A study on the use of authentic materials in reaing instruction for first year mainstream students at felte ulis vnu

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION

GRADUATION PAPER

A STUDY ON THE USE OF AUTHENTIC MATERIALS
IN REAING INSTRUCTION FOR FIRST YEAR
MAINSTREAM STUDENTS AT FELTE-ULIS-VNU

Supervisor: Lục Đình Quang, MA
Student: Lưu Trà Giang
Course: QH2012.F1.E5

HÀ NỘI-2016


ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH

KHOÁ LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP

NGHIÊN CỨU VIỆC SỬ DỤNG TÀI LIỆU THỰC TẾ
TRONG VIỆC DẠY ĐỌC CHO SINH VIÊN NĂM
NHẤT HỆ ĐẠI TRÀ KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH

Giáo viên hướng dẫn: Lục Đình Quang
Sinh viên: Lưu Trà Giang
Khố: QH2012.F1.E5

HÀ NỘI -2016


ACCEPTANCE PAGE
I hereby state that I : Luu Tra Giang, 12E5, being a candidate for the degree of
Bachelor of Arts (TEFL) accept the requirements of the College relating to the
retention and use of Bachelor‘s Graduation Paper deposited in the library.
In term of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in the library
should be accessible for the purpose of study and research, in accordance with the
normal conditions established by librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of paper.
Signature

Date

1


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Mr. Luc Dinh Quang, my research
supervisors, for his patient guidance, enthusiastic encouragement and useful critiques
of this research work. I would also like to thank Ms. Nguyen Thi Chi for her advice
and assistance.
I take this opportunity to express gratitude to all teachers and students of the
Faculty of English Language Teacher Education for their participation and support. I
also thank my parents for the unceasing encouragement, support and attention.
I also place on record, my sense of gratitude to one and all, who directly or
indirectly, have lent their hand in this venture.

2

ABSTRACT
Under the communicative approach, authentic materials have gradually been
integrated into reading courses for first-year students studying in Faculty of Language
Teacher Education (FELTE) in University of Languages and International Studies
(ULIS). The effectiveness of using authentic materials depends crucially on how
teachers select and exploit them for reading activities. Although in the scope of ULIS,
VNU, some research related to the use of authentic materials has been conducted,
there has not been any research investigating into reading instruction for FELTE
students. To fill in this gap, ―A study on the use of authentic materials in reading
instruction for first-year mainstream students at FELTE-ULIS-VNU‖ was conducted.
The participants were 104 freshmen and 12 teachers of reading courses from
FELTE, ULIS. Three instruments namely questionnaire for students, semi-structured
interview and observation were employed to collect data which were analyzed by
qualitative and quantitative methods. The results showed that all of the teachers had
positive attitudes toward the use of authentic materials in their reading classes;
however, they held neutral views when comparison between authentic materials and
textbooks was made. Therefore, all of them approved of the use of both kinds in
reading instruction. When using authentic materials, asking students‘ experiences was
the most popular technique in pre-reading stage; skimming and extensive reading were
more focused in while-reading; and discussion was frequently hold at the end of
classes, which underlines the interactive model of reading process. The students were
generally motivated by the reading activities based on authentic materials.
Furthermore, they were considerably motivated to learn reading and to do more
reading outside the classroom.

3


Table of Contents

ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. 3
LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES, AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................... 6
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 7
1.1.

Statement of the problem and the rationale for the study ..................................... 7

1.2.

Aims and objectives of the study .............................................................................. 8

1.3.

Scope of the study ...................................................................................................... 8

1.4.

Significance of the study .......................................................................................... 10

1.5.

Organization ............................................................................................................. 10

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................. 11
2.1. The Concept Of Authenticity ...................................................................................... 11
2.1.1. Definition of authenticity ...................................................................................... 11
2.1.2. Text authenticity .................................................................................................... 12
2.1.4. Task authenticity ................................................................................................... 13
2.1.5. Definitions of authentic materials ........................................................................ 14
2.1.6.

2.2.

Types of authentic materials ............................................................................. 15

An overview of teaching reading ............................................................................ 15

2.2.1.

Reading processes ............................................................................................ 15

2.2.2.

Reading strategies ............................................................................................. 16

2.2.2. Stages of a reading lesson ..................................................................................... 17
2.3.

The use of authentic materials in teaching reading .............................................. 18

2.3.1.

Selection of authentic materials ...................................................................... 18

2.3.3. Arguments in favor of authentic materials in teaching reading ....................... 20
2.2.4.
2.4.

Arguments against authentic materials in teaching reading.......................... 21

Motivation in learning reading ............................................................................... 22

2.4.1.

What is motivation? ......................................................................................... 22

2.4.2.

