Ключевое слово: «incidental and intentional learning.»

The article examines the pedagogical potential of authentic texts as an effective tool for developing lexical competence in secondary school foreign language education. Lexical competence is a key component of communicative competence and includes not only vocabulary knowledge but also the appropriate use of lexical units in various contexts. Authentic texts created by native speakers provide meaningful exposure to vocabulary within natural linguistic and cultural settings. The study highlights linguistic and cultural differences that require differentiated vocabulary instruction. English vocabulary learning emphasizes stylistic and idiomatic usage, while Chinese focuses on culturally specific concepts. Authentic materials help integrate vocabulary learning with cultural context. The article also stresses combining intentional and incidental vocabulary acquisition for deeper processing and lasting results. Key criteria for selecting texts include relevance, age and proficiency appropriateness, lexical density, cultural value, and genre variety. Consistent use of well-chosen authentic texts, supported by systematic tasks, enhances lexical development and student motivation.