Teaching foreign languages through short video clips



A principle role of institutions is to provide learners with not just a body of knowledge, but the tools to modify and expand that knowledge beyond their formal class room education (1).

Technology empowers teachers and students and can transform the learning experience. For me, having a whiteboard with projector and web access in the classroom is like traveling on a «comprehensive» basis. We open up a site, a web page that we need, and proceed according to our lesson plan. When students ask a question or have a problem, we can click on any word, any information and open up another window. We can read, write, listen and speak using just one tool. Instead of opening textbooks, turning on a tape-recorder or a VCR, writing cards and notes we can do all that using just the electronics. Thus a lesson becomes truly integrated, with all the skills wrapped up into one harmonious whole. „Yet many teachers even at well-equipped modern classrooms never use ICT at their lessons. They still teach in a traditional way «chalk and talk”. Both teachers and students are demotivated»- said one of sophemore students. There might be advantages and drawbacks with or without using technology. Teachers should usually try not to overdo the technology. Our success in the classroom depends on how we use the resources available and, of course, our creativity!

As I had taught at Andizhan state university before I started teaching in traditional groups, it was really hard to adopt that English was not easy to learn. I kept requiring from students a lot of complicated tasks and of course they were frustrated which made me to reorganize my lesson plans. That was not because they were not interested but difference in levels made them lose during the tasks. What I had done first was to divide the group into “A”, “B”s, as the number of the student was more than twelve. The only task was to find available and appropriate resources which I found in British Council websites.

I have been planning my lessons using ICT for several years. If there is not enough material, or if it is obsolete I search the web for a more appropriate text, a news item or a video clip. Quite often, I would work along the familiar and traditional lines: pre-reading, reading, post-reading, listening, writing, discussion. For example, while teaching sophemore students, I was appalled when I saw their basic speciality text on the Remforsed concrete. I myself didn't know elements of building and terms. It took me a month to understand them thanks to electronic variant of their book in computer. Besides I picked up some short video clips about ancient cities which made our classes more interesting in many cases. With the help of BBC videos we were able to cope with all skills: listening, speaking, writing, improving grammar, enriching vocabulary. These videos shouldn't last longer than 10 minutes. I think it's a useful resource to show our students English in real contexts. Besides, my students really loved and had a lot of fun with the clips we saw in classes.

I also enjoy them because they help me to teach cultural aspects of other countries and compare them to our cultural aspects, such as holidays that are not celebrated in Uzbekistan, food, sport, places of interest, weather, etc. In our faculty we are provided with lingophone laboratory which allows us to use computers to each student, but because of net problems we use materials and short video clips prepared beforehand.

Students were really motivated and inspired from the lessons. In addition to hometasks writing a passage to watched video they improvised and recorded their own video. The students of Service direction recorded videos in restaurants, medical centers, chemist's, supermarkets, hotels. Teachers should take into consideration whether students are interested in what they are learning if not then they won't be engaged, and if they're not engaged then they don't learn. So I try to find things that are fun for my students to listen to, and because if it's fun, it s also interesting and will be engaging, so that students will learn and also remember!

Advantages of using video clips:

– Students are exposed to authentic English in a natural context. Not only by exposing them to “real people”, but they view real situations too. Short documentaries, for example, can open up their eyes to different cultures and ways of life;

– You can really focus on the content, without students losing concentration;

– The videos are short enough for you to really focus on vocabulary, so you have the chance to pre — listening relevant vocabulary beforehand and then whilst watching the video, students will be able to listen to the new vocabulary in context;

– Language produced from the video can be exploited further by setting up a debate involving recycling of new vocabulary, and followed up by a piece of writing for homework;

– As the length of the video is normally stated on the websites, you can plan your class with a timescale in mind.

Possible problems:

– Technical problems can arise, either with problems of internet connection, or in the case of video on demand, a high demand at a given time for one particular video can affect the server. If you are not technically acquainted with the equipment you need specialist's help;

– When a longer video is used, attention may sway, especially if we are dealing with a difficult script, and students may end up feeling demotivated as they are struggling to keep up with the language. This is particularly applicable to lower level groups;

– Some videos can be inappropriate, and the content may not be quite what you expect. This leads us onto the point of video selection.

The topic of the video could be which students have requested or something more specific to your students’ needs. Perhaps you are teaching Business classes or English for Special purposes (ESP). Topics which coincide with the course book you may be using in class or something related to the customs and traditions of English speaking countries, for example, festivals might well be motivating.

References:

1. Pre-intermediate- advanced Timesaver Speaking Activities, Peter Maggs, Jon Hird, Scholastic, 1999.
2. Discussions A-Z Intermediate, Cambridge University Press, 1997.