A Study of the Role of an Input-Based Speech Community in the TV Series, Good Witch

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to study EFL students’ reaction toward the concept of a speech community reflected in a TV series. Three non-English major students were recruited for the study. Each student was provided with four different drama clips which represent four different speech communities. Speech communities provide L2 learners with linguistic and cultural knowledge that helps people socialize with others (Schmid, 2016). After the participants went through L1 translation activities which helped them to increase their awareness of what an L2 speech community is, the participants were given two tests (memorization and selection of relevant expressions) and one written interview. The results indicated that the speed of all three participants’ memorization was better after the given instruction and they also selected more expressions on the interview test. In the written interview, all the participants showed positive attitudes about the use of a speech community. Such results have potential pedagogical implications in EFL classrooms. First, the use of a speech community brings abundant context to the relevant scene to help memorization, and provides salience to expressions; consequently EFL students can pick up desirable expressions. Second, the concept of speech community can integrate both cultural and language matters simultaneously. Details will be discussed further in the paper.