The use of authentic material in teaching reading descriptive text: review of literature

Fitri Puspita Sari
1)
, Gusti Nur Hafifah
2)
, Linda Mayasari
3) 
The Use of Authentic Material in Teaching Reading Descriptive Text: Review of Literature 
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33603/perspective.v8i2.4365 | 125
that Ghaderpanahi (2012) is thirty female undergraduate of psychology major who study 
English as a foreign languag or EFL.
While Mallapiang (2014) Implemented it on the second year of Secondary student student, 
Ghaderpanahi (2012) chose EFL students as participant. Gadharpanahi (2012) uses 
interviews and questionnaire to strengthen the experiment and the result of the research. 
Based on the subject, it must have difference treatment to implement authentic materials 
also the different measurement to make sure they got the input. In Ghaderpanahi, the 
students must demonstrate some output to make sure they’ve understand. Both studies are 
important for learner because listening can be the input for student. Moreover,
Not only for Listening Skills, but also proved in grammar. Teachers expected to understand 
how to fit in the materials throught what students need, intereset, language levels and the 
objective it self (Mestari, 2012). This research which had done uses qualitative research. In 
the reseaarch of Mestari (2012) teacher indicated uses various types of teaching grammar so 
the student able to express and expose the real use of language based on real life. The 
researcher suggested that the teacher who should use Authentic materials should be more 
creative designing classroom activities that fit in the student’s level, student’s need and the 
objective of the lesson.The students will be more interest to learn if they knew what will 
they learn, familiar topic or enjoyable situation. The teacher can provide it through authentic 
materials. Even it isn’t provided in the text book, the teacher should look for it in the internet. 
Especially for grammar, they have to know the reason why they must learn grammar in 
language learning by showing them the real conversation and explain it. Through the daily 
that they watch or the daily language that they use based in real life, it will be better studiy 
for students.
Another skill that can be taught using Authentic materials are writing, Natural, in context, 
and native speaker are the keyword interpretation of authentic materials (Setyowati & 
Sukmawan, 2019). According to research that had been done by Sundana (2017) and 
Setyowati & Sukmawan (2019) both the research has same purpose which is for improving 
student’s writing skill. Sundana (2017) found out that authentic materials improving 
students’ skill significantly while Setyowati & Sukmawan (2019) get the result that using 
authentic materials for foreign language learners is indeed motivated. Eventhough both of 
the research has differences in collecting the data but most of the result indicates that 
authentic materials brings out positiveness in teaching writing. Many researches in teaching 
writing found that there are several materials can be effectively taught using authentic 
materials such as descirptive text, procedure text and essay writing like short story 
(Setyowati & Sukmawan, 2019). It able to increase how to organize sentences or paragraph, 
and using appropriate topic (Sundana, 2017). As what Watthanaboon (2017) said helping 
student to perceive actual information and increasing knowledge can be done by Authentic 
Materials. it is kind of challenge for the teacher to use authentic materials because they have 
to find, select, prepare and designing activities that suitable with the teaching goals. 
Teaching writing using authentic materials can be corelated also improving student’s 
reading skill. According to experimen that had been done by Najmi & Abdurrahman (2014) 
that there is correlation between critically reading through student’s writing skill. In other 
word, if the student’s reading skill is good then it can influence their writing.
From the several researches above, we can say that using authentic materials can be 
implemented to improve several skills such as listening, writing, and reading. Although it 
able to improve teaching language skill, it must be implemented based on what student’s 
need, level and learning purpose. It may be a challenge for educators to find materials which 

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Academic Journal PERSPECTIVE: Language, Education and Literature Vol 8 (2) November 2020, 122-134
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33603/perspective.v8i2.4365 | 126
is related to the topic that will be taught yet looking at the finding several articles above have 
the same result that it can influence the student’s language and motivation in Listening, 
writing or even grammar. So, Authentic Material can be tools to present and to deliver the 
topic with goals that the student will understand and enjoy to learn. Furthermore, in this 
paper, the researcher needs to analyze whether reading skill which can be taught using 
materials authentic or not.