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

Abstract

Abstract: The present study, entitled "The Use of Authentic Materials through WhatsApp in Teaching Listening Skills in EFL Out-of-Class Settings," aimed to analyze how the use of authentic materials, shared via WhatsApp, can contribute to improving listening skills among English as a Foreign Language (EFL), as well as , to determine learners perceptions of the effectiveness of using authentic resources WhatsApp; The study involved 10 second-year of high school students with at an A2 English proficiency level, conducted in a public school in Guayaquil, Ecuador. To gather both qualitative and quantitative data, a mixed-methods approach was employed. Data collection tools included a student perception survey, a survey on the benefits and drawbacks of using real content on WhatsApp, a teacher survey, and an observation sheet. Additionally, a WhatsApp group was created where students engaged in six listening activities. These exercises combined video-based authentic content with comprehension questions to support listening development. The findings indicated that students believed the WhatsApp-based activities using real-world content were effective in improving their listening skills.