NAOKO SAWAI (UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA)

THE EFFECT OF ANIMATION VIDEOS AND SUBTITLES ON ELEMENTARY STUDENTS' LISTENING COMPREHENSION AND STRUGGLE REDUCTION : TEACHING YOUNGER LEARNERS

Numerous studies have investigated the effectiveness of using videos with subtitles for language learning, particularly for English language learners, and its potential in reducing anxiety. For instance, video materials have been found to enhance listening comprehension among university freshmen (Woottipong, 2014). Similarly, a study involving Chilean elementary students showed significant improvements in L2 listening and reading comprehension with L2 subtitled videos (Avello & Muñoz, 2023). Nevertheless, there is limited research focusing on Japanese elementary school students. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of watching animation videos with subtitles on listening comprehension and anxiety alleviation. Eighty-eight fifth-grade students from Japanese elementary schools participated in the experiment. They were divided into three groups, each of which watched the animation videos with no subtitles, English subtitles, or Japanese subtitles, respectively. Listening comprehension was measured using a pre-post design, and post-experiment questionnaires assessed students' experiences of learning English through watching animated videos. The results indicated that videos with English subtitles statistically enhanced listening comprehension, and students reported enjoyment in learning English through videos. These findings suggest the potential benefits of incorporating animation videos into Japanese elementary school classrooms.

As a graduate student in English Language Education at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, I research English education and listening skills for young learners while on elementary teaching leave. Interested in effective listening strategies for elementary students, I seek methods to enhance their English comprehension and listening skills.