“Like, Subscribe, and Share”: Students' Views on Using YouTube Videos to Improve Their English Vocabulary

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Ahmad Harris Setyonyoto, Devinta Puspita Ratri, Rifa Utmawati. Like, Subscribe, and Share”: Students' Views on Using YouTube Videos to Improve Their English Vocabulary. Education of English as Foreign Language Journal (EDUCAFL). 2022: Vol. 5 (2): pg. 117-125

Educafl 2022. Vol 5 No 2

Doi: 10.21776/ub.educafl.2022.005.02.06

“Like, Subscribe, and Share”: Students' Views on Using YouTube Videos to Improve Their English Vocabulary

Setyonyoto, Harris A.

Universitas Brawijaya ahmadharrisse@student.ub.ac.id

Indonesia

Ratri, Devinta P.

Universitas Brawijaya devinta@ub.ac.id

Indonesia

Utmawati, Rifa.

Universitas Brawijaya rifautmawati@gmail.com

Indonesia

Article Info ABSTRACT

Article history:

Received April 08, 2022 Revised Dec 01, 2022 Accepted Dec 07, 2022

In the effort of learning speaking at school, oftentimes students should face difficulty to master the skill. Many EFL students struggle to speak in English because they have insufficient vocabulary to express their opinion.

Hence, improving vocabulary has become one of the many focuses for teachers in teaching English. Oftentimes, teachers use YouTube as a media to improve students’

vocabulary. This paper aims to investigate and describe deeper insights on students’ perspective on using YouTube videos to improve vocabulary in speaking English.

Employing a descriptive qualitative method, an open-ended questionnaire administered to 103 senior high school students. The result of the study showed that the majority of the students admitted that they have a positive perspective in using YouTube as a media to improve their vocabulary.

Nevertheless, some students also prefer to learn vocabulary from the teachers in the usual classroom settings.

Keywords:

EFL, Vocabulary, YouTube, Learning Media, Speaking

Corresponding Author:

Setyonyoto, Harris A.

Universitas Brawijaya

ahmadharrisse@student.ub.ac.id Indonesia

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1. INTRODUCTION

In the effort of learning speaking at school, oftentimes students should face difficulty to master the skill. Many cases of speaking difficulty occurred to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students which has been the focus of much research in the education field. In a study (Amoah &Yeboah, 2021), EFL students in Nanjing, China, faced struggles in speaking in English. The difficulties detected during the study were later categorized into two, psychological and linguistic factors. What includes psychological factors are anxiety, unwillingness to speak, fear of mistakes and fear of negative evaluation from others. On the other hand, the linguistic factors include insufficient knowledge of grammar rules, pronunciation, reading and oral presentation, and lack of vocabulary (Amoah & Yeboah, 2021). Based on numerous studies within the same topic, lack of vocabulary becomes one of the most mentioned factors in students’ difficulty in speaking English (Al Hosni, 2014; Heriansyah, 2012; Khatoony & Rahmani, 2020; Salam & Nurnisa, 2021; Sayuri, 2016; Shen &

Chiu, 2019).

Indeed, vocabulary has become one of the most important elements in language learning. When language learners have limited vocabulary knowledge, they will need more time to learn new knowledge since it will affect their comprehension skills in reading text or information and participating in oral communication with their peers. On the other hand, learners with sufficient vocabulary knowledge will more likely achieve better in language learning since they can read and speak better than others (Khan et al., 2018). This is because every unknown word learner read or listen to will eventually cause difficulty in their process of making meaning and understanding the information (Moghadam et al., 2012). Hence, sufficient vocabulary knowledge will help learners to learn language better. Vocabulary mastery is seen as essential since there is a classic relation between vocabulary and language learning, in which vocabulary knowledge would enable language use and language use would enable better vocabulary knowledge (AlQahtani, 2015).

Acknowledging the difficulties students face in learning speaking, teachers and educators around the world attempt to facilitate the teaching-learning process with a more effective media to help the students to learn speaking effectively. Many of the teachers utilized modern technology to teach speaking to EFL students. One of the widely used media in teaching speaking is YouTube, an online platform where users can upload, share, and watch online videos based on their interest. In Indonesia, based on the many researches that has been done, YouTube also became the prominent media to employ in teaching speaking and improve student’s vocabulary both during offline and online school (Cahyana, 2020; Hariyono, 2020; Hussin, 2020; Meinawati et al., 2020; Mozes, 2020;

Ruslan, 2021; Syafiq et al., 2021; Wibowo, 2020). Employing modern technology to facilitate students in learning English could be the prominent solution to overcome students’ difficulty in speaking mastery, especially improving their vocabulary banks. However, it is also essential to understand students’ perception towards the use of YouTube as a media in learning speaking. This understanding will function as a feedback for teachers to improve what is there needs to be improved and to maintain what needs to be maintained. Recognizing the importance of students’ perception in this matter, this paper attempts to provide further insights on students’ perception towards the use of YouTube as a media to improve vocabulary in speaking English.

