This paper addresses various ways teachers can use the video website YouTube.com (or other online streaming video websites) to teach English and stimulate learner autonomy. If students and teachers have access to the Internet, YouTube can be a valuable tool through which multiple foreign language skills can be taught. Using YouTube both inside and outside the classroom can enhance conversation, listening, and pronunciation skills. YouTube videos can also be utilized as realia to stimulate cultural lessons, enhance exposure to World Englishes, and promote authentic vocabulary development. Even reading and writing activities can be structured around YouTube videos. In-class lessons and activities will be detailed, as will homework and projects requiring the use of online streaming videos.
Watkins et al. (2011) studied this question.