Can L2 Phonological Vocabulary Knowledge and Listening Comprehension be Developed Through Extensive Movie Viewing? the Case of Arab EFL Learners

Abstract

The relationship between second language (L2) learners’ orthographic vocabulary knowledge and extensive reading is quite well researched. However, the way phonological vocabulary knowledge and extensive listening/viewing interacts remains not so well investigated. The current study examines the effect of extensive viewing of English movies supplemented by first language (L1) subtitles on aural vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension among 78 tertiary-level Arab learners of English as a foreign language (EFL). The purpose of using L1 subtitles in this study was to enhance understanding of the spoken input through the L2 sound and L1 meaning mapping. Results of the study showed that the participants, after 5 weeks of extensive viewing, significantly improved their aural vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension. The results indicated that aural vocabulary gain from extensive viewing was about 4.8 words per contact hour compared to 2.5 words from normal classroom input. The results also showed that prior vocabulary knowledge was strongly associated with vocabulary gain in aural modality.