| Have you ever wondered how to use movies in | | | | can also do this with short video sequences in a |
| your ESL classes, without just sitting your | | | | number of ways: |
| students down in front of the screen, hitting 'Play' | | | | Half the class watches with no picture, then the |
| and sitting back to watch? | | | | other half with no sound (you'll have to take half |
| Here are a few ideas to get you started, using | | | | the students out of the class in each case). In |
| very short movie extracts to present and | | | | pairs they then question each other to recreate |
| practise new language and develop communicative | | | | the scene. |
| skills. | | | | Half the class have picture and sound, the other |
| 1 No picture | | | | half just have sound. You can do this by sitting |
| Choose a short extract (2 or 3 minutes) with | | | | students in two rows, back to back, so that only |
| plenty of sound effects. Play it with the screen | | | | one row can see the screen. The half who only |
| covered or turned away from the students, and | | | | had sound then question the other half. |
| ask them to write down what they hear. If two | | | | One student listens with headphones, while all the |
| of the sound effects are birds singing and a baby | | | | others view without sound. The student with |
| crying, you could use the extract to present or | | | | headphones questions the others to recreate the |
| practice any of these language points (and I'm | | | | scene. |
| sure you can think of more): | | | | 4 Viewing on rewind |
| Some birds are singing / A baby is crying | | | | Choose a short sequence with a lot of action. For |
| Some birds were singing / A baby was crying | | | | example, a woman enters an apartment, picks up |
| It must / might / can't be birds singing or It must | | | | the telephone, listens, looks terrified, runs out of |
| / might / can't have been birds singing | | | | her apartment and down the stairs, and runs off |
| I heard some birds singing / I heard a baby crying | | | | down the street. Movies are, of course, a great |
| After playing the extract, have students compare | | | | source for this sort of material. Play the scene |
| what they heard in pairs, and then elicit the | | | | backwards to the students (DVD gives more |
| language from them. Remember to show the | | | | flexibility than video with the speed of playback) |
| extract with both picture and sound at the end of | | | | then have them reconstruct the story in |
| the activity to satisfy the students' curiosity! | | | | chronological order, using narrative tenses, or |
| 2 No sound | | | | future tenses, or whatever you want the linguistic |
| Here's the opposite idea. Show a short extract | | | | focus to be. Finally, play the sequence normally so |
| (again, 2 or 3 minutes is enough) with a lot going | | | | students can compare it with their version. |
| on, or where the characters convey a lot of | | | | 5 Pause / Freeze Frame |
| emotion in their expressions, but play it with the | | | | If you use pictures in your classroom for |
| volume off. Students can then do one of the | | | | introducing new vocabulary, or for describing |
| activities below without having to worry about | | | | people and scenes, you can add a new dimension |
| understanding dialogue: | | | | to this with the pause/freeze frame button of |
| Describe what happened using narrative tenses | | | | your video or DVD player. Hit pause when a |
| Describe the scene | | | | character has an interesting expression on his or |
| Anticipate dialogue or reactions | | | | her face, is about to react to something or |
| Arrange a cut up dialogue which you have given | | | | answer a question, or when there is a lot of |
| them. | | | | colourful new vocabulary on the screen. Have |
| Finally, play the extract again with sound. Having | | | | students describe the character/scene, or |
| done one of these tasks, your students will be | | | | anticipate what the character will say or do next. |
| able to fit what they hear into a context much | | | | Release the pause button to allow students to |
| more effectively than if they had viewed the | | | | compare their ideas with what actually happens. |
| extract initially with picture and sound. | | | | Video is a motivating and effective way to bring |
| 3 Jigsaw viewing | | | | variety to your ESL classes. Using short, sharp |
| You may have done jigsaw reading activities in | | | | sequences with a clear linguistic focus, your |
| your class, where students have half the | | | | students will go away from your class with much |
| information, and share what they have read with | | | | more than if you sit them down in front of the |
| another student to recreate the whole story. You | | | | screen and hit 'play'. |