Cultural Differences

The Context and the Challenge:                

Challenging situations in ESL classrooms can often arise due to cultural misunderstandings and differences.   These require delicate, yet direct, questioning to understand the problem and work towards a solution.  Here is an example of one such situation told to me by an experienced and very competent ESL teacher.  The class is a beginner level (CLB 1/2) Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC) class in Winnipeg with a diverse cultural mix. 

The school usually does not place spouses/partners in the same class, but because of the large influx of new students and limited space, they had some spouses in the same class.  The teacher was also very aware of some cultures not wanting to be grouped or paired with the opposite sex in activities, and tried to avoid this as well.  However, the teacher had found that usually as classes proceeded students became more comfortable with one another, and most often were accepting of opposite sex groupings. 

A problem arose when a male student vocally objected to his wife being paired with another man for an activity. The teacher then quietly suggested that they work on opposite sides of the table.  At this point he became angry, so the teacher separated the wife and partner.   The teacher was very surprised by his anger because this man was usually a very polite and accommodating person.  Although he was of a culture (Muslim Syrian) that sometimes does not allow men and women to readily mix, she had had no indication that this was previously a problem. 

The teacher knew that it was important to have a discussion with the man in his first language for the teacher to understand what his objections were, and also for the man to understand that discrimination based on sex is not acceptable in Canada.  So at the first availability, a settlement work who spoke the man’s first language was asked to interpret and help explain and also ask questions.  The man explained that he was very jealous of his wife talking to this man, who was also from his culture.  The teacher said she understood but asked what he thought could happen with them just doing an activity.  He said he still did not like it, but after the conversation and the explanation of Canadian standards, the man decided it was OK if they were on opposite sides of the table.  

Cause, Solution and Effects: 

Many cultures have codes of conduct for members of the opposite sex and as teachers it is important to understand this culture.  Many people in English language classes are recently arrived and are still undergoing culture shock (Schellenberg and Maheux 2008) and may have many other problems such as dealing with war and torture (CCVT).  They are far from their extended families and usual supports and are dealing with many changes in their lives, so it is important that they consider English language classes as safe and accepting places.  Therefore, understanding learners’ culture is one of the aspects of providing a comfortable learning environment (Li et al, 2012 pp. 35).  

Other than the cultural reason, the husband did not suggest there was any other reason for his anger, and the teacher did not ask for any other details of a possible cause.  But it is possible that the husband may have had other reasons or probable cause for his jealousy that he did not want to share. 

The solution sought by the teacher, by separating the wife and man to avoid further confrontation or escalation in the class, I believe was the correct one.  De-escalation and a request to discuss the matter privately (at another time, or sometimes immediately) allows the class to continue, but also lets the person know that you are willing to listen and to understand their reasons.  It is very important to respect the dignity of each student and try and find the true source of the problem in order to solve it (Brown and Lee 2015, pp. 302). The solution the teacher suggested allowed the man to ‘not lose face’ in front of his classmates, but also allowed the teacher to pursue a long term solution at a more appropriate time, and in the learner’s own language so that he could fully express himself and understand the teacher’s reasoning.  Also, having the discussion at a different time and place, allowed the man to ‘cool down’, and be less emotional.  The teacher also accessed institutional support (a settlement worker) to help resolve the problem, which is suggested by Brown and Lee (2015, pp. 302).  It was also important that Canadian expectations of male/female interactions was discussed, to allow the husband to understand and help to adjust to acceptable standards of equality in Canada (Li et al, 2012 pp. 38-39). However, there may have been an additional reason that the husband did not disclose.  The two men did know each other outside the classroom, and therefore may have had some other disagreement, or another reason he did not want his wife to interact with the man.  This could also have been discretely asked by the settlement worker to ensure that this was not the situation.

In this case, the teacher demonstrated a respectful solution to the problem, resulting in a good outcome for all involved, by responding to the husbands immediate requests and ensuring the class was not interrupted, but also by generating a long term solution with good communication and understanding of cultural differences. 

References:

Brown, D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to              Language Pedagogy (4th ed). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.

