The Effect of Applying Semi-structured DVD Short Films on Teaching Communicative Strategies to Iranian EFL Upper-intermediate Learners

Abstract

One of the concerns of EFL learners in holding a successful communication is to avoid and overcome communication breakdowns. They must use strategies and tactics, communicative or conversational strategies, that create satisfaction, the sense of being understood. However, few classroom instructors can provide EFL learners with enough activities to learn how to use these strategies to communicate effectively with native speakers. One way to teach these conversational strategies is to provide learners with the authentic materials to use in the classroom and in the interaction with native speakers in real situations. To this end, this study suggested a technique that meets these needs and help learners to achieve some of the important strategies for avoiding and overcoming the breakdowns in conversations. This study presents the effects of teaching conversational strategies through semi-structured DVD short films on speaking performance of learners. It is carried out as an experimental study with two groups of Iranian EFL upper - intermediate learners in an English language institute, Tehran Oxford institute, in Iran. All participants received six weeks of instruction on four conversational strategies: Paraphrasing, asking for clarification, checking for comprehension, and turn- taking. The control group received direct instruction from the teachers' handout but the experimental group watched six relevant semi-structured DVD short films and the film-based observational tasks. Research data was collected from pre- and post-tests on speaking performance. The results showed that after the treatment, the experimental group used these strategies frequently in their communication, the learners' speaking performance was improved, and they showed a positive attitude towards the treatment.