The importance of motivation ......................................................................... 23

Chapter summary ............................................................................................................... 23
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................ 25
3.1.

Settings ...................................................................................................................... 25

3.2.

Sampling ................................................................................................................... 26

3.3

Data collection instruments..................................................................................... 27

3.3.1.

Questionnaires .................................................................................................. 27

3.3.2.

Interview for teachers ..................................................................................... 29

4


3.3.3.

Field observation .............................................................................................. 29

3.4.

Data collection procedure....................................................................................... 30

3.5.

Data analysis procedures......................................................................................... 30

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................... 32
4.1.

Findings..................................................................................................................... 32

4.1.1. Research question 1: What is the role of authentic materials in teaching
reading for the target students from the teachers’ perspectives? ............................... 32
4.1.2.Research question 2: In what ways are authentic materials exploited in the
present reading classes ? ................................................................................................. 35
4.2.3.Research question 3: To what extent do the reading activities based on
authentic materials motivate the target students to learn reading? ........................... 39
4.2.

Discussion ................................................................................................................. 43

4.2.1.What is the role of authentic materials in teaching reading for the target
students from the teachers’ perspectives? .................................................................... 43
4.2.2.In what ways are authentic materials exploited in the present reading classes ?
44
4.2.3. To what extent do the reading activities based on authentic materials motivate
the target students to learn reading? ............................................................................. 46
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 49
5.1.

Summary of the findings ......................................................................................... 49

5.2.

Implications .............................................................................................................. 49

5.3.

Limitations of the study .......................................................................................... 50

5.4.

Suggestion for further research .............................................................................. 51

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 52
APPENDICES......................................................................................................................... 55

5


LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES, AND ABBREVIATIONS

List of tables
Table 1: Teachers‘ attitude toward authentic reading materials

33

Table 2: Summary of reading activities organized in the four observed classes

39

Table 3: Students‘ reaction to authentic materials

46

Table 4: Students‘ attitudes toward in-class reading activities using authentic 42
materials
Table 5: Students‘ attitude toward Reading Synthesis

42

Table 6: Students‘ reaction to the use of authentic materials in the four
observed classes

44

List of figures
Chart 1: Activities used by teachers in pre-reading stage

36

Chart 2: Reading strategies often practiced by students when using authentic 37

materials
Charts 3: Activities used by teachers in post-reading stage

37

Chart 4: Students‘ attitudes about the best reading class

41

Chart 5: The frequency of reading English for pleasure

43

Chart 6: Students‘ favorite types of authentic reading materials

43

List of abbreviations
EFL

English as a Foreign Language

ELT

English Language Teaching

FELTE

Faculty of English Language Teacher Education

ULIS

University of Languages and International Studies

VNU

Vietnam National University, Hanoi

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1.

Statement of the problem and the rationale for the study
Reading is considered one of the most important skills that university students

of English as a Foreign language need to acquire for accomplishing certain tasks given
to them. It is inevitable that they have to deal with writing academic papers and
making presentation which require them to read various books and references. On the
other hand, Harmer (2007, p.99) claims that getting students to read English texts is an
important part of the teacher‘s job because of four reasons. First, many students want
to be able to read English texts for present study, for future career or simply for
pleasure. Second, reading is very useful for language acquisition. Third, reading texts
provide good models for English writing concerning the construction of phrases,
sentences, paragraphs and whole texts. Finally, good reading texts can introduce
interesting topics, stimulate discussion, excite creative responses, and provide the
springboard for well-rounded, fascinating lessons. In short, it can be concluded that
reading materials are very crucial in teaching reading.
Recently, the use of authentic materials in reading instruction has become

widespread across educational contexts. Berardo (2006) mentions that authentic texts
provide students with up-to-date knowledge, expose them to the world of authentic
target language, bring the real world into the classroom and significantly enliven the
class, etc. By this way, authentic texts are highly motivating, giving a sense of
achievement when understood and encourage further reading. Moreover, the source of
authentic reading materials that can be used in classroom are infinite thanks to the
Internet. Many educational websites provide articles and journals that are accompanied
with well-designed activities for reading.
Taking authenticity into consideration, teachers in FELTE, ULIS has put into
use a totally new course design for English language practice subjects for freshmen
since the first semester of 2012. This new curriculum integrates four language skills
into two subjects which are English for Social purposes (1A and 2A) and English for
Academic purposes (1B and 2B). This change is expected to provide more chances for
students to not only improve their language proficiency at school but also use the
language properly in real-life situations. Besides some textbooks like Q: Skill for
7


Success: Reading and Writing and Headway: Academic Skills, authentic reading
materials and tasks have been added in first-year curriculum of FELTE.
However, if the authentic reading materials are not well-exploited, learners will
face some problems of comprehending the texts. The effectiveness of using authentic
materials depends crucially on how teachers select and exploit them for reading
activities. Addressing the need to investigate this area of authentic materials
exploitation, a relatively large body of research to date has been done on teaching of
reading. These include the studies by Bacon and Finneman (1990), Peacook (1997)
and Berardo (2006) to name but a few. In the scope of ULIS, VNU, some research has
been conducted related to the use of authentic materials but there has not been any
research examining into teaching reading for FELTE students and first-year FELTE
students in particular.

