Nghiên cứu Hành Động về sử sụng phim để tăng hứng thú và khả năng nghe hiểu của sinh viên năm thú 3 không chuyên tại Học Viện Tài Chính

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
-------------------------------

NGUYỄN THANH HUYỀN

USING MOVIES TO INCREASE MOTIVATION AND LISTENING
COMPREHENSION OF THIRD-YEAR EFL STUDENTS AT
ACADEMY OF FINANCE

(NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG VỀ SỬ DỤNG PHIM ĐỂ TĂNG HỨNG
THÚ VÀ KHẢ NĂNG NGHE HIỂU CỦA SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ 3
KHÔNG CHUYÊN TẠI HỌC VIỆN TÀI CHÍNH)

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 6014.0111

Hanoi, 2014


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
-------------------------------

NGUYỄN THANH HUYỀN

USING MOVIES TO INCREASE MOTIVATION AND LISTENING

COMPREHENSION OF THIRD-YEAR EFL STUDENTS AT
ACADEMY OF FINANCE

(NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG VỀ SỬ DỤNG PHIM ĐỂ TĂNG HỨNG
THÚ VÀ KHẢ NĂNG NGHE HIỂU CỦA SINH VIÊN NĂM THỨ 3
KHÔNG CHUYÊN TẠI HỌC VIỆN TÀI CHÍNH)

M.A MINOR THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 6014.0111
Supervisor: Nguyễn Đức Hoạt, Ph.D

Hanoi, 2014


3


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, my greatest thanks go to my supervisor, Dr. Nguyen Duc Hoat, for
his guidance and helping with professional advice and kindness. Without his
instructions and correction, this work would not have been accomplished.
I am also thankful for the staff and lecturers of Post-Graduate Faculty,
University of Languages and International Studies for giving me assistance and
providing me with valuable knowledge.
My gratitude is also sent to my students at Academy of Finance, who provided
me with inspiration for the research topic and who helped me with the research data.
Finally, I am indebted to my family and my dear friends who constantly gave
me support and encouragement during the time my study was carried out.

ABSTRACT

4


For years, finding ways and materials to make the learning experiences for EFL
students more inspiring and fruitful has been one of the most important tasks of
English teaching. Recently, it has become very popular among EFL teachers to use
movies in class to teach English. And many researchers have reported that authentic
video is motivating and beneficial. However, few studies have been conducted to
investigate the relationship between students‟ movie preferences and effective
learning. Therefore, in the present study, the effectiveness of using films of the most
popular movie genres was examined.
This study aims at finding out how the use of movie in class can help increase
student‟s motivation and English listening comprehension. To reach the aim of the
study, an action research was conducted on 90 2nd year non-English majored students
at Academy of Finance, Hanoi. The study lasted for 2 semesters from February to
June, 2013. The researcher conducted a survey to collect data which were analyzed to
evaluate participants‟ opinions on using movies to teach in EFL classrooms.
The findings indicate that the use of movies can significantly increase student‟s
motivation and listening comprehension and make students have good attitude to the
learning process.
Hopefully, the results of the survey will provide English teachers with useful
information to teach EFL classrooms and add a small contribution to the ongoing
process of renovation for English teaching and learning.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1
1.Rationale of the study .............................................................................................. 1
2.Aims of the study ..................................................................................................... 2
3.Research method ...................................................................................................... 2
4.Research questions ................................................................................................... 2
5.Scope of the study .................................................................................................... 2
6.Significance of the study ......................................................................................... 3
7.Structure of the study ............................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................... 5
2.1. The importance of listening skill in English teaching and learning process ....... 5
2.1.1. Definition of motivation ................................................................................... 5
2.1.2. The importance of motivation in English teaching and learning process ........ 5
2.1.3. The importance of listening skill in English teaching and learning process .... 6
2.2. Previous studies on the use of movies in English teaching ................................. 8
2.3. Advantages and disadvantages of movie viewing in classroom........................ 10
2.4. Criteria to choose ............................................................................................... 11
2.5. How to exploit ................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................. 18
3.1. Rationale for the use of action research ............................................................. 18
3.1.1. What is action research? ................................................................................. 18
3.1.2. Advantages of action research ........................................................................ 20
3.1.3. How is action research carried out in a language classroom? ........................ 21
3.2. Participants......................................................................................................... 22
3.3. Data Collection Instruments .............................................................................. 23
3.4. Procedures .......................................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ................................................... 28
4.1. Findings ............................................................................................................. 28
4.1.1. Findings from questionnaire .......................................................................... 28