Canadian Center for Victims of Torture (n.d.). CCVT Strategies for Promoting a                       Positive Atmosphere in the Language and Skills Training Classroom.  Retrievon           March 29, 2019 at                                                                                        http://www.teslwindsor.com/uploads/7/8/1/7/7817983/ccvt_strategies_f            or_promoting_a_positive_atmosphere.docx_pdf_2_windsor_apr_15_2016.pdf

Li, X., Myles, J., and Robinson, P. (2012). Teaching ESL in Canada.Don Miles, ON,          Canada. Oxford University Press.

Schellenberg, G. and Maheux, H. (2008)Immigrants’ perspectives on their first four   years in Canada: Highlights from three waves of the Longitudinal Survey of           Immigrants to Canada.  Retrieved from      https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-008-x/2007000/9627-            eng.htm#tphp

Classroom Etiquette Poster

I created an infographic (poster) that I could use in a classroom.  I kept it simple. The teaching context is around CLB 2-4 so pictures and not too many words help.  It would still need some explanation.

 'Be on time' means that we must be here before the class starts (at least 10 min) to settle in, take off our coats, say hello to classmates, and get children settled in daycare, get things set up etc.

'No phones' means that we can have our phone in the classroom, but it must be on silent and away in their purse or backpack, not pocket.

Speak English means we should try and speak English in class as much as we can, even with classmates who speak the same language.

'Think and Ask' means to try and think first and if we have questions, then we should always ask.

'Listen to Others' means to make sure everyone has a chance to speak, and to not talk when others are speaking. Speaking is an important part of learning a language and we must give each other time.

'Homework helps' means that homework is assigned and if you do it, you will learn faster. Teachers always have lots of homework and preparation that they need to do too.

'Participate and Share' means that everyone should try and talk in the class and in their groups. The teacher is a good example by sharing personal experiences and stories with the class.

'Tell the Teacher' means that if you will be away, or if you are sick, of if you have a class problem, always tell the teacher.  We will work to solve the problem.

'Fair and Safe' means that we will all be fair to each other, and create a safe space where everyone feels comfortable.

'Celebrate our Differences' suggests that we recognize that we come from different cultures and want to learn about each others cultures.

Adapting a Doctor's Visit Lesson from CLB 2 to an EAP Class

Part 2: Adaptation of an Activity to a Different Context: 

Introduction and Contexts:

This is an adaptation of a task-based activity created by an ESL teacher for teaching a Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC) CLB 1/2 class (CLB 2012) about doctor’s visits (MacRae P., March 2019, personal communication).  The classes are for 2 hours each day in Winnipeg.  The activity will be adapted for an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) (4 hours/day) situated in Manitoba.  The activity will include the use of digital technology and a short presentation.   The original activity is done in groups of three, whereas the adapted activity will be done in pairs.  

Original Activity: 

The objective of the activity is for learners to understand and develop vocabulary and speaking skills for a doctor’s visit, and to become familiar with doctor’s visits in Canada.

The task is for the students, using the template below, to write a conversation for a visit to the doctor. The students are grouped in threes. The teacher will prepare the students for the activity by going through the template in detail.  First there is an explanation of the different parts of the doctor’s visit: polite greetings, ‘What’s the matter’, etc.  Then the detailed sentences are reviewed by the teacher for each section, with several examples of possible replies.  The learners have other previous reference sheets for some of the other vocabulary needed such as body parts.  The learners will write a short conversation between a doctor and ‘you’ based on the information in the table and make choices for some things.

The first draft written by the students is then corrected (if necessary) by the teacher and written on large sheets, and the next day the students take turns (in groups) reading through the conversations created by the class. 

Talk to the Doctor Template: 

Doctor You	Hello Hello	Polite greetings
Doctor You	What’s the matter? I am ______________. (adjective) I have a _________________. (noun) I ___________________. (verb)	What’s the matter?
Doctor You	How long? How many days? How high? Where does it hurt? How much does it hurt? When does it hurt the most?  (Other questions too) Understand and answer the questions.	The doctor asks questions.
Doctor You	May I     -take your temperature?    -take your pulse?    -take your blood pressure?    -listen to your chest?    -look into your eyes?   Ears?   -other examinations too.  OK.	The doctor examines you.
Doctor	You have _______________________________.  (cold? flu? infection? diabetes? high blood pressure? cancer? other problems)	The doctor tells you what’s wrong.
You Doctor	Oh.  What do I do? Stay home and rest.  Drink lots of fluids Take Tylenol. (Take the medicine 2 times a day) Other instructions too.  Come back.  (in one week, two weeks, if you aren’t better in two weeks…)	The doctor tells you what to do.
You Doctor	(Do you understand? No? Ask questions. ) (Answers your questions)	You ask questions
You Doctor	Thank you. Goodbye. You’re welcome. Goodbye	Polite goodbyes.

