IPASJ International Journal of Information Technology (IIJIT)

Web Site: http://www.ipasj.org/IIJIT/IIJIT.htm

A Publisher for Research Motivation ........ Email:editoriijit@ipasj.org
Volume 6, Issue 11, November 2018 ISSN 2321-5976

University Instructor’s Perceptions of the Use

of YouTube in EFL Classrooms
Alahmadi, R1, Mahrous, W2 and Alhebaishi, S3
1
Master TEFL student, Taibah University, KSA
2
Master TEFL student, Taibah Universit, KSA

3Associate Professor of TEFL, Taibah University, KSA

ABSTRACT
This study investigated the perceptions of university instructors toward using YouTube in English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) classrooms, and the effect of some variables such as gender, nationality, scientific degree and
years of experience on instructors‘ perceptions. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 30 university
instructors who had experience in utilizing the YouTube technology to enhance the teaching of English to EFL
students in two private universities in the city of Almadinah, KSA. The findings of the statistical analysis revealed
that instructors stated that using YouTube is advantageous in teaching various language skills and aspects.
Furthermore, YouTube increases students’ satisfaction and makes the classroom environment more interactive.
Keywords: YouTube, language instructors, EFL classroom

1. INTRODUCTION
Technology is an integral part of the new generation’s life because it has grown up surrounded by digital technologies
such as laptops, smart devices, tablets and social media which radically change the ways people communicate and
socially interact. Due to the rapid advances in information technology and communication, recent calls for
transforming education urge the integration of technology into teaching and learning processes since the evolution of
various technological tools and applications has provided powerful facilities for knowledge accessibility, retrieval and
creation. Consequently, technology has become an essential component of the curriculum in most higher education
institutions and instructors have developed various pedagogies to utilize technology in order to meet the needs of
diverse students.
Among digital technologies, web 2.0 technologies have found their way into higher education. Currently, university
instructors are incorporating YouTube and other social media websites to disseminate information (Haase, 2009). The
YouTube platform, started in February 2005, is the third most visited website in the world, behind Google and
Facebook (Alexa,2015). YouTube is an example of a social media website that allows for the construction of social
relationships by sharing videos. It is the most popular and prominent website among the various video sharing websites
in the world. YouTube is easy to use and navigate, as it includes lists of content organized in categories.
According to the statistics of YouTube’s 2012 Report, users upload approximately 72 hours of videos every minute, and
approximately 800 million users visit this website monthly. The ages of this website’s users range between 18 and 54
years and it has attracted more than one trillion views from the world in 2011 (YouTube, 3013). YouTube allows users
to watch movies, video clips, documentaries, lectures and even upload their own videos. In addition, users can
download videos, leave comments, and share videos with friends. Although, YouTube is mainly used as a tool for
entertainment and relaxation, its usage in a classroom setting as a part of teaching is a new approach that is receiving
increasing attention (Alon & Hearth, 2014).
The use of YouTube in a classroom setting enhances the teaching and learning processes in innovative ways (Bloom,
2009), because it offers tremendous possibilities for creating and sharing authentic videos which relates curriculum to
real- life experiences. This website has numerous advantages and can offer countless possibilities for creating
educational communities, joining the curriculum to real-life situations, and motivating students to learn (Burden &
Atkinson, 2007). YouTube provides students with multimedia-enriched environments and expands their knowledge