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4.1.2. Findings from questionnaire 2 ........................................................................ 30
4.1.3. Findings from observation sheet ..................................................................... 32
4.1.4. Findings from interviews ................................................................................ 33
4.1.5. Findings from tests.......................................................................................... 34
4.2. Discussion .......................................................................................................... 35
4.2.1. Research Q1: To what extent does the use of movies in class increase students‟
motivation? ............................................................................................................... 35
4.2.2. Research Question 2: What are the students‟ attitudes towards using movies in
EFL classroom? ........................................................................................................ 36
4.2.3. Research Question 3: To what extent does the use of movies improve students‟
listening comprehension? ....................................................................................... 37
4.3. Reflection ........................................................................................................... 38
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................... 39
5.1. Summary of major findings ............................................................................... 39
5.2. Recommendations .............................................................................................. 39
5.3. Limitations ......................................................................................................... 42
5.4. Suggestions for further research ........................................................................ 43
REFERENCES........................................................................................................ 44
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
APPENDIX 3
APPENDIX 4
APPENDIX 5

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the Study
Motivation is the key to any learning process. If you do not have motivation, you
cannot learn well. Motivation often performs two important characters in second
language learning process; it firstly arouses people‟s interest and secondly helps
people keep their enthusiasm. Also in English learning process, it takes time and effort
to be able to master the language. The question is that, how can teachers increase
motivation for students? How can students be motivated during the class?
Another aspect that catches the attention of educators in Vietnam is that many students
complain they can read very well, but they cannot hear anything from native speakers
when they talk. Rost (1994) appreciates the importance of listening in second and
foreign language learning and states that listening is vital in the language classroom
because it provides input for learners. Without understanding input at the right level,
any learning simply cannot begin. Nevertheless, teaching listening is a challenging job.
It takes much time and energy to make progress in this skill. For teachers, it is difficult
tasks to get students participate in listening lessons. For students, they often feel fed up
with activities in listening lesson.
In Vietnam, most students have taken English classes for at least 5 years before they
enter college. However, most of them remain insufficient in their ability to use the
language. Many surveys conducted by language educators and scholars have revealed
that films in video format should be utilized as teaching aids because movies provide
exposures to the real language used in authentic settings and the culture in which the
foreign language is spoken. They also have found films that draw the learners‟ interest
can positively affect their motivation to learn (Sommer, 2001; Kusumarasdyati, 2004;
Luo, 2004). The fact is that in Vietnam, not much attention has been paid to this way
of teaching foreign languages. Most of teachers use textbook and materials as their
main tools to teach in class. With a view to making some changes, a study entitled
"Using movies to increase motivation and listening comprehension of third year
EFL students at Academy of Finance: An action research study" is carried out to

8


investigate the effects of the movies to be used in EFL class to support the students
and help them feel more comfortable with the approach of learning a language through
movie viewing and thus facilitate learning.
2. Aims of the Study
Firstly, the study aims to find out possible explanations for the weak competence of
the students in listening comprehension skills and their passiveness when participating
in listening activities. Besides, the researcher aims to figure out how the use of movies
in EFL classroom increases students‟ motivation and their listening comprehension.
As a result, recommendations are made to further improve the effectiveness of the use
of movies in EFL classes at Academy of Finance, Hanoi.
3. Research Method
This is an action research study, with the use of a number of data collection
instruments, namely observation, questionnaires, tests and interviews. The data are
then analyzed to figure out the findings for the research.
Action research has proved to be the best choice for this study because the study is
aimed at improving the students‟ motivation and their listening comprehension within
a certain context. The combination of different instruments used in this research would
help to gain reliable data and help the researcher have a close investigation into the
problems that the students may find challenging.
4. Research Questions
The research questions are posed as follows:
-

To what extent does the use of movies in class increase students‟ motivation?

-

What are the students‟ attitudes towards using movies in EFL classroom?

-

To what extent does the use of movies improve students‟ listening
comprehension?

