Learning English Down the Video Streaming Rabbit Hole: Encouraging Students to Use English Subtitles When Watching Videos Online
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2020-07-01
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en
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In Latin American countries such as Ecuador, English language learners (ELLs) do not
frequently use English subtitles and exposure to the English language remains limited. To
encourage more ELLs to use English subtitles when watching videos online, this paper aims to
understand the psychological factors that influence English subtitle use. A questionnaire was
completed by 281 ELLs in Ecuador. Results indicated that intention to use English subtitles and
attitudes towards subtitles were the most significant predictors of actual subtitle use. Based on
the findings of this preliminary study, a second study, comparing two types of interventions, was
conducted. A boosting approach was predicted to be a more effective intervention than an
informative approach at encouraging ELLs to use English subtitles as oftentimes informative
approaches are ineffective at driving behaviour change. The boosting intervention in this study
focused on teaching the students the competency, mental contrasting with implementation
intentions (MCIIs) alongside information about subtitles to turn their intentions into actual
behaviours. 116 students took part, 58 in both conditions, and completed a questionnaire pre- and
post-intervention. The results indicated that both interventions were successful at encouraging
students to enable English subtitles, although no control group was used to confirm this.
However, the boosting approach was not significantly more effective than the informative
approach. Although the main hypothesis of the study was not proven, this study is a concrete
starting point for future researchers to try to use boosting to encourage subtitle usage or other
self-regulated learning behaviours for ELLs.
Keywords: Subtitle use, boosting, language exposure
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Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen