Learning by Reading : A literature study on the use of authentic texts in the EFL upper elementary classroom

The English language is widely used throughout the world and has become a core subject in many countries, especially for students in the upper elementary classroom. While textbooks have been the preferred EFL teaching method for a long time, this belief has seemingly changed within the last few years. Therefore, this study looks at what prior research says about the use of authentic texts in the EFL upper elementary classroom with an aim to answer research questions on how teachers can work with authentic texts, what the potential benefits of using authentic texts are and what teachers and students say about the use of authentic texts in the EFL classroom. While this thesis is written from a Swedish perspective, it is recognized that many countries teach EFL. Therefore, international results have also been taken into consideration and seven previous research studies have been analyzed in order to gain a better understanding of the use of authentic texts in the EFL classroom. Results indicate that the use of authentic texts is beneficial in teaching EFL. However, many teachers are still reluctant to use these, mainly because of time constraints and the belief that such texts are too difficult for their students. Since these findings are mainly focused on areas outside of Sweden, additional research is needed before conclusions can be drawn on the use of authentic texts in the Swedish upper elementary EFL classroom.

A Reading by Tapscott Stephen

A reading delivered at Colby College on January 1, 1981.

A Reading by Maureen McCoy

A reading delivered at Colby College on March 10, 1988.

A Reading by Jane Miller

A reading delivered at Colby College on March 19, 1986.

A Reading by Stephen Tapscott

A reading delivered at Colby College on January 1, 1981.

A Reading by Steven Cramer

A reading delivered at Colby College on April 9, 1987.

A Reading by Paul Muldoon

A reading delivered at Colby College in 1988.

A Reading by Tony Hoagland

A reading delivered at Colby College in 1996.

A Reading by Laura K. Mullen

A reading delivered at Colby College in 1990.

A Reading by David Wojhan

A Reading by David Wojhan on January 1, 1983.

A Reading by Alix Shulman

A reading delivered by Alix Shulman on January 1, 1984.

A Reading by David Ray

A reading delivered at Colby College in 1976.