Students’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Film Making/ Trailers: A Literature-Related Extracurricular Activity

Abstract

Research into the use of films and film-making has documented its role and effects on learning and teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). In particular, filmmaking allows students to develop communication skills and become more active and creative in their learning compared to conventional approach. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate how students perceived the effects of making films or trailers in English classes in tertiary contexts, particularly, in literature classes. This paper therefore examines students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of making short films in a literature class in a Vietnamese university in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Questionnaire and interviews were conducted with English-majored sophomores in English Language and Culture Studies. The findings from the current study indicate that participating students found film-making useful as this experience encouraged them to think critically and creatively in their learning process.Implications for teachers and students are provided to pave a new way for extending the use of film-making as a tool for innovative learning experience in English as a foreign language context with particular regard to literature and existing knowledge about the film-related themes.