A study on the perceived effectiveness of YouTube in listening skills among English majors at a Vietnamese Public University

Abstract

In the world of digitalisation, YouTube has become an exceptional channel for language learners, providing authentic audiovisual input to enhance listening skills and engagement. This study involves English-major students in a Vietnamese college, looking into students’ attitudes toward YouTube and their usage of it in English listening-skill development. The research adopted a quantitative cross-sectional survey design and collected data through a structured questionnaire administered to 140 first- and second-year English majors at HUIT. The findings indicate that most students hold positive attitudes towards YouTube, viewing it as an entertaining, accessible, and effective platform for enhancing listening comprehension. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the frequency of YouTube usage and the perceived effectiveness of the platform among students. Moreover, students continued to access YouTube content outside class hours for entertainment and learning, with many expressing that they perceive improvements in other language skills besides listening. Underlying these discoveries is the potential of YouTube as a secondary language-learning tool, especially in encouraging learner autonomy and sustained engagement in listening in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. These findings highlight the possibility for YouTube to foster learner autonomy and sustained engagement in EFL listening and bring about practical challenges to those language teachers and curriculum developers integrating digital technologies into English teaching.