The particular dialect or language that a person chooses to use on any occasion is called a code Copyright © 2025 The Author IDEAS is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 License Issued by English study program of IAIN Palopo 5414 IDEAS Journal on Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) Volume 13, Number 2, December 2025 pp. 5414 - 5430 Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies Enggar Bagas Dewantara1, Arilia Triyoga2 1,2Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta Corrresponding E-Mail: bagasuph@gmail.com Received: 2024-08-14 Accepted: 2025-10-19 DOI: 10.24256/ideas. v13i2.5445 Abstract English movies and series are used effectively by teachers and students to stimulate and develop their English proficiency. The significance of using movies and series in language teaching and learning has been discussed by academic experts, yet still there is a gap in research regarding students' specific experiences and the improvement of their English abilities through the use of English movies and series. This study aimed to analyze students’ English learning experiences through English series and movies and to analyze the improvement of students’ English ability through English series and movies. This type of research is qualitative research with a narrative inquiry approach. It uses Narrative Inquiry Design to collect data such as in-depth interviews. The respondent of this study was a high-performance student who was an awardee of International Credit Transfer (ICT) for one semester in Malaysia. This research was conducted in Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Indonesia, from May 2022 until July 2023. The result showed that the respondent's experience with English series and movies highlights the benefits of self- directed learning in improving language skills. By regularly watching content in English, she improved her listening and speaking abilities, exposed herself to different accents and expressions, and used subtitles to improve vocabulary and writing. This consistent engagement with authentic materials significantly contributed to her language development. Keywords: EFL Students; English Learning Experience; English Series and Movies Introduction In our fast-changing world, English is extremely vital. It is used by many people today, especially English-language learners. For Indonesian students, learning English is challenging because it is not their first language and has many differences from our native tongue. Second language educators use a variety of English materials to find the most engaging and efficient approach of language acquisition (Cook, 2016). Researchers and educators in second and foreign http://u.lipi.go.id/1457703302 mailto:bagasuph@gmail.com IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5415 language acquisition have spent decades trying to improve English teaching and learning (Ariffin et al., 2021). The difficulties in mastering speaking skills often stem not only from external and influences but also from the learners’ own actions and attitudes (Triyoga, 2022) English class participation is discouraged by students' assumptions about its difficulty. A teacher should focus on using a range of methods to make students feel comfortable and be fond of English. Mohammed (2018) says that excellent time management, teacher's instructional methods, and engaging materials help students learn foreign languages. This research will focus on how students can acquire English by listening to music, reading online articles, or watching English movies and series by themselves. Teachers and students boost English ability via English movies and series. Many academics have also recognized the growing importance of using movies to improve language learning. Theoretical frameworks for video-based second- language instruction have been extensively studied (Aliyev and Albay, 2016). The most appealing and successful language teaching and learning media is English movies. The use of movies has been integrated in the language pedagogy to further enhance language teaching and learning (Dikilitas, 2009; Kwon, 2014; Li, 2015). Movies help students learn listening and speaking (Goctu, 2017; Kalra, 2017; Ismaili, 2013). In addition, movie subtitles can help students write and speak (Albiladi et al., 2018). Besides those four key English abilities, self-taught learning via watching English series and movies improves pronunciation, accent, and intonation (Aliyev and Albay, 2016). Hence, this provides an opportunity for the students to learn the language using authentic materials and enhances their communication and conversation skills (Aliyev & Albay 2016; Ismaili, 2013; Kalra, 2017). Academic experts have recognized the importance of employing movies and series in language teaching and learning, but there is a lack of data on students' experiences and English improvement through English series and movies. Numerous researchers have utilized English learning methods through movies in recent years. Mulyadi and Mutmainnah (2015) studied English learning strategies to enhance student competencies. This study employed quantitative descriptive discussion. A questionnaire was completed by 15 bachelor's degree students in the fourth semester of English Education at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Cultures. This study indicated that students' learning with English-subtitled movies improved their listening skills, as seen by posttest improvements and good student responses. The survey indicated that over 75% of students find native speakers' listening material easy to