Authenticity in Materials
Development and Task Design
(Chapter 7)
Fay Chen 陳慧琴
National Cheng Kung University
September 14, 2014
1
Chapter outline
parts
Sections
1
2
Introduction
Using
authentic
materials
3
Designing
authentic
tasks
4
Conclusion
Sub-sections
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
Ongoing debate
Sources for authentic texts
Selecting text
Writing and adapting materials
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
Disciplinary patterns
Learner autonomy and skill transfer
Technology-based learning
Collaborative learning and peer assessment
Examples of subject-related tasks
2
Authentic materials defined
Taken from target situations such as learners’
subject classrooms or workplaces.
 “a stretch of real language, produced by a real
speaker or writer for a real audience and designed
to convey a real message of some sort” (Morrow,
1977, p.13).
 produced in order to communicate, not to teach
(Tomlinson, 2012).
3
Authentic tasks defined
 Mueller (2012) believes that a task to be performed in the language
classroom can still be authentic if
 Students construct their own responses rather than select from
one of the answer options, and
 The task replicates meaningful tasks found in the real world.
 Authentic tasks allow
 students to use language in a more natural environment
 teachers to assess learners’ ability to perform the task.
4
On going debate
Pros
Cons
Relevancy
Not graded
Familiarity
Difficult vocabulary
Motivating
Longer articles
Teacher’s background
5
A case study: Teacher F’s classes
6
Teacher F
Non-English
majors 2nd
year
English
majors
Freshman
English
Business
English
English for
Economics
English for
Engineering
(3 hours)
(3 hours)
(2 hours)
(2 hours*2)
7
Freshman English
Business English
English for
Economics
English for
Engineering
English majors
English majors
Non-majors
Non-major
Textbook
EAP skills
Textbook
Reading: business
content
Textbook
Textbook
Reading: economics Reading: engineering
content
content
UCB Sociology 1
UCB Econ 1
Khan Academy
TED Ed videos
(Listening, presenting, Yale Financial markets UCB Econ 1
UCB Search Engines
Discussion)
(Listening, presenting, TED contemp issues BBC/ Discovery/TED
Discussion)
Contemporary issues
Popular culture
Critical thinking
BBC business news
The Economics app
Case studies
8
Examples of authentic materials
Name
Discriptions
1. Khan Academy
Easier content, basic concept (Chinese)
2. TED Education
Short videos, with quizzes, suppl,
discussion (Chinese)
Brief and long cases, difficult but
essential for business SS
Real content, classroom & specialist
content
3. Harvard business cases
4. UC Berkeley Sociology 1
Lectures
9
An example of authentic materials:
Khan Academy
Income statement, balance sheet, renting vs buying a house
Chinese and English subtitles available
10
11
An example of authentic materials:
TED Education
Chinese subtitle available, multiple choice questions, additional
resources, discussion questions
12
13
14
15
Some interesting TED_ED titles
1. Why aren’t we use only solar power? (4:43)
2. Pixar_The math behind the movies (7:34)
3. Under the hood: The chemistry of cars (4:34)
4. A brief history of video games (4:46)
5. What is the World Wide Web? (3:55)
16
An example of authentic materials:
Harvard Business Cases
Brief and full-length cases available
Lots of charts and tables
17
Harvard Business School Cases
 NTU Library Reference section (intro to the use of case studies)
http://tul.blog.ntu.edu.tw/archives/2361
 Harvard Business Publishing for Educators (for teachers to
browse/download cases and teaching notes)
 Agent in Taiwan 哈佛商學院各案發行中心(國立政治大學商學院): for
students to order. Cost US$3 per copy.
18
19
20
21
22
23
Some interesting titles
1. The fashion channel (2007)
2. Dallas Cowboys: Financing a New Stadium (2003)
3. Hong Kong Disneyland: Where is the magic (2007)
4. Promoting healthcare tourism in India (2007)
24
An example of authentic materials:
Academic lectures
A teaching plan
25
A teaching plan (or student presentation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPAcVFErEVg
1.