5. Scope of the Study
The focuses of the study are levels of motivation, students‟ attitudes to the use of
movies in classroom and changes in their listening comprehension. The researcher
used only 1 class and two movies to carry out an action research study on the topic of

9


using movies as a teaching aid instrument in EFL classroom at AOF for six-week
period.
The research was conducted on third-year accounting students at AOF. Regarding its
scope, the research was only aimed at justifying the effect of movie viewing on the
students‟ listening comprehension. Other aspects of English skills would not be
investigated.
6. Significance of the Study
The study highlights the important role of using movies in English teaching and
learning process at AOF. The findings of the study are believed to be useful for both
teachers and students to be aware of the essential role of movies with the aim to
prepare students for listening lessons and increase their motivation. Furthermore, this
study also helps teachers to upgrade their teaching activities in relation with the
process of renovation for teaching.
7. Structure of the Study
The thesis is divided into five chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction, Chapter 2: Literature

Review, Chapter 3: Methodology, Chapter 4: Results and Discussion, Chapter 5:
Conclusion
Chapter 1: Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of the study such as background to the study, the
aims and objectives of the study, the research questions and the outline of the study.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
This chapter includes the importance of motivation and also the essential role of
listening skill in English language learning. The researcher also states previous studies
on the use of movies in English teaching and learning process. In addition, the criteria
to choose the movies and how to exploit them in the best ways are also mentioned in
this chapter.
Chapter 3: Methodology
In this chapter the researcher points out the methodology used to collect the data
including learners‟ questionnaire and observation sheet. The setting and the procedures
are also stated clearly in this part.

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Chapter 4: Results and Discussion
This chapter shows the results from the data collection with detailed data analysis. All
the research questions are answered in this chapter.
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. The Importance of listening skill in English teaching and learning process
2.1.1. Definition of motivation

The word “motivation” might appear simple and easy, but it is in fact very
difficult to define. Because motivation cannot be seen, heard or felt, it can only be
inferred from behavior. Thus, it seems to have been impossible for theorists to reach
consensus on a single definition.
According to Harmer (1991), the nature of motivation is some kind of internal
drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action. Skinner and Belmont
(1991) develop the definition further, noting that students who are motivated to engage
in school “select tasks at the border of their competencies, initiate action when given
the opportunity, and exert intense effort and concentration in the implementation of
learning tasks; they show generally positive emotions during ongoing action, including
enthusiasm, optimism, curiosity, and interest” (Skinner and Belmont, 1991, p.3).
Crooks and Schmidt (1991) define motivation in terms of interest in and
enthusiasm for the teaching method used in class, persistence with the listening task as
indicated by levels of attention or action for an extended duration; and levels of
concentration and enjoyment. From the researcher‟s point of view, this definition is
exactly right for the motivation in this study. Through the innovation of teaching
method like the use of movies in class, students are interested and motivated to
participate in the tasks with high concentration and enjoyment.
2.1.2. The importance of motivation in English teaching and learning process
Interestingly, many researchers consider motivation as one of the main
elements that determine success in developing a second or foreign language.
Motivation is a central issue in understanding second language proficiency.
McDonough (1981) believes that motivation is important in influencing a person‟s
success or failure in learning a foreign language. Among other things, motivation is
the need for achievement and success, curiosity, desire for stimulation, and new
experiences. It is more important than language aptitude. Oxford and Shearin (1994)
state that motivation determines the extent of active, personal involvement in second

