ENHANCING COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING THROUGH AUTHENTIC MATERIALS: A PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR MIDDLE-STAGE LEARNERS

Abstract

The study examines the concept of authenticity from multiple perspectives, including text authenticity, task authenticity, and learner authenticity, and discusses their interrelated roles in promoting meaningful language learning. Special attention is given to the ongoing debate surrounding the adaptation of authentic materials, highlighting the limitations of simplified texts and the importance of developing learners’ ability to process real-world input independently. The article further analyzes the pedagogical benefits of authentic materials, such as increased learner motivation, development of pragmatic and sociocultural competence, enhancement of strategic skills, and exposure to natural language patterns and high-frequency lexical chunks. At the same time, it identifies common challenges, including linguistic complexity, cultural barriers, and learner anxiety, and proposes practical solutions through scaffolding techniques and task design