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

Abstract

Abstract: This research seeks to understand the perceptions of English language learners about the use of authentic materials through WhatsApp to improve listening skills in contexts outside the classroom. The participants were 17 second-level high school students from a private institution in Ecuador and their English teacher. A mixed method was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative information seeking to understand the problem from a comprehensive perspective. To collect quantitative data, two Likert scale questionnaires were applied to the students after the treatment. Qualitative information was obtained by observing the students during the treatment and by conducting an interview with the English teacher. The results were analyzed statistically, organized in two tables, and contrasted with the information from the observation and the interview. It was concluded that the use of authentic materials through WhatsApp to improve listening skills in contexts outside the classroom is perceived positively by English learners as an effective strategy that has the advantage of increasing motivation, confidence and interaction.