The Use of Authentic Listening Materials as a Source of Motivation.

Abstract

Listening to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) materials is the starting point for expanding students’ scope of knowledge that would enrich and improve all the language skills. Although listening is considered as one of the significant receptive skills, Algerian students fail to show interest in listening to authentic listening materials because of their sophisticated content and the comprehension obstacle, in addition to the long exposure to non-authentic listening materials at the middle and secondary schools. This study highlights the problem of students’ reluctance to listen to authentic listening materials. It explores the impact of implementing authentic materials on students’ motivation to listen to English. This research is based on the following hypothesis: If students are exposed to authentic listening materials, their motivation to listen to English will be enhanced. For the purpose of testing this hypothesis, a mixed methodology encompassed students’ questionnaires and teachers’ interviews, and represented both qualitative and quantitative data. First, the questionnaire was administered to one hundred and ten second year students of English (EFL students) at the Department of Foreign Languages, Mila University Center. Second, six teachers of oral expression were interviewed. On the basis of the results of the students’ questionnaires and teachers’ interviews, statistics showed that authentic materials, assigned for teaching listening, made a difference in fostering learners’ motivation to listen to original materials, produced by the natives. Also, one of the major findings revealed that teachers were aware about the necessity of varying these listening materials, to cover all the students’ needs. Eventually, the current study offered an abundance of pedagogical implications and recommendations, for the purpose of calling more attention to using extra authentic listening materials, in listening sessions, to enhance students’ motivation.