12

language learning. Ellis (1997) concludes that the relationship between motivation and
achievement is an interactive one. A high level of motivation does stimulate learning,
but perceived success in achieving L2 goals can help to maintain existing motivation
and even create new types.
Obviously, unmotivated students are insufficiently involved and therefore
unable to develop their potential L2 skills. As a result, motivation is one of the
determining factors in the success of foreign or second language learning.
2.1.3. The importance of listening skill in English teaching and learning process
The importance of listening in second and foreign language learning is
admirably summarized in a recent publication by Rost (1994): “Listening is vital in the
language classroom because it provides input for the learners, without understanding
input at the right level, any learning simply cannot begin” (p.141-142). There are more
and more studies indicating the sheer importance of listening in communication and
language learning (Dunkel, 1991). As Lewis (1993, p.32) highlights: “Almost all the
world‟s natural output is spoken rather written. As well as listening being a vital skill
for almost all interaction, it follows from this that it is therefore the most important
medium for input in learning a foreign language by increasing student‟s ability to
perceive speech, the amount of input will be increased and therefore aiding language
acquisition”.
Moreover, listening is the ability to identify and understand what others are
saying. This involves understanding a speaker‟s accent or pronunciation, his grammar
and his vocabulary, and grasping his meaning (Howatt & Dakin, 1974). Willis (as
cited in Saricoban, 1999) lists a series of micro-skills of listening, which she calls
enabling skills. They are: (1) predicting what people are going to talk about, (2)
guessing at unknown words or phrases without panic, (3) using one‟s own knowledge
of the subject to help one understand, (4) identifying relevant points; rejecting
irrelevant information, (5) retaining relevant points (note-taking, summarizing), (6)
recognizing discourse markers, e.g. Well, Oh, Another thing is, Now, Finally, etc., (7)
recognizing cohesive devices, (8) understanding different intonation patterns and uses

13


of stress, etc., which give clues to meaning and social setting, (9) understanding
inferred information, e.g. speaker‟s attitude or intention.
The focus of listening teaching and learning has also changed a lot and it has moved
from teacher-centered approach to more learner-centered one. That is why listening is
now recognized as an active receptive skill (Anne and Lynch, 1988) in which the
listener activates previous or existing knowledge to integrate new knowledge.
According to Austin (1970), a teacher‟s roles in a listening lesson are to create
interest, reasons for listening, and the confidence to listen. Underwood (1989)
appreciate teacher‟s role in directing students in listening lessons. Students will
naturally turn to their teachers when they have difficulties in understanding spoken
English and teacher will wish to assist in whatever ways they can. The author sets
objectives to the teachers. Firstly, teachers are to expose students to a range of
listening experiences, which can be done by using many different listening texts such
as stories, conversations, descriptive talks, etc, which incorporate a variety of
language. Secondly, it is necessary for teachers to make listening purposeful for the
students. This can best be achieved by providing tasks, which are as realistic as
possible, so that the students can relate what they are doing in the lesson to things that
happen in real life, outside the classroom. Thirdly, teachers are to help students
understand what listening entails and how they might approach it. Often, this means
changing the attitudes of students, particularly if in the past their attempts to learn to
listen have been unsuccessful. It is worth spending a little time explaining the
processes of listening to students and talking to them about how they listen in their
native language. The final objective is to build up students‟ confidence in their own
listening ability. Success breeds success and students who feel they are succeeding
will be encouraged to go on trying. The teacher‟s role in this study is to provide
experiences and activities in which students can benefit from. It is important to remove

the idea of testing from listening activities and to take advantage of the almost
universal interest in problem-solving as a basis for most of teacher‟s listening work.
(Underwood, 1989)

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In order to make listening tasks become more attractive to students, it is
necessary for listening teachers to be cautious about the reasons why listening is
challenging to learners and it is the role of the teacher to help them with useful
learning strategies.
2.2. Previous studies on the use of movies in English teaching
Visual aids are a great enhancement for teaching an ESL class. An even better
resource is the presence of film and video in class as they change the learning
atmosphere of the class, and ESL students can hear authentic English in real life
scenes and natural settings. Many scholars have revealed that movies used in EFL
classroom can become an important part of the curriculum. This is based on the fact
that movies provide exposures to “real language,” used in authentic settings and in the
cultural context which the foreign language is spoken. They also have found that
movies catch the learners‟ interest and it can positively affect their motivation to learn
(Kusumarasdyati, 2004; Luo, 2004).
Firstly, movies can be considered as authentic material and they provide the
learners with genuine input (Mishan 2004: 216). Moreover, as Krashen (1985: 4)
points out, a natural input helps the learners to acquire language without necessarily
even noticing that they are hearing or reading a foreign language. Using videos to
facilitate learners‟ listening comprehension has also been widely discussed in the past
two decade (Secules et al, 1992; Weyers, 1999; Linebarger, 2001; Kusumarasdyati,
2004; Luo, 2004; Lin, 2009). Joseph R. Weyers (1999) carried out a study with an
authentic soap opera to measure whether it can increase students listening
comprehension and enhance their oral production. There were two groups in his study:

