ALI SALEEM LABABNEH. P53528. SKBI6133 COMPUTER APPLICATION IN ESOL. USING MOVIES IN LANGUAGE TEACHING. INTRODUCTION Students learn in various ways—by seeing and hearing; reflecting and acting; reasoning logically and intuitively. In other words students use different devices in learning; some of them are visual learners and other are auditory learners or tactile. Teaching methods, therefore, may diversify. Teachers have to use different teaching methods in order to teach all students effectively. Variety of teaching strategies, knowledge of student levels, and a realization of which strategies are appropriate for particular students can assist teachers to know which teaching methods will be most efficacious for their class. Using films is an effective method that allows students to immerse themselves in learning foreign language. Movies' principles and features will be also taken into account. In addition, this method is trying to explain both the main language skills that may be developed by watching movies, and the appropriate strategies that are employed in using movies as an educational material whether inside or outside classroom. Therefore, some of learning theories will be presented to show the powerful of using movies in teaching. Using movies as a teaching language is important for learners to know the significance of applying movies in teaching language as well as the target culture. Movies are surely modern-day storytelling instruments. They have the power to reach massive audiences, this is why they should, and do, matter so much to society. Whether they are stories of afar or just everyday existence, good movies are a means for people, particularly adults, to understand and relate to the world in constructive ways. Researches find that youth spend an average of 6.5 hours each day with media (Rideout, Roberts & Foehr, 2005 cited in Nyland, R 2007). Therefore, it is important for adults to understand how youth process the messages being conveyed by the media. Moreover, the research has demonstrated that the media plays an important role in the socialization of youth. Socialization refers to learning one’s culture and how to live within it. Social cognitive theory of mass communication addresses concerns about the effects of increased viewership on human behavior. Media content consumed by children is likely to shape their perceptions of the real world and the people operating within it (Bandura, 2002). Actually, watching a film in class is always a pleasurable activity for learners because it provides students with natural and authentic English, and makes learning around such material worthy and meaningful. Movies in English as well serve as a provenance of activities, such as vocabulary-building tasks, classroom discussion, writing and listening comprehension. Films can be , further, used in classrooms to lower the anxiety and enhance the motivation of EFL students by providing learners with much valuable information, for example, getting to know different cultures and learning about different perceptions toward some phenomena. LITERATURE REVIEW In order to investigate the importance of movie materials for language teaching and to study the effectiveness of audiovisual input in language teaching activities, some of the existing research needs to be reviewed. This review will elucidate the emergence and history of foreign movies in the SL classroom, as well as the advantages of using videos and movies (films, segments) as a teaching medium for second languages. Canning-Wilson (2000) indicates that the students prefer learning language through the use of videos. One of the results of her study reveals that learners prefer action/entertainment films to language films or documentaries in the classroom. She claims although these films may seem to hold student interest, she believes that it could be inferred that student comprehension of the video may be due to the visual clues instead of the auditory components. Canning (2001 cited in Dinçay 2004) discusses the practical implications of using video in the classroom as follows: Video is a visual stimulus which leads to predictions in which help students to predict information and analyze the world brought into classroom via the use of video. Video also gives a chance to activate background schemata. Video allow the learner to see rhythm in second language discourse through the use of authentic language and speed of speech and also allow contextual clues to be offered. Video can help in teaching and testing situations in enhancing clarity to an auditory text through creating a link between the material and practical application, and video can help in manipulating language and opining a variety of interpretations as well. Kusumarasdyati (2006) claims that more than one benefit through watching movies as a teaching language. The first benefit is motivation. While learners are absorbed to the films, they can learn language components such as grammar, pronunciation, vocabularies. “Second, the movies assist the learners’ comprehension by enabling them to listen to exchanges and see such visual supports as facial expressions and gestures simultaneously” (Sheerin, 1982; Allan, 1985). NiuQiang (2007) assures that there are three important conditions for successful teaching with movies. First, typical movies those are educational, informative and entertaining. Second, must have a functional workbook to be a manual for student while preparing to watch. Third, movies must be accompanied with various classroom activities. Arthur (1999 quoted in LI Ling, 2009) claims that Video can help students by giving them a realistic models, increase awareness of other cultures, strengthen audio/visual linguistic perceptions, widen the classroom repertoire and range of activities, utilize the latest technology, teach direct observation of the paralinguistic features found in association with the target language, help when training students in ESP related scenarios and language, offer a visual reinforcement of the target language and lower anxiety when practicing the skill of listening. Films in SL classroom started to acquire pedagogic importance in the 1960 when more researchers came to agree that videotexts could give students