Authentic documents in the teaching and learning of a foreign language
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Date
2008Author
Oyugi, Caroline C
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
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Today’s fast-paced and globalised world has made the learning of a foreign language
a pressing need. As a result, many people, already seemingly settled in their
occupations are flocking back to college to either learn the basics or master at least one
foreign language. However, these attempts do not seem to yield much fruit in terms
of applying these ‘learned’ languages. Many students who have completed foreign
language courses are barely capable of sustaining a conversation beyond the standard
basic greetings. Learning a foreign language means being able to communicate
effectively in everyday situations.
Learners of languages tend to be passive in class. They are content with waiting to
summarise a whole session’s content into a precise mathematical rule. Passivity in
class, and the expectation that only the instructor is able to ask questions and
consequently supply exact answers to the same questions can be remedied through
the use of authentic documents in the course of language teaching and learning.
The language class presents to both the instructor and the learners an opportunity to
learn and use a language in its various facets. Here, the learners expect to be taught
how to use a language appropriately in different situations of communication.
However, a language need not be viewed purely as a regimen of linguistic rules that
need be learnt by rote. Language learning eventually entails acquisition of cultural
and social norms, comprehension and, to some extent, knowledge of indigenous
practices
URI
http://profiles.uonbi.ac.ke/caroline_akinyi/publications/authentic-documents-teaching-and-learning-foreign-languagehttp://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/42182
Citation
Oyugi, C. 2008. Authentic documents in the teaching and learning of a foreign language. USIU- Journal of Language, Technology & Entrepreneurship in Africa,. 1(1):25-33.Publisher
University of Nairobi, School of French