View Content #20485

What Makes Materials Authentic?
PART 1
Using a Broader Definition to Understand the Value of Children’s Stories
by Heidi Steele

We all recognize the value of integrating authentic materials into the classroom. They can and should form the backbone of our curriculum for teaching Chinese language, making the language real by bridging the gap between the sheltered environment of the classroom and language as it's used "in the wild."

One of the most enjoyable parts of teaching for me is searching out these materials and figuring out how to use them effectively in the classroom.

…In addition to working with these types of authentic materials, I have also begun writing children's stories and using them with my students. …

These children's stories don't meet the traditional definition of authentic. They are not written by or for native speakers. Nonetheless, the stories feel authentic to me, and student feedback and my own observations have led me to believe that these stories promote learning for my students in many ways. Thinking about this made me question our collective understanding of the term "authentic" and wonder whether we might extend the meaning of this word as it relates to world language teaching.

Read the full article at http://asiasociety.org/china-learning-initiatives/what-makes-materials-authentic-part-1

Part two will be coming in a month.