Adapted Activity: Doctor’s visit in Canada Compared to Other Countries

The task-based adapted activity is for an EAP class in Manitoba.  The objectives of this activity are:  

·     Learners will be able to compare and contrast information.

·     Learners will become more familiar with different digital technology applications and enhance their presentation skills. 

·     Learners will understand how to access healthcare in Manitoba while they are students. 

Learners (in a group activity) will first brainstorm words that are used in comparing and contrasting, and also do a web search for more words to add to those they know.  Then words will be combined into one large file for use in the activity. 

Learners will then work in pairs for the remainder.  They will be asked to research medical care in Manitoba and compare and contrast it to medical services in their home country or another country.  (If they are not from the same country, they can choose one of theirs) 

Using an appropriate format such as Adobe Spark, powerpoint, Youtube video, Prezi or other approved by the instructor, the learners will individually prepare a short (up to 5 min) presentation using the information they have gathered. They will include:

1)  a typical doctor’s visit

2)  costs of medical care and/or insurance

3)  how medical care is accessed (clinic, emergency, walk-in clinic,  specialists, etc.)

4)  wait times for seeing a doctor.

5)  information required for medical care.

6)  other similarities and differences.

For the information, learners will search the Government of Manitoba website, recent news articles on healthcare in Manitoba and relevant websites and information from their chosen country.  Students will create a table with the information they have found and possible words to use for comparing and contrasting the information. The teacher will review the information in the table with the students before they start preparing their presentation. 

Rationale for Changes: 

EAP classes are focused on developing higher-level language skills that prepare learners for higher education such as college and university, and therefore the grammar, writing and speaking levels of the activity is much higher compared to the original activity.  EAP courses much also prepare them for giving presentations in English and develop required digital literacy skills (Brown and Lee, 2015, pp. 237-256). In the original activity the students read the final presentation in groups, which is less stressful for lower level learners.  This adapted activity combines the skills of comparing and contrasting with the skills of giving a presentation. Allowing the leaners to work in pairs works well for a structured task (Brown and Lee 2015, pp. 275).  It will also lessen the anxiety of presentations, and help develop confidence in presentation skills.  Although EAP students should know language to use in accessing medical care in English, they may not be familiar with how Manitoba healthcare differs from their home country. One of the challenges teaching EAP is finding topics that motivate students (Oxford University Press  2012), so using a practical topic like medical care combined with developing necessary presentation skills should help generate interest.  The adapted activity requires students to gather information through good web searching techniques (a necessary skill in higher education), also allowing them to become more familiar with the differences between countries. Therefore the adapted lesson develops grammar, writing, speaking and digital skills suitable for an EAP environment. 

References for Adaptation: 

Adobe Spark Website. Retrieved from https://spark.adobe.com

Brown, D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy (4th ed). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.

Center for Canadian Language Benchmarks (2012). Canadian Language        Benchmarks: English as a Second Language for Adults. [PDF document].     Retrieved from http://www.language.ca/publications/english-publications-  downloadable/

Oxford University Press ELT (2012, July) Teaching EAP: A Professional Challenge.    English Language Teaching Global Blog.  Retrieved             from https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2012/07/10/teaching-eap-a-       professional-challenge/

Job Analysis

Taking the next step after finishing an ESL program can be both exciting and possibly scary.  For some it's a new leap to a new career and possibly even a new country.  Therefore it's very important to thoroughly research the job, the cultural environment and how it differs from your own, the teaching expectation and methods,  the necessary accreditation and visa requirements, the remuneration and expenses, the available support, available resources, and the workload.   All of these will have a factor in how well you adapt and thrive in your teaching environment.  For those working closer to home, many of these factors are still very important to research.  Working conditions and expectations can vary greatly from school to school.

Here is an infographic which is a Job Analysis for a position with Diversecity Community Resource Society in Surrey, BC.