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about various cultures around them (Meadows, 2004). Agazio and Buckley (2009) state that YouTube can be utilized to
illustrate course content, engage students in searching for information and provide innovative teaching methods. Berk
(2009) pointed out that videos are a powerful means of attracting students’ attention, and increasing memorized
content. They also have the ability to inspire students to produce their own video projects. Goldfrab (2002) stated that
integrating videos as an instructional strategy within the curriculum helps to engage students, and build a culturally
diverse curriculum that goes beyond the walls of the classroom. Videos should be tailored to curriculum objectives to
achieve targeted benefits. Kearney and Schuck (2006) highlighted that using YouTube allows students to improve their
skills by creating a rich learning experience, providing meaningful interaction, and developing student interdependence
and ownership. Fernandez et al. (2011) found that using videos in engineering courses had a great effect on students’
motivation and an improved perception of efficacy in the teaching and learning process. Clifton and Mann (2011)
observed an increase in student participation, engagement and deep learning among nursing students. Duverger and
Steffes (2012) explained that videos related to course content improved students’ retention and acquisition of course
material.
YouTube is a useful educational and motivational tool that is being used in the EFL classroom (Duffy, 2007). It can be
used to enhance the teaching and learning of various language skills and aspects, such as listening, speaking, reading,
writing, vocabulary, and grammar. The site is also considered to be a source of authentic online materials that present
language in entertaining, relevant contexts that are similar to real-life communicative situations. There are many
advantages of using YouTube in EFL classrooms such as the ability to present authentic material. Omid and Azam
(2015) found that the use of authentic materials enhances students’ learning. It also minimizes the challenges of
teaching in EFL classrooms. Al Azri and Al-Rashdi (2014) found that authentic material is useful for motivating
learners, and arousing their interest. Alqahtani (2014) stated that You Tube has an effective impact on enhancing EFL
student's listening comprehension skills. Mohamad et al. (2011) said that using songs from YouTube enhances
secondary student's vocabulary, and with a good planning and the selection of a suitable song, students will be able to
learn more new words effectively. Almoswai and Rashid (2017) claimed that using YouTube video enhances students'
performance in grammar. Hayikaleng, Nair, and Krishnasamy (2016) stated that using YouTube improves reading
comprehension. YouTube also enables language learners to create social bonds with individuals from all over the
world. Jon and Michael (2011) argued that YouTube is useful for teachers who are interested in developing learners’
autonomy.
Jones and Cuthrell (2011) discussed the potential uses of YouTube in the classroom. The website can be used as a part
of instruction to introduce a new term or concept, or close the lesson by reviewing important things. Another method, it
can also be used as a teacher resource. For example, it can be a model for classroom activities or discussion. Oddone
(2011) found that teachers can use audio-visual materials such as videos for different purposes: for understanding the
spoken language, as a language model, to promote awareness of cultural issues, as a stimulus for activities, or as an
animated picture book. Haase (2009) stated that language teachers can use YouTube to deliver their own lecture to
students
There are several aspects that need to be looked at when assessing the usefulness of video material, such as video
length, sound and picture quality, and language. In terms of length, the user must be sure that it is not too long or too
short. Hammer (2001) said that the perfect time is between 1 to 4 minutes. Canning (2000) and Duffy (2007) also
recommend that videos should be short to allow instructors to conduct activities and students to ask questions or to
think critically about the content. Moreover, visual and sound quality are important so students can understand the
video. Furthermore, the language must be clear, and the speed must be suitable for the learners' level. The most
significant thing is that the video must have a clear learning objective and purpose.
Despite YouTube’s enormous advantages, there are some challenges that need to be considered by EFL instructors
when using it: (1) Internet connection. If the Internet connection is slow, the video may pause to completely download
which is time-consuming. (2) Sometimes users cannot find the video that they selected because YouTube is an open
website, and videos may be deleted by the site or by the person who posted the video. (3) Ethical considerations;
students may post inappropriate or off-topic videos. (4) Users may write inappropriate comments on students’ videos.
(5) The language level may be difficult for students to understand, which makes them unable to work on the activity.
(6) Searching for videos that contain appropriate content may prove time-consuming and challenging (Burke, Snyder
&Rager, 2009). (7) Some videos are made for native speakers and have social or cultural references that need to be
explained (oddone, 2011). Harris (2010) advised instructors to be aware of content credibility, accuracy and
reasonableness when selecting video materials. Videos may contain inaccurate, misleading or biased information.

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To summarize, the current study is a preliminary investigation of the perceptions of university instructors toward using
YouTube as a supplementary tool in EFL classrooms. It also aims to examine the effect of certain variables, such as
gender, nationality, scientific degree and years of experience, on instructors’ perceptions.

