Reconsidering Authenticity in ESL Written Materials
2014
Myra Rafalovich
ABSTRACT: The practice of using authentic written materials in the ESL classroom has been highly debated and, at the same time, promoted by teachers and scholars worldwide. This paper reviews the history of using authentic materials in language teaching and critically evaluates the many different ways to define authentic materials. The main assumption behind the promotion of authentic materials is that they have a great advantage over constructed ones. While there is evidence that authentic materials have their benefits, all in all, this paper suggests that the notion of authentic materials is perhaps oversimplified in the TESOL community and ultimately, the appropriateness of the materials is much more important than material authenticity.