Unveiling the Impact of TED Talk Videos on EFL Learners’ Speaking Accuracy and Fluency

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faran Mehr Danesh Higher Education Institute

2 M.A. Student in TEFL, Faran Mehr Danesh Higher Education Institute, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of Ted Talk videos in enhancing the speaking proficiency of intermediate EFL learners (English as a Foreign Language). A convenience sample of 60 EFL (English as a foreign language) learners (aged 16-21) studying at a private language institute were recruited. Participants were homogenized based on English language proficiency through an initial Oxford Placement Test (OPT). Subsequently, they completed the speaking section of the Preliminary English Test (PET) as a pre-test to establish a baseline measure of their speaking skills. Participants were then randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving TED talk videos or a control group receiving conventional instruction using traditional methods such as dialogue roleplays. Following the ten-week intervention period, all participants completed the PET speaking test again as a post-test. The study employed established metrics to assess speaking proficiency, including Error-Free Clauses per T-unit (EFC/T) for accuracy and words produced per minute (W/M) for fluency. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 24.0). The research adhered to ethical guidelines set forth by BERA (2011). The study revealed a statistically significant improvement in speaking accuracy and fluency for participants in the TED Talks group compared to the control group. This is supported by the higher mean scores achieved by the experimental group in the post-test and confirmed by the MANOVA analysis. This finding suggests that incorporating TED talk videos into EFL curricula may be a beneficial strategy for enhancing speaking skills.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Technology Assisted Language Education
Volume 2, Issue 4
December 2024
Pages 97-119

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