Exploring Movies for Language Teaching and Learning among Unitar Students

Several researchers and educators have addressed the growing significance of using movies to improve English teaching and learning. In terms of theoretical foundations, pedagogical considerations, and learner perspectives, a number of academic research have presented important findings about the use of movies. However, more research has to be done, as numerous academics have suggested in their suggestions for further study. The purpose of this study is to explore how UNITAR students perceive and experience watching English-language movies in terms of how well they learn English in the classroom specifically focusing on the writing and speaking skills. The study involved 54 students from UNITAR in total. The data was collected through an online survey using Google Forms which consisted of a three-section questionnaire: demographic profile, students’ listening skills and students’ speaking skills. Pie charts and bar graphs produced from Google Forms were used to analyse the data in a detailed manner. The findings showed that using movies has mostly aided UNITAR students in enhancing their writing, oral abilities, vocabulary, curiosity, and motivation. This study contributes to the corpus of knowledge on the topic of using movies to teach and learn languages and is useful for educators and instructors.


Introduction
People are presently facing globalization.Globalization once only applied to the global economy, but today it also encompasses knowledge and language (Dale, 2005).Malaysia is one of the numerous non-English speaking nations where English is now extensively spoken as a result of globalization, particularly the globalization of languages (Li et al., 2022).English is viewed as a crucial language skill in Malaysia as more foreigners move to the country and Malaysian businesses expand internationally.Because of this, many Malaysian students begin studying English at an early age.Language teachers have been using a variety of English materials to determine the most alluring and effective strategy for language learning (Cook, 2016).One successful tactic has been to encourage English language learners to watch English-language movies.There has been a lot of discussion over the role of media, particularly English movies, in language teaching and learning.According to proponents of using thistype of media, movies provide more interesting and dynamic ways to teach and learn English (Tafani, 2009).According to some academics, viewing movies to learn English has some disadvantages because they lack pedagogical and instructional goals (Kusumaningrum, 2016;Sari & Sugandi, 2015).Movies can be a useful source of input and language learning in the classroom (Ismaili, 2013;Kalra, 2017).Films have text, characters, and messages.They are also rich in visual aspects and linguistic resources, such as various noises and voices.However, studies concur that educational videos should be used with caution despite being characterized as really wealthy (Kalra, 2017).The movie provides instances of how students have utilized English in real, non-academic contexts.particularly dynamic languages in real-world conversational language.Through movies, teachers can show students how words flow naturally.Maybe only movies and television can give them that language input if they don't already reside in an English-speaking environment.In order to improve English language learning and teaching, researchers and teachers have been looking for methods for decades (Abdul Halim et al., 2021;Ja'afar et al., 2021, Jin, 2024).Many academics have also emphasized the growing significance of using films to enhance second language teaching and learning.Studies on the usage of movies have largely included the theories behind second language learning (Aliyev & Albay, 2016;Ash, 2018;Perez 2022;Li & Wang, 2015;Ruusunen, 2011).Worldwide language globalization is taking place, and English has been a key factor in this development.Because of this, many non-native English speakers have made an effort to learn it.One of the issues causing students' poor language competency has been discovered to be a lack of exposure to English terminology (Wahyuningsih, 2018).For Malaysian students, English is crucial at every stage of the learning process.The foundations of English are set for students during the elementary school years.English instruction in primary school will always be influenced by the student's interest in and time commitment to the subject.Every English teacher should encourage students to take an interest in the language and acquire the necessary information and abilities because English is an international language.The listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills of the students should be the main focus of the fundamental English sessions (Zheng & Lee, 2023;Kliziene et al., 2021).English instruction in a classroom aids in enhancing students' fundamental English proficiency and encourages students' positive attitudes toward learning English while taking into account the state of student development at the basic education stage (Sinaga & Pustika 2021;Yang & Wu, 2012).Movies are valued for teaching and learning, according to many academics, and they ought to be taught in schools since they help students with their language skills (Kusumawardhani & Nurhayati, 2019;Yazici, 2020).According to Tafani (2009), language teachers should encourage and employ the use of English-language movies as a teaching tool.Numerous academics have argued that adopting English language films as a method for language competence development offers a lot of advantages (Aprianto, 2020;Khoshniyat & Dowlatabadi, 2014;Li & Wang, 2015;Madhavi et al., 2023).These benefits include raising students' motivation levels, enhancing their oral and written communication abilities, and expanding their cultural understanding, all of which make learning a language more authentic (Kamrozzaman et al., 2020).Khoshniyat and Dowlatabadi (2014) believe that ELLs can access extensive vocabulary lists, grammar, and other language abilities that aid in improving their English competence by watching English-language films.A lot of studies have been done to understand the value of including media in language teaching and language learning, despite the fact that little research has been done on the usefulness of watching movies for specific educational purposes.In addition, little thought has been paid to how language learners feel about using movies to advance their language abilities.It is important to listen to language learners who utilize movies as study tools.The learning and daily lives of a new generation of students are being altered by the quick advancement of network technology, film creation, and the appearance of diverse movies.Synopses and pictures from movies can be utilized to motivate students to learn English.The students automatically pick up on the English language when the movie is aired.Movies are one of the methods that feature vibrant colors, quick beats, and sometimes animated figures with vibrant hues.This can help students understand abstract concepts.Teachers should motivate students to actively research, learn, and, most importantly, have fun while they are studying (Alharbi, 2021;Rofiq et al., 2024).In some places, learning a target language can be a difficult process that takes a lot of time and effort.ESL or EFL students struggle to learn English since they are not exposed to the context of natural language acquisition enough.However, Rao (2019) argues that in the modern world, using technology in the field of education has many advantages for both teachers and students.Today's students have an advantage over past generations thanks to the accessibility of cutting-edge technologies.Students may now access the content, improve their self-learning skills, and become independent learners thanks to modern technology.Therefore, movies are particularly useful for English language learners as they offer direct exposure to the language.In today's digital age, students have numerous options for watching movies and TV shows, from streaming platforms like Netflix to traditional mediums like television and cinemas.The visually appealing design of movies is a significant asset in language education, enabling students to grasp the language more fully (Lee, 2023.Films support language comprehension by allowing learners to listen to dialogues while observing corresponding visual cues such as gestures and facial expressions.These visual elements attract attention and reinforce the spoken language.The fact that movies offer a variety of linguistic sources of authenticity is another benefit of employing them.Movies and television can give them that language input if they do not already reside in an English-speaking environment.Motivation is one of the most crucial elements in the successful acquisition of a second language.The use of movies as motivation can help make learning a language more interesting and engaging.It only seems logical that you would incorporate movies and television shows into your language lectures because they are such an integral part of student life.As a result, it is important to look into how well Englishlanguage movies work as teaching and learning aids and how they might help students acquire the language.There is no denying that a wide range of pedagogical and theoretical techniques have been used in investigating English language learning through film.More studies, as noted by academics in their recommendations for future research, are required to expand the body of knowledge on this subject, though.Incorporating movies and television shows into language instruction makes perfect sense given the importance of these media in students' daily lives.It is crucial to investigate the effectiveness of English movies as teaching and learning tools as well as the advantages of requiring students to watch English films in order to improve their language proficiency.This study intends to examine the views and experiences of undergraduate students who watch movies to learn a language.