References: 

Asian Journal (2019, Feb) DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society hosts funding announcement by the Ministry of Jobs, Trades and Technology for expanded settlement services for newcomers. Retrieved from https://www.asianjournal.ca/diversecity-community-resources-society-hosts-funding-announcement-by-the-ministry-of-jobs-trades-and-technology-for-expanded-settlement-services-for-newcomers/

Diversecity Community Resource Society. Retrieved from http://www.dcrs.ca

Diversecity Community Resource Society (2018) Annual Report. Retrieved from  http://www.dcrs.ca/about/annual-report-2017-2018/

Glassdoor. Diversecity Reviews.  Retrieved (March 2019) from https://www.glassdoor.ca/Reviews/Diversecity-Reviews-E686531.htm

Indeed (2019) Diversecity Community Resource Society Employee Reviews. Retrieved from:  https://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Diversecity-Community-Resources-Society/reviews

From Private ESL to Public EAP

From Private ESL to Public EAP

What are the differences and challenges when an English as a second language (ESL) instructor leaves a private language school to teach English for academic purposes (EAP) courses at a University? 

When I worked at the university, I would often see the students leaving their EAP classes. And I often wondered what it must be like for them, leaving their home, coming so far to study and learn English. I was also lucky enough to interact with some Brazilian students who were in Canada for a special program, part of which was designed for EAP, and part science study.  They were wonderful people! 

From my web research, it seems that many private schools are dedicated to teaching students who are preparing for standardized tests.  The curriculum of these classes would therefore be developed so the students are prepared for the test, but not always offering a wider English curriculum. Some of the schools also offer English classes that are more dedicated to social interaction and everyday language, and often couple these with social experiences and field trips. So depending on which courses you teach, your classes would be very different.  Some teachers may have a fairly flexible curriculum, and others fairly rigid. (Heartland International School Webpage)

I think to work in a private school, you may have to be fairly adaptable, as you may have to teach different types of classes, teach at different times of the day, and have a wide variety of students with many different backgrounds and ages. 

Many of these schools are profit based, so they must maintain their reputation of students succeeding in passing their tests, or attaining whatever other goals they have. 

Working in a university environment there is usually a very defined syllabus. Finding appropriate material may be a problem (Oxford University Press ELT).  The EAP students would be generally working towards the goal of preparing for university entrance.  Therefore the teaching would focus very much on academic skills that would be used in studying, note taking, writing essay and reports, time management, vocabulary,etc. So to be an effective teacher, it would be very important to understand the university experience yourself, know the pitfalls and how to be successful. 

Some of the other problems suggested by the Oxford University Press ELT blog are: 

1. Shortage of time; 

2. not enough money for additional teachers to help with teaching/writing; 

3. Difficulty of obtaining access to subject specific information, data, and the appropriate academic conventions of the target discourse community; 

4. Lack of co-operation from staff in specialist departments; 

5. Lack of self-confidence, experience, imagination, creativity; 

6. Fear of lack of credibility with students.

6. Lack of student motivation because they do not equate EAP with regular courses.

7. Need for a strong academic background in teachers

Most of the students would also be young adults, just finished high school, so they also want to experience Canada culturally, and want the skills to communicate in social experiences. Many EAP university programs also offer some social activities for students.  Although teachers may not be involved in these, they must be aware of them, help prepare students for them, and could also make use of them in their classrooms. 

Teachers would also have to be aware of other more personal concerns of their students, such as culture shock, home sickness, too much partying, etc because these will obviously affect the student's outcome in their classes.  They could become topics to discuss in class, and teachers could refer students to counselling if need be. 

Many ESL students suffer culture shock. If we have experienced this ourselves it is much easier to be empathetic and understand what the students feel.  When I first thought about culture shock, I thought, no, I haven't experienced this because I have never been in a foreign country long enough.  But in one way I have experienced culture shock.  When I started university, I moved from a small prairie town to Winnipeg.  Although some might not think of this as culture shock, it really is, but perhaps in a more subtle way.  If you're from the city, think of what it might be like living in a small town.  It's a very different experience.  And there are even many differences in communication.  In a small town, it's very common for a complete stranger to stop and talk to you on the street.  If this happens in the city, some might think your are a bit weird.  If you are driving down the road in the country, you automatically raise your hand in a short wave to an oncoming vehicle as a form of courtesy.  I never see that in the city. I'm sure you can think of many more if you've experienced the move too. 