comprehend. Parmawati and Inayah (2019) also suggest that using English movies increases the average posttest score. Research by Hanafiah (2019) and Kinasih and Olivia (2022) indicates that watching movies can enhance English-speaking Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5416 skills. Hanafiah (2019) employs action research. The data collection approach in this study included observation, diaries, documentation, and tests. Research data validation occurred during action activities, involving collaborators in the results. This study suggests that movies can enhance students' speaking skills in a classroom situation. This is because movies make learning fun. Sina and Bram (2020) and Yudar et al. (2020) found that movies could improve students' speaking skills by encouraging active participation and enjoyment in copying audio-visual stimuli. Yudar et al. (2020) did a qualitative study on the students of English as a foreign language (EFL). Movies can be used by teachers to teach English. By employing movies as a teaching tool, non-English students can improve their understanding and use of expressive action in daily life. Nur (2022) study focused on a thematic analysis of the data collected from students' narratives about their experiences with self- directed learning (SDL) in EFL speaking class by watching movies on YouTube. This narrative inquiry focuses on students' experiences and the growth of their four English skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) through English movies and series to fill this research gap. Filling this gap will add to the information base and provide significant insights for language teaching and learning educators, researchers, and practitioners. Thus, utilizing narrative inquiry, this study discussed students' English learning experiences through English movies and series. This research aims to show that English movies and English shows help improve English. English series and movies were chosen for investigation because they have been thought to be strong English learning tools, especially since lecture methods make it hard for students to learn successfully. English series and movies are current instructional material that relaxes and teaches. So that they may better understand and follow accents, or how native speakers talk in English television shows and movies. This study employed the narrative inquiry method to learn about a participant's experience learning English from English programmers and movies. Narrative inquiry involves writing about a topic in detail; thus researchers practice writing. There are two research questions :1. How are the student's English learning experiences through English series and movies, 2. How is the improvement of student’s English abilities through English series and movies, Thus the objectives of this paper were to explore the student’s experiences in learning English through English series and movies an to narrate the improvement of student’s English ability through English series and movies. Method In This research was narrative research on student’s English learning experiences through English series and movies. Under the qualitative research paradigm, this study adopted a narrative inquiry research design. This qualitative research method was initially developed by Connelly and Clandinin (1990), and then improved by Clandinin and Huber (2010). The narrative research design IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5417 concentrates its attention on the life story of a particular person. Daud 2021) states that the foundation of narrative inquiry is the idea that people are storytellers who, individually and collectively, live inside the stories they create. Thus, according to Connelly and Clandinin (1990), the study of narrative is research on how humans drive their lives in the world. Therefore, the study of narrative is a study on how humans live their lives. In the context of education, this broad concept is refined into the perspective that education and educational research are the construction and reconstruction of individual and collective narratives. Therefore, teachers, students, and researchers all play essential roles in the narratives they tell and, in the narratives, they study (Daud, 2021). This research used a narrative inquiry method, since the researchers analyzed the learning student’s English learning experiences through English series and movies. Biographical case studies are studies of individuals, in which a researcher acquires the data from the participants and reports them as narratives, possibly for further analysis. In this study, data were collected through an in-depth interview with a single respondent, Ayani. The interview focused on exploring Ayani's English learning experiences through her engagement with English series and movies. An interview guide was used as the primary instrument to ensure a structured yet flexible conversation, allowing Ayani to share detailed insights and reflections. The research subject of this study was a student at Universitas Jayabaya. She was considered to be a high achiever and a high-performance student proven by her achievements and English Proficiency Test score. Interviewing one high achiever respondent in narrative inquiry is in line with the recommendation of Barkhuizen (2013). In 2022, she achieved a 115 score in Duolingo. Furthermore, she was the 1st winner in the English National Debate Competition of Disporseni UT 2021 and the 3rd winner in ITERA English Debate Competition. She was also an awardee of International Credit Transfer (ICT) for one semester in Malaysia Table 