17 subjects in the control group and 20 subjects in the experimental group. The
experiment was conducted in two second-semester Spanish classes for 8 weeks at the
University of New Mexico. All the students were present for the pre-and posttreatment tests. Both groups followed the established curriculum for second-semester
Spanish. However, the experimental group was supplemented by the experimental
treatment. The treatment required that the subjects in the experimental group watched
two episodes of a Spanish soap opera per week, which was taped off-air with the

15


commercials and was not specifically designed for language learners. The viewing
consumed approximately 45 minutes of the 60-minute class period. Before viewing
each episode, the teacher gave the participants a short summary in English of the
telenovela. The result of the experiment suggests that telenovelas are a valuable source
in increasing the students‟ listening comprehension skills.
Luo, J.J (2004) in his study examined the influence of DVD movies on
students‟ listening comprehension. Nine films were incorporated into the class
curriculum over the entire school year. The DVDs were the main materials of the
course, supported by specially designed additional activities. Instructional activities
included story-telling, picture description and open-ended questions for group
discussion on topics retrieved from the movies. The researcher incorporated captionon and caption-off activities in order to practice student‟s listening skills. The final
results of the statistical analyses indicated that student‟s listening skill “did improve”
through the instruction of using DVD movies in a motivating learning environment
with “lower level of anxiety” after a whole school year (Luo, 2004).
Herron and Seay (1991) had conducted research on using video in listening
comprehension for EFL students. He used intermediate level of students and has
divided them into two groups, experimental and controlled group. The experimental
group has substituted the regular classes with listening to the authentic radio tapes. The
controlled group followed the regular class activities without and exposure to the radio
tapes. The study has provided evidence that the experimental group performed

significantly better on the final tests of listening comprehension with both the video
and the audio than did the control group in which no strategy training occurred.
Champoux (1999) has studied the use of films as a teaching resource and Allan
(1985), Stoller (1988), Katchen (2003) and Sufen (2006) have analyzed the use of
films and videotapes concerning particularly EFL or ESL teaching.
However, in Vietnam, the fact is that, not much research on this topic has been carried
out. A number of thesis or assignments focus only on studies of the use of pictures or
short video clips as their teaching aids. As a result, by combining these previous

16


studies, it is easier to notice why using movies in EFL teaching is a useful method and
has several advantages compared to the more traditional teaching styles.
2.3. Advantages and disadvantages of movie viewing in classroom
Movies provide a wonderful opportunity for students to gain background
understanding to combine with their own understanding about a story or concept. It
has been studied that films enhance English language skill development since they
bring variety, reality, authenticity and flexibility into the EFL classroom. Good films
can serve as a valuable pedagogical aid, both for classroom use and self-study. The
ultimate goal is to arouse sensitivity in the learner and to provide a stimulus to stretch
his/her imagination and creativity. Moreover, using movies can motivate the students
to study English and the visuality of the film may also help the weaker students to
understand since it offers another channel of understanding in addition to just listening
to the language (Champoux 1999, Allan 1985: 48-65, Stoller 1988). Allan (1985: 4865) also highlights the realistic examples that the films enable. Combining both audio
and visuality makes film a comprehensive tool for language teaching. The visuality
also supports the students: it helps learners by supporting the verbal message and
provides a focus of attention while they listen. In addition, viewers are not just passive
observers but their responses also add to the power of the film. According to Stoller
(1988) films are a flexible tool for second language learning and instruction since they

add an extra dimension to course design and assure a rich variety of language and
cultural experiences. Additionally, films expose the students to authentic target
language, speech forms that are not normally encountered in the more restricted
classroom environment. The more realistic language often also motivates the students
to participate actively in film-related activities. With the help of films teachers can
present these characteristics to students better than with only a textbook. By watching
films the students can also explore the issues of appropriateness and pragmatics while
observing also linguistic, paralinguistic and nonverbal behaviour. According to Allan
(1985: 48-65) films actually get students to talk and they can be a stimulus to genuine
communication in the classroom by bringing out different opinions within the group.