References: 

Blok, S. (2016, Sept) ETL Best Practices: EAP in Canada.  Retrieved from     http://blog.tesol.org/elt-best-practices-eap-in-canada/

Heartland International School Webpage.  Retrieved from http://www.heartlandenglish.com

University of Manitoba English Language Center.  Retrieved from http://umanitoba.ca/student/elc/

Malefaki, J. (2015, June) EAP Stories.  Retrieved from https://myeltrambles.com/2015/06/17/eap-stories/

Oxford University Press ELT (2012, July) Teaching EAP: A Professional Challenge. English Language Teaching Global Blog.  Retrieved from https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2012/07/10/teaching-eap-a-professional-challenge/

Digital Technology in the ESL Classroom

Digital Technology can add another dimension to our ESL classroom.  Many of us have difficulty adopting new technology because sometimes there is a steep learning curve, and it takes time to become proficient with the app or device.  There are two pieces of tech that I wanted to review that I have found easy to use and incorporate into your students' learning experience, but can also be helpful to you as well: 

1) The Voice Memo app on Mac technology (phone, iPad).  Some android phones also have a voice recording app. 

I first saw this used to record a speaking assessment by a teacher and it worked very well.  She was helping another teacher with the assessments.  She recorded the session, and saved it under the student's name.  It was used along with a paper assessment, but the other teacher could then review it after.  She could also email the assessment to the other teacher and also to the student if they wished.  

This app is extremely easy to use.  Just push the record button to start and stop. You can then add a file name, and email, text, save, etc. very easily. This is one of the reasons I like it! 

 I could also see this being used  to record the teachers pronunciation of words that students are having difficulty with, to practice at home, or during another part of a lesson.  Students could also record themselves to see how they can improve.  There are whole range of other possible uses suggested by Erin Walton (https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/teacherzone/12548-2/) such as recordings for memo reminders for yourself, podcasts,  brainstorming, practicing speeches, narrations for powerpoint, voice overs for images, homework reminders, to do lists, practice in transcribing, storytelling, self-evaluations and portfolios.  

One of the issues that you might have to consider is that some students may not like being recorded, especially if the material will be shared online.  Or if you have a student with a speech impediment, they might feel self conscious with a recording. You may also have to set some guidelines about them recording you, ie. are you OK with it, do they need your permission, or do you not want to be recorded. I've had International students record my lectures because sometimes they don't catch all that I say, but I always preferred to be asked permission first. 

2) The second tech is Adobe Spark (www.spark.adobe.com) that I just recently used for part of a class assignment and was demonstrated by the instructor.  

It looked so easy to use, and wanted to try it, so I've created a short video for my assignment.  I hope to post it later in the week, when I've edited it a bit more. 

Adobe Spark allows you to create short (suggested 25 'pages') videos, webpages, or social media content by selecting photos from ones the app has available or from your own library or online.  Using the video you can also add a voice over and background music and themes.  You can also easily edit the sequence of the slides. It then converts the whole thing into an mp4 file which can be downloaded and saved or shared in various ways.  So what you end up with is similar to a Powerpoint movie. 

I loved using it because it's so easy.  The icons for editing are fairly straight forward, however, it can be a bit limiting as there are not too many choices for moving things around and editing etc.  But if you want to do something quick (and time also seems to be a factor in creating lessons) it seems like a great app.  

I can see many uses for it besides creating your own little teaching movies.  Students could easily learn to use it and create their own movies/presentations, blogs, webpages and social media content.  It's fun and you don't need a lot of tech experience.  You could also use it for many of the same things as the Voice Memo above, but add images as well.  Here's a nice explanation of it with a very heartwarming example story of its use by An Huynh (https://www.empoweringells.com/adobe-spark/). He suggests that it also promotes critical thinking and increases content engagement.  I can see it really bringing out the creativity in yourself and your students and making presentations fun.  It's much easier to use than Powerpoint, so students with low tech experience would find it easier.  

Here's a video on how to use it: using adobe spark video

The two disadvantages are the limited editing tools, and some students with no tech experience might initially find it difficult, but with encouragement could easily learn to use it. 

Hope you get a chance to try them both. 

