The Impact of Authentic Context in an EAP setting on Reading Motivation

Abstract

While authenticity is recurrently associated with higher motivation, the question remains how an authentic context can affect reading motivation in an English for academic purposes (EAP) setting. To investigate the effect, two groups of 30 EAP students were selected through cluster random sampling as control and experimental groups. Having administered the pretest of the reading motivation questionnaire at the beginning of the study, the researchers administered the post-test after the 8-week intervention of providing an authentic context. The findings revealed that the experimental group (authentic context) had a higher reading motivation after the intervention as compared with the control group (traditional context). Moreover, the data from the diaries shed more light on the students' general views of the two contexts such as their impressions of the tasks and activities, impressions of what was enjoyable and what was not, and the reactions to the instructor and the peers.

Navigating the Effectiveness of Authentic Reading Materials Toward ESP University Students’ Reading Proficiency

“…Additionally, incorporating authentic materials into ESP classrooms around the world has become incredibly popular for teachers of English as a second or a foreign language. In fact, Blagojević, Zohoorian et al, and Alshra'ah stated that authentic materials are being increasingly viewed as much better than any materials that are created intentionally for ESP students (Blagojević, 2013), (Zohoorian et al, 2016), (Alshra'ah, 2022. Furthermore, authentic instructional materials serve a dual purpose by not only affording learners access to a diverse array of valuable information but also contributing to the enhancement of learner motivation.…”