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Authentic
Language Material for Engineering Students
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The new teaching goal for
ESL in the Russian North East is to train specialists to use English in face-to-face
communication as well as to retrieve, process, and exchange professionally useful
information from various sources. This is the main difference between the new and the
traditional ESL teaching programs. In the new approach, the teaching goal is no longer
merely knowledge about the language, but communication skills for everyday life and
professional or commercial exchange.
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Teachers who try to reach
this objective encounter problems with traditional textbooks. First, these texts present a
mediocre variety of language-neutral, emotionless and absolutely inexpressive. Second,
they fail to arouse student interest, because they are filled with "technical and
scientific texts" that contain no new information to motivate them. Third, most of
the texts are intended to train the students to master some abstract grammar points with
no communication goal in mind.
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Most students entering our
institute after high school are false beginners with low motivation to learn English.
There is no way to inspire them to use the traditional, dry-as-dust textbooks filled with
Her Majesty's grammar.
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My 10-year-teaching
experience has made me believe that any person, irrespective of his/her age, abilities and
education, can learn how to speak American English with great pleasure. The goal of
English instruction should be to give students the chance and the means to speak the
language. The task is to develop materials that are both efficient and inspirational.
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Inspiring creative language use
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A common fault of
traditional textbooks, is underestimating the students' need for interesting content and
creative activities. As a result, the only kind of information presented is language
specific. No creative use is possible, for the language description would inspire only
another professional linguist. There should be other kinds of information to motivate the
students. (See Figure 1 )
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A communicative act has a
definite context and purpose that determines the language variety to be used. This means
that an authentic language textbook should provide students with information about
language (primary) and culture (secondary). This should be considered in lesson planning.
Background information carried in the textbook should contain general information about
the foreign country plus some socio-ethnocultural details about the conditions under which
communication takes place-including some cultural standards guiding behavior. (See Figure 2 )
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The primary and secondary
information that I have developed is presented in the form of a multi-episode story about
a family living in Jacksonville, Florida. Each episode is narrated and discussed by
various characters-hence the title of the course "American Gossip." Its
monologues and dialogues are highly emotional and truly authentic. The plot and structure
of each unit gives the teacher practically unlimited opportunities to expand the language
material through adding synonyms, antonyms, slang, and emotional phrases. (See Appendix.)
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Another feature of
"American Gossip" is its exercise format. Unlike traditional textbooks the
course text has no pure drills. Every exercise has a communicative purpose. Exercises are
arranged in three blocks: Think and Talk, Writing Activities, and Roleplay. The exercises
provide multiple references to the authentic language in the text.
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"American
Gossip" does not refer only to the form of presenting the new material; it also
reflects the specific way the content is elaborated. Talking about common acquaintances is
widespread and natural and can stimulate broad discussion. It provides a natural motive to
read the materials and speak English in class.
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The textbook has no
special section for grammar. As a rule, our false beginners have a general idea of English
grammar. Their problem is the gap between their knowledge and their practical skills. That
is why I find it reasonable to give grammatical explanations whenever needed in any form,
from an annotation to a game.
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One unit follows this
order:
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- Introduction : using items of interest and fascination;
- Training : various language drills, completing sentences,
supplying illustrations, searching for sentences to match illustrations, analyzing
situations, information search, etc.,-all communicatively motivated;
- Development : think-and-talk discussions, roleplay,
personalized discussions on associated topics, etc.
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Each unit contains
authentic materials (mostly borrowed from various American magazines) to be read at home.
Some introductory information and communicative tasks are included, like problem questions
and writing activities. Students are free to choose any item they like. Since they read
different materials, an information exchange can be conducted in the classroom helping the
students develop their language skills and speech habits. This arouses interest and
motivation in language learning, as they get accustomed to treating American English as a
medium for communication and information processing.
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The results of this new
course are very promising: the students demonstrate the ability to talk freely,
expressively, and emotionally. They work easily with printed materials on various levels
and show great interest in learning and using the language. They get eagerly involved in
out-of-class language activities, like language theater, parties, etc. And, finally, they
are ready to use their language skills and abilities in their profession, starting with
writing their diploma thesis in American English.