1. Participant’s Profile Pseudony m Age Group Total Years of Learning English EPT Score IELTS Conversion CEFR Ayani 20 – 25 10 years 115 (Duolingo) 7 C1 (Advanced) The data analysis technique applied in this study was the qualitative narrative inquiry method. Narrative Inquiry is a research method that draws from the sociological and psychological literature, but has its empirical roots in studies of language teaching and learning that have been published in peer-reviewed journals (Barkhuizen et al., 2013). Narrative inquiry research uses students’ narratives of study experiences as data, and the writing of case study narratives is Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5418 a vital step in the data analysis process (Benson et al., 2013). This method aims to clarify the significance of personal experiences and events. The researchers utilized six processes for analyzing and interpreting qualitative data in their work as suggested by Klassen and Creswell (2012). Results Ayani’s Experiences on Learning English using Movies and Series There was a student named Ayani. Her age was 23. She enjoyed learning English; therefore, she had many experiences. Ayani studied English in primary school after knowing it from kindergarten. A Sorong native, she studied English Literature at Jayabaya University. She was motivated to study English and won a provincial storytelling competition and a debating competition with her pals. Ayani learned English in elementary school. She attended SD Inpres 12 Sorong. Her English favorites included Westlife, Bryan Adam, and MLTR. She had been listening to these songs since elementary school because her family supported studying English and introduced her to it early on. Ayani gained 3 English skills in elementary school, including object recognition. Ayani was hesitant to learn English as a child. To combat her insecurity, she took multiple English classes. She took an English class in 6th grade to prepare for tests. After that, she took a two- semester middle school course. Because she liked learning by herself, she never took classes again. She then used pleasant English-learning methods like songs and movies. She then attended SMPN 1 Sorong, and she was pushed in high school. Ayani studied speaking in junior high, but she was insecure. In junior high, Ayani never competed in an English debate. Her writing, reading, and grammar structure skills were 7–8, but her speaking was 8.5–9. Ayani was genuinely insecure about her speaking ability, despite her participation in a junior high English debate competition. “Actually, I'm not very confident, but I think my speaking ability from 1-10 is 8.5 to 9, but my writing, reading, and grammar structure are 7 to 8.” In 2013, Ayani represented her province in the Student Art Competition, which drew over 30 provinces, while in junior high school. Ayani represented the school at the provincial and district levels in many contests. She headed to Senior High after graduating from Junior High. Because of the English-unfriendly climate in the Senior High School, Ayani rarely went outside. Self-taught and with English-speaking parents and friends, she learned and interacted. Her father encouraged Ayani's English learning. Ayani learned English daily from music, especially by singing. She also watched movies and English shows to acquire English. She enjoyed learning English through movies and series because it was fun to watch movies and listen IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5419 to her favorite songs while learning the language and meaning of the songs. “The main source of English input is music, movies or English series, then from academics.” She won a storytelling competition during her high school period, in addition to English Debates. She placed 17th out of 30 in the storytelling competition. Ayani took a few English classes in high school, but she preferred self-taught learning. English is everything to Ayani. English helped Ayani reach several goals. Time passed and Ayani attended university. English literature was her major at Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. During her time in the university, Ayani participated in a university debate competition. First and third place in the debate tournament went to her and her companion. English was Ayani's interest since she loved it. She participated in English debates to improve her speaking and confidence. Ayani studied English literature in college because she loved it. Most difficult for Ayani was finding a free movie to watch when she first wanted to learn English. The websites she tried were all in paid mode. Then, a friend gave her a free URL to watch. The free website proved difficult because not all movies had subtitles. This hindered her movie comprehension. Ayani competed in English debates before joining the provincial team. For her competitions, Ayani won various trophies. Ayani used the competitions to test her English. Her English talents would also be showcased. Ayani was smart and won multiple provincial English debates including first and third place, qualifying her and her companions for national debates. Ayani was competitive and had some experience learning English on her own. “During college, my team and I won an English debate competition at an open university, and then my partner won 3rd place.” Ayani watched English Series and English movies 1–3 times a week since she valued self-taught learning. She had only studied the English series since college because she previously learnt it from songs and movies. Ayani watched movies 1-3 times a week. She occasionally finished one movie a day. Ayani had not watched English series prior to her college time. She liked English tunes before. She thought viewing English shows and movies would enhance her English faster. "As for series, I've recently been watching The Crown from Netflix, so there are several Netflix series I like and I watch The Crown the most." She liked numerous shows, including The Crown. She watched this Netflix series. Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5420 Her favorite Netflix shows were The Crown and Spencer, although she only watched the Crown. She watched The Conjuring and Insidious because she enjoyed horror flicks, but she also watched other movies. Life, language, and other components of the series or movie were examined. “Watching British accent movies like The Crown and Dispenser from the series inspired me to develop my British Accent. Movies that inspire me are similar to horror flicks and British shows like "Friends". She liked the series and movies since she learned a lot. She studied English and royal history via The Crown series. Additionally, horror movies were her favorite, so she constantly wanted to watch them while learning linguistic styles and daily discussions from the chats. “If I want to understand the movie, I use Indonesian. If I want to study the language, I use English subtitles. And if I just want to enjoy it, I watch the accent. It depends on the situation.” Because of the situation, she watched in some different manners. She usually viewed Indonesian movies to comprehend the material. But to learn English, she watched subtitled movies. She aspired to master native English accent and grammar. She regularly heard fresh slang and words combined to create new meanings. Movies often introduce new language, such as phrases with new meanings. She enhanced her vocabulary and speaking skills by learning English from movies. She examined the conversation and footage. She also learned from the actors’ expressions. “If I still don't understand, I use Google Translate or a dictionary.” When a movie was hard to understand, Ayani rechecked the conversation and understood. If she still could not comprehend the movie, she used a dictionary and Google Translate. Ayani liked English series too. She chose English programmes because she wanted to learn more since they focus on English, unlike K-dramas or animes. It was intentional to watch English series to learn. “My goal with animes and K-dramas is to understand the story, not the language. That's why I watch more English series”. She chose an English series because she wanted to learn English better, so she also watched several movies. It is unlike animes or Korean dramas, which solely attempt to entertain. She usually chooses a series or movie based on its story and genre or background. IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5421 Her reason to watch a movie or series was based on its story. If the story was engaging, she would watch the movie. Otherwise, she wouldn't. She also looked to the movie or series' background plot to find meaning in the stories she watched. Learning English via movies with different accents was remarkable for Ayani. Ayani watched movies with different dialects and was fascinated. Because English had multiple dialects, she learned numerous forms of language. Indonesians frequently adopted the American accent. Many more British accents existed. Ayani had decent English skills, but studying English via English programmers and movies was difficult because she did not know where to watch because there were no free platforms. She could not afford the show. Time passed and Ayani struggled with English-on-English series and movies. She had trouble remembering language because lift and lift, for instance, had different words although having the same meaning. If the movie or show used foreign word, she accessed Google Translate and Dictionary. Ayani studied the movie actors' faces and tones. She also noticed the conversation background. She watched shows and movies every day and learned how to solve problems. Ayani answered the problems by observing the performers' expressions—angry, sad, pleased, etc. For Ayani, comprehending a dialogue background or theme helped her guess its contents. Dictionaries and Google Translate provided Ayani with learning resources. Twitter and other social media sources were also used. Twitter has many movie reviews and dialogues, making it easy to learn cinema jargon and content. Another challenge was understanding political contexts. Ayani occasionally felt uncomfortable viewing movies or shows with political concerns since she could not grasp political terminologies. Additionally, she disliked historical genre movies. Ayani found rhetorical movies equally challenging as political movies. “Political language and discourse are tough to understand; thus, both were difficult to understand. “ Ayani got nervous when she could not comprehend a movie conversation. Lack of vocabulary, language style, and other factors had caused this. “I'm wondering about what this talk is about," she said, feeling troubled by new words in cinematic speech. I also become annoyed if I don't get the movie's point.” She struggled with Scottish, Liverpool, and Glasgow accents. Fortunately, movies rarely showed this, so she could learn English quickly. She was especially intrigued about Liverpool, Glasgow, and Scottish accents. She also said that the Australian accent was hard to comprehend. Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5422 "If there are no subtitles, I will repeat parts of the movie that I don't understand until I understand them". Even though learning English was difficult, Ayani found it easy to learn through English series and movies. She just had to choose the genre to make it more interesting and easier to understand the story. If Ayani was interested in the movie's genre, she would understand its lines quickly. After learning English from songs, Ayani started watching English series in college. This was evident in her language and phrase interpretation. Her speaking and listening have improved. Watching English series and movies improved her speech and listening. Speaking and listening abilities let her understand native speakers' ordinary conversations and phrases with intonation and expression. Ayani then considered which English skills were best learnt through English series and movies. She thought English movies and English shows were ideal for teaching language and listening. She needed them more than music. The song and movie have distinct pronunciations for certain phrases. Ayani's speaking and listening improved. "In my opinion, movies teach speaking and listening best". As she adjusted to watching and listening to English shows, Ayani accidentally adopted their style and grammar. Ayani sometimes spoke British to her pal after watching British movies. She thought it helped her communicate daily: "I get annoyed with friend and Twitter talks. They may speak to themselves in British accents.” [7:25] After watching a movie, Ayani sometimes mispronounced its accent. She instantly practiced the British accent after viewing a British-accented movie. It improved Ayani's pronunciation and speech. Ayani was more motivated to learn English via English series and movies than from traditional methods. She thought English series and movies were current ways to learn English. "The teacher must motivate students so the class is fun." Because traditional techniques bore Ayani, watching English series and movies could motivate her. She did not think those traditional instructions would help her learn English rapidly. By watching English series and movies, she could recognize ordinary conversations like native speakers. Ayani watched many movies and shows, but one caught her eye. She liked "boomer" because it helped her understand the English concept or phrase. "If I'm not mistaken, I forgot in which episode the word "boomer" was in fact the same meaning as "what a shame" is a new phrase for me". IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5423 The day after watching "boomer," her vocabulary and expressions improved. She learned several sentences from English series and movies. She watched The Crown and Spencer to understand English culture and British accents. Her knowledge of the royal family and how to explain it came from The Crown. “Western culture is different from American and British culture; we also know that western culture means "freedom ". English series and English-language movies might assist Ayani grasp English culture. She understood western and Indonesian cultural distinctions. Ayani thought Europeans had regulations but were also free, thus crimes happened since they legalized firearms. Watching English series and movies affected Ayani's view of the language. "Yes, it did. We will also learn that movies can teach us different pronunciations.” Watching English-language series and movies affected her speaking style and approach for learning English. After watching English series and movies, she learned more. She improved her English and learned about other cultures. Watching shows and movies enhanced Ayani's pronunciation and accent as well as her cultural knowledge. Watching English series and movies improved her accent and made it sound native. Because she watched a lot of English series and movies, Ayani could talk slowly like a non-native speaker. Her spelling and pronunciation may improve. Ayani’s listening comprehension improved too. Understanding emotion, topic, and intonation from English series and movies boosted her speaking skills. “Initially, I'm impatient. So, if we're given listening questions and they talk one by one, I don't think there's an excretion.” Thus, Ayani improved her listening skills by watching English series and movies. Because she was used to quick talk in English series and movies, she could not wait for the next conversation after listening to a slow test. Ayani thought English series and movies improved her vocabulary. Ayani's vocabulary grew via watching English series and movies, especially the British-themed ones. British and American terminology showed her the accent distinctions. She spent days learning the accent from English series and movies. It improved her writing, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Ayani said light-genre movies helped her write better since she saw many native-speaker sentences. It improved her writing. Her Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5424 hobbies included diary and short poem writing. To Ayani, viewing English series and movies affected her academic field. Watching shows and movies can improve her skills. "English really helps me in academics because if I'm not interested and don't watch movies and other things, I may not get these opportunities." Ayani entered the English competition because of her fondness for watching English series and movies. English series and movies also affected her personal and professional life: “For professionals, of course because I was a mentor for a month and it really helped me talk to friends and understand what friends say to me”. Watching English series and movies improved Ayani's personal and