All these conditions offer the researcher a chance to conduct ―A study on the
use of authentic materials in reading instruction for first-year students at FELTEULIS-VNU‖
1.2.

Aims and objectives of the study

This paper aims at:
Investigating the teachers‘ attitude toward the role of authentic materials in

-

teaching reading for the target students;
Investigating these students‘ attitude toward the use of authentic texts and

-

related tasks;
Exploring the present situation of teachers‘ exploitation of authentic materials

-

to teach reading to the target students;
Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What is the role of authentic materials in teaching reading for the target students
from the teachers‘ perspectives?
2. In what ways are authentic materials exploited in the present reading classes ?
3. To what extent do the reading activities based on authentic materials motivate
the target students to learn reading?
1.3.

Scope of the study

8


-

First, although there are many criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of using

authentic materials, the limited capacity of the paper only concerned one aspects
which are the target students‘ opinions about the reading activities that are based on
authentic materials.
-

Second, ―authentic materials‖ here refers to authentic printed materials that are

already included in the Reading Packages and collected by the students in the
reading classes.
-

Lastly, the QH.2015 students of the FELTE, ULIS consists of 21 classes,

ranging from 15E1 to 15E21. There are ten classes majoring in Language Teaching
(from E1 to E10); nine classes majoring in Interpretation & Translation and two
classes majoring in International Economics. They use different syllabuses as below:
ELT

Fast

track E1—> E3

SYLLABUS 1= Academic English(*)

program

+ Social English (*)

Mainstream

E4—> E10

SYLLABUS 2= Academic English +
Social English

Interpretation

Fast

and

program

Translation

track E21

Mainstream

SYLLABUS 1= Academic English(*)
+ Social English (*)

E11—>E18

SYLLABUS 2= Academic English +
Social English

International

Mainstream

E19, E20

SYLLABUS 3= Business English +

Economics

Social English

However, due to the complicated division of majors and syllabuses, the focus of
the study is the mainstream students of both ELT and Interpretation & Translation who
follow SYLLABUS 2. Thus, the population of the research will be 15 classes (from E4
to E18). Moreover, the research does not require the target students and teachers to
discriminate between the use of authentic materials in Social English classes and in
Academic English classes so as not to cause any confusion.

9


1.4.

Significance of the study
As this paper was expected to provide a valid description and evaluation on

teachers' use of authentic reading materials, its findings would be a beneficial
reference for the FELTE teachers, especially the participants. They will have a closer
look at the students‘ attitudes toward current reading classes and then they can adjust
their ways of choosing and exploiting authentic resources more appropriately to
motivate students in learning as well as improve their reading skills. Regarding
FELTE students or ELT learners, this paper would provide them with precious
teaching experiences shared by their teachers which might be useful for their own ELT
learning as well as future teaching. Perhaps, they also can realize some problems of
their teachers' work and avoid repeating them in the future. Finally, researchers having
the same concern in the topic might take some useful information from this study for
their own research in the future.
1.5.

Organization

The study is outlined with 5 chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 – Introduction — states the research problems, the significance of the study
and proposing research questions.
Chapter 2 – Literature review – includes the explanation of key definitions as well as
the review on different previous studies.
Chapter 3 – Methodology – comprises of research setting, participants and sampling
method; together with methods and procedure in data collection and data analysis.
Chapter 4 – Findings & Discussion – presents research findings with further thorough
and thoughtful discussion.
Chapter 5 – Conclusion -- summarizes the findings, limitation of the research,
pedagogical implications and suggestion for further studies.