17


Authentic materials usually help them to notice, that knowing foreign language is very
useful and that the language can be used every day in different contexts.
Even though using movies can diversify the curriculum and motivate the
learners to study a foreign language, using movies is not always straightforward and
trouble-free. From the teacher's perspective, it may be argued that the planning stage is
time-consuming and demanding since it requires previewing the film and designing
adequate activities. According to Stoller (1988) using movies requires for instance
extensive preparation and thus some teachers may feel that using movies is too
demanding. Since teachers usually are rather busy, preparing film lessons is
considered too time-consuming and it is perhaps easier to follow a text book instead of
preparing the film and the related assignments. Moreover, Champoux (1999: 240-251)
points out that using films is not only time-consuming for the teacher, but it can also
take time away from other classroom activities. In addition, Stoller (1988) mentions
also poor equipment as a factor which may complicate the use of films in teaching.
However, nowadays the language classrooms are rather well equipped, and almost
every classroom has either a television or a computer, which allows using for instance

DVD films. Nevertheless, the teacher must keep in mind the costs and make sure that
the film lesson does not overrun the budget. It is also important to notice that the
students‟ reactions may vary and for some students, for instance, a certain scene can be
distracting. The teachers in Vietnam should be aware that young learners of English
just would love to go to the cinema or theatre with friends to relax and then leave for
home. They might think movies are for entertainment and do not pay enough attention
to the benefit it might bring to them. Therefore, it would be much better if they have
chance to have movies in class under the instructions of teachers. DVD films would be
much interesting if it is used appropriately.
In sum, it is obvious that the pendulum swings to the asset side, and the pros
outnumber the cons. So, why not give it a try?
2.4. Criteria to choose
An important factor when planning the movie lessons is choosing the movie. It
can be based on thematic content to reinforce and consolidate topics treated within the

18


language syllabus, such as discrimination, moral issues, mass media, ecology,
education, and work, or to illustrate language functions and grammatical patterns in
real use. Selection should be very careful especially with respect to accent since some
problems may arise. Comprehension may be hindered by dialectal varieties of the
language used by the characters.
There are also other important points that need to be made sure before using
movies in foreign language teaching. These are, for instance, copyright matters, the
teaching environment in which to use films and the proficiency level of the learners. It
is also important to remember, that the films are not a substitute for the teacher.
Moreover, students should understand that they are not expected to understand every
word. The teacher should get students to accept that getting the „main idea‟ is enough.
In addition, it is the teacher‟s responsibility to promote active viewing and the film

should also promote active participation from the beginning of the lesson in order for
the students to be more than just passive listeners and watchers.
Each film dictates different types of activities. Thus, careful selection and
previewing of the films is important. It is also important that the students understand
the instructional objectives of a film lesson. Thus, it is important to give
understandable and simple instructions to the students, in order to make them
understand that the film is not just an entertaining way to pass time but that it has
certain pedagogical goals. However, Allan (1985) emphasizes that it is important to
choose topics that are relevant to the students. The stories should interest and appeal in
order for the students to stay motivated. All in all, the topics should be both interesting
and pedagogically rich.
Additionally, one important factor that should be taken into account when
selecting appropriate movies is the proficiency level of the students and the
comprehensibility of the film. The film should be sufficiently comprehensible so that
students can complete the language related tasks and that the teacher does not have to
work too hard in order to help the students to understand the language.
Allan (1985) points out some concrete factors which should be taken into
account when choosing a film for certain proficiency level. Firstly, the density of

19


language is important. There should be enough pauses in the dialogue in order for the
students to be able to follow along. Secondly, the film should provide the students with
enough visual support. This means that the visual messages support the verbal
message and it is also possible, at least to some extent, guess what is happening in the
film. Thirdly, delivery of the speech is also a factor that affects understanding. If the
characters speak too quickly or there are various different accents, it can be difficult
for the students to understand the language. However, for instance different accents are
again a simulative challenge for the more advanced learners.

