An Inquiry into the Effects of a Documentary Film on Preparing EFL Graduate Students for International Communication

• Main Authors: Mark Bruce Wilkie, 韋馬克
• Other Authors: Tsu-fu Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/67401139787487098112

碩士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 應用外語系 === 104 === This case study explores how a Taiwan-related English-medium documentary film can be used as a tool to better prepare EFL graduate students for international communication. Participants were nine EFL graduate students at a technological university in central-west Taiwan. The researcher used his internationally acclaimed documentary film as a tool to teach the participants to identify story message; and thereafter, to use the story information as a platform for discussion of real Taiwan-related media topics in the classroom to better prepare the participants for international communication in the real world. First, the participants answered an open-ended questionnaire to establish their understanding of the concepts of documentary storytelling and how much they knew about raptor migration and hunting in Taiwan. Second, the participants underwent instruction on the basics of documentary storytelling before viewing the documentary film. Third, after viewing the documentary film the participants provided data by answering an open-ended-questionnaire designed to reveal the participant’s understanding of the film’s outline and message. Finally, individual participants were then interviewed where they were asked open-ended questions that would require the participants to relate the message from the documentary film. Research findings based on the questionnaire and interview data suggest that (1) the participants were able to identify the film's outline and story message and then relate these through a focus group interview; (2) they enjoyed engaging in the discussion of this Taiwan-related media topic in the classroom by learning about the migration of Grey-faced Buzzards and other raptors through Taiwan; and (3) they thought this kind of discussion was very helpful for preparing them for international communication in the real world. The educational implications of how this documentary film could contribute to EFL graduate students' knowledge of social and contextual factors in foreign language learning are also addressed.