2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The current study aims to answer the following questions:
1. What are the perceptions of university instructors toward using YouTube as a supplementary tool in EFL
classrooms?
2. What is the effect of the gender, nationality, scientific degree and years of experience variables on instructors‘
perceptions.

3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

EFL instructors are constantly looking for innovative methods to enhance their teaching of a foreign language. Using
YouTube in EFL classrooms is effective and advantageous for developing various language skills and aspects. Through
YouTube, language instructors can find unlimited free teaching resources that provide learners with various authentic
materials necessary for language acquisition. The website enables EFL instructors to prepare students for real
communication, expose them to real language as it is used by native speakers, enhance their awareness about foreign
culture, promote motivation, keep students interest alive and make learning experiences more meaningful. Brook
(2011) stated that using YouTube facilitates language teaching and learning and, also increases students’ confidence
and participation. Jon and Michael (2011) indicated that YouTube is useful for teachers who are interested in boosting
EFL students’ autonomy.
after reviewing the current literature, it is found that limited research and discussion has been conducted on integrating
YouTube into higher education (Burke, Snyder, and Rager, 2009; Balbay and Kilis, 2017). Alqahtain (2014) also said
the use of YouTube as a tool for language teaching is a relatively new field of study in Saudi education, and the use of
YouTube in EFL instruction is rare. Traditional educators might find it unnecessary to use YouTube to achieve the
objective of teaching a language. Therefore, this study attempts to contribute to the current literature by investigating
how language instructors perceived and used YouTube as a supplementary tool in EFL classrooms in two private Saudi
universities. It also aims to open up a new horizon of possibilities of utilizing YouTube in language classrooms.

4. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE

This study is significant because it may do the following:

1. Encourage language instructors to utilize YouTube videos in classrooms to provide more real-life English contexts
and create a more motivated learning environment.
2. Motivate EFL students to use YouTube as a tool to develop various language skills and aspects.
3. Contribute to the current literature available on the advantages of integrating YouTube on language acquisition.
4. Stimulate language instructors to try new pedagogies and tools to make their classes more interactive and enjoyable.

5. METHODOLOGY

5.1. Participants
The sample of the study consisted of (30) EFL university instructors (9 male/21 female), who used YouTube as a
supplementary tool in teaching EFL. The instructors were from different nationalities and cultures (America, Saudi
Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, and India). Their ages ranged between from 27-45 years old. The sample was selected
from two private universities located in the city of Almadinah, Saudi Arabia: Prince Mugrin University (15 instructors)
and Colleges of Excellence (15 instructors).

5.2. Instrument
Data were gathered through a questionnaire constructed and implemented by the researchers. The data consisted of two
sections. The first section includes the instructors’ demographic information such as gender, nationality, scientific

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degree and years of experience. The second section consisted of 25 items and used a five- point Likert scale in which
each statement had five possible responses ranging from strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree.
To test the content validity of the questionnaire, it was refereed by a jury in the field of teaching English as a foreign
language and necessary modifications were made. The researchers also calculated the questionnaire reliability by
applying the Cronbach’s Alpha method. The value of Cronbach’s Alpha was .837, indicating that the questionnaire is
characterized by high stability.

Table (1): Reliability Statistics

Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

.837 25

5.3. Procedures
To achieve the research objective, the questionnaire was implemented omong EFL instructors who were informed that
participating in the study was optional and the obtained information would be confidential and used for scientific
research purposes. The collected data were then analyzed statistically using SPSS (version 20). Descriptive statistics,
such as frequencies, means, standard deviations were used to present an overall view of the instructors’ perceptions.
Because a five-point Likert scale was used, the mean score was divided into five levels for the sake of interpreting the
mean score.

Table (2) Mean Score Interpretation

Mean Score Interpretation

1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree
1.81-2.60 Disagree
2.61-3.40 Neutral
3.41-4.20 Agree
4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree

6. RESULTS & DISCUSSION

6.1 . Sample Demography

A total of 30 EFL university instructors completed the questionnaire. Of the total participants, 30% were male and 70%
were female. More than half of the participants (56.7%) were non-Saudi instructors, and only 43.3% of the instructors
were Saudis. As for scientific degree, 30% had bachelor degree. A large percentage of participants 56.7% had a
master‘s degree, and only 13.3% had a PhD. Of the EFL instructors, 43.3% reported that they began their teaching
career within the last 1-5 years, and 36.7%had 6-10 years of teaching experience. Approximately 10% of the
participants had from 11-15 years of experience, and 6.7% had more than 20 years of experience (See Table 3).