Moreover, according to Stoller (1988), also the length of the film is a useful
thing to consider. It is important to choose films that are long enough to convey
meaningful content, yet short enough to allow classroom time for pre-viewing and
post-viewing activities
The teacher also should think about the reasons why he or she wants to use the
film, what for and with which students. It is also important to think beforehand, what
he or she expects the students to understand from the film. It makes the preparations
easier, if the teacher also thinks about what techniques might work with the film, how
much time the film will need and what kind of preparatory work is necessary before
the film lessons. However, Stoller (1988) states that films can be linked into syllabus
in various ways: by language items, by functions or by thematic units. It is also
possible to use content-based curriculum, in which case the subject matter of the
selected film must be related.
There are many kinds of movie available such as Thriller, Comedy, War
movies, Action movie, Romance, Documentary, Walt Disney movie, etc. However, in
Vietnam, youngsters love to watch Walt Disney‟s Picture films for some reasons.
Firstly, films of Walt Disney are popular all around the world. They usually make
films that catch the interest of many types of people, especially kids and teenagers.
Secondly, the messages in their films are very gentle, understandable and encouraging.
Many films are well-known in Vietnam such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,
Cinderella, Treasure Island, The Story of Robinhood and His Merrie Men, Little
Chicken, Aladdin, Tarzan and Jane, etc. These are very good movies for young

20


learners of English as the content is very comprehensible, the music is so interesting
and the characters are beautiful and professional. Especially, the DVDs are easy to
find. That is the reason why the researcher in this study decides to choose 2 Walt
Disney movies to present to her students as a teaching aid instrument; they are High

School Musical 1 and The Parent Trap 1998.
It is not an easy task to make a good movie class because there are so many
things the teacher must be aware of. However, if the teacher really takes it for granted
when using movies as a teaching aid, he or she will make the students really interested
and motivated.
2.5. How to exploit
According to Stoller (1988) the film lesson and its activities should consist of
pre-viewing, viewing and post-viewing activities. This ensures that the students stay
focused and motivated throughout the lesson, and the goals of the lesson are clear to
them. Stoller (1988) emphasizes that the pre-viewing activities prepare students for the
actual viewing. Some examples of pre-viewing activities could be student polls,
interviews, problem solving discussion of the title of the film, brainstorming activities,
information gap exercises, and dictionary or vocabulary exercises and so on. Previewing is important in order for the students to be able to follow the film and
understand the storyline and characters. Pre-viewing can make it easier for also the
weaker students to benefit from the film and its many beneficial aspects. Pre-viewing
task gives the ESL instructor an opportunity to provide some background information
on the film (director, producer, actors, year of production, music, writer, etc.) or
discuss the background and setting of a scene (characters, plot, and themes).
Stoller (1988) points out, that viewing activities during the film, on the other
hand, facilitate viewing of the film. The activities help students to deal with specific
issues and focus on characters or storyline also at crucial junctures in the film. Some
examples of viewing activities are directed listening, information gathering, film
interruptions and second screening. For instance a film interruption helps the teacher
to control whether the students have understood what happens in the film. Whileviewing tasks provide an opportunity to deepen the understanding of a film and

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conduct a comprehension check. One idea is for the teacher to play important scenes
with the sound off and the English subtitles on (subtitles can be in the students‟ first

language if the level demands). The teacher then replays the scene with both the
subtitles and sound, and replays it a third time with the sound alone and no subtitles.
This technique is suitable for dramatic scenes, or when dialect or slang is spoken,
because it facilitates understanding and makes students feel more confident (Roell,
2010).
Finally, Stoller (1988) highlights also the importance of post-viewing activities.
They are meant to stimulate both written and oral use of the target language utilizing
insights and information from the film. Post-viewing activities should extract the main
ideas, concepts or issues of the film, since the small details may have been missed, and
it is essential to understand the main points of the film. Post-viewing activities can be
for instance film summaries, alternative endings, discussions, comparisons, speed
writing, using notes for writing practice, role plays or debates. Post-viewing activities
allow students to check their comprehension and use the new language they have
learned (Roell, 2010). In the activity called “Fly on the Wall,” students reconstruct a
movie scene from memory, as if they are unseen witnesses. After writing down their
accounts, they view the scene again to check their recall and have the opportunity to
amend their rendition (Sherman 2003). To strengthen their descriptive abilities,
students can analyze characters in a film and write descriptive portraits of the
characters‟ appearance, education, profession, relationships, likes and dislikes, and
other qualities. According to Allan (1985: 66) it is important to try to exploit all the
positive sides that a film can offer on language teaching. For instance visuality is
obviously a great part of films, and it can help also the weaker students to follow the
film and understand what is happening. There are non-verbal signals in a film, for
instance gestures, facial expressions, eye-contact, posture, proximity, appearance and
setting. All these factors play an important part in the film and may help or, on the
other hand, also possibly hinder watching the film.
In brief, the following are some techniques for using film or video in EFL classroom:
 Active viewing:

