วารสารคณะศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม (ฉบับพิเศษ) 703

Journal of Education, Mahasarakham University (Special Issue)

Using Cartoon Animation with Subtitle to Improve English Listening

Skill

Sunisa Dontaolek1, Ubonpan Sornsakul2, Jiraphon Promsorn3,

Pattira Kongkaew4,Thooptong Kwangsawad5

Abstract
The purpose of this research was to investigate the results of English listening
skill before and after using cartoon animation with subtitle of the high school students.
Sample of this research was 28 high school students selected through a cluster random
sampling. The instrument used in the experiment were four English listening lesson plans
and 40-item multiple choice of listening test were used. Statistics employed for analysis of
data included mean, percentage, standard deviation, and dependent sample t-test. The
results revealed that using cartoon animation with subtitle in class could enhance improve
listening skill of high school students.

Keywords : Listening skill, Cartoon Animation with Subtitle

Introduction
Listening is a communication method that requires the listener to understand,
interpret, and assess what they hear. The ability to listen actively can improve personal
interaction through reducing problems, increasing cooperation, and fostering
understanding (Sharma. 2011). Listening comprehension has been raised to a status of
crucial importance in language learning, in both learning a first language and learning a
second language. The importance of listening comprehension for second language
learning has been highlighted recently because, for many foreign and second language
students, mastery of the skill of listening is one of the most difficult barriers to overcome

1,2,3,4
นิสติ ระดับปริญญาตรี สาขาวิชาภาษาอังกฤษ คณะศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม
5
รองศาสตราจารย์ คณะศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม
1,2,3,4
Undergraduate Student of English Major, Faculty of Education, Mahasarakham University.
5
Assoc. Prof., Faculty of Education, Mahasarakham University.
 วารสารคณะศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม (ฉบับพิเศษ) 704
Journal of Education, Mahasarakham University (Special Issue)

to be able to follow lessons, much less become proficient users of language (Farrell.
2006). Technological developments have a lot of influences on learning listening skills.
Teachers can expect a variety of media used in the classroom. This means that teachers
have the option to customize the materials of listening skill by using the clips of the
speech or the article of any length (Field. 2012). Teachers can use film to supplement
their teaching. Films is a part of media used in the classroom. Films in video format
should not be regarded as merely a peripheral “extra” in a listening class. On the contrary,
they can function as the core content and become an integral part of the curriculum,
creative exploitation of movie videos can reveal their potentials in fostering the acquisition
of listening skills (Kusumarasdyati. 2004). Animation is popular among children. It makes
“moving in time” easy and its production can combine the physical and the virtual worlds.
Animation makes it possible to be in control of the film because each animation movie
can move and cut in planned toughly which makes it possible to reflect and analyse. It is
also closely connoted which makes it possible to be used animation even with the
youngest students (Pederson and Villekold. 2005). The use of Animation instruction can
significantly enhance student learning if properly designed and implemented. When
children are having fun, they tend to learn better. Teachers can also use animation to
demonstrate things and concepts visually exactly how they want to since they have
control of every aspect of the animation. In addition, the role of animation in multimedia
learning (including multimedia instructional messages and micro world games), present a
cognitive theory of multimedia learning (Mayer and Moreno. 2012).

Research Objective
The objective of this research is to compare pretest and posttest score of
listening skill using cartoon animation with subtitle.

Research Methodology
This research was one group pretest – posttest design. The samples were 28
secondary students selected by cluster random sampling. The instruments used in the
experiment were four English listening lesson plans focusing on cartoon animation with
subtitle and 40-item multiple choice of listening test. The first step to take before the study
was carried out was to measure students’ listening skill before implementing the listening
lesson plans focusing oncartoon animation with subtitle by using 40-item multiple choice
 วารสารคณะศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม (ฉบับพิเศษ) 705
Journal of Education, Mahasarakham University (Special Issue)

of listening test. Then, four English listening lesson plans were implemented in the
classroom. After implementing the English listening lesson plans, the same listening tests
were used to measure students’ listening skill. Finally the actual data collections were
then analyzed.

Data Collection from pre-post tests and Data Analysis

The data necessary for the study was obtained from the pre-post tests. The
duration of the experiment was four weeks. After four weeks of experiment, all the
participants took a post-test to find out whether there was any improvement in their
listening skill. After the post-test, the scores of students gained from pre-test and post-test
were compared by t - dependent samples.

Results
To find out whether there are any statistically significant differences
between the means of the samples the t-test scores was used and the results of
this research indicated as follows:

Table 1: Results of comparing English listening skill before and after using cartoon
animation with subtitle of high school students.
Total
Test n Percentage X S.D. t p
score
Pre-test 28 707 63.13 25.25 4.44
6.94 .01
Post-test 28 820 73.21 29.29 4.88

The table 1 pointed that the improvement of students’ listening score is the main
indicator of the success of the employment of this cartoon animation with subtitle is. In the
pre-listening test, the result of the test showed that the total score of the students in
listening test was lower than the total score after learning by using cartoon animation with
subtitle. The researchers also calculated the mean score of the students in the listening
test. Based on the analysis of the students’ scores, it was found that students’ listening
skill was significance at a 0.01 level.
 วารสารคณะศึกษาศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหาสารคาม (ฉบับพิเศษ) 706
Journal of Education, Mahasarakham University (Special Issue)

Discussion and Recommendation

The result of the study showed that students’ listening skill could improved after
using cartoon animation with subtitle as Pederson and Villekold (2005) remarked that
using the picture language as a teaching method. Listening is a communication method
that requires the listener to understand, interpret, and assess what they hear. The ability
to listen actively can improve personal interaction through reducing problems, increasing
cooperation, and fostering understanding(Sharma, 2011). Teachers have to choose what
type of moving picture they want to use; video production, animation, etc. Animation could
be included in a regular teaching situation because it does not take up a lot of space.
Similar findings are provided by the research made by Moulic (2012) that animation films
could develop effective listening skills in the classroom. The result of his research showed
that animation and teaching techniques could make students pay more attention on the
lesson than usual.

Reference
Farrell, T.S.C. (2006). Succeeding With English Language Learners A Guide
For Beginning Teachers. The United States of America: Corwin Press.
Field, A., Miles, J., and Field, Z. (2012). Discovering Statistics Using R. London:
Thousand Oaks.
Mayer, R. E., Moreno, R. (2002). Animation as an Aid to Multimedia Learning.
Educational Psychology Review, 14(1), 87-99.
Kusumarasdyati. (2004). “2nd International Conference on Imagination and Education.
Listening, Viewing and Imagination : Movies in EFL Classes.” Retrieved,
June 20, 2013, from
http://www.ierg.net/confs/2004/Proceedings/Kusumarasdyati.pdf
Moulic, M. (2012). “Animation Film to Develop Effective Listening Skills in the
Classroom.” Retrieved, July 29, 2013, from
http://iamure.com/publication/index.php/ije/article/view/166
Pederson, H. and Villekold, H. (2005). “Teaching With Animation.” Retrieved,
July 29, 2013, from
http://www.brendanpauljacobs.com/teachingwithanimation.pdf
Sharma, N. (2011). Strategies for Developing Listening Skills. ELT Voices, (6), 12-18.