In language learning, the term “authentic material” refers to language resources that are intended for native speakers’ consumption. Rather than facilitate language learning, they serve other purposes, such as to inform and entertain.
What are examples of these types of resources? Your French to English phrasebook is not an authentic material. A novel written in French is. Your “Learn Portuguese” CD is not authentic material, but a Portuguese pop song at the top of the Brazilian charts is.
While authentic material can be considered supplementary, it’s actually much more consequential for a lot of learners. Using them, in a way, connects you to native speakers in a way that carefully-planned language teaching software just isn’t able to. You see the language used in action, the way it’s actually employed in the real world.
When consuming authentic material, you’re exposed to the most important elements of the language — the ones people use over and over. This gives you a better idea of which language features you’ll need to master sooner, rather than later. It’s also one of the best ways to learn a language for specialized use. If you want to learn French for business, then a business book in French should show you how it’s used in that setting. Same when you want to learn automotive terms (read a book about cars) or academic use (read a textbook or a school newspaper).
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