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No doubt, they are still
far from advanced language proficiency, but one should not forget that for engineering
students, the foreign language is the means to reach other goals, which they strive for
while working with "American Gossip."
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American Gossip:Family
Introduction (Audiocassette)
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Lance Hamilton sent me
an invitation. Next Saturday he's getting married. I hope this marriage will be luckier
than his first, though they say the girl is some 12 years younger. . . so she's about 21.
As I remember, Lance divorced two years ago. He's a nice guy, and I wish him all the best.
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Well, the wedding was
just as I expected . . . very modest and warm. Audrey is really charming. She's in her
last year at the university, a future designer, if I'm not mistaken. A sweetheart . . . no
wonder Lance fell in love with her. And she loves him, too. It's crystal clear.
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Sounds like her in-laws
are pleased. Lance's parents came from Hawaii. . . . His father even left his bank. What
surprised me- Lance's sisters seemed to like his second wife. They are all married and
live in Oregon, Kentucky, and Ohio. I remember they were all against Lance's divorce.
Well, all's well that ends well.
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Lance and Audrey are
going to spend their honeymoon in Barbados. But before that they will visit Audrey's aunt
in California.
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Conversation
(Audiocassette)
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- Hi, Mel, it's Lee. Did you hear about Lance?
- Lance who?
- Lance Hamilton, of course. He's got married again.
- You're kidding! I thought that after the seven years of hell
that Jessica gave him, he'd never marry again.
- Same here. But all of a sudden he's gotten crazy about this
university girl.
- Does he really love her enough to marry her?
- You bet! They adore each other, and she even left a boy-friend
for Lance.
- Incredible! What a romance! I've never thought Lance had it in
him.
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- What do you know about Lance Hamilton and his family? When did he
get married for the first time? What's his ex's name? Why did they divorce? When? What can
you tell about his second wife? Where do his parents live? How many sisters and brothers
does he have? Did they all come to his wedding?
- What do you think the wedding ceremony was like? Where are the
newlyweds going to spend their honeymoon? What other places would you recommend them to
see? Why?
- Who is telling the story about Lance's second wedding?
- What kind of a personality does Lance have? Can you draw his
portrait? Draw pictures of Jessica and Audrey.
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1. Tell Lance's story in
the voice of:
• Lance himself
• Jessica
• Audrey
• Lance's mother/father
• one of his sisters
• Audrey's ex-boyfriend
2. Dramatize:
• Lance's first meeting with Audrey
• Lance proposing to Audrey
• Audrey's first meeting with Lance's family
• Audrey parting with her boyfriend
• Lance meeting Audrey 's boyfriend
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Tatiana Slobodina is a Senior Teacher at the Dept. of Foreign
Languages, Khabarovsk Technical University in Magadan, Russia. |
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Return |
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Figure 1
| Expansion potential |
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| Informatory side |
Creative side |
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| 1. Primary Information |
1. Inspirational topics |
| 2. Second Information |
2. Creative tasks |
| 3. Additional Information |
3. Additional material |
Figure 2
| Student’s and Teacher’s |
| ratings of topics* |
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| Students polled: 325 |
Teachers polled: 38 |
| TOPIC |
STUDENTS |
TEACHERS |
| Ethics |
87% |
26% |
| The United States |
78% |
47% |
| Ecology |
76% |
58% |
| Crime |
75% |
37% |
| Personality |
70% |
47% |
| Intelligence |
66% |
26% |
| Education |
65% |
26% |
| Human Relations |
64% |
58% |
| Ethnicity and Stereotyping |
52% |
50% |
| Perceptions on Aging |
48% |
8% |
| Money |
48% |
13% |
| Health, Fitness and Beauty |
42% |
21% |
| * Percentage = Very
Interesting+Interesting |
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| Results of Students’ Ranking of
Top Five Topics |
| Listed in order of rank: Ethics; the
United States; Money; Health, Fitness, and Beauty; Perception of Aging. |
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| Students’ Rating of the 10 Most
Interesting Subtopics |
| Listed in order of interest: Pollution;
Genetics; Racism; Subcultures in the U.S.; Cross Culture; Energy; Drugs; Terrorism; Ethics
in Personal Relations; Abortion; Men vs.Women; Justice and the Law; and Euthanasia. |
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