Table (3) Sample Demography

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Variables No. Percentage %

Gender Male 9 30
Female 21 70
Nationality Saudi 13 43.3
Non-Saudi 17 56.7
Scientific Degree Bachelor 9 30
Master 17 56.7
PhD 4 13.3
Years of Experience 0-5 13 43.3
6-10 11 36.7
11-15 3 10
16-20 1 3.3
2 6.7
More than 20

6.2. The Findings of the First Question

To answer the first question which stated, "What are the experiences and perceptions of university instructors toward
using YouTube in EFL classrooms ?", the frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation for each statement
were calculated and illustrated in table (4). The results reached the general mean of all statements (4.0533) with a
standard deviation (.34221), and this clarifies that university instructors "Agree" about the benefits of using YouTube
as a supplementary teaching tool in EFL classrooms.
Table (4) Descriptive Statistics
# Statements N Mea S.D Strongly Agree Neutral Disagr Strongly Rank Interpr
n agree ee disagree etation
1 Using YouTube makes the 30 4.50 .572 53.33% 43.33% 3.33% 0.00% 0.00% 1 Strongly
classroom environment more 00 35 agree
interesting.
2 Students prefer watching 30 3.93 1.04 33.33% 36.67% 16.67% 13.33% 0.00% 13 Agree
YouTube with English 33 826
subtitles.
3 YouTube is a useful resource 30 4.20 .761 36.67% 50.00% 10.00% 3.33% 0.00% 6 Agree
for oral language activities. 00 12
4 YouTube is a useful resource 30 3.80 .846 20.00% 46.67% 26.67% 6.67% 0.00% 15 Agree
for writing activities. 00 90
5 Students enjoy language 30 4.33 .546 36.67% 60.00% 3.33% 0.00% 0.00% 2 Strongly
lectures when YouTube 33 67 agree
videos are implemented.
6 Using YouTube is effective in 30 4.16 .746 33.33% 53.33% 10.00% 3.33% 0.00% 7 Agree
teaching English grammar. 67 64
7 Using YouTube in language 30 3.63 .964 20.00% 36.67% 30.00% 13.33% 0.00% 17 Agree
classrooms enhances the 33 31
teaching of the reading skill.
8 Using YouTube in language 30 4.20 .664 36.67% 53.33% 10.00% 0.00% 0.00% 6 Agree
classrooms enhances the 00 36
teaching of the listening skill.
9 Watching YouTube videos 30 4.30 .595 33.33% 56.67% 10.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3 Strongly
helps develop students‘ 00 96 agree
speaking competence.
10 Using YouTube helps teach 30 4.26 .691 36.67% 56.67% 3.33% 3.33% 0.00% 4 Agree
accurate pronunciation . 67 49
11 Using YouTube enriches 30 4.26 .639 33.33% 60.00% 6.67% 0.00% 0.00% 4 Agree
students' English vocabulary. 67 68
12 Using YouTube is effective in 30 4.10 .758 26.67% 56.67% 13.33% 3.33% 0.00% 9 Agree
group-discussion activity. 00 86
13 Using YouTube in language 30 3.26 1.14 16.67% 26.67% 20.00% 36.67% 0.00% 18 Neutral
classrooms is time consuming. 67 269
14 Using YouTube in language 30 4.10 .803 33.33% 46.67% 16.67% 3.33% 0.00% 9 Agree
classroom increases students’ 00 01
learning satisfaction.
15 Using YouTube in language 30 4.13 .571 16.67% 73.33% 10.00% 0.00% 0.00% 8 Agree