2. METHODS

This study employed a descriptive qualitative design by employing an open-ended questionnaire as

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the main instrument in obtaining data in regards to students’ perception towards the use of YouTube as a media to improve their vocabulary in speaking English. The questionnaire consists of two parts about students’ demography and eight open-ended questions about students’ perception. Open-ended questions in the questionnaire will ask students about their perception on using YouTube as learning media, the struggles and advantages of using YouTube to learn vocabulary as well as their vocabulary mastery. The questionnaire was administered as an online form to 103 students in the first year and third year of SMA Hangtuah 2 Sidoarjo, Indonesia. The result of the questionnaire will be analyzed and discussed descriptively. Then, conclusions will be drawn at the end of the study along with practical suggestions to improve students’ experience in improving their vocabulary by using YouTube as a learning media.

3. RESULTS/FINDINGS

Table 1 shows the demographic factors of the respondents. The questionnaires were filled by 103 students (100% response rate) from two classrooms. 52 of the respondents were male students and 51 others were female students. 101 of the total respondents were coming from third year students, while the rest were coming from first year students.

Table 1. Demographic Factors

Frequency Percentage (%)

Male 51 49.5

Female 52 50.5

Total 103 100.0

First Year 2 1.9

Second Year 0 0.0

Thrid Year 101 98.1

Total 103 100.0

From the third to the last questions were administered to understand students’ perception on using YouTube as a media in improving vocabulary in speaking English. In questionnaire number three shows that most students admittedly mentioned that they enjoy learning vocabulary from English videos on YouTube. Most of the reason the students enjoy learning vocabulary from YouTube videos is because it is more fun to watch and oftentimes more entertaining compared to classroom meetings. Some students claimed that it is easier to understand examples and materials provided in YouTube and even more easy to use since there is no time limit to access the video. Students can play and replay the videos as much as they need to. Even though most of the students admitted that they enjoy using YouTube to improve their vocabulary, some of them explained that they still prefer to learn vocabulary from the teacher since they sometimes feel the need to learn more about the vocabulary, the meaning, the context, and the proper way to use it in everyday life. However, unlike most of the students, one student opined that they do not completely enjoy learning vocabulary using YouTube since it consumes lots of mobile data. So, in the end, they still prefer to learn vocabulary from books and classroom meetings.

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Table 2. Students who enjoyed learning vocabulary from English videos on YouTube

Yes 99 96.116

In between 2 1.941

No 2 1.941

Total 103 100.0

Questionnaire number four shows that almost all the students have the same method on learning vocabulary from YouTube videos. Students use the rewind or replay feature in YouTube to go back to a part of the video where they do not understand clearly. In addition, YouTube also has a CC or subtitle feature that would provide Indonesian text on the bottom of the screen to help the students understand the speech in the video. Students mentioned that sometimes native speakers speak too fast that they could not catch the words they use in their speech. This is when the subtitle feature comes into rescue. Students can pause the video and read the subtitle slowly while taking their time in understanding the vocabulary used in the video. This can be different from the usual way they learn vocabulary in the classroom where they rely the most on books, dictionaries, and teachers.

Books and dictionaries provide limited examples and context of the word, while in YouTube, students can search for any videos related to the vocabulary and learn the way the word is used in various contexts. Furthermore, students who are taught by non-native teachers can learn the native pronunciation from YouTube videos. Nevertheless, different opinions are also expressed by a student who admitted that they believe learning vocabulary from YouTube will never work for them since many videos in YouTube use slang or informal phrases that are not useful for academic needs.

Indeed, YouTube is a home to various types of videos and unless teachers share the relevant videos, students will need to search the relevant videos by themselves and students might struggle. Hence, it is important for teachers to also assist students in looking for the relevant materials in YouTube to help with their learning.

