Watching English Language Films to Promote Motivation and Autonomous English Language Learning

The Pre-med Students’ Perspective

Abstract

This study highlighted the importance of English Language Films (ELF) as autonomous learning tools for pre- med students, with three research objectives: 1) to study how the pre-med students become motivated in their learning English through watching ELF: 2) to examine the extent to which the pre-med students develop English proficiency as autonomous learners through watching ELF and 3) to explore the pre-med students’ attitude towards watching ELF as autonomous learning. Mixed research methods were applied. Questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 100 pre-med students in a private university in a suburban area outside of Bangkok. Reflection after watching ELF and Semi-Structured Interviews to elicit the pre-med students’ opinions towards watching the films were employed to collect qualitative data from 10 pre-med students. Incorporating evidence from questionnaire, reflection questions after watching ELF and a semi structured interview with the researcher, this study concluded that ELF are very useful tools to learn English autonomously. Pre-med students were highly motivated when watching the ELF and used them to increase their vocabulary, improve their pronunciation, improve their reading skills, and their cultural awareness. ELF gave pre-med students a chance to hear, read and watch people converse in English, giving them valuable practice with the English language in a fun and stress-free setting.