Problem Statement
In the realm of university language education, the use of movies as a pedagogical tool offers a dynamic and immersive approach to language learning.Movies not only present language in its cultural and contextual richness but also engage students in a way that traditional language learning methods often fail to do.Despite their potential, the integration of movies into university language curricula frequently encounters significant challenges, primarily due to the lack of systematic pedagogical frameworks and robust empirical evidence supporting their efficacy (Nguyen 2023).
One of the issues causing students' poor language competency has been discovered to be a lack of exposure to English terminology (Wahyuningsih, 2018;Islam et al., 2022).It is true that everyone finds it difficult to employ the four language abilities to listen, speak, read, and write without a strong vocabulary.Second-language teachers have utilized a variety of English teaching resources to identify (Cook, 2016;Ezeh et al., 2022).Lessons in English classrooms should be interesting and applicable to students' interests and daily lives.Movies aid language learners' comprehension by allowing them to hear linguistic exchanges while also seeing visual cues like gestures and facial expressions.These visual clues serve as eye-catchers and support the vocal content.It is true that without a significant vocabulary, anyone would struggle to employ their four language skills-listening, speaking, reading, and writing.Actually, in order to identify the most engaging and effective method of teaching the language, second language teachers have used a number of English materials (Cook, 2016).It is expected that instruction in English will be engaging and applicable to students' interests and daily lives.Students can unwind between lengthier periods of active study when teachers use movies in the classroom.Students, however, only have so much time to focus.Ultimately, no matter how interesting the movie is, they can get restless and agitated.Students can become distressed by realistic but upsetting images of violence, discrimination, poverty, and death.As a result, some movies could be more upsetting or annoying than they're worth.When they are older, their parents might watch movies with them.The need for additional approval from administrators and other teachers is one of the main difficulties of employing movies in the classroom.Before sending students home, they can request that you hand out consent documents for the parents to sign.If teachers wish to show a PG-13 or R-rated movie, getting these slips is very crucial (Antunes, 2020).These ratings are typically assigned to films that deal with racial discrimination, war, and other relevant topics.Using movies in teaching requires organization, adequate planning, and anticipation in order to efficiently use time and communicate a message to students (Irkinovich & Izatullaevna, 2022).When teachers choose their own resources and decide how many videos to utilize overall, it might not be beneficial for both the teachers and the participants.Adequate engagement is necessary to ensure that all parties consent to the usage of such resources in the educational process.However, a teacher can gain a lot by using cinematography to broaden the subject and increase the student's interest in the learning process.Moreover, the effectiveness of films in language teaching heavily depends on the students' ability to engage critically with the content (Tahmina 2023).This necessitates the development of new assessment methods that can accurately measure the impact of filmbased learning on language acquisition.Traditional language assessment tools may not effectively capture the nuanced comprehension and cultural awareness that films can develop.Therefore, educational researchers and curriculum designers need to create innovative, film-specific language assessment tools that reflect the unique learning dynamics films introduce (Aprianto, 2020).Additionally, the variability in teacher preparedness and resource availability across different educational institutions can further complicate the effective use of films in language education.Teachers need adequate training and resources to select, plan, and facilitate filmbased activities that are pedagogically sound and educationally valuable.The reliance on films also demands a solid technological infrastructure, which may not be uniformly available in all educational settings, potentially leading to unequal learning opportunities.
In conclusion, while the use of films in language education at the university level holds substantial promise for enhancing linguistic proficiency and cultural comprehension, significant challenges must be addressed.These include developing robust pedagogical strategies, ensuring appropriate film selection, managing classroom time effectively, overcoming institutional and administrative hurdles, and providing adequate teacher training and technological support.Addressing these issues through rigorous research and innovative curriculum design is essential for realizing the full potential of movies as a transformative tool in language education.

