The use of authentic material through WhatsApp in teaching listening skills in EFL out-of-classroom settings

Abstract

Abstract: The present investigation, titled The use of authentic material through WhatsApp in the teaching listening skills in English as a foreign language (EFL) in an environment outside the classroom , focused on determining the impact of using authentic material through WhatsApp to improve listening skills of English as a language students Foreign Language (EFL) in extracurricular contexts. The study involved the participation of 27 students from a private school in Quito, Ecuador. The research used an approach mixed methods. The instruments were questionnaires for students, one of them was aimed at knowing the perceptions of students and the other advantages and disadvantages regarding the use of authentic material, for learning listening through WhatsApp, both consisted of 10 questions, with a Likert scale. Another instrument was a survey administered to the course teacher to find out their opinions on the advantages and Disadvantages of using authentic materials. This revealed a significant improvement in the development of listening skills in students in the use of authentic materials.