Impact of Authentic Material on ESL Learners’ Receptive Vocabulary Size

Abstract

In Pakistani pedagogical process, English is taught as foreign or second language and as a compulsory subject from class 1 to bachelor level. But the results are unsatisfactory in the whole process. Various studies (Heflin, & Alaimo, 2007) have been conducted to find out the reasons and remedies but vocabulary being the most important part of a language is not given due concern in pedagogical process. This research study is undertaken to observe the impacts of authentic material i.e. newspaper on ESL learners’ receptive vocabulary size at intermediate level. This is basically a quantitative research which borrowed the framework of an experimental research. The population was the ESL learners at bachelor level in Lahore. Through convenience sampling technique, the researchers have selected 50 students and formed them into control and experimental groups. The data were collected with pre-test and post-test tools. Later, data were analyzed statistically and shown in charts. In this research study, the researchers have found that good results can be obtained by teaching ESL learners with the help of authentic material i.e. newspaper as compared to the traditional methods of text book teaching. The EFL process can be enhanced with living and practical settings.