Page 39 - Compétences plurilingues : perspectives et actions / Plurilingual competencies: perspectives and actions

Motivation, autonomous learning, plurilingualism:
students as YouTubers

́
Veronika De Azevedo Camacho, Marie Cervenkova, Monika
Seveckova ́
̌

Abstract
In this chapter, we present the results of a didactic experiment we conducted in 2021/2022 with 63 students of
Spanish, French, and Russian in foreign language courses at the B1+/B2 level at the Faculty of Economics and
Administration of Masaryk University, Czech Republic. We asked ourselves whether, how and for what purposes
students follow YouTubers channels, and how we (and our students) might further integrate the use of these video
performances into language learning. We assumed that students watch mainly English-language videos, and the
main goal of the project was, on the one hand, to highlight the role of YouTube as a useful tool for learning a foreign
language, and on the other hand, to allow students to practice their plurilingual competence, as well as collabora-
tive and interactive learning, through making videos and subtitles.

Introduction

Each generation of students looks for motivation to give their studies a deeper meaning and
to prepare them well both for their professional future and private life. A teacher who takes
a responsible approach to his/her work uses interactive methods that promote student au-
tonomy and make the learning process more attractive. In order to develop plurilingual
competence and motivation in students, teachers can offer students in Generation Z a for-
eign language learning environment in which they can actively participate in curriculum de-
velopment by re lecting on the learning process and on the results of their learning. Genera-
tion Z is the irst generation to have grown up with digital technology, and therefore prefers
an online learning environment. To capture their interest teachers should use even more
targeted visually engaging learning materials. “Gen Z students are digital natives who prefer
an independent learning style with less passive but more visual and kinaesthetic learning.
They also desire convenience and are open to honest feedback.” (Shorey, S., Chan, V., Rajen-
dran, P., Ang, E., 2021).
When learning a foreign language, students greatly appreciate being able to perform mean-
ingful tasks, to observe the similarities between languages, to pick up on interesting aspects
of those languages’ auditory and visual components, and primarily, to engage with current
topics. YouTube (as a learning tool), vlogging, and watching videos, either with or without
subtitles, offer all this.

In our contribution, we present the results of a research and didactic experiment we con-
ducted in the second semester of 2021/2022 with 63 students of Spanish, French, and Rus-
sian in foreign language courses at the B1+/B2 level at the Faculty of Economics and Admin-
istration of Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. As our students belong to the target
group of many YouTubers, we asked ourselves whether, how, and for what purposes stu-
dents follow them (research question). To ind out, we decided to further integrate the use
of these video performances into their learning. We assumed that students watch mainly

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