Benefits and challenges of authentic listening materials and how they can be used for teaching listening

This article attempts to discuss the benefits and problems that may arise in using authentic listening materials, and how they can be utilized in enhancing students' listening skills. One of the influencing factors for successful learning in listening classes is materials which can give new information and knowledge to eventually enable students to learn and improve their skills. Teachers as classroom managers are required to choose materials that are suitable to their students as well as challenging and interesting for them to want to learn. Authentic listening materials such as movies, speeches, talks, interviews, news and some others can be alternatives other than ready-to-use materials offered by many course books. For one thing, students can get a wide range of these authentic materials for free. They are usually available on the internet free of charge. These materials also contain authentic language used by native and non-native speakers, which can be used as listening exposure, learning input and communicative activities for students. Audio-visual materials are definitely interesting and motivating, too. On the other hand, these materials, which widely vary in numbers, levels of difficulty, topic as well as other values, require careful consideration to select, and this may take extra time and thinking, not to mention the languages as well as the contents that may not be suitable with the syllabus. Therefore, adaptation, even manipulation, may be made to these authentic materials to be used in listening classes so that students can get what they need in order to learn, especially in gaining sufficient listening skills.