CREATING CONDITIONS FOR A SOCIAL CONTEXT BY MEANS OF AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES

Abstract

The article examines the process of forming a social context in foreign language classes as a necessary condition for creating natural speech interaction in the learning process. An attempt is made to rethink the role of authentic materials in the logic of the theory of context‑based learning and to present them not as a “demonstration exhibit” of foreign‑language speech, but as mediators linking the student’s subjective experience with the objective structure of social situations. The concept of “authentic material” is used here in the context of an activity‑based and sociocultural approach and is considered a source of fresh vocabulary, relevant grammatical structures, or background knowledge. The article focuses on practice‑oriented solutions: specific types of material and work techniques that make it possible to bring to life in a learning situation such social parameters as the speaker’s intention, social status, the distance between communicants, and the cultural background of the event. The paper provides a classification of authentic materials, as well as specific examples of their use to create the necessary social context in foreign language classes.