Chinese EFL teachers' perceptions of subtitles' effects on English comprehension and vocabulary acquisition : subtitles' effects on English capability

Abstract

This article reports on a qualitative study that evaluated Chinese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers' perceptions of the effects of four different subtitling modes on English comprehension and vocabulary acquisition of learners in secondary education. The four types of subtitles refer to no subtitles, Chinese subtitles, English subtitles, and bilingual subtitles in audiovisual materials. The results of the study indicated that interviewees regarded the use of no subtitles as the least effective of the modes for enhancing students' language proficiency. Chinese subtitles were perceived to assist students with comprehension of content but were less effective at enabling them to recall and memorize English lexis. English subtitles were perceived to aid comprehension of the content to some degree, while also inspiring learners to develop their English vocabulary knowledge. Bilingual subtitles were considered to enhance both students' English comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.