Using authentic materials in the teaching of past tense for diploma students at Kolej Profesional MARA Bandar Penawar

Abstract

This study analyzed the effectiveness of using authentic materials in the teaching of past tense for diploma students at Kolej Profesional MARA Bandar Penawar Kota Tinggi Johor. The one group quasi-experimental method was used in this study. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether authentic materials help the students to improve their grammar acquisition especially past tense as well as, to find out their perceptions on using authentic materials approach. The samples consisted of 30 diploma students from Kolej Profesional MARA at Bandar Penawar who were majoring in Integrated Logistics Management of studies. The authentic materials namely songs, newspaper, magazine, television and radio news report were used in this study. Questionnaires were distributed to the students in order to find out what their perception of using authentic materials in the teaching of past tense. There was a statistically significant difference in the results among the students who were taught using authentic materials to learn past tense. The results also indicated the extreme importance of perceiving the role of authentic materials as a tool for improving grammar acquisition specifically in past tense among the students. In summary, the findings indicated that authentic materials were effective in helping the students to learn grammar specifically the past tense.