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Active viewing increases students‟ enjoyment and satisfaction and focuses their
attention on the main idea of the movie presentation. Therefore, it is necessary for the
students to take an active part in the movie. Before starting the showing, the teacher
should write some key questions on the board about the presentation so that the
students can get an overview of the content of it. After viewing the questions, the
students answer them orally. For more comprehension, the students may be provided
with cue sheets or viewing guides. The teacher then let them watch and listen for
specific details or features of the target language.
 Freeze framing and prediction
Freeze framing means stopping the picture on the screen by pressing the still or pause
button. Teacher freezes the picture when he or she wants to teach words and
expression regarding mood and emotions, to ask questions about a particular scene or
to call students‟ attention to some points. By freezing the scene, the students can be
asked what is going to happen next and they, then, will speculate on what will happen
in the next action. Freeze framing is excellent for speculation. This activity also fires
the imagination of the students by leading them predicting and deducing further
information about the characters.
 Vision on – Sound off
As video is an audiovisual medium, the sound and the vision are separate components.
Silent viewing arouses students‟ interests, stimulate thoughts, and develop skills of
anticipation. In silent viewing, the video segment is played with the sound off using
only the picture. This activity can also be a prediction technique when students watch
the film for the first time. One way of doing this is to play the video segment without
the sound and tell the students to observe the behavior of the characters and to use
their power of deduction. The teacher presses the pause button at intervals to stop the
picture on the screen and get students to guess what is happening and what the
characters might be saying or ask students has happened up to that point. Finally,
video segment is replayed with the sound on so that the learners can compare their

impressions with what actually happens in the movie.
 Sound on – Vision off

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This activity can be interesting and useful to play a section of a video unit and remove
the visual element from the presentation by obscuring the picture so that students can
hear only the dialogue but unable to see the action. Through this activity, the students
predict or reconstruct what has happened visually depending only on what they hear.
 Captions or Subtitles on
It is easier for students to watch with both sound and visual on. In terms of listening
and the overall ESL comprehension, captioned videos are more effective for the
following reasons:
- Students are more motivated to learn the English dialogue
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The gap between reading and listening skills is bridged

-

Students can follow a plot more easily

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Pronunciation of words is learned

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Word recognition is enhanced

-

Idioms become better understood

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Reading and processing skills are improved. (King, 2002)

 Reproduction activity
After students have seen a section, students may be asked to reproduce either
what is being said, to describe what is happening, or to rewrite what has happened.
This activity encourages students to try out their knowledge. Students will benefit
from experimenting in English, even though it may be challenging and mistakes can be
made. As it seems a bit difficult to act out, guidance, help and reassurance from
instructor may be needed.

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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter is to provide readers a detailed description of how the study is
carried out, namely to describe in detail the action research, the participants and the
procedures of the study. The chapter is to give readers an elaborate description of
every step of the research.
As mentioned above, the study aims to answer the following research questions:
-

To what extent does the use of movies in class increase students‟ motivation?

-

What are the students‟ attitudes towards using movies in EFL classroom?

-

To what extent does the use of movies improve students‟ listening
comprehension?

3.1. Rationale for the use of action research
3.1.1. What is action research?
According to Jerry G. Grebhard (1999), the concept of action research
originated in the work of Kurt Lewin (1948, 1952). Action research had been defined
in many different ways. In Stephen Corey‟s definition “(Action research is) a way in
which teachers try to study their own problems scientifically, in an effort to evaluate,
guide and correct their procedures”. Tsui‟s definition was more detailed and simpler:
"Action research is a very effective way of helping teachers to reflect on their teaching
and to come up with their own alternatives to improve their practice.” (Tsui, 1993)
Teachers in general and teachers of English in particular actually carry out
action research for most of their time. Whenever s/he identifies a problem which is
happening in the class, it is his/her task to find ways to solve that problem. Therefore,
action research is inevitably a very common practice. As defined by Mills (2003: 4),
action research is “any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers to gather
information about the ways that their particular school operates how they teach, and
how well their students learn. The information is gathered with the goals of gaining
insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school
environment and on educational practices in generals, and improving student
outcomes.” A typical action research needs to go from one step to another. Nunan
(2001) defines the framework of a research as consisting of seven steps:

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