Table 3. How YouTube videos help students to learn vocabulary Frequency Percentage (%) Encriched vocabulary knowledge from many

YouTube Channels

55 53.39

The videos make learning vocabulry more easier

13 12.62

The combinatiaon from the video and sounds provide good learning

10 9.70

Helped in learning correct pronunciation 5 4.85

Can be re watched as many times as we wants

14 13.59

The subtitle and translation feature 4 3.88

Enriched grammr knowledge 2 1.94

Total 103 100

Questionnaire number five shows students mentioned various different benefits they obtained by using YouTube. One of the benefits is it helps students to learn vocabulary regardless where and when. Students will only need internet access and a compatible gadget to access free videos from YouTube. This flexibility of YouTube makes students feel more relaxed in learning new vocabulary.

Most of the students use YouTube to search for supplementary materials for their English lesson. For 120

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example, many of them mentioned how YouTube is beneficial for them to learn about how to make a good caption and new vocabulary that can be used in making captions. Not only giving students new vocabulary, YouTube also helps students to understand the way to pronounce the word. Even more, many of the videos on YouTube are interactive, meaning students can roleplay with the speaker in the video while practicing the new vocabulary they just learned.

Table 4. The benefits student received by using YouTube to learn vocabulary Frequency Percentage (%)

Make learning more fun and easier 9 8.73

Can be a great way to learn complex procedures, improve knowledge, and understand difficult vocabulary

87 84.46

The flexibility 3 2.91

It’s costs nothing 2 1.94

No benefits 2 1.94

Total 103 100

Questionnaire number six shows regardless of the benefits students obtained from using YouTube to improve their vocabulary, there are still a number of problems students face in using YouTube to learn English. Since YouTube is flexible to access, students feel far more relaxed about studying.

Sometimes, it also makes students feel lazy since it counts as a self-study session and no formal demands to fulfill. Another problem is related to the content of the videos. Students mentioned that they are struggling when native speakers speak too fast and no Indonesian subtitles are provided in the video. Some videos can also have bad audio quality and provide no subtitles at the same time.

Another problem with the content is that students cannot ask questions directly to the speaker when they have questions. This is what differentiates YouTube and usual classroom meetings. There is no direct interaction between speaker and students in YouTube videos, while students can directly ask questions to the teacher whenever they have a struggle in learning English. This aligned well with the opinion mentioned by some students in the previous question that they still need more explanation from the teacher. Last problem commonly mentioned by students in the questionnaire is more technical such as the needs of mobile data and too many ads in YouTube videos. Students need to pay for a subscription to access the videos without ads interference. Hence, spending money to buy mobile data and subscriptions is also considered to be a problem for students to use YouTube as a media to improve their vocabulary.

Table 5. Problems Using YouTube to Learn Vocabulary

Many ads 6 5.82

Sometimes it’s hard to understand and students cant ask their question directly

58 56.31

External problems such as sounds or videos quality

11 10.67

Internal problems (laziness, don’t have any internet quotas)

9 8.73

No problem at all 19 18.44

Total 103 100

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Questionnaire number seven shows that all of the students admitted that their vocabulary has improved after watching English videos on YouTube. For students who like to watch vlog videos on YouTube, they acquired vocabulary related to daily activities. For students who prefer to watch videos relevant to the theme of their study in the classroom, they acquired more vocabulary relevant to the theme of their study. For example, the third-year students were learning about how to make captions and by watching relevant videos on YouTube. They acquired more knowledge about the meaning of caption, summary, and quote. Some students also enjoy other videos and acquired new vocabulary they never heard at school before, such as ineffable, oath, distinct, gluttony and many more.

Table 6. Do Students Think Their Vocabulary has Improved after Watching English Videos on YouTube?

Yes 94 91.26

In between (not really)

6 5.82

No 3 2.91

Total 103 100.0

Questionnaire number eight shows almost all students expressed a similar answer to this question.

They mostly mentioned that watching YouTube videos can improve their speaking skill, listening skill and grammatical knowledge. By watching interactive videos on YouTube, students can practice a role play with the speaker and practice the new vocabulary they have learned from the video. This activity can help them to also practice their speaking skill outside school hours. Furthermore, students also need to listen attentively to the speaker when they are learning vocabulary from YouTube. This makes them hone their listening skill while also improving their vocabulary at the same time.

Learning from YouTube also helps students to learn about grammatical attributes in English. This could be learned from how the speakers construct their sentence and use certain tenses in certain situations and context.

