THE USE OF AUTHENTIC MATERIALS IN TEACHING SKIMMING READING SKILLS

Abstract. This article explores the effectiveness of integrating authentic materials into teaching skimming reading skills. The study examines how real-world texts improve learners' capacity to swiftly extract crucial information. The findings emphasize the significance of implementing genuine data in language teaching, particularly its valuable influence on skimming proficiency. This study provides useful information for educators looking for innovative techniques to improving effective reading skills in language learners.

Keywords: teaching skimming skills, reading skills, foreign language teaching, authentic materials, genuine content, texts, method, expose students to language.

Reading serves various purposes for every person, however it is still equally essential to have. Whereas for ones it is tool helping to enhance studying process by learning stable phrases, utterances and understand specific content or culture of studying field, for others it may be necessary to get information about rapidly changing world to be able to adapt and develop. One more purpose of reading should be mentioned - reading for pleasure, which is the greatest achievement of humanity as it enables people to obtain knowledge without compulsion of external factors but personal desire. Despite the fact that people take this skill for granted, a daily habit, the ability to read and work correctly with the information received is no less important than the ability to communicate. [1]

Skimming skills play a pivotal role in the language acquisition process for foreign language learners, providing several advantages that contribute to total linguistic competency. In essence, skimming is the process of swiftly scanning over a text to comprehend its core concepts, allowing students to extract important information without going too deeply. This ability is especially important for those negotiating the complexity of a new language.

The growing popularity of authentic materials is explained by the many advantages due to which they attract and motivate foreign language learners. Movies, newspapers, articles and adverts are examples of authentic materials designed for native speakers in real-world circumstances. They expose students to the language as it is spoken in everyday situations, allowing them to better appreciate cultural subtleties, idioms, and colloquial phrases. Authentic resources frequently represent the target language's culture, giving students insight into native speakers' conventions, values, and lives. This not only improves language abilities, but also raises cultural knowledge and understanding. Moreover genuine materials represent contemporary linguistic trends, idioms, and terminology. This guarantees that learners are exposed to current language use, allowing them to stay relevant and up to date in their language abilities. Exposure to genuine materials prepares students for real-world communication settings, enabling them to manage discussions, encounters, and circumstances in the target language outside of the classroom.

According to Tomlinson's idea, there are two categories of resources for teaching reading: genuine and pedagogic. [2] Authentic materials include real-life communication sources such as newspapers, periodicals, flyers, advertising, brochures, product packaging, menus, timetables, emails, declarations, manuals, invitation cards, poetry, short tales, novels, journals, and reference books. On the other hand, pedagogic resources are designed for language teaching and learning, with thematic and/or linguistic reduction, modification, and changes based on student proficiency and experience. These include educational materials, student workbooks, extra readers, abbreviated novels, evaluated materials, and publications developed by teachers.

Produced material refers to manuals and other educational literature that are often aligned with the curriculum and provide systematic treatment of instructional topics. The wording of developed items is frequently amended and altered. [3]

Educators emphasize the notion that students can enhance their skimming strategy prowess through extensive exposure to authentic materials. [4] The belief stems from the understanding that effective skimming requires a heightened level of reading proficiency and word recognition skills. Authentic materials, such as real-world texts and diverse literary works, provide students with a rich and varied linguistic landscape to navigate.

Students encounter a wide range of real resources, which expose them to a variety of terminology, sentence patterns, and contextual subtleties. This exposure not only creates a greater comprehension of the language, but it also develops the capacity to quickly detect crucial information throughout the skimming process. Authentic resources, ranging from newspaper stories to literary works, reflect the complexities of language used in real-world situations. As a result, students learn a more sophisticated and flexible skimming method that can be used in a variety of circumstanсes.

The incorporation of actual materials into educational settings acts as a stimulus for developing critical reading and comprehension abilities. Teachers advocate for this approach, recognizing that authentic materials' real-world applicability allows students to refine their skimming techniques, ultimately providing them with critical tools for effective information obtaining and comprehension in an assortment of academic and professional contexts.

In conclusion, Authentic materials emerge as invaluable allies in honing skimming skills. Real-world texts, spanning newspapers, articles, or digital content, offer varied structures, content depths, and writing styles. Exposure to such authentic materials not only sharpens skimming proficiency but also nurtures a familiarity with diverse contexts, enriching comprehension and contextual understanding.