The effect of using videos on university efl learners' nonverbal competence

Abstract EN

This action research project is an experimental study, aiming at investigating the effect of videos on the Universities EFL learner’s.

The population of the study included 760 students, majoring in English language and literature, studying at the University of Jordan in Amman.

The sample of the study consisted of 35 students registered for a Debate Course during the first semester of the academic year.

After reviewing the theoretical literature and the previous studies, the researcher identified the nonverbal aspects of language to be studied i.

e.

gestures, postures, facial expressions, proximate, gaze, and eye management.

A pretest was administered to know the actual 2007 / 2008.

Level of both groups; the control group and the experimental one, before being exposed to the new experience of teaching.

The control group was taught traditionally, while the experimental group was taught via videos.

Two months later, a post-test was administered so as to find if any change occurred, and if it occurred, to what extent, in what dimension, and in favor of which group.

To validate the test, it was presented to a group of referees, and its reliability was calculated by Cranach Alpha Coefficient to be 0.88.

To treat the raw scores statistically, means and standard deviations were calculated.

The results of the study indicated significant differences in favor of the experimental group which was taught via videos.

This could be an indirect suggestion for methodologists and curriculists to emphasize the role of instructional technology in improving students' nonverbal competence.

Furthermore, it could be an invitation for textbook writers when they decide the content of foreign language activities and exercises to consider the nonverbal aspect of language into account because they vary form one language community to another. Finally, it could be wiser if researchers conduct studies at school level to judge the effect of instructional technology on the nonverbal competence of the EFL learners.