JOURNAL ARTICLE
Abstract: Speaking is among the hardest skills for English learners to develop, especially where authentic oral interaction is scarce. Audiovisual (AV) materials such as films, YouTube videos, TED Talks and multimedia courseware are increasingly used to expose learners to natural pronunciation, intonation and discourse. This review follows PRISMA 2020 reporting principles to synthesize peer-reviewed studies from 2020–2026 on AV materials and English speaking outcomes. Fourteen documents were assessed against pre-specified criteria, and four studies (Indonesia, Bangladesh; n = 6 to 50) were included. Every study favored AV-supported instruction for fluency, pronunciation, confidence, interaction and overall oral performance, but the evidence is weak: two studies reported scores, none had a comparison group, baseline or follow-up, and the remaining evidence is self-reported. No study measured grammatical accuracy or tested a moderator. The findings are consistent with Dual Coding Theory, Mayer’s multimedia learning theory, and the Input and Output Hypotheses, yet cannot distinguish among them. The review identifies methodological gaps and recommends controlled studies that vary one component at a time (task, audio-only versus AV, captioning) with reliable speaking ratings and delayed post-tests.
Keywords: audiovisual materials, English speaking skills, oral proficiency, EFL/ESL learners, multimedia learning, systematic review, PRISMA
Al-jumaily, I. H. A., & Alazzawi, I. T. J. (2025). The influence of multimodal visual methodologies on EFL university students’ audio-visual comprehension, verbal and nonverbal communication. Journal of Language & Education, 11(2).†
Bahrani, T., & Sim, T. S. (2012). Audiovisual news, cartoons, and films as sources of authentic language input and language proficiency enhancement. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 11(4), 56–64.
Bajrami, L., & Ismaili, M. (2016). The role of video materials in EFL classrooms. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 502–506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.10.068
Campbell, M., McKenzie, J. E., Sowden, A., et al. (2020). Synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) in systematic reviews: Reporting guideline. BMJ, 368, l6890.
Clark, J. M., & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, 3(3), 149–170.
Dewayanti, N. P. W., Artini, L. P., & Kusuma, I. P. I. (2026). Exploring the role of English movies in language learning: Senior high school students’ perceptions. [Journal title to be confirmed], 5(8), 1322–1333.†
Fitri, R. D. (2022). The effect of using animation video as audio-visual media toward students’ speaking skill at the tenth grade of SMAN Plus Riau Province [Undergraduate thesis, State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau].
Hong, Q. N., Pluye, P., Fàbregues, S., et al. (2018). Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), version 2018. Canadian Intellectual Property Office.†
Irmawati, Ihsan, M., & Rasmi. (2020). Utilizing audio visual aids to improve English speaking skill for the eight grade students of SMP Negeri 3 Banawa. Datokarama English Education Journal, 1(1), 40–50.†
Kathirvel, K., & Hashim, H. (2020). The use of audio-visual materials as strategies to enhance speaking skills among ESL young learners. Creative Education, 11(12), 2599–2608. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2020.1112192
Kim, H.-S. (2015). Using authentic videos to improve EFL students’ listening comprehension. International Journal of Contents, 11(4), 15–24.
Krashen, S. D. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. Longman.
Macwan, H. J. (2015). Using visual aids as authentic material in ESL classrooms. Research Journal of English Language and Literature, 3(1), 91–96.
Maulidiah, F., Kurrata’Aini, R., Yanti, M., & Martiarini, E. (2026). The effectiveness of using YouTube for teaching EFL in improving student’s speaking skills: A systematic literature review. Indonesian Research Journal on Education, 6(2), 191–198.
Mayer, R. E. (2020). Multimedia learning (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Mizab, M. (2015). The role of audio-visual aids in enhancing EFL students’ speaking skill [Master’s dissertation, Mohamed Kheider University of Biskra].
Naz, S. (2023). Role of multimedia-aided EFL classrooms in promoting learners’ interaction and participation in tertiary-level Bangladeshi students. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 14(5), 1207–1214. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1405.08
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71.
Paivio, A. (1971). Imagery and verbal processes. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Paivio, A. (1986). Mental representations: A dual coding approach. Oxford University Press.
Pinto, M. A. M., & Lomi, A. N. K. (2026). Integrating task-based activities and audio-visual media to enhance EFL students’ speaking ability. Ebony, 6(1), 78–97. https://doi.org/10.37304/ebony.v6i1.23891
Polat, M., & Erişti, B. (2019). The effects of authentic video materials on foreign language listening skill development and listening anxiety at different levels of English proficiency. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 6(1), 135–154.
Rahman, M. M., & Jamila, M. (2024). Effectiveness of audiovisual materials in developing tertiary level learners’ English listening and speaking skills. International Journal of Language Testing, 14(2), 67–81. https://doi.org/10.22034/IJLT.2024.430050.1312
Rethlefsen, M. L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S., et al. (2021). PRISMA-S: An extension to the PRISMA statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews, 10, 39.
Saber, A. F. (2025). Examining the effectiveness of authentic video materials in developing speaking skills among undergraduate EFL Iraqi learners. Journal of Tikrit University for Humanities, 32(11–2), 22–37.
Saed, H. A., Haider, A. S., Al-Salman, S., & Hussein, R. F. (2021). The use of YouTube in developing the speaking skills of Jordanian EFL university students. Heliyon, 7(7), e07543.
Sabiq, A. H. (2017). Improving students’ motivation and reading skills in ELT through audio visual media. Diksi, 25(1).† (Cited in text as “As Sabiq”.)
Shaojie, T., Samad, A. A., & Ismail, L. (2022). Systematic literature review on audio-visual multimodal input in listening comprehension. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 980133.
Shikongo, M. E. P. (2025). Exploring teachers’ use of audio-visual aids in teaching English-speaking skills to junior primary learners [Master’s thesis, University of Namibia].†
Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S. M. Gass & C. G. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp. 235–253). Newbury House.
Syah, D. A., & Fediyanto, N. (2026). Animated videos in English listening skill development. Academia Open, 11(1).
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Harvard University Press.