Paying attention to the words: Practical and theoretical problems in watching television programmes with uni-lingual (CEEFAX) sub-titles

In this article, a study is described which aimed at gaining insights into how learners of English may best make use of television programmes with uni-lingual sub-titles intended for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. While these sub-titles do appear to make a wide variety of programmes accessible that would otherwise be impossible or at least very difficult to follow, there are several limitations to their value as a language learning resource. The findings of the study also suggest that a complex model is needed to capture the processes observed in and reported by learners who make use of the extensive comprehensible input available in television programmes. © 1990.