professional life since it made her more confident in performing daily tasks and meeting new people. Her career also helped her improve her English. Watching shows and movies helped Ayani participate in national debates and tutoring in English for a month. For Ayani, practice was crucial because without it, she could not improve. "My first piece of advice is lots of practice and imitation." Thus, Ayani advised practicing and being confident to learn English. Ayani might improve her knowledge and gain confidence to meet anyone and say hello in English to native speakers by practicing. Discussion Ayani’s English Learning Experiences through English Series and Movies Ayani’s experiences of learning English underscore the transformative impact of integrating authentic and engaging materials, such as English movies and series, into her learning process. As her language proficiency improved, Ayani relied heavily on watching English movies and series to enhance her listening, speaking, and overall comprehension skills. This aligns with theoretical frameworks emphasizing the role of video-based second-language instruction (Aliyev and Albay, 2016). By immersing herself in English-language media, Ayani experienced contextualized language use, which reinforced her understanding of pronunciation, accent, and intonation (Aliyev and Albay, 2016; Ismaili, 2013). The integration of subtitles further supported her writing and speaking abilities, as suggested by Albiladi et al. (2018), enabling her to match spoken words with their written forms and develop a nuanced understanding of vocabulary and grammar. IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5425 These practices demonstrate how movies can serve as effective tools for enhancing English proficiency in all four language domains. Furthermore, the use of English movies in Ayani’s self-taught learning reflects the growing recognition of multimedia resources in language pedagogy. Researchers such as Dikilitas (2009), Kwon (2014), and Li (2015) have highlighted the effectiveness of movies in supporting second-language acquisition, which Ayani exemplified in her approach. She often paused and replayed scenes to better understand difficult accents or unfamiliar expressions, a practice that aligns with Goctu (2017) and Kalra’s (2017) findings on how movies aid listening and speaking development. Additionally, Ayani’s exposure to a variety of contexts in movies allowed her to internalize cultural nuances and conversational norms, fostering her communicative competence. Her active engagement with movie dialogues, coupled with the use of subtitles, supported her vocabulary expansion and understanding of idiomatic expressions, thereby reinforcing both her receptive and productive language skills. Ayani’s case also illustrates the motivational aspect of using English movies as authentic learning materials. The appeal of movies as an enjoyable medium for learning contributed to her sustained interest and effort in improving her English. As Aliyev and Albay (2016) noted, the authentic and immersive nature of movies offers learners opportunities to practice conversational skills in a realistic and engaging context. For Ayani, this meant not only improving her language proficiency but also building her confidence in using English in social and academic settings. Her experience aligns with Ismaili (2013) and Kalra (2017), who emphasized that movies provide a dynamic platform for learners to enhance their pronunciation, accent, and overall communication skills. By integrating English movies into her learning strategy, Ayani exemplified how multimedia resources can bridge the gap between traditional instruction and real-world language application, fostering a well-rounded and practical approach to mastering a second language. The Improvement of Ayani’s English Ability through English Series and Movies. Ayani’s learning journey exemplifies how consistent exposure to English series and movies served as a powerful tool in improving her English abilities across various dimensions. Watching English series and movies repeatedly provided Ayani with an authentic and engaging way to improve her comprehension, helping her transition from a hesitant learner to someone capable of understanding complex exchanges without relying heavily on subtitles. It is supported by Lindsay and Schwind (2016) that watching movies while learning English improves comprehension, vocabulary, reading speed, grammar, and conversational skills. While watching movies is fun, learning through observation is more fascinating and beneficial. Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5426 In addition to enhancing her listening skills, Ayani’s speaking abilities saw remarkable improvement through her consistent engagement with English movies and series. Inspired by the dialogues she heard; Ayani began practicing pronunciation and intonation by mimicking the speech of characters. This immersive approach allowed her to refine her accent, making her spoken English sound more natural and confident. Regularly observing conversational dynamics in movies also provided her with practical insights into how native speakers structure their sentences and convey meaning through tone and expression. As stated by Kalean (2013), using a movie may be easier than using audio. English series and movies create audiovisual content. These observations helped Ayani build fluency and clarity, which became evident in her ability to hold spontaneous conversations in English. As her speaking skills grew, so did her confidence, as she found herself increasingly able to participate