An Analysis of the Problematic Discourse Surrounding "Authentic Texts"
2019-06
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An Analysis of the Problematic Discourse Surrounding "Authentic Texts"
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2019-06
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Hispania
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Article
Abstract
In L2 (second language) pedagogy, texts are commonly distinguished based on whether language
instruction was a consideration in their creation. Texts that are not created for L2 instruction, or “authentic
texts,” have been thought to represent the target language in an accurate and reliable way (Zyzik and Polio
2017). Conversely, texts that are produced with language learning in mind (“non-authentic texts”), such
as those often found in textbooks, have received a markedly negative depiction; they have been considered
contrived texts with distorted and artificial language, and their sociocultural purpose has been questioned
(e.g., Gilmore 2007; Glisan and Donato 2017). An analysis of these polarized characterizations reveals an
overreliance on subjective qualities to distinguish the two types of texts and an implicit assumption that
language can exist in an authentic, complete form. Additionally, the ideology of authenticity continues to
influence our perception of language users, since native speakers are more often associated with authenticity
than others. This paper problematizes the “authentic text”/“non-authentic text” dichotomy in L2
pedagogy and promotes a post-structuralist vision—one in which the value of a text is not determined in
isolation from how students might interpret and interact with it in specific learning contexts (Guerrettaz
and Johnston 2013).
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10.1353/hpn.2019.0045
Previously Published Citation
Simonsen, Russell. (2019). An Analysis of the Problematic Discourse Surrounding "Authentic Texts". Hispania 102(2), 245-258. Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved September 1, 2019, from Project MUSE database.
Suggested citation
Simonsen, Russell L. (2019). An Analysis of the Problematic Discourse Surrounding "Authentic Texts". Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, 10.1353/hpn.2019.0045.
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