Research Objectives
The purpose of the research is 1.To identify the students' listening skills and effectiveness speaking skill of using movies in learning English.

Methodology Research Design
To address the research question, a survey was conducted at UNITAR, Kelana Jaya.The students came from a variety of courses and were all pursuing bachelor's degrees.Data from the participants were gathered using a questionnaire that was made using Google Forms.The students' perception of using movies to learn the English language was then discovered through analysis of the data gathered by the instrument.Further information on this was provided in the report's conclusion by the students.Graphs representing the survey data will be used to assess the findings of this quantitative study.Participant 54 UNITAR students pursuing all Bachelor's degree courses were selected as the study's population.The majority of the students were above 20 and spoke English well.The selected students have been learning English since they were very little.Despite the fact that the sampling was homogeneous in all of the aforementioned areas, the student's English abilities differed since they had a range of abilities.The students were from several Malaysian states.Based on whether the student's parents lived in the city or the suburbs, the population sample's demographic diversity was calculated.As a result, the students' levels of English proficiency differ.The purposive sample approach was selected for this study to get a better mix of students with different levels of proficiency.

Questionnaire
The questionnaire served as an effective research tool.The questionnaire provided a quick, easy, and affordable way to collect a lot of data from a big sample of people.The purpose of the questionnaire survey was to find out what the students thought and felt about using movies in a formal classroom setting.The students were asked to score their answers on a Likert scale from 1 to 5. On a scale of 1 meant "Strongly Agree," 2 meant "Do not agree," 3 meant "Not sure," 4 meant "Agree," and 5 meant "Strongly Agree."Three elements make up the questionnaire survey for my present study: Students' impressions of watching movies to learn English, specifically to hone their listening and speaking skills, were used to collect quantitative data.