10


CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter will provide a brief overview of the literature on the research topic,
thus, lay the theoretical basis for the whole study. Firstly, a critical explanation of key
concepts like authenticity, authentic materials will be given. Secondly, the chapter
reviews fundamental knowledge of reading and teaching reading. Thirdly, the general
use of authentic materials in EFL reading instruction will be mentioned.
2.1. The Concept Of Authenticity
2.1.1. Definition of authenticity
The notion of authenticity has become an integral part of Communicative
Approach in language teaching in the 1970-s. Lee (1995, p.323) notes that the term
‗authenticity‘ has been put under deep discussion in the fields of linguistics, materials
design, and language learning; a consensus, however, has not been reached on a
precise definition.
Gilmore (2007, p.98) commented that there is a considerable range of meanings
associated with authenticity. After pointing out eight "inter-related" possible meanings
of authenticity, this author concluded that "the concept of authenticity can be situated
in either the text itself, in the participants, in the social or cultural and purpose of the
communicative act, or some combination of these". This ambiguous conclusion was
further clarified by an older viewpoint of Breen (1985, cited in Tatsuki, 2006, p.1) who
suggests that authenticity relates not only to the language selected to be taught
(authentic texts) but also to the tasks on which the learners are engaged and the social
setting created in the classroom. Thus, Breen distinguishes four types of authenticity
which must be in continual interrelation with one another during any language lesson:
-

Authenticity of the texts which we may use as input data for our learners

-

Authenticity of the learners‘ own interpretations of such texts

-

Authenticity of tasks conductive to language learning

-

Authenticity of the actual social situation of the language classroom
This research paper adopts the view of Gilmore (2007) and Breen (1985)

mention above. Therefore, authenticity itself is a social construct that is created
through the interaction of users, situations and the texts (Tatsuki, 2006, p.2). However,
11


in order to answer the research question number 2 and number 3. The writer of this
study would like to focus on the reviews of text authenticity , learner authenticity and
task authenticity.
2.1.2. Text authenticity
It refers to input data that are used in teaching for learners. Lee (1995, p.323) defines
‗text authenticity‘ in terms of the origin of the materials. A teaching material is
usually regarded as textually authentic if it is not written for teaching purposes, but for
a real-life communicative purpose where the writer has a certain message to pass on to
the reader. Furthermore, in order to make the term coherent and applicable to different
phases of language teaching, Brown and Menasche (2005, cited in Andarab and
Rahimi, 2013, p.25) proposed five types of input authenticity rather than considering
authenticity as a ―binary concept‖ (authentic or inauthentic). According to them, input

is the text (written or spoken) that is read or heard by the learner and no one type of
input authenticity is better than any other. They are as follow:
-

Genuine input authenticity: The input is created only for real-life activities, not

for the classroom, but is used in language teaching. No changes at all are made in the
text, for example a real magazine which is read in the classroom.
-

Altered input authenticity: The input is created only for the real life and there is

no meaning change in the original input, but it is no longer exactly as it was because of
visual changes, for example a newspaper article that has been photocopied and some
explanations or comments have been added to it.
-

Adapted input authenticity: The input is created for real life but adapted by the

classroom teacher. This category covers extraction (only a short passage from a book
or an article is used), simplification (difficult words and grammatical structures are
changed to synonyms or explained) and elaboration (a text is expanded to make it
more comprehensible to learners).
-

Simulated input authenticity: The input is originally created for the classroom,

but has authentic look in terms of style and format. It is written by authors or teachers
as if the material were real and as if for a real audience. It may have many authentic
text characteristics and is often indistinguishable from the genuine.

12


-

Inauthenticity: The input is created for the classroom and there is no attempt to

make the materials resemble real-life materials though there may be a few, possibly
accidental authentic features, for example grammar books with formal explanations of
grammatical points.
2.1.3. Learner authenticity
It refers to the ability of learners to interpret the meaning present in the text like
the native speakers do in the real world. Lee (199, p.323) states that authenticity can
only be achieved when there is an agreement between the writer‘s intention and the
learner‘s interpretation. Furthermore, she adds that learner authenticity should refer not
only to appropriate responses to the materials but also to positive perceptions of them.
Learners should not automatically like materials just because they are ‗real‘ or
‗authentic‘. Teaching materials need to have communicative potential, be relevant to
learner‘s experiences and serve affectively to promote learners‘ interest in language
learning.
2.1.4. Task authenticity
According to Guariento and Morley (2001, p.349), ―authenticity lies not only in
the genuineness of texts but has much to do with the notion of task... whilst input is
necessary for the development of proficiency in the target language, by itself it is not
sufficient‖. Brown and Menasche (2005, cited in Nguyen, 2007, p.19) defines three
types of task authenticity: "genuine" (task engages learners in real-world
communication), "simulated" (there is some attempt to copy real-life situations, but the
focus is on language learning) and "pedagogical" (task requires learners to do what
they will never do in real life). They also notes that "there is probably no such thing as

real task authenticity; that classrooms are by their nature artificial. The only genuine
task authenticity for language learning may well be total immersion in the target
language environment without an instructor‖. I believe that Brown and Menasche
(2005)‘s proposal opens up the suggestion of different senses of task authenticity; in
other words, the notions of authentic and pedagogic can be seen as a continuum rather
than a binary position.
Additionally, Guariento and Morley (2001, pp. 349-350) claims that there are
four aspects of task authenticity involved. One of the crucial aspects is whether real
13


