Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of using authentic materials on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ reading comprehension, reading motivation, and reading anxiety. In this study, 58 Iranian male EFL learners were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group. Both groups were pretested through a reading comprehension test and the motivation for reading questionnaire (MRQ) to test their reading comprehension ability and reading motivation. Having participated in a period of 20 sessions in which the experimental group received treatment of exposure to authentic materials and control group to simplified materials, the students took a posttest of the reading comprehension test and completed the MRQ. Additionally, to test students’ reading anxiety, the two groups completed Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) in two pre- and posttest assessments. The scores obtained were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance and paired samples t-tests. The results indicated that authentic materials enhanced Iranian learners’ reading motivation and their reading comprehension ability. In addition, the findings suggested that the use of authentic texts significantly improved EFL learner’s anxiety in the experimental group. The implications of the study are discussed.

摘要

本研究旨在调查使用真实材料对英语作为外语 (EFL) 学习者的阅读理解、阅读动机和阅读焦虑的影响。在这项研究中，选择了 58 名伊朗男性 EFL 学习者并将其随机分配到实验组和对照组。两组均通过阅读理解测试和阅读动机问卷（MRQ）进行预测，以测试他们的阅读理解能力和阅读动机。学生们参加了 20 节课，其中实验组接受真实材料暴露治疗，对照组接受简化材料治疗，学生参加了阅读理解测试的后测并完成了 MRQ。此外，为了测试学生的阅读焦虑，两组在两个前测和后测评估中完成了外语阅读焦虑量表（FLRAS）。使用单向协方差分析和配对样本 t 检验分析获得的分数。结果表明，真实材料增强了伊朗学习者的阅读动机和阅读理解能力。此外，研究结果表明，使用真实文本显着改善了实验组EFL学习者的焦虑。讨论了该研究的影响。研究结果表明，使用真实文本显着改善了实验组EFL学习者的焦虑。讨论了该研究的影响。研究结果表明，使用真实文本显着改善了实验组EFL学习者的焦虑。讨论了该研究的影响。