in discussions without fear of mispronouncing words or constructing awkward sentences. Ayani’s vocabulary expanded significantly as she encountered a wide array of words, idiomatic expressions, and colloquialisms in the English media she consumed. The diversity of content in movies and series exposed her to both formal and informal registers of the language, enriching her understanding of context-appropriate word usage. Watching subtitled content played a crucial role in this process, as it allowed Ayani to see the written form of spoken words, helping her understand their spelling and pronunciation. It is in line with Adawiyah’s (2023) research, where she states that teaching speaking with movies can help teachers provide in-depth education. This integration of visual and auditory learning not only strengthened her vocabulary but also gave her the confidence to use newly acquired words in conversations and written communication. Over time, Ayani found herself incorporating advanced and nuanced expressions into her speech, elevating her overall language proficiency. Ayani’s writing abilities were another area that experienced substantial growth due to her immersion in English media. Observing well-crafted scripts and dialogues helped her internalize sentence structures and grammar rules, which she applied when writing in English. Subtitles provided her with clear examples of how ideas are conveyed effectively in writing, further reinforcing her grasp of syntax and punctuation. The creative storytelling in movies and series also inspired Ayani to express herself more vividly and authentically in her writing. Lindsay and Schwind (2016) hypothesize that students will enjoy English movies and be encouraged to watch them. By emulating the descriptive and dynamic language she encountered in films, she was able to craft sentences that were not only grammatically correct but also engaging and impactful. This improvement became particularly evident in her ability to write essays, narratives, and personal reflections with greater coherence and depth. Beyond the foundational language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, Ayani’s exposure to English series and movies contributed to her understanding of cultural nuances and non-verbal communication. By observing IDEAS, Vol. 13, No. 2, December 2025 ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548-4192 (Online) 5427 characters’ body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, Ayani gained insights into how emotions and intentions are conveyed subtly in English- speaking contexts. This cultural awareness enhanced her ability to interpret meaning beyond words, enabling her to engage in more meaningful interactions. Furthermore, her exposure to diverse genres and settings in movies broadened her worldview, helping her appreciate the cultural diversity embedded in the English language. This holistic understanding not only improved her communication skills but also enriched her personal growth and intercultural competence. As Nur (2022) and Fikri (2022) find that English movies entertain students and inspire them. They may see their idols or favorite actors. They can imitate characters’ pronunciations by listening, learning, and doing. Another benefit is that they can learn the context of phrases or sentences. Third, the movie's morals can also teach students. English-language movies help students understand spoken English. Ayani’s dedication to learning English through series and movies highlights the effectiveness of integrating authentic materials into language acquisition. Her journey reflects how this approach fosters engagement, enhances language retention, and builds confidence. According to Kalean (2013), movies help students write stories. Movies can boost students' past knowledge, help them understand the material, assist teachers convey it, and motivate them. The progressive improvement in her listening, speaking, writing, and cultural awareness demonstrates the value of consistent practice and exposure to real- world language use. By leveraging English series and movies as both a learning tool and a source of enjoyment, Ayani not only improved her English proficiency but also developed a deeper connection with the language. Her experience underscores the potential for self-directed, media-based learning to empower individuals in achieving their language learning goals. Conclusion Based on research findings, the researchers conclude that: 1. Ayani’s experiences with English series and movies emphasize their role as valuable tools for language learning. Through regular exposure to authentic content, she was able to engage with the language in a natural and enjoyable way, gaining insights into both linguistic and cultural aspects of English 2. Ayani’s English abilities significantly improved through watching movies and series, enhancing her listening, speaking, and vocabulary. Subtitles reinforced her grammar, while emulating characters improved her pronunciation and fluency. Her progress illustrates the power of media to support comprehensive language development. Enggar Bagas Dewantara, Arilia Triyoga Narrating Student’s English Learning Experiences Through English Series and Movies 5428 Acknowledgement Special gratitude shall be extended to my supervisor Arilia Triyoga, M.Pd.B.I for guiding the author in completing this article. References Aliyev, A., & Albay, M. (2016). Bridging the gap between theory and practice: The use of films in language learning. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 2(3), 13. 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