What are authentic texts, materials and literature? Where to get them?

23 January 2025

English-learners

Oleksandra Kulish

Book expert

Teachers of English nowadays have many tools to fill their lessons: a variety of textbooks, photos, videos and audio materials. With the development of the Internet, the possibilities are even greater. To make lessons more effective, many teachers use authentic materials to introduce students to the real language spoken by native speakers in real life.

What are authentic materials and what is their value?

Authentic materials are any materials in English that have been created not for teaching, but for use in real life. Today it is easier than ever to find such materials. They can be songs, TV shows, films, radio, blogs, YouTube channels, newspapers, magazines, leaflets, menus and much more. Any text in English is authentic material. You don't have to go abroad to find them, you just need to have access to the internet. Moreover, signs, leaflets, instructions and books in English are increasingly common in everyday life.

This allows students to practise English not only in lessons, but also on their own - both in preparation for classes and in their free time, combining study and leisure.

Why using authentic materials is important in English lessons

Reading authentic texts plays a key role in learning a foreign language. It increases motivation for learning, improves the quality of knowledge, stimulates thinking activity, awakens interest in literature and contributes to the formation of artistic taste. In addition, it is learning and using the language as it is, which is essential for mastering English at a high level.

How should a teacher choose authentic material?

The choice of authentic materials depends on the students, their level of preparation, interests and even motivation. To know what will interest children, you need to study their hobbies and preferences. This is important to consider when choosing films, songs, printed material and other resources.

It is important not to overload students with such material right away. They should start by choosing television programmes, films, songs or articles that are easy to digest and can be processed relatively quickly.

An interesting method of using authentic material in the classroom is to work with restaurant menus, because it is very important and useful for everyone. And if people get to another country, they will certainly have to either buy their own food or order it in a cafe or restaurant. Therefore, the practical side of this issue is obvious. When studying the topic ‘Food’, it is important to study not only the dishes that we know and eat well, you should familiarise students with common dishes in English-speaking countries so that they can easily order such dishes when needed. The most interesting part will be when you, after some preparation, work with a real menu. Many restaurants have the menu online, so you can easily download and print it out, make enough copies. Next, you can choose your waiters and order your food! Both ‘waiters’ and ‘diners’ will be able to practise their spoken English when ordering food or taking an order.

Songs are extremely important material for recognising English lyrics. Not only does it improve listening and pronunciation skills, but it also gives confidence in using language units. In addition, anyone would enjoy a lesson that features songs by their favourite singer.

The materials should be selected according to situations that students may encounter in real life and be filled with vocabulary from the same real life. This is what students encounter in authentic materials.

How to use social media and online content for educational purposes

Because social media is designed to communicate, it opens up many opportunities to interact with different groups of people. You can join groups or communities related to your interests where you can ask questions, discuss topics, and find partners to study together. You can also find accounts of teachers and various education experts who are happy to share useful tips and advice on their pages.

Tips for adapting authentic materials for students of different ages

In order to successfully adapt authentic materials to your needs, use converting them into practical tasks, shortening the length of texts, simplifying them (without losing meaning) or clarifying key language elements. This is what will help to tailor the learning process to students of different ages as well as proficiency levels.

We wish you enjoy using authentic materials in your studies, as this is a really great way to immerse yourself in the language environment and learn the language effectively.