| dc.description.abstract | The aim of this study is to review the benefits that subtitles provide in the ESL classroom for learners with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Specifically, the study investigates if the use of subtitles in second language learning is beneficial for learners of English with a minimal-to-moderate hearing impairment, to what extent subtitles are beneficial, and also in what language the subtitles should be presented in. The study is based on a quantitative experimental research method. The participants varied from the age of 18-25 and were categorised as having a hearing loss from 25-70 dB. The experiment was carried out as an online survey and contained three different 5-6 minute clips from the documentary Expedition Happiness. The first clip they watched had Norwegian (L1 subtitles), the second had English (L2 subtitles), and the last clip had no subtitles. From comprehension and vocabulary tasks following the viewing sessions I was able to conclude that subtitles are beneficial for both initial comprehension and vocabulary performance according to the amount of right versus wrong answers on the tasks. The analysis also revealed that level of hearing loss was a significant factor, and that students with moderate hearing loss benefitted from subtitles slightly more than the minimal hearing loss group. However, subtitles proved to aid general comprehension, and the participants also revealed that being provided with subtitles lessened their concentration load and made the viewing experience more comfortable.
There are few studies on the field of minimal-to-moderate hearing loss and language learning, and some of the studies only report the consequence of having a hearing loss, such as fatigue, degraded language input, low academic performance etc. My goal in this study is to illustrate what efforts can be made by educators of students with hearing loss that actually aid their second language learning experience. | |
