THE USE OF VIDEOS TO IMPROVE YOUNG LEARNERSâ SPEAKING ABILITY.

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The 61 TEFLIN International Conference, UNS Solo 2014

THE USE OF VIDEOS TO IMPROVE YOUNG LEARNERS’ SPEAKING ABILITY Atri Nadia Astarina

Indonesia University of Education atri.nadia@yahoo.com

Abstract: This research investigates the effectiveness of videos using to improve young learners’ speaking ability including its strength and weaknesses. It employed a quasi experimental design towards fifth grade students of elementary school in Sukabumi. The data were obtained through pre and post test, field notes and questionnaires. The obtained data were analyzed by t-test computation supported by grounded theories of teaching speaking to young learners synthesized from Cameron (2001), Linse (2005), and Pinter (2006) and the theory of using videos by Candlin (1981), Sherman (2003), Hu (2006), and Tobing (1993). The research revealed that the use of videos was likely to be effective in improving young learners’ speaking ability, particularly in terms of vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency. Furthermore, it attracted students’ attention and promoted their participation. Nevertheless, those strengths might have been constrained by high speed of talk, uncommon dialect, high cost and good quality of multimedia. Theoretically, the research enriches literature about the topic and practically it further informs teachers in implementing videos based instruction method. Moreover, the research may be used for the development of policy which can help teachers in improving young learners’ speaking ability.

Keywords:videos, young learners, speaking

Introduction

Videos are considererd useful not only for their entertainment function, but also for their use as effective learning media to improve young learners’ English, particularly their speaking. (Candlin, 1981; Sherman, 2003; Tobing, 2006; Hu, 2006; Wulandari, et. al, 2008; and Tafani, 2009). Videos provide authentic materials and cultivate communicative competence (Candlin, 1981; Sherman, 2003; Tobing, 2006; Hu, 2006). In addition, they motivate learners to learn English since videos are varied, flexible, and enjoyable (Hu, 2006 and Wulandari, et.al, 2008).

Based on the aforementioned theories, videos are considered to have several benefits which are appropriate for young learners’ characters. This is in line with Linse (2005) who states that considering young learners’ characters including their development of social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and moral are important in teaching them.

However, videos have not been widely recognized and employed by English teachers in teaching speaking to young learners. It is in accordance with the fact found that some English teachers are still confused about finding an appropriate method which is enjoyable, preferable and able to provide context and a good model of pronunciation and intonation as native speakers like. Finding appropriate method is significant since young learners are considered potential and success in learning second or foreign language such as English (Troike, 2003).

On the point of that, this research is conducted to investigate whether or not the use of videos is an effective method which can be utilized by teachers to improve young learners’ speaking ability.

The Roles of Video in Teaching Speaking

There are some strengths which can be explored from the use of video in language teaching particularly speaking. First, video is a rich source which can always be renewable. It presents variability and flexibility to be used in classroom in order to refresh conventional textbook materials (Sherman, 2003; Hu, 2006; Wulandari, et.al, 2008). Second, it provides authentic materials and cultural input which make the learning process more contextual and culture-based. Third, video exists in the form of audiovisual which can bring the language alive as it presents dynamic communication (Candlin, 1983; Tobing, 1993; Sherman, 2003). Besides, video give learners opportunities to learn by input or stimulus and can be replayed again and again, so that learners can easily practice listening and imitating the language (Tobing, 1993; Sherman, 2003; Quan, 2008).

In addition, video can be a medium which accommodates the development of multiple intelligences (Kevin, 2011). It means that it can accommodate all learners with their own characteristics or intelligence. In terms of speaking, it is assumed that video is effective to enrich learners’ vocabularies, pronunciation, and comprehension (Candlin, 1981; Sherman, 2003; Tobing, 2006; Wulandari, et. al, 2008; and Quan, 2008). As a result, they further state the aforementioned strengths are proven in motivating learners to learn English, particularly speaking.

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However, there are some weaknesses which should be considered by teachers in using video as stated by Tobing (1993) as follow. Firstly, video cannot be interrupted by explanation while it is being played. Secondly, high speed of talk in the video makes some people hard to listen and understand. Lastly, its provision requires high cost. Apart from this, it is suggested not to show the subtitle in students’ mother language since Borras and Lafayette (1994) state that it can distract and slowdown learners’ listening ability and will impact to their speaking ability.

Teaching Speaking To Young Learners by Using Videos

Children’s ability to imitate the pronounciation of english words fluently makes them considered as sussessful second or foreign language learners (Troike, 2006). Thus, it is a great challenge for teachers to teach and improve young learners’ speaking ability particularly pronunciation. In this sense, videos can represent native speakers in giving a good model of pronunciation. Additionally, it provides some types of classroom speaking performance suggested by Brown (2001) such as imitative, dialogue, and monologue which can be replayed (Tobing, 1993 and Sherman, 2003). It is in line with Pinter (2005), Linse (2005), and Troike (2005) who state that young learners like to imitate and tend to use more repetition than adults.

