The effect of authentic materials on 12th grade students’ attitudes in EFL Classes

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate whether authentic materials have a positive impact on developing the attitudes of 12th grade students in EFL classes. This study was conducted over 12 weeks. The participants were 37 twelfth grade students in Bucak Anatolian High School. In order to accomplish the objectives of the study, quantitative research method was applied. In this experimental study, pre-test – post-test with a control group design was used. An experimental and a control group participated and the instrument of the study was an attitude scale. During the ten week training program, the experimental group received suggested activities and exercises using authentic materials such as films, videos, magazines whereas the control group received the traditional instructional approach using the current course book while focusing on almost the same language items. Both groups were administered the pre-tests at the beginning of the training, and the post-tests at the end of the training in order to analyze the students’ attitudes towards English course before and after the implementation of authentic materials. The data collected through the students’ pre and post-tests were analyzed using Microsoft Office, Excel 2003 and SPSS 13.00. Descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-test were used in the analysis of quantitative data. Based on the quantitative research findings, it can be stated that although pre-test results indicated no significant difference between the means of the experimental and the control group, the means of the experimental group was found to be significantly higher than the control group according to post-test results. In conclusion, it can be said that authentic materials have marked a positive effect on the attitudes of students towards English course.

Keywords: Authentic materials, foreign language teaching, attitude

Keywords

• Authentic materials, foreign language teaching, attitude

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