Using Muted-Video Enactments to Develop Sociolinguistic Awareness

Year 2021, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 259 - 275, 26.12.2021

Seher Balbay Gökçe Erkan

https://doi.org/10.47777/cankujhss.1047484

Abstract

Silent films have long been shown during language classes to ease contextual and
pragmatic acquisition. Equally empowering, muted videos are commonly used to help
students to learn culture-laden and fixed expressions. They report to appreciate and
enjoy using visual cues to understand and then appropriately use unfamiliar language
,and especially to cope with novel situations such as job interviews. This study analyses
students’ voiceover responses to a series of muted videos shown during their
participation in an oral communication skills course intended to develop their sociolinguistic awareness. The researchers wanted to know the extent to which students
benefited from the muted video task. A mixed method design was used to identify the
most common challenges learners face with when using culture-laden expressions.
Both self-developed, online pre and post-test, and focus group interviews were used as
data collection tools. The participants, selected according to the convenience sampling
method, were students studying at an English-medium state university in Turkey and
taking a compulsory oral communications-oriented English course. Afterwards,
participants were seen to have developed sensitivity towards using context-bound
fixed phrases. The research data was also useful in helping to pinpoint common
challenges for learners when using contextually fixed phrases in English.

Keywords

muted videos, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, contextual language, fixed phrases

Sessiz Film Sahnelerinin Toplumdilbilim Konusunda Bilinçlendirme Amaçlı Kullanılması

Abstract

Silent films have long been shown during language classes to ease contextual and pragmatic acquisition. Equally empowering, muted videos are commonly used to help students to learn culture-laden and fixed expressions. They report to appreciate and enjoy using visual cues to understand and then appropriately use unfamiliar language ,and especially to cope with novel situations such as job interviews. This study analyses students’ voiceover responses to a series of muted videos shown during their participation in an oral communication skills course intended to develop their sociolinguistic awareness. The researchers wanted to know the extent to which students benefited from the muted video task. A mixed method design was used to identify the most common challenges learners face with when using culture-laden expressions. Both self-developed, online pre and post-test, and focus group interviews were used as data collection tools. The participants, selected according to the convenience sampling method, were students studying at an English-medium state university in Turkey and taking a compulsory oral communications-oriented English course. Afterwards, participants were seen to have developed sensitivity towards using context-bound fixed phrases. The research data was also useful in helping to pinpoint common challenges for learners when using contextually fixed phrases in English.

Keywords

sessiz filmler, bağlamsal dilbilim, toplumdilbilim, bağlamsal dil, sabitlesmis ifadeler

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