communication takes place while learners have the chance to interact naturally in for
genuine purpose. Another aspect of task authenticity is whether it has a clear
relationship with real world needs. Third, i9nteraction and negotiation also play a
crucial role in task authenticity. Breen (1985, cited in Guariento & Morley, 2001)
suggests that authentic tasks should exploit the potential authenticity of the learning
situation. Another component of task authenticity is related to learner response to text.
Guariento and Morley (2001, p.350) stress that ―task authenticity depends very much
on whether or not a student is engaged by a task and this engagement is the most
crucial type of authenticity‖ and is, therefore, the focal point of the present study.
Like the definition, classification of authenticity also involves learners and tasks
as vital factors affecting authenticity integration into EFL classrooms. Being aware of
this fact, the researcher regards learner authenticity and task authenticity as the thread
of the whole paper, while text authenticity is taken as granted throughout the research.
2.1.5. Definitions of authentic materials
There are many references to authentic materials in ELT literature. Bacon and
Finnemann (1990, p.469) define authentic materials as texts ―produced by and for
native speakers of the target language‖. However, this definition raises another
problem with the term ―native speakers‖ which is also controversial because there are
many distinctive regional codes of English. Moreover, those who speak English along

with other languages will outnumber first language speakers and, increasingly, will
decide the global future of the language. Therefore, the limitation within English
native speaking community can lead to ―a poverty of language‖( MacDonald, Badger,
& Dasliet, 2006, p. 204). Filling this gap, Nunan (1989, as cited in MacDonald,
Badger & White, 2000) regarded authentic materials as ―any material which has not
been specifically produced for the purpose of language teaching‖. Similarly, Lee
(1995, p.324), who emphasizes the importance of communicativeness, regards
authentic materials as texts that are ―not written for teaching purposes, but for a reallife communicative purpose where the writer has a certain message to pass on to the
reader‖. This view has been supported by Peacock (1997, p.145), who states that
―authentic materials are materials that have been produced to fulfill some social
purposes in the language community‖. This paper adopts the definition proposed by
14


Nunan (1989) and Peacook (1997). To conclude, authentic material refers to those
taken from real life sources and they are not designed for language teaching and
learning purposes.
As mentioned before, there are five types of input authenticity according to
Brown and Menasche (2008). The reading course for the QH.2015 mainstream
students included four types: altered input authenticity, adapted input authenticity,
simulated input authenticity and inauthenticity. However, only materials that belong to
"altered input authenticity‖ and "adapted input authenticity‖ without simplification and
elaboration are taken in consideration of this research because simplification, in some
cases, hinders the learners‘ comprehension, both culturally and lexically. Difficult
words can be replaced by easier words; hence the students will not get the chance to
learn certain English idioms or phrases. The replacement of synonyms and other
linguistic items may also affect the learner‘s ability to adopt new words (Aren, Byrnes
& Swaffar ,1991, cited in Daskalos & Ling, 2013)
2.1.6. Types of authentic materials
These days, the resources for teaching materials are available for everybody.

There are two main categories of authentic materials: print (written) and auditory
(spoken) :
-

Examples of authentic print materials include bills, websites, magazines

recipes, articles, train timetables, advertisements, brochures, poems, application forms,
and instruction for use of equipment, etc.
-

Examples of authentic auditory materials include TV commercials, films, news

items, weather forecasts, airport and station announcement, radio talks, interviews, and
debates.
In this research, authentic materials are limited in teaching reading; therefore,
only printed or written authentic material is the focus of the study.
2.2.

An overview of teaching reading

2.2.1. Reading processes
According to Nunan (2003, p.70), reading is a process of combining
information from a text and the readers‘ background knowledge in building the
meaning. It means that in reading there is a process of reading. Understanding the
15


process of reading means understanding the models of how words are recognized and
how long they are kept in working memory. The models of reading process can be
divided into three categories (Berardo, 2006, p. 61). Those categories are:

-

Bottom-up models: Bottom-up process happens when the reader builds up

meaning by reading word for word, letter for letter, carefully examining both
vocabulary and syntax. This is often associated with poor or slow readers, but can
sometimes occur when the readers do not have adequate background knowledge.
-

Top-down models: The reader uses background knowledge, makes predictions,

and searches the text to confirm or reject the predictions that are made. A passage can
thus be understood even if all of the individual words are not understood. Within a topdown approach to reading, the teacher should focus on meaning generating activities
rather than on mastery of word recognition.
-

