Investigating the Effectiveness of Self-Filming and Imitation on English Speaking Skills of Saudi EFL Learners
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1609.08Keywords:
self-filming, imitation, speaking, EFL, language acquisitionAbstract
This study used a sequential explanatory mixed method to determine the efficacy of combined imitation and self-filming interventions in enhancing spoken English skills among Saudi EFL learners. There were 76 secondary government school students in Saudi Arabia who participated in this study. They were purposively assigned either to the experimental group (n=37) or the control group (n=39). Based on the IELTS framework, data before and after implementation were collected quantitatively using pre- and post-tests; subsequently, qualitative data from students' self-filming activities and semi-structured interviews followed. Quantitative data analysis was carried out by SPSS, while a thematic approach was used for the analysis of qualitative data. The results obtained quantitatively indicated that between these two groups, there is an experimentally significant improvement in spoken English skills among those participants who belong to this experimental group as compared with those participants who belong to a control group. Qualitatively, such results established positive impacts of imitation and self-filming on active learning, self-reflection, and confidence building. They copied different scenes from the movie and imitated native pronunciation and intonation, thus improving their speaking competence in English. In the same way, self-filming enabled the participants to realize and rectify mistakes in oral communication. Also, since those movie scenes were real, it added pragmatic competence for the learners to be able to use various types of communication more effectively. Lastly, since most of the participants enjoyed both imitations and self-filming, these interventions worked towards creating a learning setup that reduced anxiety, hence increased proficiency.
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