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Article published In:
Audiovisual translation in applied linguistics: Educational perspectives
Edited by Laura Incalcaterra McLoughlin, Jennifer Lertola and Noa Talaván
[Translation and Translanguaging in Multilingual Contexts 4:1] 2018
► pp. 129–150

The use of audio description in foreign language education

A preliminary approach

| Imperial College London | University College London

Audio description (AD) is a type of audiovisual translation (AVT) used for making video content accessible to the blind and visually impaired. Over the last decade, the pedagogic potential of AVT in foreign language learning (FLL) has gained increasing recognition by experts. However, AD as a didactic tool in FLL is an innovative area that has received very little attention so far, despite its significant potential for language learners. In addition, many experts in Applied Linguistics have shown a growing interest in the study of fluency, pronunciation and intonation.

With these ideas in mind the author of the present article has carried out a small scale preliminary experiment with university students of Spanish as a foreign language. This article presents the methodological framework of the experiment which includes the instruments for data gathering. Although only six students completed the experiment, their responses were positive and encouraging as they found active AD tasks useful for language learning. It is hoped that the lessons learnt will inform the methodological framework for larger scale studies.

Keywords: audio description, audiovisual translation, oral skills, podcasts, Spanish as a foreign language
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical framework
  • 3.The enhancement of oral skills
    • 3.1Oral fluency
    • 3.2Pronunciation and intonation
  • 4.The study
    • 4.1Context
    • 4.2Methodology
    • 4.3Participants
    • 4.4Procedures
    • 4.5Resources
      • 4.5.1Oral task 1: Podcast
      • 4.5.2Active AD task
      • 4.5.3Assessment rubric
      • 4.5.4Questionnaires
  • 5.Analysis and discussion
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 24 April 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ttmc.00007.nav
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Vermeulen, Anna & María Ángeles Escobar-Álvarez
2021. Audiovisual translation (dubbing and audio description) as a didactic tool to promote foreign language learning. Translation and Translanguaging in Multilingual Contexts 7:1 ► pp. 86 ff. DOI logo

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