Interactive models: Interactive models of reading combine elements of both

bottom- up and top-down models. Readers use both knowledge of word structure and
background knowledge to interpret the texts they read. In classrooms using the
interactive model, students receive direct instruction on the sound/symbol relationship
in phonics alongside instruction in comprehension and reading strategies.
2.2.2. Reading strategies
There are four strategies in reading: skimming, scanning, extensive, and
intensive (Spratt, Pulverness, & Williams, 2005, cited in Milal, 2014). Skimming is a
reading strategy to find out the main idea; scanning is to find out a single fact;
extensive reading is to gain knowledge or for pleasure; and intensive reading is to
scrutinize every word carefully.
Most of real life reading is extensive. Spratt et al. (2005) define extensive
reading as reading a large amount of materials of which purpose is to gain knowledge

or pleasure, such as reading reference books, novels, journals, research reports, etc.
The main focus is on grasping ideas regardless of understanding all linguistic signs of
the text.
In reading intensively, all written symbols within the text must be understood,
including that of words, referential expressions, punctuations, capitalizations, font
features, and soon. Texts for students practice are often in form of distinguishing the
16


main idea from the detail, finding pronoun references or even guessing the meaning of
unknown words. These forms of practices are usually recognized in IELTS tests and
likely to be required in a reading comprehension classes in order to improve students‘
reading comprehension ability.
Different text types may require different reading strategies. While we just need
to scan specific information in reading an advertisement, in reading a manual we
should read intensively all procedural sentences in details so as not to mis-operate the
equipment. While we just need to skim the headlines of morning newspaper, we need
to read a novel extensively. By using a variety of text-type materials, it is possible for
learners to practice different strategies. The duty of teachers is to enlighten students on
features of these genres and to help them develop strategies for extracting necessary
meaning from each. A good technique to making students aware of their strategies
suggested by Nunan (2003, p.76) is that students should be asked to talk about their
thought processes as they read. Readers can listen to the verbal report of another
reader who has just read the same material.
2.2.2. Stages of a reading lesson
In light of the communicative approach, it is a common practice that a reading
lesson includes three stages: pre-, while-, and post- reading (Harmer, 2001, cited in
Milal, 2014). Each stage is characterized by its own aims and procedures as follows:
Pre-reading stage: In this early stage, teachers are expected to motivate students
to read, specifically by activating or building students‘ background knowledge of the

subject and familiarizing them with some of the languages that appear in the text.
Normally, pre-reading phase often lasts from two to ten minutes depending on each
lesson. Several techniques as suggested by Milal (2014), are using pictures, predicting
from the titles, guessing and brainstorming to see what students have already known.
While-reading stage: Later on, students are lead into the main reading activity
of the lesson, which principally aims at understanding the specific content and
becoming aware of the rhetorical structure of the text. Time allocation for this is nearly
two-thirds of the whole lesson. This phase can be in the forms of answering
comprehension questions, referential questions, evaluative questions, finding implied
and explicit ideas, factual information, identifying the meanings of words in contexts,
17


etc. Teachers need to help their students comprehend the text thoroughly while
students have to apply different reading strategies like skimming, scanning, guessing,
etc. to understand the text as well as the author‘s purposes. More importantly, Milal
(2014, p.8) notes that ―teaching reading is a matter of improving learners‘
communicative skills rather than just transferring knowledge about the contents of the
texts‖. Therefore, the activities in this focal phase should focus on meaning-making
processes and be organized in such a way that learners authentically use the target
language as if they deal with real life activities. To make the reading task authentic and
communicative, learners should have purposes to read, which have been set by
teachers.
Post-reading stage: Teachers may conduct several activities in this final stage in
order to review the content, work on bottom-up concerns such as grammar, vocabulary
and discourse features, and consolidate what has been read by relating the text to
students‘ knowledge, interests and opinions. This stage is basically intended not only
to reinforce and develop the linguistic knowledge, but also improve and practice other
skills and components, such as speaking, writing, listening, pronunciation, grammar,
and vocabulary. This can be in the forms of discussing the topic of the text,

summarizing, retelling, discussing the grammatical points, enriching vocabulary
relevant to the topic, relating the topic to the students‘ life experiences, and their
expressing opinions and comments about the topic. Normally, it takes about ten
minutes to complete all activities at this stage.
All in all, the appropriate use of techniques and tasks in each stage of a reading
lesson make authentic texts more approachable. Besides, students should be required
to read the text in a way that matches the reading purpose, the type of text, and the way
people normally read.
2.3.

