Students' perceptions of the use of YouTube videos to practice listening skills

Abstract

This research aims to explore students' perceptions of using YouTube videos as a medium to practice listening skills in English language learning. This study employed a descriptive qualitative design involving students as the participants. The data were collected through questionnaire and interviews to obtain deeper understanding of students' experiences, perceive benefits, and challenges when using YouTube for listening practice. The findings reveal that most students hold positive perceptions toward the use of Youtube videos. They reported that YouTube helps students practice their listening skills by providing authentic, engaging, and easyli accessible content. The variety of accents, speaking speeds and real life context available in YouTube videos were also considered beneficial for enriching students' listening skills. However, several challenges were identified, including unstable connections and the  difficulty level of certains videos. Overall, YouTube is perceived as an effective and supportive medium for listening practice, particularly in enhancing students motivation and engagement. The study suggest that teachers incorporate YouTube into listening activities as an innovative and relevant instructional tools that aligns with students' needs.