Les documents authentiques et leur place dans la classe de français langue étrangère
Authentic documents and their place in teaching French as a foreign language

Summary/Abstract: In teaching French as a foreign language (FFL), authentic documents are valuable supports for teaching/learning, as they are samples of real language and culture. These rich and varied teaching supports favour the originality of class interactions, and are the core of most modern didactic activities, as students recognise them as a part of daily reality. Our article will propose, firstly, a definition of authentic documents used in foreign language classes, while making a distinction between the different views on the words “document” and “authentic”. Furthermore, we will present the historical track of authentic documents in teaching French as a foreign language. These documents started to be used in FFL classes when SGAV methods appeared in language teaching, replacing the concept of “manufactured document” by that of “authentic document”. At the end of ’70, when the communication approach was launched, authentic documents had a privileged place in the teaching of French. Their introduction in the pedagogic process would allow the learner to get in touch directly with the language, thanks to day-to-day situations. This method of communicative approach allows the students the access to four global abilities: oral comprehension, oral expression, written comprehension and written expression. Inserting authentic documents in language classes has a lot of advantages for the French learner, as he is the one at the centre of the whole learning process. We will also become familiar with a classification of authentic documents based on their nature and authenticity. A couple of classifications are proposed by specialized literature, but we shall linger upon four types: written, oral, electronic and visual/video authentic documents. Finally, we conclude that the part of the teacher is to properly choose the use of these documents in language classes, counting on the public, the pedagogic objectives and the accessibility degree of the authentic document.

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