Language, Individual & Society, Volume 8, 2014

Abstract: The paper explores research based on the contrastive analysis of two different sources of authentic materials related to cultural aspects and language acquisition: one from fiction and one from non-fiction sources. The hypothesis - based on the assumption that a literary text is more appealing and motivating for learners (an experimental group) than non-fictional authentic materials (a control group), and therefore learners' cultural awareness and language acquisition will be more significant than those of the control group learners - is discussed in the paper. Literary materials as effective teaching materials for providing cultural and linguistic input will be analyzed and compared with authentic non-fiction materials. Practical recommendations for language teachers will be provided in the conclusion.