00:00 to 4:00 general course info (use of computer)
2.
4:00 to 8:00 Definition: the study of sociology and examples
3.
8:00 to 12:00 requirements and note taking (keep up the first 6 wks)
4.
12:00 to 16:00 Durkheim’s study on suicide
5.
17:00 to 20:00 Findings: types of suicide
6.
20:00 to 35:20 Implications: social vs objective truth
7.
35:20 to 38:00 grading for the class (do all the work!!)
8.
38:00 to 42:00 Introduction: institutions of the modern society
9.
42:00 to 47:00 plagiarism at university (a CRIME!!)
Black: administrative info
Blue: sociology content
Parts
1. Key terms, findings and implications
2. Contemporary examples and counter
examples
3. Academic vocabulary & vocabulary
Sentence structures
4. References
5. Discussion questions
Names or
presenter
Time
3 min per
person
1. Durkheim’s study on suicide: a classic study
2. Subjects: Protestants/Catholics, men/women,
married/unmarried
3. Findings: types of suicide
4. Implications: social integration and moral regulation
5. Criticisms (optional, references)
 Suicide is a serious issue. It is a moral sin in the eye of
the church. Suicide is considered self-murder. (Holt,
2011)
 The first 24-hour helpline service for suicide
prevention, Samaritans, began in 1953. (Holt, 2011)
 Suicide rate is increasing in Taiwan (全國自殺防治中心,
2013)
 Counter example: homicide-suicide (BSA, 2009)
Academic
vocab
a systematic study/approach (4:00)
an attempt to (4:00)
explain + causes/consequences (4:00)
commit + suicide: the connotation of “commit” (BBC News)
plagiarism (42:40)
Specialist
vocab
social phenomena (4:00)
egoistic suicide (17:00)
institutions (38:10)
social truth vs objective truth (31:00)
Collocation
and
Sentences
to learn
The social rules we live in regulate our aspiration.
Protestants are more vulnerable because they rely too much on their own
judgment (16:20)
Catholics and Jews are protected against suicide because of their subjection to
authority. (16:50)
 Holt, Gerry (2011, Aug 3), When suicide was illegal, BBC News
Magazine. Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14374296
 British Sociological Association (2009), Dyadic death:
Homicide followed by suicide in Yorkshire and the Humber by
Marilyn J. Gregory. Retrieved from
http://www.slideshare.net/britsoc/dyadic-death-homicidefollowed-by-suicide-in-yorkshire-and-the-humber-by-drmarilyn-j-gregory
 全國自殺防治中心 (2013)第11屆世界自殺防治日-污名化：自殺
防治的重大阻礙 Retrieved from http://www.tsos.org.tw/xms/
1. Attempted suicide was a punishable crime until the 20th Century.
Why has people’s view changed?
2. In addition to social factors, who are other risk factors related to
suicide? (mental illness, drug abuse, economics)
3. How has Durkheim’s study on suicide change your view about
yourself and this world?
(group discussion in class, or online comments at class website)
 Does the NCKU Library have books written by Durkheim? If
yes, what are they?
 Are the Chinese translation of Durkheim’s books in the
NCKU Library? If you, what are they?
 Go to the NCKU Library website and find 2 journal
magazines on sociology. Can you find American Sociology
Association Journal, or American Journal of Sociology?
1. Assign
the lecture
5.
Teaching
vocab &
collocation
2. Quiz b/4
class time
(to ensure
viewing)
3. Student
presentation
4.
Comprehens
ion: Q&A
group
competition
6.
Listening:
fill in the
blank
7. Extended
activity:
relates to
pop culture
8.
Midterm/
final exam
35
Curiosity comes first
Embrace the mess
Practice reflection
From Ramsey Musallam: 3 rules to spark learning
TED Talks Education (2013)
36
Authenticity in Materials Development and Task
Design (Chapter 7)
Fay Chen 陳慧琴
National Cheng Kung University
faychen@mail.ncku.edu.tw
37