THE USE OF ENGLISH-SUBTITLED MOVIES IN IMPROVING ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Abstract

English-language films have gained prominence in Malaysian English classrooms with their dual role as educational and entertainment resources. This study investigates the impact of English-subtitled movies on students' English proficiency at the Faculty of Education and Social Science (FESS) at the University of Selangor (UNISEL). A Google Form-based questionnaire collected the data from 250 FESS students. The result demonstrated that 38.4% of the participants watch English-subtitled movies daily, while 22.4% do so 2 to 3 times weekly during their free time. Descriptive analysis revealed a mean score of 4.46, indicating a positive perception among students that English-subtitled movies significantly correlate with improved English skills, particularly in reading comprehension. The main factor with the mean score of 4.39 proved that FESS students agreed that they could enhance their English proficiency by watching English-subtitled movies rather than English non-subtitled movies. The findings highlight the utility of English-subtitled movies in language acquisition, suggesting that such films are more than mere entertainment. The implications are substantial for educators advocating for integrating English-subtitled films as a pedagogical tool in language instruction. The study encourages students to dedicate more time to watching English-subtitled movies to bolster their language skills and proficiency.