The Use of Advertisements as a Didactic Motivational Tool for Foreign Language Competence Development

Abstract

This case study examines the challenges Albanian Upper Secondary Education (USE) students face in acquiring communicative and socio-cultural competence in Italian as a foreign language. A national survey involving 3836 students and 53 teachers highlighted significant challenges: low motivation, limited self-awareness, and anxiety during oral communication. The results reveal a clear discrepancy between the motivational strategies reported by the teachers and students' perceptions, emphasizing the need for more effective practices. To address these issues, the pedagogical potential of advertisements as authentic digital-media resources for developing communicative and sociocultural competence was considered. Based on CEFR principles and communicative approaches, the study analyses how advertisements can increase student motivation, language acquisition and cultural awareness. For this case study, a competence-based learning unit is also proposed, which integrates didacticized advertisements and interactive technology. The goal is to create engaging learning experiences that lower affective filters, increase communicative motivation, focus on the acquisition of communicative competence, and encourage intercultural reflection. These recommendations aim to inform teachers about more efficient language- learning methods, contributing to a more dynamic pedagogy oriented toward students' real needs.