Indonesian Efl Teacher Perceptions and Practices of using Authentic Materials to Teach English in Junior High School

Abstract

Authentic materials are used in English Language Teaching (ELT) with the objective of providing utility of English in real-world situations. In addition, authentic materials are intended to bring the learners into direct contact with reality. The study aimed to explore an EFL teacher views on the use of authentic materials and how he incorporates these materials into his teaching practices. The participant of this study was an Indonesian teacher who has been teaching for more than 10 years to teach English at junior high school. Semi-structured interviews and participant teaching artifacts were conducted to collect the qualitative data. The data were then subsequently examined using thematic analysis to obtain a deeper understanding of what the teacher considered using authentic materials and how he included such materials in his classroom. The data findings revealed that the use of authentic materials increased students’ enthusiasm for learning, improved the students language skill, and also posed certain challenges for the teacher, particularly in terms of selecting and adapting appropriate materials. The implications and directions for future research are also provided.