The impact of audiovisual aids on adult efl learners´affective filters to improve speaking fluency

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the impact of visual aids on young adult EFL learners’ affective filters to develop fluency in the speaking skill. In doing so, twenty-eight undergraduate students taking third level English classes at the Language Institute at the University of Cuenca – Ecuador - participated voluntarily in this research. They were asked to answer a 41-item questionnaire (adapted from the FLCAS anxiety questionnaire) regarding affective filters, which was applied before and after the intervention. An 11-item pre and post-test was applied to participants in order to measure their speaking fluency and the results were compared after the intervention. Analysis of the data revealed that participants’ affective filters remarkably influenced their English speaking fluency. Likewise, the use of audio-visual aids such as movies, interviews, sitcoms and real debates combined with collaborative learning activities like pair or group work contributed to minimize negative affective factors for instance anxiety and low self-confidence. Further findings also suggested that audio-visual aids motivated students and encouraged them to use vocabulary and grammar in real situations. The above findings along with the positive effect of collaborative learning activities constitute a way to promote adult students’ speaking fluency. These findings helped to conclude that teachers have the ability to minimize students’ negative affective filters by establishing a friendly and motivating learning environment in class, aided with the appropriate materials and means in order to create a sense of direction and fun.