The use of authentic materials in teaching reading

2.3.1. Selection of authentic materials
There are three main criteria for choosing texts to be used in the classroom,
namely "suitability of the content, exploitability and readability" ( Nuttall, 1996, as
cited in Berardo, 2006, p.62). Suitability is regarded as the most important one,
because it means that reading materials must arouse the learners' interest, meet their
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needs and motivate them. Exploitability refers to how the text can be used to develop
the reading competence of learners. Readability refers to the difficulty and complexity
of a text. The reading text must not contain too difficult or demanding words and
structures. It must also suit the learners' level of English; otherwise, it might
demotivate the learners and have a negative effect.
In 2006, Berardo adds two more important criteria which should also be taken
into account; they are ―variety and presentation‖. The wide variety of different types of
text means that it is easier to find something that will interest the learner and may even
encourage further reading or reading for pleasure. Also, presenting the materials in an
authentic context is a key element to attract learners‘ attention and interest. He insisted

that using colored pictures, diagrams, photos, etc. helps the reader not only understand
the meaning of the text better but also how it would be used. An attractive-looking
article is more likely to grab the reader‘s attention rather than a page that is full of
words.
Regarding text selection, Verhoren and Snow (2001, p.168, cited in Daskolas &
Ling, 2013, p.16) affirm that if teachers allow students to take part in the choosing of
the text, they will automatically be more interested in reading and working with it
2.3.2. Task-based approach for teaching reading
As for Willis (1996, cited in Nguyen, 2007, p.25), a task is an activity "where
the target language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order
to achieve an outcome". Jane Willis (1996) briefly mentions six types of tasks:
-

Listing (brainstorming; fact-finding)

-

Ordering and sorting (ranking in order; classifying)

-

Comparing tasks (finding similarities or differences)

-

Problem-solving tasks (analysis of real situation; decision-making)

-

Sharing experience (opinions and comments; attitudes)

-

Creative tasks (project) in which end-product can be appreciated by audience
On the other hand, Nunan (1989, cited in Al-Azri & Al-Rashdi, 2014) divided

communicative classroom tasks into two categories:

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-

Target task: This type of task provides the learners with a chance to be involved

in approximate practice of the language and behaviors they might need beyond the
classroom.
-

Pedagogic task: This type is represented in the course books used by teachers in

the class. Nunan (1989) refers to them as ―classroom work that involves learners in
comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while
their attention is focused on mobilizing their grammatical knowledge in order to
express meaning.‖
Successful completion of pedagogical tasks would enable learners to acquire
the skills needed to master target tasks. Therefore, it is teachers' role to choose suitable
authentic tasks to support learners' learning.
2.3.3. Arguments in favor of authentic materials in teaching reading
The first and foremost benefits of using authentic materials in reading classes is

to ―expose‖ learners to as much real language and real information as possible
(Martinez, 2002; Berardo, 2006; Guariento & Morley, 2004 ). When reading a
newspaper, fiction or other non-graded sources, learners feel their knowledge is often
insufficient. This is because they face slang, jargon, specialized vocabulary, lengthy
texts, etc which are normally avoided in textbooks. That is why authentic materials
should be used in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Berardo (2006,
p.64) believes that with authentic materials, the learner is exposed to real discourse
and not the artificial language of textbooks, which tend not to contain any incidental or
improper examples. Therefore, authentic texts are supposed to help the student react in
the same way L1 speakers react in their first language (L1).
Besides the linguistic advantages, authentic materials have some non-linguistic
advantages. Gilmore (2007) believes that authentic materials have a strong positive
effect on motivation that is regarded as the key element in the success of learning in
general, and in learning languages in particular. According to Martinez (2002),
authentic materials arouse a sense of achievement in learners‘ minds as they think
what they learn from the materials is close to and even benefits their real lives.
Learners can also read or listen for pleasure if the topics are various and likely to be of
their interests. This idea is shared by Omari (2009, p.43) who suggests authentic
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materials can draw students' greater participation, help them building confidence, and
"pave the way to learner‘s autonomy". Much research has been done to demonstrate
the effectiveness of the use of authentic materials in enhancing students‘ motivation
(Kienbaum et al.,1986; Bacon and Finnemann, 1990; Peacock, 1997).
Furthermore, authentic materials are claimed to help learners enrich their
background knowledge. As stated by Martinez (2002), students are aware of the
current affairs as well as update their understanding about various fields through
reading authentic materials. Also, the materials' benefit in increasing background
knowledge is specified as increase in cultural understanding since Kilickaya (2004)

