using realia in language teaching

MARTHA ELENA MUÑOZ B.

NORMA CONSTANZA BASTO S.

LANGUAGE LEARNING RESOURCES

M.A IN ELT METHODOLOGY

UNIVERSIDAD DE CALDAS

2008

AGENDAEXAMPLES (2)CONCEPTTYPESADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESIMPLICATIONS SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESREFERENCESREFLECTION

USING REALIA IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

1. REALIA IN EFL TERMS REFERS TO ANY REAL OBJECTS WE USE IN THE CLASSROOM TO BRING THE CLASS TO LIFE. (ADMIN, 2008)

2. EVERYDAY OBJECTS THAT SURROUND US BY RELATING THEM TO LANGAUGE AND LOOKING AT THEM IN NEW WAYS. (MUNFORD , 2008)

CONCEPTS

REALIA (THE VEHICLE)COMMUNICATION

REALIA (THE VEHICLE)COMMUNICATION

ASPECTS EVIDENCED IN AUTHENTIC MATERIALS

LANGUAGECULTUREPERCEPTIONSLIFESTYLE

PURPOSE OF REALIA Students motivation and interest.

ADVANTAGES

REAL OBJECTS: LEARNING EXPERIENCE MEMORABLE FOR THE Ss.

MAKING A CONNECTION BETWEEN OBJECTS AND LANGUAGE

AUTHENTIC MATERIALS: THEY PROVIDE CURRENT LANGUAGE ON ALL TOPICS IMAGINABLE AND PROVIDE CONSTANT REINFORCEMENT OF GRAMMATICAL FORMS LEARNED IN THE CLASSROOM.

IT EXPLAINS DIFFICULTIES OF GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY, AND POINT OUT CULTURAL DISTICTIONS.

IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ OR HEAR ITEMS OF PERSONAL INTEREST.

IT PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISPEL STEREOTYPES.

DISADVANTAGES

AUTHENTIC MATERIAL IS FOR NATIVE SPEAKERS AND DOES NOT WORK AS AN INSTRUCTION TOOL.

AUTHENTIC MATERIAL: DIMOTIVATION FOR ITS COMPLEXITY TO COMPREHEND IT. (Ss’ LEVEL AND INTEREST).

REAL OBJECTS DO NOT SUPPORT A CULTURAL DISTINCTION.

ACTIVITIES WITH REAL OBJECTS MIGHT LOSE THE CLASS PATH.

SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME IN ONE ACTIVITY WITH REAL OBJECTS IN THE CLASS. (PURPOSE)

IMPLICATIONS

THERE MUST BE A PURPOSE OF THE LANGUAGE AND CONTENT.

PREPARATIONLEVEL – AGE – COMPLEXITY –

STUDENTS INTERESTS AND NEEDSTIME FRAMEQUALITY RATHER THAN QUANTITY

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESWhat will you do with it? Going to/willLooking at advertisements-Comparative and

superlativeStory behind a photo-past tenseWhose is it? PossessionTourist information-Going to/willRecycling raceIsland survival Identity envelopesAbout me

REFERENCES

* Jean-Pierre Berwald. 1987. Teaching Foreign Languages with Realia and other Authentic Materials. Eric. Center for applied linguistics. Washington.

* Autumn 2004 CATS: The IATEFL Young Learners SIG Publication .

* Simon Mumford. Using Creative Thinking to Find New Uses for Realia. Izmir University of Economics Turkey.

* Penny Ur. Grammar Practice Activities. Cambridge University Press. 1988

* www.teachingenglish.org.uk