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classrooms may help EFL 33 35
students to focus their
attention on the topic at hand.
16 Using YouTube in language 30 4.26 .639 33.33% 56.67% 10.00% 0.00% 0.00% 4 Agree
classroom increases students’ 67 68
motivation to learn.
17 Using YouTube in language 30 4.0 .83 30.00% 43.33% 26.67% 0.00% 0.00% 11 Agree
classrooms increases students’ 00 04
participation. 0 5

18 Searching for effective 30 3.6 .92 23.33% 36.67% 30.00% 10.00% 0.00% 17 Agree
YouTube teaching materials is 33 78
a part of the teacher’s job. 3 6

19 YouTube is an effective tool 30 3.8 .74 23.33% 50.00% 26.67% 0.00% 0.00% 14 Agree
for developing students’ 33 66
critical thinking skills. 3 4

20 YouTube is an effective 30 3.76 .971 26.67% 46.67% 10.00% 16.67 16 Agree

tool for developing lesson 67 43 %
plans.
21 YouTube helps language 30 4.23 .568 36.67% 53.33% 10.00% 0.00% 0.00% 5 Agree
instructors to bring the 33 32
real world into
classrooms.
22 Using YouTube helps 30 3.96 .556 13.33% 70.00% 16.67% 0.00% 0.00% 12 Agree
language instructors to 67 05
teach English nonverbal
language.
23 YouTube helps introduce 30 4.10 .547 16.67% 76.67% 6.67% 0.00% 0.00% 9 Agree
informal language to EFL 00 72
students.
24 YouTube is a great source 30 4.06 .739 26.67% 56.67% 16.67% 0.00% 0.00% 10 Agree
for selecting authentic 67 68
language materials.
25 YouTube enhances 30 4.26 .639 33.33% 63.33% 3.33% 0.00% 0.00% 4 Agree
students' knowledge 67 68
about foreign language
culture.
30 4.05 .342
33 21 Agree

The statements were ranked in descending order according to the mean score. This makes it obvious that the item that
got the highest rank according to the mean score is using YouTube makes the classroom environment more interesting
(M 4.5000, SD .57235), indicating that 96.66% of teachers either strongly agreed or agreed that using YouTube
increases students' interest in the class. The second item according to rank is EFL students enjoy language lectures
when YouTube videos are implemented (M 4.3333, SD .54667), indicating that 96.67% of teachers strongly agreed or
agreed that EFL students enjoy lectures when YouTube is integrated with traditional teaching. The third item is
watching YouTube videos helps develop students’ speaking competence (M 4.3000, SD .59596), which indicates that
90% of instructors agreed that watching YouTube videos helps them to improve their students’ speaking skill. This
result is in agreement with the results of Babay and Kilis (2017), which indicates that students benefited greatly from a
video channel with various materials in the speaking course.
The items that got the fourth rank according to the mean scores are using YouTube helps teach accurate
pronunciation; using YouTube enriches students' English vocabulary; using YouTube in language classrooms increases
students’ motivation to learn; and YouTube enhances students' knowledge about foreign language culture (M 4.2667),
which indicates that approximately 93.34% of instructors agreed that integrating YouTube to supplement traditional