Result
In this chapter, the study's findings are presented.The study's participants and their observations, points of view, descriptions, and narratives are equally crucial for analysis.This survey was completed by 54 UNITAR students.Quantitative information is used to explain the results and set them in a wider context.The data was acquired from 54 UNITAR students of varied ages, as indicated in Table 1.They (N = 54) were from the Petaling Jaya-based university UNITAR.All of the participants have prior experience learning the English language, and the participating students' ages ranged from 18 to 25. Malaysians make up 88.9% of the participants, followed by Egyptians (1.9%), Indians(1.9%),Pakistan (1.9%), and also for the remaining other countries.70.4% of the respondents are from the technological field, 14.8% are from Accounting the balance is a mix of programs from Education, Design & Marketing, and Psychology.
The findings of the survey are displayed in the following table, which includes percentages for each item.The outcomes are also listed from strongly disagree to strongly agree.In addition, each table is split into two parts: Students' Listening Skills and Students' Speaking skills.
Section B: Students' listening skills of using movies in learning English.
According to the chart above, the majority of students, or 40.7%, agreed that watching English movies makes them learn the correct pronunciations in English.Just 1.9% of respondents were selected to disagree with the statement, indicating that they do not learn pronunciations from English movies.
According to chart above, the majority of students felt neutral about this statement of understanding unfamiliar accents and dialects better from watching English movies to learn.A total of 37% of respondents felt this way as they do not find the means to familiarise themselves with accents from movies.25.9% and 27.7% however selected Agree and Strongly Agree to this statement.
As shown in chart above, the majority of students have selected Strongly Agree to this statement of learning new vocabulary from watching English movies.It is no surprise that people especially young children learn a lot of new vocabulary with the help of watching movies.Only a small percentage of 13% chose to Disagree as they believe vocabularies are to be learned and studied from books.
According to chart above, the majority of students (38.9) chose to Agree with the statement of they understand unfamiliar idioms, proverbs, and slang better through watching English movies.Watching English movies has always been a metho of people learning slang and idioms of thee language they are learning as it exposes them to their daily language.A small percentage of 1.9% and 5.6% however Strongly Disagree and Disagree to the above statement.
It is known that movies help people understand conversations better as they observe the face and body language of a person when conversing.A total of 37% respondents voted for Agreed to the above statement as they also believed they learn better when watching movies especially when they need to understand daily conversations in a second language.1.9% and 3.7% however Disagreed with this statement.

Section C : Student's speaking skill of using movies in learning English
As can be seen above, 37% of students think that watching English movies to apply correct pronunciations when speaking chose Neutral.27.8% and 24.1% however chose Agree andStrongly Agree to the above statement.It is no surprise that people learn a lot of properpronunciations when they hear the words being said when they watch movies.This is the proper way of exposing people to correct word pronunciations.
35.2% of the students in the above table selected "Agree" to the claim that people apply new vocabulary after watching English movies.This is a very common practice of what people do to incorporate more new words into their lives.It is also known for people to practice new words after watching movies.3.7% and 7.4% have voted for Disagree and Strongly Disagree as they do not see themselves practicing this method of using new vocabularies.
Table 9 displays a high vote on Agree totaling to a number of 43.4% to the statement of people practicing better daily conversations after being inspired by watching English movies.People get highly inspired by movies, especially by their favorite actors and actresses, hence influencing them to follow and replicate what they see and hear in the movies.This has highly been shown in younger children who tend to speak and copy words from their favorite cartoon shows.Only a small percentage of 3.8% Strongly Disagreed with this statement.
Using movies in class has always been one of the student's favorite methods when learning in the classroom.From the chart above, a high number of 40.7% chose to Agree to with the statement of improving their English speaking skills better with watching movies compared to any other learning materials that are normally used in a classroom setting.Teachers tend to have a better teaching experience when using visual aids like movies compared to making them to activities and worksheets.
A high number of 38.9% chose Neutral to the statement of them feeling more confident with speaking to people and especially strangers after watching English movies.As previously stated, people tend to be highly influenced after watching their favorite actor say a famous word or a famous line, which leads to people saying it in their daily life.From the graph above, it can be seen that watching English movies has given them a positive experience when communicating.Only a small percentage of 9.3% and 5.6% think otherwise.
Based on all the tables and graphs shown above, we can conclude that using movies to teach English has typically resulted in a positive experience for students to be engaged.The vast majority of students are, based on the data, adequately motivated to learn English since it will benefit them academically and socially after graduation.The figures above also show how much students love watching movies while studying English since it exposes them to realworld dialogues that they might not see in academic texts.Some students have also acknowledged that utilising movies to study English has given them more confidence in their speaking and listening abilities.This is a terrific opportunity for teachers to help students learn English in a fun and entertaining way.

