It it has been shown that greater amounts of exposure to language input through TV, listening to music, and playing games results in higher L2 proficiency affecting L2 listening and reading comprehension (Lindgren & Muñoz, 2013). Audiovisual input, such as movies and TV series in the original version, has been proven a valuable resource for L2 development as well. Research on the topic suggests positive effects of videos on L2 listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and speech processing (see Montero Perez, 2022). However, most studies on the effects of audio-visual input have used strict, rarely productive tests to evaluate learning from short or extensive exposure to audio-visual input. Therefore, little is known about the potential of audio-visual input to promote elaborate output, both methodologically and theoretically. One exception that attempts to measure language uptake through language production is fan fiction analysis. For instance, Sockett and Kusyk (2015) found that those participants who watched L2 audio-visual input more frequently demonstrated significantly more use of frequent TV series constructions in their written fan fiction production. The present study attempts to explore further the possibilities of elaborate output through analysing the scripts of the TV series episode written by the L2 viewers.
In our study, 113 participants of varying L2 English proficiency levels (from A1 to C2) viewed 10 episodes of a comedy TV series with or without captions. After every two episodes, they were tested on some grammar units and expressions appearing in it. After viewing the last episode, the participants were additionally asked to produce a TV script for the next episode of the series. The participants were prompted to include as many words, expressions, and grammar from the 10 episodes of the TV series as possible. The students were given the same amount of time (20 minutes) to perform the task and the same word limit (200-220 words).
The analysis will include a comparison of the scripts of the ten episodes of the target TV series, and the scripts produced by the participants with the use of a Python script. The results will further be analysed using mixed methods to establish whether the language production was affected by the participants' viewing mode (with or without captions), and their language proficiency.
In our presentation we will discuss the methodological and practical implications of using episode script writing to measure language uptake and output from extensive exposure to audio-visual input.
Lindgren, E., & Muñoz, C. (2013). The influence of exposure, parents, and linguistic distance on young European learners' foreign language comprehension. International Journal of Multilingualism, 10(1), 105-129.
Montero Perez, M. (2022). Second or foreign language learning through watching audio-visual input and the role of on-screen text. Language Teaching, 1–30.
Sockett, G. & Kusyk, M. (2015). Online informal learning of English: frequency effects in the uptake of chunks of language from participation in web-based activities. In T. Cadierno, & S.W. Eskildsen (Eds.), Usage-based perspectives on second language acquisition (pp. 153–177). De Gruyter Mouton.