Here are some other websites that had some good tech information: 

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator/language-teaching-apps/

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator/apps-for-language-teachers/

References: 

Byrne, R. How to use Adobe Spark. Retrieved from using adobe spark video

 Huynh, A. (2017, Nov) Sparking Speaking Skills with Adobe Spark. Retrieved from https://www.empoweringells.com/adobe-spark/

Walton, E.  13 Ways to Use a Voice Recorder in Class.  Retrieved from  https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/teacherzone/12548-2/

Teaching Using Textbooks and Authentic Materials

Resources available to teachers are vast and diverse, and this applies to the ESL environment as well.  Teachers I’ve spoken with often say the problem is sorting through it all to find good material that is applicable to your context.  Besides all the material that is available online there are also textbooks and workbooks to consider.  And at the other end of the spectrum are authentic materials that we find in our everyday lives.  Both are valuable resources for teachers, but require careful thought and integration in the classroom. 

Using textbooks has several advantages and disadvantages (Harmer 2007).   They provide a structured source of material designed by professionals, and many teachers and students like this predictability. Many have teacher guides to help the teacher with lesson plans. Some teachers and students can find the textbook or workbook confining with lack of engagement. Some teachers prefer to find their own material and create their own activities, but this can be very time consuming.  Course books can also be very expensive, and budget must be considered.

If you decide that a textbook would be useful for your classroom or teaching context, a detailed analysis process is required to ensure that you are making the right investment. Shave (2010) has designed a multi-step evaluation process to use for evaluating and selecting ESL course books.  The first step is to analyze the context of your teaching, this is, decide who will be using the course book and how.  There are numerous questions that he has selected to describe the learning situation, such as ‘what are the aims of the program’, What are the objectives of the course’, ‘what age are the learners’, ‘what are the motivations of the learners’, ‘what is the size and frequency of the class’. All of these and more will help decide the appropriate material.  The second step for analysis is the methodology and syllabus.  Does it fit with your teaching style, and does the syllabus follow a useable sequencing of the material for your context?  The next step takes a detailed look at the individual units and their content and activities, and comparisons can be done for different course books. Next, specific evaluation criteria are used (aims and approaches, language content, skills, topics, methodology) to determine which is the best fit.  Often a trial in the classroom with students may be helpful before the final selection. 

Once you have chosen your course book there are many ways that they can be used. Harmer (2007).  He suggests that ‘adding, adapting and replacing’ are all valid uses, but care must be taken that we do not compromise the use of the course book. Using your creativity, Harmer suggests many alternative activities that can replace or complement those in the text. Course books are may not be appropriate for all teaching contexts, but they can be valuable resources for some classrooms. 

Authentic materials add a much needed extra dimension to the classroom. They stimulate learners to interact with the content both cognitively and affectively (Rogers 1988).  They strengthen the confidence of students and allow the use of ‘real’ language that is what they would hear or see in their community (Chou n.d.).  Authentic materials also help to immerse the student in their new culture. 

There is a huge array of authentic materials that can be easily accessed. We just have to look around us, and think about what we use and do in our everyday life. Some examples are menus, flyers, forms, TV shows, Youtube, music, radio, classified ads or Kijiji, websites, online shopping sites, resumes, magazines and many more. Many of these can be incorporated into fun games and activities in the classroom (Pesce n.d.). Often there may be some adaptation required because the material is unsuitable in the original form. Lynch (2009) offers many suggestions for adaptation such as adjusting the length or simplifying the language. 

Both course books and authentic materials can be valuable tools for the ESL teacher. But each brings unique challenges in their use and incorporation into the classroom, and careful consideration must be given to provide a useful, engaging and enriching experience for your learners.  

References:

Chou, E.  4 Creative Ways to Use Authentic Materials for Teaching English. Retrieved from https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/authentic-materials-for-teaching-english/

Lynch, L. (2009). Throw Away the Course Book and Adapt Authentic Materials.   Retrieved from https://www.eslbase.com/teaching/adapt-authentic-materials

Pesce, C. Keepin’ It Real: 8 Best Authentic Sources of Reading Material. Retrieved      fromhttps://busyteacher.org/16195-reading-material-8-best-authentic-sources.html. 

Rogers, C., & Medley, F., Jr. (1988). Language with a purpose: using authentic materials in the foreign language classroom. Foreign Language Annals, 21, 467–478.

Shave, J. (2010). A Teacher friendly process for evaluating and selecting ESL/EFL  Coursebooks. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Shave-CourseBookEvaluation.html