Page 43 - Compétences plurilingues : perspectives et actions / Plurilingual competencies: perspectives and actions

Methodology

Methodology

WepreparedadidacticprojectforourstudentsofFrench, SpanishandRussianattheFaculty
of Economics and Administration. In the irst part of the project, students watched and
analyzed some model YouTube videos. Then we placed them in 31 pairs, each pair made up
of students studying two different languages. Each pair ilmed a bilingual video on a given
topic and created their own subtitles in the foreign languages being learned. At the end of
the project, we asked students to create a trilingual (the two study languages and Czech)
glossary of selected words used in the video. The students were asked to re lect on the
similarities of the two languages used in their videos and to think about the process and
outcome of their learning.
The objectives of these activities were twofold. On the one hand, the aim of our research was
to determine whether our students watch videos of YouTubers (or LinguoYouTubers), and
possibly how and why they watch them. On the other hand, we assumed that students do not
often watch YouTube videos in languages other than English, so we wanted to show them
that this is another means of learning a foreign language. The aim of the teaching project
was therefore practical, with an impact on the development of students’ language skills as
well as soft skills. We introduced the project into our courses to support and develop au-
tonomous learning (to acquaint students with other resources for their autonomous learn-
ing, to process a long-term practical task outside the classroom), soft skills (presentation
in a foreign language, collaborative learning, teamwork and cooperation), use of re lection
(self-re lection, mutual/peer evaluation) and plurilingualism (acquaintance with Linguo-
YouTubers on the internet, creating their own videos in bilingual teams, and understanding
another foreign language not studied).

Research methodology

To collect and analyze the data for our research, we used a combination of qualitative and
quantitative methods: questionnaires at the beginning (see Appendix No. 1) and end of
the course after the didactic project was completed (see Appendix No. 2); students’ self-
re lective responses; and teachers’ observations. Both questionnaires were sent to the stu-
dents in electronic form and consisted of MCQs and open-ended questions in the studied
foreign language. The quantitative method of data collection was mainly used to obtain ini-
tial information – subjectively perceived language level, frequency of watching YouTubers,
and use of subtitles. We also asked which other foreign languages the students were already
learning; we used that information to sort the students into teams of two (due to the odd
number of students, one team of three was formed). Where possible, pairs were made up of
students who had already learned the second foreign language in question. Thus, 31 pairs
and one team of three were formed with the following language combinations: Spanish–
Russian, Russian–French, French–Spanish. Qualitative data collection was used primarily
to determine students’ motives for following YouTubers and to ascertain the impact of the
project on particular aspects of their learning and skills (impact on motivation, autonomy,
etc.). The qualitative research method included descriptive and evaluative aspects (accord-
ing to Hendl, J., 2016), whereby describing the phenomena, we could evaluate the project
and use the obtained results in future teaching practice.

41