EFL Students’ Perception towards the Use of Debate Video Session for Vocabulary Acquisition and Retention

Discovering captioned debate videos for vocabulary acquisition is an essential learning strategy for EFL learners. Vocabulary is a crucial element in the acquisition of a foreign language. However, many students experience challenges in mastering English vocabulary. Various vocabulary learning strategies were established, with some students utilizing personalized techniques to learn new words. Learners' motivation and obsession with vocabulary acquisition are enhanced by audiovisual stimuli, such as animated films, videos, and music, which captivate their attention. This study aims to explore students' perceptions of using captioned debate video sessions in English for vocabulary acquisition and retention. In this study, the researcher utilized a mixed method. The research was conducted in the English Department of Universitas Negeri Malang, East Java. It involved 40 participants: 30 undergraduate students in their third and fifth semesters and 10 postgraduate students in their first semester of master's studies. The findings revealed that debate videos improved EFL learners' English vocabulary mastery and pronunciation and helped with word retention. Captioned debate videos should be employed in the EFL teaching classroom to enhance learners' English proficiency, particularly for vocabulary acquisition and retention, as well as to foster pronunciation. In addition, captioned debate videos can improve active vocabulary mastery and listening comprehension.