Using Authentic Materials in Teaching to Enhance EFL Report Writing at Tertiary Level

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the possibility of using authentic materials to enhance writing report, finding out the reasons behind the absence of using authentic materials to teach report writing as well as clarifying the importance of using such materials in teaching writing for the work place, specifically writing report. The researchers used descriptive analytical approach as well as experimental methodology in the study. Tests and interview were the means of data collection. The subjects of the study were 90 students of marketing at Sudan University of Science and Technology, who were given the test before the training sessions and divided equally into control and experimental groups then they had the same test as post- test after the treatment. The tests results showed the significant differences between the performance of students before and after the treatment which show the improvements of the level of the experiment participants .This revealed the possibilities of using authentic materials and authentic tasks to promote writing report. The interview which was conducted with 12 teachers who teach ESP at three different Sudanese universities at Khartoum State also showed the importance of using authentic materials to teach report writing which will solve the problem that is caused by unaffordable, expensive textbooks. Teachers also believe that using such materials, motivate students and connect them to real world of language usage which creates sense of purpose for learning. The interview also proved that the absence of using authentic materials at treasury level is due to the lack of training on how to use them among teachers. The above mentioned results have verified the hypotheses of the study.