“No trolls left behind!”: Using films to address communication apprehension in the English language classroom at Universiti Utara Malaysia

Abstract

Silence in the English language classroom is a common problem faced by language instructors, especially for students in the lower proficiency classes and instructors see language anxiety as one of the main reasons this is so. The intervention of educational entertainment or Edutainment in the English Language classroom is important to improve the language learning experience of this generation of millennial students. This paper looks at Films to provide not only language learning enjoyment but useful input to students of the lowest level English course at UUM. In this research, intervention in the form of film viewing and activities related to the films was carried out. A class of twenty students from a first level English class weregiven six movies of their choice to watch and conduct activities with in addition to the normal course scheme of work.Through film viewing and activities, students were exposed to language use in context which is supported by visual and linguistic support and storyline. Before and after the intervention, The Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA24) instrument which measures levels of Communication Apprehension was administered. The results of the study shows that students indicated lower communication apprehension levelsoverall and within the subcategories of group discussion, meetings, interpersonal communication and public speaking. Students’ reflections were also positive in nature. The findings of this study concur that language acquisition takes place meaningfully through films by providing comprehensible input and that films are an important medium that facilitate communication and language learning for this generationof students