Authentic and Simplified Texts
Scott A. Crossley · The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching · 2018
This entry focuses on differences between authentic and simplified texts used in second language (L2) reading. The entry provides an overview of the theories for their use, the differences between the text types, and evidence from behavioral studies for the use of both authentic and simplified texts. In general, simplified texts differ from authentic texts in that they provide more accessible language that is lexically less sophisticated, syntactically less complex, and more cohesive overall. These differences tend to make the texts more readable and comprehensible (with some caveats). Pedagogical implications for these findings are discussed.