Research has consistently shown the positive effects of original version television for second language (L2) development (Montero Perez, 2022). However, mere exposure to audiovisual input is not sufficient for language learning to occur, given that processing audiovisual input requires a certain proficiency level - Danan (2004) suggests that an intermediate level is the necessary proficiency threshold. To date, the majority of audiovisual input studies have focused on high-intermediate proficiency students, and we lack research dedicated to beginner learners. Therefore, it remains an empirical question how audiovisual input could support lower proficiency level learners (pre A1-A2). One solution that audiovisual input researchers have been exploring is viewing with L2 audio but with subtitles in the viewers' L1 (e.g. Gesa & Miralpeix, 2022). Yet, this poses problems for teaching L2s other than English, as a large proportion of TV shows and films are originally in English, with English audio. Although one could work with English media dubbed into another L2, this may lack ecological validity. In this study we propose the use of plurilingual audiovisual input combining viewers' L2 English in the soundtrack, and an L3 target language in the subtitles to promote early acquisition from original version television.
The present study is an ongoing experiment that completed pilot data collection in spring 2022, with the main data collection taking place in autumn 2022. Data for this study will be collected from Dutch university learners of Spanish (beginner level). The pre-/post-test design includes watching twelve full-length subtitled episodes (264 minutes) of an English comedy TV series with two groups: experimental and control (only tests). The experimental group, native speakers of any language other than English or Spanish with the majority being L1 Dutch, watches the episodes in English (the participants' L2) with the Spanish (L3) subtitles. The participants are beginner learners of Spanish in their first months of language instruction. The target items for this study are 50 lexical and multiword units that frequently appeared in the TV series, such as caja fuerte and congelado. The target items are tested by the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (Wesche & Paribakht, 1996), also including distractors. The participants also complete Spanish (Lextale-Esp, Izura et al., 2014) and English (V_YesNo, Meara & Miralpeix, 2015) vocabulary size tests as indicators of their proficiency levels in the two languages. The participants watch the episodes over four sessions and are rewarded for participation.
In their post-experimental interviews, the pilot study participants reported that they enjoyed the experience of watching in English with L3 subtitles. In addition, posttest results indicated an improvement in terms of vocabulary gains. In our presentation we will present the statistical analyses of the data collected in autumn 2022 of a larger group (N>30). Based on our findings, we will discuss how beginner learners could start exposing themselves to original version television even before they reach the necessary proficiency threshold. The results will also be discussed through the multilingual approaches to language learning and teaching (Cenoz & Gorter, 2021).
