The Increasing Need for Authentic Reading Texts in ELT Classrooms Essay

The Increasing Need for Authentic Reading Texts in ELT Classrooms - Essay Example By working on a "living" language as used by the community, this could give learners the feeling that they are in touch with reality and thus increase their motivation for learning. For this reason, more and more authentic texts are being incorporated into the materials used for English language teaching to close the gap between pedagogic texts and the real world. Authentic texts, being culled from day-to-day living, may appeal to students as relevant and interesting and thus serve to increase their motivation to learn. Hence, text authenticity has become popular as part of the current orthodoxy in ELT, its relevance considered especially high in the communicative exercises. In this essay, we shall discuss the rationale, advantages and benefits of authentic text, including the problems that may arise from its use. Together with the reasons for its increasing use in the classroom, we will also explore the factors that may dash its effective use, how the materials are actually taught a nd the different contexts and requirements for a successful teaching of such authentic materials. For the past 15 years, the conviction grew among applied linguists and those who design ELT texts that language teaching involves not only an immersion in its grammar but also how grammar is used in the business of actual everyday communication (Widdowson, H., 1979). Language teaching, in this view, will not go far if it seeks to develop only the student's grammatical competence without paying heed to his communicative ability. For language study to be productive, the language experiences must engage the thoughts and minds of students. This gave impetus to the development and increasing use of authentic text, which brings real communication into the classroom (Nunan, D., 1985). This arose out of the need to shift our attention away from an almost exclusive concentration on grammatical competence and give equal attention to communicative competence (Widdowson, H., 1979), because knowledge of language involves both. Authentic text is seen as an effective tool to provide communicative competence. But for this to happen, English teaching must be presented as authentic enough to serve as a "door to a whole new world of possibilities, career or otherwise, be it in the business world or other sectors (Nunan, D., 2004)."Clayton, Fomo defines authentic texts as "genuine samples of language in use," which are not produced specifically for the purpose of language teaching. This text, sometimes spoken and sometimes written, simulates and uses the language of the real world, which is adapted in the classroom for its relevance to the students' social milieu. The objective is to develop the students' language skills for the real world, and bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and the students' capacity to participate in real-life events. Exposing students to the language of the real world will help them acquire "an effective receptive competence in the target language (Guariento, W. & Morley, J., 2001)." Samples of authentic text, which are described as forms of "genuine and less formal" English, are offered in the volume Cambridge Skills for Fluency: Listening Series (1998). Such a text could be anything from newspaper clippings to flyers promoting a

Stops, Frisks, and Terry Stops Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Stops, Frisks, and Terry Stops - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze the Terry stop legal issue and its impact in the society. The paper will also look at constitutional issues that touch on the matter and the impact that they have had. Introduction The issue of stop, frisk and Terry stop is very controversial and has been debated for a long period of time. A Terry stop involves stopping of an individual by a law enforcement officer for frisking and in some cases a short detention. An individual may be stopped for frisking if they are suspected of having committed or being likely to commit a crime by a law enforcement officer. As one undergoes a Terry stop, the police officer frisks and individual (the suspect) to ensure that the officer is not in danger or other members of the public (Acker & Brody, 2012). A Terry stop is different from an arrest since it takes less time and is accompanied by less legal procedures. During a Terry Stop, a police officer usually confirm the details of the suspect and finds out whether they have a criminal record or outstanding fines or arrest warrants that have been issued against them. Groups that represent both sides of the argument present their debates which sound justified. Records of crime statistics show that there has been an increase in crimes that are committed all over the country. People all over the world feel that is up to the government to introduce measures that lead to a reduction of crime levels. Stop, frisks and Terry stops is one of the ways that was introduced by the government to try and curb crime levels all over the country. Law enforcers feel that prevention of crimes consumes fewer resources and saves more lives for minimal inconvenience if any to those that undergo the Terry stops. Discussions Stops, Frisks, and Terry Stops affect many individuals in the United States and perceptions on the government and law enforcement officers. This constitutional issue also affects the constitutional rights of individuals. Terry stop and frisk involves detent ion by police if they are suspicious that an individual has been involved in committing a crime. The Terry stop and frisk law was introduced in 1968 after the Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S 1 (1968) court decision that was made by the Supreme court in the United States. The decision also authorized the police to conduct searches on the outer garments of the suspect if they have articulable suspicion that the suspect is armed and dangerous. The court authorized law enforcers to being able to detain an individual who they suspect is involved in committing a crime. Law enforcement officers also have the legal right to search the individual that they have detained. In some cases, the law enforcers might feel that the suspect might be in possession of a weapon, and may be planning to use in order to commit a crime. The rationale that causes the law enforcers to feel that the individual is likely to commit a crime should be reasonable. For example, a suspect might look overly nervous yet there is no evident reason why they should appear so. Such behavior might be an indication that such an individual is about to commit a crime. The law authorizes police officers to seize any form of contraband that they would find on a suspect while conducting the frisking. However there are some conditions in the frisking of the suspect (Acker & Brody, 2012). The frisking should be limited to the outer clothing of the