Working with Documentaries in the EFL Classroom: Successful Strategies for Decreasing Anxiety during Oral Tests

Abstract

This article describes the implementation and results of an action research project where documentaries were used as input in order to decrease student self- perceived anxiety during oral assessment activities (round tables.) This action research project was developed in an open English program for adults in a public university in Costa Rica. Among the main results, 77% of students reported final decreased levels of anxiety when speaking in public, as well as increased motiva- tion and self-confidence. The most successful strategies were choosing relevant topics, the use of English captions, previous discussion for clarifying content comprehension, teacher and peer scaffolding, and time for students to prepare their notes. Students also showed an interest in watching more materials and engaging in non-assessed oral discussions as ways to further cope with anxiety.