Teaching Economic Terminology Through Authentic Materials and Textbook-Based Instruction: A Comparative Analysis

This study examines the effectiveness of teaching economic terminology through authentic materials compared with traditional textbook-based instruction in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes. In the context of globalization and professional communication, students specializing in economics must acquire not only general English proficiency but also discipline-specific vocabulary. However, many learners struggle to understand and use economic terminology appropriately in academic and professional contexts. The study adopts a quasi-experimental mixed-methods research design to compare vocabulary acquisition outcomes in two instructional settings. The dataset consists of 80 undergraduate students majoring in economics who participated in a six-week instructional program. Forty students learned economic terminology through authentic materials such as economic news articles, financial reports, and case studies, while forty students studied the same terminology through traditional textbook-based exercises. Quantitative analysis measured vocabulary retention, contextual usage accuracy, and terminology recognition through pre- and post-tests. Qualitative classroom observations and student interviews were conducted to explore learning experiences and engagement patterns. The findings demonstrate that students exposed to authentic materials showed higher contextual understanding and more accurate productive use of economic terms. In contrast, students in the textbook-based group demonstrated better memorization of definitions but struggled to apply terminology in real communicative contexts. The results suggest that authentic materials significantly enhance conceptual understanding and contextual vocabulary use. The study concludes that integrating authentic economic discourse into ESP instruction can improve students’ professional language competence.

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