Exploring the Use of Authentic Materials for Developing Communicative Competence: A Qualitative Study in Vocational Education

Abstract

This study aims to explore the use of authentic materials in developing students' communicative competence in vocational education. The authentic materials included promotional brochures, social media content, marketing emails, and video advertisements which all used within the professional context of hospitality communication. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, with data collected through interviews, observations, and documentation involving 27 hospitality students. The findings reveal that the use of authentic materials enhances student engagement and supports the development of both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Challenges included the complexity of promotional language and limited practice time. Students expressed a desire for more hands-on experiences with real-world communication tasks. The study highlights the significance of integrating authentic materials and contextualized learning to foster communicative competence in vocational ESP settings.