This article explores the process of teaching English for students of Environmental Engineering at the University of Science and Technology, University of Danang by using textbooks and authentic materials. The survey has found that students of Environmental Engineering prefer authentic materials to be added to the curriculum because they provide an opportunity to engage in interesting and challenging activities related to listening, speaking, reading and writing. Another important aspect of authentic material is that they facilitate the creativity of the teacher. However, careful consideration should be given before applying the authentic materials because they may contain complex grammatical structures and difficult vocabulary which can díscourage students, especially those who are at low level of English. The use of these authentic materials requires quite a lot of time and energy from both teachers and students.