The effects of captioned vlogs on EFL students' listening skills

This research investigates the effects of English-captioned vlogs on the listening skills of 10th-grade Turkish students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) as well as their perceptions of using vlogs as a classroom tool. The study was conducted with 76 high school students in Izmir, Türkiye, using a quasi-experimental design. Participants were divided into two groups: an experimental group, which watched vlogs with English captions, and a control group, which watched the same vlogs without captions. Both groups underwent pre test and post-test evaluations, with the Experimental Group viewing vlogs with English captions, and the Control Group viewing the same vlogs without captions over a period of eight weeks. Data collection included quantitative methods via pre-tests, post-tests, and questionnaires, alongside qualitative interviews with 5 voluntary students from each group. The results indicated no statistically significant differences in listening achievement between the two groups, although a slight improvement was observed in the Experimental Group. Additionally, learners expressed positive perceptions towards using vlogs in language learning, highlighting benefits such as vocabulary acquisition, pronunciation practice, and exposure to various accents. The study concludes that while captioned vlogs did not significantly enhance the learners' listening skills, they were well-received by students and contributed positively to the classroom environment. Suggestions for further research include exploring long-term effects of viewing captioned vlogs and examining its impact on other language skills. Keywords: EFL, listening skills, captioned vlogs, technology integration, language learning