Using Instructional Video to Teach Culture to Beginning Foreign Language Students

Abstract

This investigation examines whether foreign language (FL) students learn cultural information embedded in videos. Fifty beginning French students participated. They viewed eight targeted videos as part of their multimedia-based curriculum. A pretest and a posttest assessed long-term gains in overall cultural knowledge and in the learning of little “c” culture (practices) and big “C” culture (products). Eight postvideo tests measured short-term retention of culture in each of the eight videos. Oral dialogues tested students’ ability to interact culturally appropriately in a communicative setting. A questionnaire analyzed student perceptions of cultural learning. From pre- to posttesting, results indicated a significant gain in overall cultural knowledge. Posttest scores were significantly higher than pretest scores. Pretest and posttest scores were significantly higher for little “c” than for big “C.” On the postvideo tests, measuring short-term retention of culture, there was no significant difference between types of culture retained. Regarding oral performance, students performed culturally appropriately more than 60% of the time. Students perceived that the videos contained more little than big “C” culture and that they learned more little “c.” Results support using video an effective technological tool for presenting culture in the FL classroom.

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