EXPLORING WESTERN MOVIES THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Abstract

In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, students often have difficulty understanding listening materials due to the speed of speech, idioms, and cultural references in authentic contexts; traditional methods do not adequately represent real communication. This literature review evaluates the use of Western films on online platforms as a pedagogical strategy to improve engagement and skills through cinematic narratives, natural conversations, and digital access. The method employed a systematic search on Google Scholar using criteria of EFL listening relevance and empirical design. Results indicate that film exposure improves recognition of speech patterns, vocabulary, and intonation, while reducing difficulties. Features such as subtitles, replay, and quizzes strengthen motivation, confidence, and task focus; experimental programs report improvements in adaptive strategies and performance. This integration supports technology-based self-directed learning and learners' global readiness. The use of platforms such as Netflix and YouTube facilitates controlled repetition, while structured tasks and teacher guidance maintain linguistic focus and continuous evaluation.