concludes that using authentic reading materials helps to improve the learners' cultural
awareness. Knowing a language goes beyond the knowledge of grammatical rules and
vocabulary items. Successful language learning requires language users to know that
culture underlying language in order to get the meaning across.
In conclusion, as proved by some previous empirical studies, authentic
materials bring about significant benefits in terms of both linguistic and non-linguistic
aspects for language learners. Those advantages are truly worth considering to be
exploited in language teaching, especially in ELT.
2.2.4. Arguments against authentic materials in teaching reading
Some concerns fall on the difficulty level of authentic materials in accordance
with learners‘ level. Authentic materials are said to contain so many structures and
vocabulary not directly relevant to students' needs and too culturally biased that lower
levels may find the texts difficult to understand (Martinez, 2002; Kilickaya, 2004;
Omari, 2009).
Interestingly, the aforementioned idea about the level of difficulty is linked to
potential demotivation as well. Kilickaya (2004) considers that using authentic
materials with weak learners frustrate and demotivate them, because they lack the
required skills and vocabulary to deal with presented text, successfully. Guariento and
Morley (2001, p. 347) assert that at lower levels, the use of authentic texts may not
only prevent learners from responding in meaningful ways but can also lead them to
feel frustrated, confused and demotivated.

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Moreover, authentic materials are sometimes thought to be no more effective
for teaching than textbooks as some scholars do not see the value of using authentic
materials in particular contexts. To illustrate, an empirical study by Apsari (2014)
reveals that the use of authentic reading text in comparison to created materials (nonauthentic reading text) did not produce significantly better learning outcomes. The
same case is witnessed in Ngai's 2003 research when some of the respondents thought

that authentic materials provided no help for language proficiency because learners
just cared about the contents of the materials but ignored practicing their skills. Some
other participants said using authentic materials was a waste of time which was
supposed to be spent on exam practice. What can be inferred here is that the efficiency
or usefulness of such materials should be stuck to exam relevance.
Finally, using authentic materials might create burdens for teachers in
preparation as they may contain difficult vocabulary and structures which need more
effort to be simplified and explained, in order to make them appropriate for their
learners. Furthermore, it is a challenging issue for teachers to search for suitable
authentic materials to design tasks for their learners. Miller (2005, as cited in Al Azri,
2014) also states that authentic materials are "too difficult and time-consuming to
select, edit and prepare."
To sum up, authentic materials have some potential drawbacks including level
of difficulty, demotivation, and inefficiency in reading improvement and teachers‘
burdens. These matters truly need addressing properly in order to limit their countereffects on teaching and learning.
2.4.

Motivation in learning reading

2.4.1. What is motivation?
Cambria and Guthrie (2010, p.16) refer motivation to (1) interest, (2)
dedication, and (3) confidence, which are independent from each other. An interested
student reads because he enjoys it; a dedicated student reads because he believes it is
important, and a confident student reads because he can do it.
-

Interest: When we think of motivation our mind first turns to interest.

Motivation is enjoying a book, being excited about an author, or being delighted by

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new information. Cambria and Guthrie (2010) refer interest to intrinsic motivation, or
the enjoyment and fulfillment in reading that need to be fostered at schools.
-

Dedication: There are assignments that are not desirable to a student, yet are

part of the curriculum. There are books that do not appeal to some individuals, yet it is
necessary to read them. What motivation enables students to read in this situation? The
reason to read in this case is the students' belief that reading is important.
-

Confidence: It refers to belief in your capacity and is closely linked to success.

A student who reads one page fluently often thinks he/ she can read the next page in
the same book proficiently. The theory can be applied for reading in general. A student
who reads fluently and understands well tends to be is also sure of himself as a good
reader. In and out of school, people like the things they do well.
2.4.2. The importance of motivation
Cambria and Guthrie (2010, p.16) claim that there is a difference between
reading a text and being engaged in the reading of a text. If a student is motivated in
the reading of a text, the student is a better learner. Furthermore, a motivated reader
will activate prior knowledge to construct new understandings. (Verhoeven and Snow,
2001, p5 cited in Daskalos and Ling, p.16). They also claimed that the development of
literacy (obtained from reading texts) and motivation is ―a reciprocal relationship‖; the
better you get at understanding the texts you read, the more motivated you will
become. This will encourage you to engage in the reading of more texts with an
increasing difficulty level. Reading leads to a better textual understanding which in

turn inspires you to read further. Cambria and Guthrie (2010) add that motivation may
be stimulated by home and may be influenced by peers, but the teacher is the main
factor influencing a student's development of reading motivation.
Chapter summary
Authentic materials, as discussed above, hold a great significance but contain
particular problems that may counter their effects. Those problems partly have their
roots in EFL learners, necessitating more considerate investigation into learner
authenticity and task authenticity. Conversely, previous studies in ULIS have not
tackled this problem deeply to keep up with rising authenticity integration into the new
syllabus for first-year students developed by FELTE. To contribute to this study area,
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