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teaching helps students to learn new words and pronounce them accurately. YouTube also motivates students to learn a
FL and expand their horizons about the new culture. This result is similar to that of Baniabdelrahman (2013) who
found that using YouTube enhances vocabulary learning. The experimental group showed better improvement in
vocabulary performance in comparison to the control group. The fifth item according to rank is YouTube helps
language instructors to bring the real world into classrooms (M 4.2333, SD .56832). The majority of instructors 90%
agreed that YouTube videos enable them to provides learners with various authentic materials that meet students‘ needs
and provide them with real-life experiences.
The sixth items according to mean score (M 4.2000) are YouTube is a useful resource for oral language activities; and
using YouTube in language classrooms enhances the teaching of the listening skill. approximately 86.67% of
instructors agreed that YouTube is a rich source for oral language activities, which may help them improve their
students‘ oral competence. A total of 87.90% of instructors agreed that utilizing YouTube helps to enhance the
listening skill because it includes oral conversation and audio communication that students listen to, thereby improving
their listening skill. The item that ranks seventh, for which most of the responses were "agree", is using YouTube is
effective in teaching English grammar (M 4.1667, SD.74664 ), with 86.66% of instructors agreeing that YouTube is
effective in facilitating grammar teaching because it includes videos that contain comprehensive explanations of
grammatical structures and activities. The item that ranks eighth, for which most of the responses showed high
agreement, is using YouTube in language classrooms may helps EFL students to focus their attention on the topic at
hand (M 4.1333, SD .57135). 90% of instructors believed that YouTube can help EFL students focus their attention on
the topic they are studying. The items that rank ninth, for which most of the participants selected the option "agree",
are YouTube helps introduce informal language to EFL students and using YouTube is effective in group-discussion
activity (M 4.1000). 93.34% of instructors agreed that, through YouTube, students will be introduced to informal
language that is used by native speakers in unofficial contexts to fulfill everyday functions, and about 83.34% of
instructors were certain that YouTube videos can be effective in encouraging students to perform cooperative group
activities related to the lessons.
The item that ranks tenth, for which most the responses are "agree", is YouTube is a great source for selecting
authentic language materials (M 4.0667, SD.73968 ). It appeared that the 83.34% of instructors agreed that YouTube
was a source of authentic materials that help teachers to make connections between what formal teaching and what
students encounter outside the classroom. The item that ranks eleventh is using YouTube in language classrooms
increases students’ participation (M 4.0000, SD .83045). 73.33% of instructors agreed on this item. The item that
ranks twelfth is using YouTube helps language instructors to teach English nonverbal language (M .39667, SD .55605
). It is apparent that 83.33% of instructors agreed with this item.
The item that obtained the thirteen rank is students prefer watching YouTube with English subtitles (M 3.9333, SD
1.04826). Of the total instructors, 70% agreed that students prefer YouTube videos with English subtitles because they
facilitate comprehension and concentration while watching. Students may not understand the video content completely
without subtitles due to the speed of the recorded speaker. This result is not consistent with that of Oddone (2011) who
stated that subtitled videos are not beneficial: most learners miss much of the audiovisual presentation due to their
excessive concentration on the written words.
The item that ranks fourteenth, for which most of the responses were "agree" is YouTube is an effective tool for
developing students’ critical thinking skills (M 3.8333, SD .74664). The majority of instructors 73.33% agreed that the
use of YouTube foster students’ critical thinking. The item that ranks fifteenth is YouTube is a useful resource for
written activities (M 3.8000, SD .84690). Nearly, 66.67% of instructors agreed that they can utilize this tool to provide
students with some writing activities. The item that ranks sixteenth, with a majority of "agree" responses, is YouTube is
an effective tool for developing lesson plans (M 3.7667, SD .97143). 73.34% of instructors agreed that YouTube is a
rich source for developing good lesson plans. This result is consistent with that of Jones and Cuthrel (2011), who stated
that teachers can find lesson plans on YouTube because it includes videos of teachers delivering their effective lesson
plans.
The items that rank seventeenth are using YouTube in language classrooms enhances the teaching of the reading skill;
and searching for effective YouTube teaching materials is a part of the teacher’s job . (M 3.6333), which indicates that
(56.67%) of instructors agreed that using YouTube could help students improve their reading skills. Because of the
numerous benefits of YouTube, language instructors should spend time searching for effective videos related to their
lessons. Hayikaleng, Nair and Krishnasamy (2016) revealed a positive relation between YouTube and students’
achievements in reading comprehension. The item that ranks eighteenth, with a majority of "neutral" response, is using
YouTube in language classrooms is time-consuming (M 3.2667, SD 1.14269). The neutral choice shows that this is a

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controversial item. Some instructors agreed that integrating YouTube in EFL classrooms is time-consuming, while
others did not.

6.3.The Findings of the Second Question

To answer the second question, which stated "What is the effect of the gender, nationality, scientific degree and years
of experience variables on instructors’ perceptions"?, the results obtained from the One-Way ANOVA show that there
were no statistically significant differences in instructors’ perceptions according to the variables of gender, nationality,
scientific degree, and years of experience (see table 5). This result shows that instructors’ perceptions were unaffected
by such variables. All instructors regardless of their gender, nationality, degree or experience, had positive perceptions
toward YouTube.
Table (5) The Results of the One-Way ANOVA

Sum of df Mean F Sig.

