By Amistad, Havisham Poulime C.
As time passes by, there is a visible increase in the number of people who are interested in learning a new language. The most sought-after foreign language is the English language, especially by learners from countries whose first language or L1 is not English. Popularly known as an international language, the English language can be acquired through various means. It can be learned through formal education where learners will go through the process of learning the basic foundation of acquiring a language. On the other hand, a language can also be learned through authentic materials. Authentic materials are simply a more natural way of learning a new language through everyday scenarios or hobbies, such as watching a movie, listening to music, talking to native speakers or doing other activities where a learner can learn a language informally.
When learning a new language, the common knowledge is that one must undergo formal education, make use of language learning materials that are certainly planned for language learning, and study all the necessary steps to be able to speak and write in their target language. However, we also have what we call Authentic Materials which are materials that are unintended for the purpose of learning, rather they are more genuine in terms of being used not just for studying a language but also learning as a whole. There are various authentic materials that can be utilized for learning a language, but I will only be giving the three usual materials. Firstly, we have our movies, drama series, or television shows that are helpful in learning pronunciation and daily vocabulary since the learner will be able to listen to how the words are pronounced while reading the subtitles. When watching shows, the tip is to choose the subtitle of the target language and not the first language of the learner. Secondly, listening to songs increases the chances of learning a language because songs have rhythm that are easy to grasp and repeat. When learners listen to the same song over and over again, they can effortlessly memorize the lyrics of a song then check the meaning of the words afterwards. Lastly, surrounding oneself with native speakers is the most effective way to learn a language, this can actually be observed in Cordilleran families residing in La Trinidad or Baguio city whose common language is Ilocano or Tagalog. For instance, let’s say that Ibaloi is the mother tongue of both parents. At home, this is the language that they use with their children; likewise, they are also immersed in either Ilocano or Tagalog because this is the language of the community they are in. As a result, the children become multilingual speakers of the three languages they are exposed to.
To end, learning a language does not have to be difficult and uninteresting, it can also be effortless and entertaining with the use of authentic materials which the learners can experience in their daily lives.**
