Ever feel like you’re competing with your students’ phones for their attention?

They’ve got the world at their fingertips now. But a new language opens up a whole new world, too.

Make your classroom just as interesting as the real world by incorporating authentic materials. Watch the video below to learn how our language instructors are doing it.

What are authentic materials?

Anything made by native speakers, for native speakers. Music, sports, films, podcasts, commercials, advertisements, websites, tweets, and beyond.

Why authentic materials?

• Center the culture: Teach the language in a culturally-centered context that’s more informative and more exciting. Goodbye, phony textbook menu. Hello website menus of popular restaurants in the target region.
• Bring the language to life: Let your students hear how native speakers actually speak the language today! Introduce real-world expressions and slang while exploring the latest news and events.
• Hear different voices: Let your students hear a variety of voices/accents and read different writing styles. This will mimic their (one day ?) real-world experiences.
• Have fun: Engaging and meaningful language use is key to language instruction—what’s more engaging and meaningful than how the language is being used in the real world, right now?

How do I get started?

Are you ready to open the door for authentic materials and bring the world for your students? Our instructors shared their tactics.