The Effects of Extensive Self-directed Listening through English Films on EFL Students' Motivation to Engage in Listening Practice

This research investigated the effects of extensive self-directed listening through English-language films with English subtitles on the motivation to independently practice English listening among Thai EFL students at Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, where students rarely use English in everyday life, without evaluation of their comprehension ability. The study, employing a mixed-method design integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches, involved 25 EFL students who watched 2 English films in each week for 4 weeks. A questionnaire was used to elicit participants' opinions on their confidence in understanding and their perceptions of using English-language films to motivate their independent listening practice. The results revealed that participants, despite lacking confidence in their listening comprehension ability, believed that the extensive practice by watching English films helped expose themselves to real-life English usage and engage them in listening practice. Despite challenges from the authentic material, they found the films enjoyable and informative with authentic auditory input and visually demonstrating paralinguistic features. More importantly, the research suggests that extensive listening through films, combined with a non-judgmental learning environment, enhances EFL students' motivation to engage in independent listening practice.