Table 7. Other Skills that Can Be Improved by Watching English Videos on YouTube Frequency Percentage (%)

Listening skill 14 13.59

Reading skills 3 2.91

Writing skills 2 1.94

Speaking skill 49 47.57

The combination above 27 26.21

Hobbies skill 6 5.82

None 2 1.94

Total 103 100

Questionnaire number nine shows students' opinions in regards to this question were almost evenly divided into two answers, yes and no. For those who admitted that they feel more motivated to learn vocabulary from YouTube videos have some interesting reasons. Some of them expressed that they prefer to learn English from native speakers since they can also listen to how native speakers pronounce the vocabulary. Some others mentioned another reason that makes them feel more motivated to improve vocabulary from YouTube. Since YouTube videos are often made in interesting

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narration and completed with relevant pictures, students feel more interested and relaxed in processing new knowledge.

Unlike those who feel motivated to use YouTube to improve their vocabulary, some others expressed that they still prefer to learn vocabulary from the teachers with the usual classroom setting, including textbooks and worksheets. Some mentioned that they cannot focus on the video when it comes to self-study and some others mentioned that using YouTube does not match their learning style. Some students also expressed that classroom meetings are more helpful and keep them motivated as they can have interaction with teachers.

Table 8. Do Students Feel More Motivated to Learn Vocabulary and English from Youtube?

Yes 89 86.40

No 14 13.59

Total 103 100.0

Questionnaire number ten shows students expressed various answers and reasons regarding the question. Some of them admitted to prefer YouTube than any other media since YouTube has many free accessible contents for students. It is easy to understand and they can use YouTube features, such as replay, subtitles and playback speed setting. Many YouTube videos provide supplementary learning materials for students combined with music and any other media that interest the students.

Interactive and informative videos on YouTube also keep the students entertained while improving their vocabulary. Those who prefer to use other media expressed that they still prefer to learn vocabulary from their teachers in the usual classroom setting, including textbooks and worksheets.

Watching long videos can bore them and some accents are difficult to understand, so they prefer to listen to the teachers’ explanations better.

Table 9. Would Students Prefer to Learn Vocabulary and English in General By Using Youtube than any Other Learning Media?

Yes 95 92.23

In between (not really) 1 0.97

No 7 6.79

Total 103 100.0

4. DISCUSSION

According to research result, YouTube as a teaching material can increase students’ achievement in speaking skill. Meinawati et al. (2020) stated that YouTube is effective to teach speaking class during pandemic Covid-19. In this case, YouTube video was used effectively; it enhanced students‟

speaking skill, and classroom climate during online learning. In conclusion, YouTube video can be applied as an alternative media in language-teaching process include for teaching speaking (Abdulrahaman, 2016).

Furthermore, YouTube videos as teaching material make students are more motivated and less bored in the class and can be used to study groups in doing assignments that make students more active in class during pandemic. The finding also reported YouTube videos help students learn about speaking

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in terms of how to speak (fluency), vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and what content will be spoken is better where after learning from the video, students get ideas to speak and continue to discuss in groups so that each student could exchange information verbally with group members.

This is in line with study conducted by (Ariyanto et al., 2018) which stated YouTube helps some students to speak actively in class and increase their motivation to speak.

Moreover, the use of YouTube videos can be used as an alternative to teaching speaking in English classes where the topics given in the form of YouTube videos make it easier for students to elaborate the understanding of the material and improve your speaking skills in class. Students also Feel Enjoyable Learning Interpersonal Speaking by UsingYouTube Video. These findings are like the theory of Herrman (2016), by using YouTube in teaching English can improve students' understanding and student’s skill.

5. CONCLUSION

Based on the result and the discussion of this study, there is a definite answer that could conclude this research. Majority of the students enjoy using YouTube as a media to improve their vocabulary in speaking English. Although YouTube benefits students in many senses, it also has room for improvement and that would be teachers’ homework to utilize YouTube effectively so students can have a better learning experience in using YouTube to improve their vocabulary. The suggestions that the teachers can implement in the classroom below are made based on students’ perception towards the use of YouTube as a media to improve their vocabulary in speaking English. Teachers can adopt the suggestion and implement them in the classroom which is as follows:

1. It is suggested for teachers to aid with students in looking for the appropriate learning materials in YouTube. Teachers might also share useful and beneficial YouTube channel that they students can rely to as their additional learning materials.

2. It is suggested for teachers to also consider combining YouTube with other activities to increase students’ motivation and participation in classroom activity. Gamification of quiz and challenges can be a way to create a follow-up activity that keeps students’ motivation throughout the learning hours.

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