasis on words from the academic word list <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Determining main ideas of paragraphs and whole texts <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outlining a text <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Summarizing a text. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 5: Analyze texts and activities to determine the language elements <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cohesion - Further afield, the breathtaking Magoebaskloof forest seems … <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Adjectives – Alpine, majestic, marine-themed, tangible <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Relative clauses – “ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The next issue is where, in this vast nation, each team will be playing in the initial round.”
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teachers need an awareness of theories underlying L2 reading and connect these to theories of writing.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading provides very rich and important language input for writing. Therefore, writing assignments need to begin in reading.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading is not only a receptive skill but also an act of composition, so teachers have the opportunity to teach writing when teaching reading and vice versa.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing assignments need to be based on more than one text in order to provide richer context and linguistic input.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Literature (particularly fiction) is an effective resource for connecting reading and writing.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading and writing activities are more meaningful and more natural sites for integration when they are linked to real world tasks outside the classroom.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ensure word recognition fluency.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Develop an atmosphere that immerses learners in vocabulary and supports the learning of new vocabulary.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Trigger learners’ background knowledge of the content.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Make certain effective language knowledge and comprehension skills.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teach text structures and discourse organization.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Expose students to diverse reading strategies and encourage their use.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Build reading fluency and rate.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Promote broad reading.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teach learners how to write. Writing requires a set of skills discrete from speaking, so teach writing through appropriate techniques and appropriate methods of practice.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Provide extensive and suitable experience of written language. Expose students to a wide variety of passage types and rhetorical patterns.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Show the learner how written language functions as a system of communication. The communicative purpose of writing must be stressed.
 * 1) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teacher the learner how to compose texts.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for determining the meaning of selected vocabulary items from the context.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for scanning the text for specific information. This will include mining for various discourse features and writing conventions.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for determining the main idea of selected paragraphs, in addition to whole texts.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for paraphrasing selected sentences and paragraphs.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for summarizing selected chunks of the text.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for citing and referencing sources and incorporating them into their own compositions.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">learn and practice strategies and techniques for reformulating sentences and passages from the texts in order to develop awareness of grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and writing conventions.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 6: Create activities that focus on language elements <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cloze passage <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sentence sequencing exercise <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Match question and answer exercise <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Word jumble exercise. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 7: Create activities focusing on learning skills/strategies <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Use the five paraphrasing techniques to re-write paragraphs three and four in the text. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Identify the contextual clues in the text that help you determine the meaning of ‘settled’ in line 1 of paragraph 5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Step 8: Create application tasks <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write an article that serves as a mini guide and overview of travel in Thailand <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Below I have outlined some suggested activities for each of the authentic texts I have chosen. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Text 1: World Cup 2010: South Africa travel guide at a glance__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tasks <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading > > > > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing >
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scanning activity – 5 scanning questions. Set a time limit of three minutes to practice reading speed.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comprehension activity – 5 comprehension check questions.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vocabulary meaning from context activity – students take key words selected from the text to complete sentence gap fills.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Outlining activity – students look for main ideas and supporting ideas to complete an outline of the article.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Summary writing – using the outline from the reading students practice paraphrasing skills to produce a summary.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Text 2: What’s the score on World Cup travel? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tasks <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading >> >> >> >>
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scanning activity – 5 scanning questions. Set a time limit of three minutes to practice reading speed.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comprehension activity – 5 comprehension check questions.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vocabulary meaning from context activity – students take key words selected from the text to complete sentence gap fills.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Paragraph sequencing- students to arrange paragraphs and headings in a version of the text in which the paragraphs have been jumbled.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Text 3: 2010 World Cup Travel Packages__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tasks <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading > > > > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing >
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Composition practice – using the text as a model, students write a five paragraph academic essay advising students about travel to Thailand during the April Songkhran festival. In the essay students will discuss the topics of venues, accommodation, and staying safe.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scanning activity – 5 scanning questions. Set a time limit of three minutes to practice reading speed.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comprehension activity – 5 comprehension check questions.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vocabulary meaning from context activity – students take key words selected from the text to complete sentence gap fills.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cloze exercise – rational deletion exercise to work on vocabulary and grammar.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Using the text as a model students are to design and write a hand brochure giving an overview of travel packages their hypothetical tour company is offering for the Songkhran festival.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Text 4: South Africa (DFAT Advice).__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tasks <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reading > > > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing > <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To conclude this paper, reflecting upon what I have learnt from the literature and upon having taught reading and writing in an academic context, it appears the case for the use of authentic materials is strong. It allows the teacher to tailor lessons to the specific needs of the learner, allows for rich and varied linguistic input, serves as a model for writing conventions, is very conducive to the integration of the two skills, and is, with an appropriate level of planning, a very practical approach for teachers. Furthermore, common sense tells me that authentic texts related to a student’s major area of study, rather than non related material, is far more intrinsically motivating. In previous courses, motivation was shown to be a major determinant in the acquisition of a second language.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scanning activity – 5 scanning questions. Set a time limit of three minutes to practice reading speed.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comprehension activity – 5 comprehension check questions.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vocabulary meaning from context activity – students take key words selected from the text to complete sentence gap fills.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Students to write a summary of the text from which they will use to write an illustration essay on the topic of safety issues related to travel in Thailand during the Songkhran festival.

=<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">References = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brinton, D. M., Snow, M. A., & Wesche, M. (2003). Content-based second language instruction. Ann Abor: The University of Michigan Press. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Byrne, D. (1988). Teaching writing skills. London: Longman. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Calder, S. (2009, September 19). What's the score on World Cup travel? Retrieved September 19, 2009, from idependent.co.uk: http:www.idependent.co.uk/travel/africa/whats-the-score-on-world-cup-travel-1789711.html <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Crossley, S. A., Louwerse, M. M., McCarthy, P. M., & McNamara, D. S. (2007). A linguistic analysis of simplified and authentic texts. The Modern Language Journal, 15-30. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2009, September 26). South Africa. Retrieved September 26, 2009, from smartraveller.gov.au: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/South_Africa <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Grabe, W. (2004). Research on teaching reading. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 44-69. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hirvela, A. (2004). Connecting reading writing in second language writing instruction. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Krashen, S., & Brown, C. L. (2007). What is Academic Language Proficiency? Singapore Tertiary English Teachers Society, 1- 4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nunan, D. (1995). Language teaching methodology: A textbook for teachers. London: Phoenix ELT. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Road Trips. (2009, October 5). 2010 World Cup Travel Packages. Retrieved October 5, 2009, from roadtrips.com: http:www.roadtrips.com/world-cup-travel-.aspx <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shrum, J. L., & Glisan, E. W. (2000). Teacher's handbook: contextualized language instruction. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Smith, D. (2009, September 11). World Cup 2010: South Africa travel guiode at a glance. Retrieved September 11, 2009, from guardian.co.uk : http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/sep/11/southafrica-cultural-trips <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The National Capital Language Resource Center, Washington DC. (2004). Teaching Reading: Goals and Techniques for Teaching Reading. Retrieved September 13, 2009, from NCLRC The Essentials of Language Teaching : http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/reading/goalsread.htm