<![CDATA[This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using authentic materials toward students’ speaking ability. The study employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group design. The population of the study consisted of seventh-grade students in the academic year 2026/2027. The sample was selected using purposive sampling technique, involving two classes: Class VII A as the experimental group and Class VII B as the control group, with a total of 40 students. The instrument used to collect the data was a speaking test administered through pre-test and post-test. Students’ speaking performances were assessed based on pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and an independent sample t-test. The findings revealed that the students who were taught using authentic materials achieved higher speaking scores (post-test M = 85.60, SD = 2.76) than those who were taught using conventional teaching materials (post-test M = 70.40, SD = 2.58), despite both groups starting from comparable pre-test scores (M = 59.45 and M = 59.50, respectively). The independent samples t-test showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups, t(38) = 17.98, p < 0.001, indicating that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted and the null hypothesis (H₀) was rejected. Therefore, it can be concluded that the use of authentic materials was effective in improving students’ speaking ability. Authentic materials provided students with meaningful exposure to real-life language use, increased their confidence, and enhanced their participation in speaking activities.]]>
