The Impact of Authentic Material Use on English Language Classes At Nguyen Tat Thanh University

Abstract

In recent years, due to the remarkable explosion of the Internet and technology as well as the globalization orientation, language teaching has witnessed many new and innovative teaching methods and materials in ESL classrooms. Many teachers have taken advantage of this trend and made the language classroom more attractive with visual aids and interactive teaching methods using technology. Moreover, besides traditional classroom contexts with textbooks, instructors or teachers, whiteboards, and markers, learners themselves nowadays have better access to many other channels of language learning, such as Youtube, one of the most internationally popular platforms, Netflix, BBC, Ted Talks, the news, radio podcasts, etc. where they can actually learn the language as well as an approach to the content they want at their own homes. In fact, it is undoubtedly true that in recent days, it is very difficult to find a teenager or young adult without a smartphone or Internet access, and young Vietnamese students are not excluded. The sharp increase of high school and university students who own a Youtube or Netflix account and the amount of time they spend watching TV shows, viral video clips, soap operas, or movies every day made the researcher wonder if we could use these endless captivating sources of materials to actually enhance learners’ motivation and listening ability in Vietnamese ESL classrooms.