A A Sequential-Explanatory Study on Students’ Attitudes and Instructors’ Use of Authentic Materials in Purposive Communication Lessons

Abstract

A sequential-explanatory research design was used to investigate students’ attitudes and instructors’ use of authentic materials in Purposive Communication. Descriptive statistics was utilized to quantify the attitudes of the students, while an inductive thematic analysis was used to draw out categories and themes from the qualitative data provided by the instructors. The merging-converging method was used to compare and contrast the results of the survey and the transcripts, from which axiological implications were drawn. Findings revealed that listening-viewing authentic materials are the most frequently used by the instructors. Visual authentic materials followed in frequency and last came textual authentic materials. Overall, students have positive attitudes regarding the use of authentic materials in Purposive Communication. The thematic analysis also revealed that the instructors mainly used the materials to model ideal speaking competencies. Furthermore, it is recommended that instructors consider their students’ language proficiency, age, communication needs, academic needs, cultural background, and interests when selecting authentic materials. They may also ensure the resources are aligned with the lesson objectives, effective, available, and economical.