Discussion
In summary, movies serve as a useful input for students learning the English language.
According to Abukhattala (2013), Input Hypothesis, understandable input is necessary for language learning.In this way, movies offer linguists useful, understandable input.While it reduces learners' anxiety and stress, from theory Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis also contributes to learners' enjoyment of watching movies for language learning.The majority of UNITAR students, according to the study's findings, concur that watching English language movies can help them learn the language more fluently and improve their pronunciation, comprehension of English culture, and enjoyment of the film arts.However, different majors had varying views on how watching feature films might help students learn how English is used in various situations, how it is utilised for various functions and purposes within a context, and how to be more responsive.Notably, the participants acknowledged a variety of benefits connected to language learning.For example, the results of this study suggest that watching movies can help you improve your vocabulary, speaking, and listening skills, among others.The participants in the study, who were learning languages, were enthusiastic about how watching movies contributed to their language skills.For example, nearly all participants felt that watching movies was beneficial for enhancing oral skills, including both speaking and listening.Exposure to audio-visual tools like English movies can help learners acquire second language skills more quickly and effectively, particularly in English-language settings.Besides that, use of vibrant visual materials, detailed explanations via engaging images, regular shifts in activities, and consistent repetition all play crucial roles in developing English skill (Irkinovich & Izatullaevna, 2022).However, when using English movies in ESL or EFL classrooms, teachers should proceed with care, as they can significantly improve the English proficiency of ESL or EFL learners.This is done to make sure the initiatives may be used to their fullest potential to provide meaningful teaching and learning.The findings revealed that the learners' experiences suggested they had enjoyed and felt driven by watching movies to learn English.They have also been discovered in earlier studies of (Albiladi et al., 2018;Auberg, 2017;Goctu, 2017;Kabooha, 2016;Kalra, 2017;Ismaili, 2013).Also, while watching the movies, the students' English skills have improved.They frequently borrow phrases and words from the movies in their everyday speech, and they frequently replicate the native speakers to strengthen their speaking skills.The movies have also shown them how to pronounce the English language.Watching video significantly benefits learners by increasing their enthusiasm for classes, fostering social engagement, enhancing critical thinking, improving understanding of subject matter, and promoting independent learning (Aprianto, 2020).This is consistent with research from (Aliyev & Albay, 2016;Goctu, 2017;Ismaili, 2013;Kabooha, 2016;Kalra, 2017;Liando et al., 2018).These studies also demonstrate that watching movies helps students build their vocabulary.In light of the advantages students experienced from viewing films for language acquisition, this study concludes that movies can be used to improve language learning.In order to achieve the appropriate learning objectives, movies for language learning must be carefully chosen.

Conclusion
According to the study's findings, movies can be effective teaching aids for enhancing students' language proficiency.The study's participants are supportive of using movies in the classroom to help students with their English.The study also suggests that showing movies to pupils in second language classes might increase their desire to learn the language.According to teachers in the current study, watching movies in class boosted student participation and engagement.The students also thought that watching movies could help them learn vocabulary better because they give them a plethora of knowledge about various words, phrases, and everyday expressions.The primary purpose of using this authentic material and the objectives of the particular lesson should always be kept in mind when developing the activities and resources that include the movies into courses.Furthermore, language instructors must not undervalue the significance of assigning meaningful and practical activities to students both before and after viewing in order to make the teaching objectives more clear and encourage them to perceive it as purely enjoyable and entertaining.

Table 1
Descriptive Statistics of Demographic Items