Impact of a YouTube Channel on ESL Students' Oral Skills in a Peruvian Higher Institute

Abstract

According to experts and stakeholders, speaking English language skills are the most complex to learn and teach. Likewise, these skills are necessary and mandatory in this globalized world. One common strategy to overcome these difficulties is outside classroom activities such as recording videos and then comment them. In this way, the present paper presents the results of a YouTube channel project on Peruvian ESL students’ speaking skills in a higher technological institute. In addition, the perception and views of making and commenting on videos on a YouTube channel were researched bearing in mind three factors: oral skills, psychological aspects, and time availability. Therefore, a mixed-methods approach was applied to achieve these goals, and the data was gathered from 51 accounting students. A pre-experimental design was carried out to establish the YouTube project’s effects on oral skills, for this reason, a pre and post-test were carried out, moreover, a survey with 5-point Likert-type and open-ended questions was completed by the mentioned students and conducted immediately after the project. Among the highlights of the results were the meaningful improvement in these students’ oral skills on one hand, and on the other, positive perceptions about the completed project were noticeable.