Criteria for Selection of Authentic Materials

There are a few factors which teachers should consider when choosing authentic materials for classroom use. Some of the factors are listed here.

Interest

Authentic materials are not created for classroom purposes. They are taken from real life and are going to be introduced in the artificiality of the classroom. So a teacher has to ensure that the topic of the authentic materials chosen addresses the needs and interest of the specific group of students being taught. The age, interest and background of the students should be kept in mind while selecting the materials.

Purpose of Language Learning

The goal of language learning for that particular group of learners should be kep in mind while deciding which materials to use in class. If the learners are going to use English for the limited purpose of communicating within their country as second language learners the choice will be different from those who would like to go abroad for further studies. The utility value of the materials is a very important consideration. The teacher has to consider if the information included in the materials chosen are of value to the students.

Cultural Appropriateness

Some of the materials are based on the native speakers culture and for some learners it may be quite alien. Then the problem of explaining the culture to the students takes up a lot of class time and less time is devoted to the actual task based on the authentic material. Hence a teacher has to consider whether the students have the background knowledge or cultural schema for the topic, while selecting the materials.

Some of the materials of the native speakers and the contexts or cultural background of the materials may not be appropriate for second language contexts. The value bias may come in the way of language learning purposes if such materials are used. Hence a careful selection must be made of culturally appropriate materials.

Language Level

A group of students may be at the beginner, intermediate or advanced level of learning a new language. While choosing the materials the most important factor is the level of the language used in the materials. These materials are taken from real life and not manipulated for the specific purpose of teaching a language in a classroom. The input has to be comprehensible to the students. At the same time the input should be challenging enough to sustain their motivation. So materials which are at the level of difficulty of the students or slightly above the students'  present level should be selected. if it is too below their level, they may not learn much from it and if it is too above their level they will not be able to understand and interact with the materials. If the text contains too many colloquialisms, metaphors, symbols, hidden or double meanings, or idioms, it should be used only with advanced learners and not beginners.

Quality of the Materials

Some of the authentic materials, especially in second language contexts, are full of errors, typos and spelling mistakes. While selecting the materials teachers should check the quality of the materials. The organization of the text should be clear and the pictures and other materials should be appropriate for the text. The overall impression of the material should make the students feel that they are interacting with quality material and they will learn through the interaction.

Materials with errors, however, can be used in advanced classes for teaching editing and revision of written materials. Similarly errors in audio, video or mis-match of audio, visual and printed clues can be used at advanced levels for critical analysis and fluency practice.

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