There are some points which should be taken into account in teaching speaking to young learners. Firstly, in terms of vocabulary enrichment, Hatch &Brown (1995) cited in Cameron (2001) state that learners should have sources for encountering new words, getting a clear image, learning the meaning of words, making a strong memory connection between the forms and meanings, and using the words. It is identified that videos are appropriate with those points since, as stated by Sherman (2003), they are varied and provide audiovisual.

In reference to fluency, Pinter (2006) states that fluent speakers have to learn appropriate words to say in certain situations and way to manage conversation and interruption. It is in line with Hu (2006) who found that videos cultivate communicative competence. It means that videos are contextual and they encourage learners to gradually know when, where, how and to whom the language is used. Context is important in teaching speaking to young learners because they begin to learn speaking by constructing meaning based on their experiences of interaction with others either directly or indirectly through media (Cameron, 2001).Therefore, by learning contextually through videos, young learners are expected to be able to learn to become fluent speakers.

Young learners are different from adults in terms of characteristics including the span of their attention. Thus, the teaching method should be suitable with their innate capacity and development in gradually receiving input (Linse, 2005). Furthermore, it should motivate learners to actively learn. In this sense, Sherman (2003), Hu (2006), and Wulandari, et.al (2008) state that videos with their combination of moving pictures and sound tend to be able to motivate learners to actively participate in the learning since they are varied and enjoyable. Nevertheless, in order to optimize the use of videos in teaching speaking, teachers should play their roles in mediating and controlling the learning activity well.

Methodology

This research employed a quasi experimental design in fifth grade of a public elementary school, involving two classes which consisted of 30 participants each. In 4 weeks, both groups were treated differently by using videos in the experimental group and dialogue texts in the control group. Pre test, post test, field notes, and questionnaires were used as the instruments for collecting data which were then analyzed by t-test computation of SPSS 17 and supported by related theories.

Findings and Discussion

The data obtained from pre and post test of both experimental and control group were calculated by t-test. Previously, the appropriateness of the data conformed to the assumptions of t-test was firstly ensured by some steps of calculation. The result of independent sample t-test on post test scores of both groups is shown in the following table.

Table. 1 The Result of Independent Sample t-test

Independent Samples Test

Levene's Test for Equality

of Variances t-test for Equality of Means

95% Confidence Interval of the

Difference

F Sig. T Df

Sig. (2-tailed)

Mean Difference

Std. Error

Difference Lower Upper

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Post-test Scores

Equal variances assumed

1.775 .188 3.462 58 .001 1.2767 .3688 .5384 2.0149

Equal variances not assumed

3.462 57.219 .001 1.2767 .3688 .5382 2.0151

The above table shows that the P. value (equal variances assumed) was lower than the level of significance (0.001 < 0.05). This result was significant at the 0.05 level. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected which meant there was likely a difference between the means of experimental and control group. It indicated that the experimental group, taught by using videos, performed speaking better than the control group, taught by using dialogue texts. In reference to the table above, the effect size on this analysis was calculated in order to see its significant effect. It revealed that r value is .414 and it could be categorized into a large effect (Coolidge, 2000). In other words, there was likely a large effect of using videos in improving young learners speaking ability.

Furthermore, based on the analysis of field notes and questionnaires, it was also found that the use of videos was effective to enrich young learners’ vocabularies, attract their attention, promote their participation, and help integrating their comprehension. The findings were in line with the assumptions stated by Candlin, 1981; Sherman, 2003; Tobing, 2006; Hu, 2006; Wulandari, et. al, 2008; and Tafani, 2009. The aforementioned strengths of using videos in teaching speaking to young learners are influenced by the combination of audio visual of videos and their characteristics which are contextual, flexible, various, and enjoyable. Furthermore, it can be repeated and represent native speakers in cultivating young learners’ communication with good English as modeled in video. However, those strengths might be constrained by high speed of talk, uncommon dialect, high cost and good quality of multimedia.

Conclusion

The statistical result indicated a significant difference between experimental and control group. In conclusion, the use of videos was likely to be more effective in improving young learners’ speaking ability particularly in terms of vocabulary, pronunciation, and fluency. Additionally, the audiovisual of videos successfully attracted students’ attention, promoted their participation, and helped improving their comprehension. Nevertheless, high speed of talk, uncommon dialect, high cost and multimedia quality were analyzed as the influential factors which might constrain the effectiveness of using videos in improving students’ ability.

Bibliography

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THE USE OF VIDEOS TO IMPROVE YOUNG LEARNERSâ SPEAKING ABILITY.