學習英文的熱潮在台灣從來沒停過，而為了因應全球化，政府除了將英語教育從
國中提早到國小三年級，更有了本土製播英語新聞的提議。中華電視公司
（CTS）和民間全民電視公司（FTV）響應政府呼籲，於兩千零三年分別開播了華
視英語新聞（CTS Inside Taiwan）及民視英語新聞（FTV English News
Edition）。

本論文目的是研究與比較兩個英語新聞節目在英語學習上之助益程度。兩節目差
異頗多，其中最顯著的乃字幕呈現方式（subtitling）；華視英語新聞採用的
傳統字幕（subtitles），由英語語音及中文翻譯所組成，民視英語新聞則採用
播報語音及螢幕文字均為英語的字幕模式（captions）。本研究即著重於此一最
大差異進行實驗。實驗對象為台灣某國立大學學生，第一組為修習「大一英文」
的理學院新生，英文程度中等；第二組為修習「高級英語聽講」的外語系三四年
級同學，英文程度高等。實驗分兩階段，第一階段，受測學生在課堂上觀看三則
由研究員選出的民視英語新聞，然後完成聽力理解測驗（選擇題）及單字測驗
（填空），單字測驗要求填入正確拼字及中文意義，最後學生對民視英語新聞之
字幕呈現及內容進行問卷評比。第二階段則就華視英語新聞進行相同步驟的實驗
。

實驗結果與文獻有極大的不同。歷來文獻對於captions在聽力理解及單字習得上
的助益多所肯定，然本研究結果顯示：captions對學生聽力理解的助益並不如傳
統字幕；在拼字測驗，這兩種字幕提供的幫助則差不多；然在單字意義測驗項上
，傳統字幕發揮的助力遠比captions顯著。此一研究差異可能與實驗架構之不同
有關。而評量問卷分析結果顯示，受測者認為外國影片伴隨著任何一種字幕是不
錯的學習方式，他們認為字幕能幫他們更了解影片內容，但從單字學習的角度，
則明顯偏好captions。從評量問卷中也發現，對這兩個本土製播的英語新聞其品
質（具有新聞性、娛樂性、發音道地）、受測者均有不錯的評價，不過英文程度
較高的學生通常較喜好民視英語新聞。

This study aims to compare the pedagogical benefits of two domestically-made English news broadcasts In Taiwan, CTS Inside Taiwan and FTV English News Edition. As the two English news programs were different in many ways, the focus of the study was put on the most distinctive difference: the subtitling mode. CTS Inside Taiwan was broadcast with subtitles, a synchronized coordination of L2 dialogue and L1 script, but FTV English News Edition adopted captions, with both dialogue and script in L2.

In the review of previous studies, the advantage of captioned videos was widely recognized in terms of L2 learners’ comprehension and vocabulary learning. Since most of the reviewed studies deal with English learners from European languages, the present experiment investigated Chinese/English subtitling presentation. With college students of intermediate and advanced levels as subjects, this study used six video news clips (three from CTS Inside Taiwan and three from FTV English News Edition) to examine the effect of subtitling on learning outcomes. The tests included multiple-choice questions to assess listening comprehension and cloze tests to measure the spelling and meaning of the target vocabulary words. The relationship between subtitling modes and the subject’s language proficiency level was also addressed. Besides, the participants’ attitudes toward the subtitling devices and their evaluation of the two English news broadcasts were collected through questionnaires.

The results of the present study were very different from previous research. It was found that the students, particularly the intermediate level students, seemed to benefit much more from subtitles than from captions in listening comprehension. In the spelling test, the learners performed similarly despite the different treatments they undertook. As to the word meaning acquisition, subtitles was statistically evidenced to exert positive influence. The discrepancy between the findings of the present study and the conclusions of early research was proposed to result from the difference in experimental design and the occurrence of a confounding effect caused by the potential involvement of variables other than subtitling. In the evaluation questionnaires, the subjects expressed that they liked to have a subtitling device when watching English news. The subjects reported that either subtitling model helped them understand the videos, but they demonstrated a clear preference for captions in vocabulary acquisition. With regard to the quality, both English news broadcasts were rated as informative, entertaining and native-like. Generally, the advanced students tended to prefer watching FTV English News Edition.

ABSTRACT (CHINESE)

ABSTRACT (ENGLISH)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Basic Information about Subtitling Formats
1.3 Basic Introduction of the English News Programs of CTS and FTV
1.4 Purposes of the Study

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Advantages of Using News
2.2 Dual Coding Theory
2.3 Definition of Captions and Subtitles
2.4 The Effects of Subtitles and Captions on Listening Comprehension
2.5 The Effects of Subtitles and Captions on Vocabulary Acquisition

CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY
3.1 Subjects
3.2 Experimental Design
3.3 Materials
3.3.1Test Materials
3.3.2 Comprehension Test
3.3.3 Vocabulary Test
3.3.4 Questionnaires
3.4 Procedures
3.5 Data Analysis
3.6 Research Questions

CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS
4.1 Results of Listening Comprehension Questions
4.2 Results of Vocabulary Tests
4.2.1 Combined Scores
4.2.2 Spelling
4.2.3 Meaning
4.3 Results of the Questionnaires
4.3.1 Section 1
4.3.2 Section 2
4.3.3 Section 3

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION
5.1 Comprehension
5.2 Vocabulary Acquisition
5.2.1 Spelling
5.2.2 Meaning
5.3 General Evaluation
5.3.1 Evaluation of Subtitling Modes
5.3.2 Evaluation of the Two English News Broadcasts

CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSION
6.1 Summery of the Study
6.2 Pedagogical Implications
6.3 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Study

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