The Influence of Video-based Learning on Medical Students’ Second Language Pragmatic Knowledge and Motivation: An Educational Intervention

Abstract

Background: Learning English is crucial for students, particularly for developing a second language (L2). This investigation seeks to determine the influence of video-based learning on the pragmatic motivation of medical students. Methods: This study conducted an educational intervention using pre- and post-test procedures to compare the impact of two different English teaching methods, including video-based learning (intervention) and the routine method (standard pedagogical materials), on pragmatic development and general and specific pragmatic motivation. The study involved 54 medical students from Kerman University of Medical Sciences over an academic term from October 2021 to February 2022. Participants were selected using convenience sampling from two classes and then randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. A Discourse Completion Task (DCT), alongside the General Pragmatic Motivation Questionnaire (GPMQ) and Speech-Act-Specific Motivation Questionnaire (SASMQ), was used as the instrument for data gathering. Analysis was carried out using SPSS version 24, with statistical significance set at a P-value less than 0.05.Results: Out of the 54 participants, 22 (40.74%) were male, and 32 (59.26%) were female, with a mean age of 21.5±1.5 years, ranging from 18 to 24 years. While no significant differences were noted in the groups’ pre-test scores (P>0.05), the post-test outcomes revealed significant improvements in the intervention group across three components: pragmatic development (P<0.001), general pragmatic motivation (P<0.001), and specific pragmatic motivation (P<0.001).Conclusion: Merely teaching English in the classroom may not suffice to enhance language learners’ pragmatic competence. It seems that integrating videos and movies into language learning can enhance learners’ proficiency in using speech acts like requests and refusals.

Keywords

• pragmatic
• speech perception
• motivation
• video-based learning
• language
• english
• medical