Research into the use of subtitling of visual media texts and their impact on the literacy
achievement of students, including those from culturally diverse backgrounds, is an
area of growing interest in literacy education. This mixed methods study, carried out
with 222 mostly Maori and Pasifika learners in five primary schools located in a very
low-socioeconomic area on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand sought
to discover whether viewing subtitled films, along with carefully targeted language
activities, increased student achievement. The Audio Visual Achievement in Literacy
Language and Learning (AVAILLL) programme presents meaning in multiple ways
– audio, visual images and written – which simultaneously serve to engage students
whose achievement lags behind that of their peers. Quantitative results demonstrated
significant and sustained gains in reading comprehension and vocabulary for these
students. Responses from focus group student interviews reported higher levels of
engagement and self-reported gains in reading fluency and motivation.