Abstract

This study investigates Saudi EFL learners’ perceptions of the impact of English short-form videos on vocabulary learning. Short-form video platforms such as YouTube Shorts and TikTok are widely used by learners, yet their pedagogical value in vocabulary development remains underexplored, especially in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 Saudi EFL university students and analyzed thematically. The results of the study revealed five major themes: positive attitudes towards English short-form videos, incidental vocabulary acquisition, visual context, subtitles, and repetition, perceived usefulness of different platforms, and challenges and limitations. Participants reported that these videos positively impacted vocabulary acquisition as they provided frequent exposure to authentic, meaningful, and multimodal language input. At the same time, they reported some challenges such as rapid speech, informal language use, and limited explanation of lexical items. The study concludes that English short-form videos are an important supplementary resource for incidental vocabulary acquisition that should be integrated with formal classroom instruction to guarantee accurate and comprehensive vocabulary development.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.