Impact of Implementing YouTube in EFL Classes to Enhance Saudi EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Acquisition

Abstract

In our digital era, YouTube is the most popular service. The present study aims at investigating the impact of YouTube on acquiring vocabulary among EFL learners. Also, investigating the students’ attitude towards learning vocabulary by implementing You Tube as an instructional aid. Seventy Saudi female intermediate level students aged between 19-21 years old participated in the study. Two classrooms were involved; one as experimental group and the other as control one. The experimental group was taught English vocabulary in a multimedia environment, using YouTube videos, clips, and educational songs; whereas the control group was taught vocabulary in a traditional way relying on what is written in their set course book “Reading Explorer 3”.

The same course book and content were implemented in both groups. Also, the two groups were taught by the same instructor to ensure internal validity.

A Pre-Post test as well as a questionnaire were implemented to collect data. Findings reveal that the experimental group whose instructional teaching implemented YouTube outperformed their counter part, the control group in the post test of vocabulary. Results prove that YouTube had a statistically significant effect on the students' vocabulary acquisition as the experimental group engaged actively with YouTube by pausing, taking notes, interacting with comment sections.

In addition, findings clarify that the experimental group had positive attitudes towards the use of YouTube to facilitate their acquisition of vocabulary.

On the other hand, the study detected challenges such as distractions, incorrect subtitles, and inadequate structured guidance thus recommends to be tackled tactfully.