3. Method
Two types of data collection were used:
1. Questionnaire for students
2. The quiz given at the end of the presented vocabulary
1. Data are collected through students’ and teachers’ questionnaire which investigates their attitudes towards
movie-based teaching and learning. The questionnaires are designed in the form of a 5-point Likert scale ranging
from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree”. The questionnaires were distributed to six LC English teachers
and to the 60 students.
2. The quiz was given at the end of the reading section.
This study is primarily concerned in contributing to the quality of the process of teaching and learning, through
the use of media, particularly using films in ELT classroom. For the purposes of this study the controlled and
experimental groups were used. A class of 28 students was subject to the experiment and the remaining thirty
two students served as a control group. The experimental group considered a novel-based movie in English
before they had read the same novel on the graded reading Books (Oxford University Press). The control group
students were given the same readers, with the same question activities but without the movie accompanying the
books.
The study attempts to answer these research questions:
• What are the teachers’ attitudes towards the using films on development of the students’ reading skills
in academic settings?
• What are students’ perceptions towards using films in EFL classroom?
• Can using movies be engaging and helpful for students to develop their reading skills?
Participants
• The participants in this study were SEEU undergraduate students, between the ages of 18-25. The total
sample of participants consisted of 80 students, male and female, all in a multicultural classroom setting.
Their level of proficiency is intermediate. The study took place over four month’s period of time.
• Six teachers who have already implemented the films in their classes were sent a questionnaire.
4. Procedures
For the purposes of this study, films “Gulliver’s’ travels” and “Picture of Dorian Grey“which were used as an inclass
reading as well were chosen for both groups (controlled and experimental). However, classroom
procedures and teaching methods were different for each group. These two films were chosen because they are
required on the syllabus but also because students found these readers very difficult to analyze and understand.
The controlled group used the usual procedure and activities for the in-class reading. In both cases at the
beginning, of the class, students were given a short list of vocabulary words and phrases used in the book in
order to prepare them for better understanding of the story.
The controlled group reading class began with a cover picture and the book title for discussion, then getting
started by activating their previous knowledge, and getting ready to read; at this stage students are given prereading
questions and True/False questions as a brainstorming activity. At the end the students are given postreading
questions in order to check comprehension.
For the Experimental Group, the movie trailer introduced the core theme. Students were also given True/False
Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.4, No.13, 2013
64
questions as a brainstorming activity. All through movie class, students viewed segments of ten-to-fifteen-minute
video material. As the students watched the tape, the teacher stopped occasionally to check comprehension.
During this time students had “while-watching” questions, which purpose was to check comprehension but also
force students to better concentrate on the movie.
After watching the films, the experimental group received a questionnaire which aim was to get students’
feedback regarding using the movie in the classroom and to investigate the relationship between movie-viewing
and student’s performance.
After watching the movie, students (of the both groups) were given quiz with vocabulary, writing and speaking
activities. The vocabulary exercises consisted of comprehension questions, True /False questions. For the writing
activity, students had to write a brief summary of the story. And finally, as a follow up activity, both groups’
students were given an oral assignment 2-3 min for each student to describe best/worst character of the story.
Although presenting full-length films in a classroom is time consuming, after some practicing it does not
necessarily become a significant obstacle. In the SEEU where I have implemented this teaching technique, one
session of lesson lasts for 100 minutes. This facilitates showing one entire movie (approximately 90-115 minutes
long) .On the other hand, doing the relevant exercises cannot be completed in a single session, but this can be
easily overcome by splitting the activities into two sessions.