Squares Square

Gender Between 5.050 20 .253 1.818 .179

Groups

Within Groups 1.250 9 .139

Total 6.300 29

Nationality Between 4.533 20 .227 .720 .743

Groups

Within Groups 2.833 9 .315

Total 7.367 29

Degree Between 5.750 20 .288 .403 .956

Groups

Within Groups 6.417 9 .713

Total 12.167 29

Years of Between 29.283 20 1.464 1.535 .259

experience Groups

Within Groups 8.583 9 .954

Total 37.867 29

7. CONCLUSION
This study is a preliminary investigation of the perceptions of university instructors toward using YouTube as a
supplementary tool in EFL classrooms. It also examines the effects of the gender, nationality, scientific degree and

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years of experience variables on instructors’ perceptions. To achieve the study objectives, a questionnaire was
developed and administered by the study authors. The collected data were analyzed statistically using SPSS (version
20). The results of the statistical analysis showed that university instructors had positive perceptions toward using
YouTube in their classes and that there are no statistically significant differences in instructors’ perceptions in relation
to the variables of gender, nationality, degree and years of experience. Language instructors believed that the
integration of YouTube to supplement their lectures is more effective than traditional approaches. These results provide
strong support for teaching the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The results also enhances
the teaching of language aspects, such as grammar and pronunciation. Language instructors reported that YouTube
assists them in creating an enjoyable learning environment. Students were more interested, satisfied and interactive
after using YouTube. The use of YouTube increases students’ levels of motivation and participation. YouTube enables
instructors to teach both verbal and nonverbal language. The website reinforces the introduction of informal language
by providing students with countless authentic materials. Moreover, YouTube raises students’ cultural awareness,
brings the world into the classroom, and bridges the gap between formal classrooms and real-life experiences. The
results of this study were in agreement with those reported in other studies such as Burke, Snyder and Rager (2009)
which indicated that faculty members who used YouTube in their courses considered it to be an effective resource for
enhancing their course materials. Akalin (2002) concluded that integrating technology is more effective at increasing
students‘ language skills. Using videotaping technology enables students to practice pronunciation and presentation of
language skills. Videos also helps teachers to improve their teaching style. The findings of Moghavvemi, Suliman,
Jaafar, and Kasem (2018) also revealed that YouTube is an effective teaching and learning tool. YouTube is used for
seeking information, entertainment and, academic learning. Instructors should integrate YouTube’s resources into their
courses activities. Based on the results, this study recommends that language instructors integrate YouTube into their
teaching of foreign language skills and to conduct experimental studies to investigate the effectiveness of using
YouTube in teaching or learning various language skills and aspects. Other areas to be investigated are students’
attitudes toward using YouTube for learning English.

8. LIMITATIONS
The study is limited to 30 language instructors who were utilizing YouTube in teaching English as a FL in two private
universities in Saudi Arabia, and therefore the results might not be generalized for other university language
instructors. The study aims to familiarize language instructors with the experiences and benefits of integrating
YouTube in language classrooms. Further studies are needed to explore the perceptions of and students toward using
YouTube in the learning process as well.

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AUTHORS
1. Reem saleem Alahmadi is a master student who is currently working as English teacher in Al-Mahd District. She
obtained her B.S degree in English language from Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Taibah University in 2014.
2. Wejdan Abdulrahim Mahrous is a master student who is currently working as an admin in Academic Affairs
department at University of Prince Mugrin, Al-Madinah Al-Munawara, She obtained her B.S degree in English
Language from Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Taibah University in 2010.
3-Safaa Mohammad Alhebaishi received the M.S. and Ph-D degrees in TEFL. Currently, she is an associate
professor in Curricula and Teaching Methods Dept., at Taibah University. She is interested in research in second /
foreign language classroom, individual differences in learning a foreign language, innovative teaching methods, and
integrating technology in language classroom.

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