Learning English through Reading Aloud Using The Mentalist: A Case Study of Four Korean University Students

One of the critical goals of learning English through movies and TV dramas is to study the dialogues and learn them by heart to use them in the future. Many researchers have examined ways of enhancing language learners' long term memory and proposed reading aloud as an effective strategy for this purpose. However, few studies have been conducted to delve into how language learners understand and utilize a reading aloud strategy. This article explores four Korean university students' perceptions about learning English by reading aloud using a TV drama script and proposes pedagogical implications for English educators who want to implement this practice. It also examines ways of developing students' own learning strategies using reading aloud. Class observation and ten rounds of interview were conducted for two months with four Korean university students. The students studied the American drama The Mentalist together, memorizing selected parts, following instructions for reading the passages aloud. This article discusses the students' perceptions of the reading aloud technique and their unique ways of inventing their own learning strategies. Suggestions and pedagogical implications for English language educators in Korea are also provided.