News around the World Learning through News Article

Abstract

In EFL countries in which English language learning is not usually for communicative purposes, most students (especially in Korea) focus on the KSAT (KoreaScholastic Assessment Test) by aiming to get high test scores. As a result, students are not usually given an opportunity to learn English with interesting, authentic materials. This situation could deprive students of opportunities to learn English in a positive way. Moreover, focusing on test scores deprives students to develop the four language skills evenly despite the fact that “we seldom see only one language skill at a time” (Hinkel, 2010, p. 7). The purpose of this portfolio is to use short news articles to teach English in a Korean EFL classroom. The reading texts currently adopted by public middle and high schools are not motivating enough and are not helpful for the students to build abundant background knowledge. On the other hand, the authentic news articles selected for this portfolio are not only helpful in motivating students, but they also provide more opportunities for exposure to various topics and cultures (Philips and Shettlesworth 1978; Clarke 1989; Peacock 1997, cited in Richards, 2001). The target audience is a group of fourteen year old middle school students who have not been abroad for an extended period of time. Their proficiency levels range from intermediate-low to intermediate-mid according to the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). They often feel afraid to speak in English but want to improve their communicative abilities while they learn reading skills. Moreover, they sometimes lose confidence when they encounter unfamiliar topics. They hope to improve their communicative skills while covering various topics from this textbook.