the opportunity to experience contact with contextualized language and the culture of the target country, thus facilitating language acquisition (Lonergan, 1984, cited in Fassbender 2009). Dinçay (2004) emphasizes, in his study that technology in language teaching and learning'', to the importance of using the new technology in teaching instead of using blackboard only. Through using films, students will be entertained in learning the language. The results of his study videos’ can be used as a tool for developing students' listening comprehension and enhancing their intercultural competence as well as presenting new language material or consolidating what has already been presented through the activities. LI Ling (2009) also in his study notes that students' motivation can be enhanced through using films, such as familiarizing learners with target culture, and making classes more interesting. Interactive language learning using films offers learners interesting comprehensible input and allows them to get actively involved in lessons at their desired pace. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that colleges and practitioners encourage the use of instructional video in the classroom as it offers an exciting and innovative way for EFL learners to learn English. VilmaTafani (2009) points out that “Watching films is very important as it increases their visual and critical awareness. Watching films in the classroom can be realized through recording them.” She also claim that is great to find English films with English subtitles. This way make understanding the language easier as seeing the expression written is easier than listening to authentic language. Jane Sherman, 2003 said “The eye is more powerful than the ear”. IMPLICATIONS Learning English by watching movies is similar with learning process, since either learning process or learning by movies are promoting learners' skills. First learners will get many correct English sentences into their head. Then they can imitate them and they can make their own sentences. Moreover, is not that why learners are learning English — to be able to make their own sentences? That is why watching movies (just like reading books) are such a great way to learn English. Woldkowsik (1987) believed that motivation was influenced by attitudes, needs, stimulation; individual feelings, competence and reinforcement (Davis, 1993 quoted Goldenber, 2008).Teachers are responsible for motivating, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, students using these various tools. Movies have both audio and visual components that may lead to motivation. Watching movies is surely stimulating, just as a discussion during the debriefing can be. Students' individual feelings, which form the classroom environment, will be improved when they are told they are to watch a movie. The most attractive reason for using film in classroom is because of the motivation. Learners with interests and motivation are ready and prepare to learn easily without any problems. Learners are given chances to enjoy English class with watching movies inside the classroom; it is much easier for them to learn and for teachers to teach. To make them enjoy the class and gain a lot of things through movies, the visual material film, is an excellent teaching resource. Moreover, watching movies help teacher make teaching and learning visual that easy for visual learners. A picture in the movie tells a thousand words and it also helps students to improve their thinking. The benefits of studying through educational English movies are particularly significant in language classes. Learners can gain a lot of new styles and approaches through movies. They have paid attention while using a film in the classroom to help their English to the accent, gestures, voice, body language, choosing of the words, training ear and the eye, lifestyle, plot idea, summary, what’s going on, why and how, and many other things depending on the aim they have put to themselves. The general aim has always been to maximize comprehension and learn more English. Watching English educational movies is one type of interesting lectures. Learners learn a lot from movies, they watched different educational types of movies. Each movie has several of ideas, styles, ways and information which make learners more socially. Learning through movies can enhance the learners to learn how learners deal with different kinds of people and learn different kinds of culture that lead the learner to be more socially. By watching movie, we can know and benefit a lot of things about culture, habit or language in the world. Movie has influence on audiences’ life, because it is universal form for communication. Watching English educational movies helps adult learners to become more aware and recognize of the different cultures and beliefs. They also become aware to communicate and interact with other cultures and peoples. Learners are able to understand the educational material indirectly through the analysis and understanding of the purpose of the film. Moreover, speaking as well is very important skill in watching movies as teaching and learning material. Pronunciation plays an important role in movies, through pronunciation, learners can learn how to pronounce the words correctly, so they can listen to movies carefully then they try to imitate the pronunciation of the words directly. So for, they can practice the speaking skill and apply it in their life. In addition, vocabularies also are very important in watching movies. English movies can improve the learners’ domination of English vocabularies, in the movies pictures can be used to give details the meaning of vocabulary item. Yuksel. D. and Tanriverdi. B, (2009) focus on their study that “the development of some specific vocabulary items after watching a target language movie clip with or without captions Further research can be conducted to examine the effects of watching target language movie clips with or without captions on other aspects of language, especially on listening skills”. Learners collect the vocabularies and improve it in own their minds to obtain a lot of vocabularies and expressions through movies. These vocabularies enhance learners to express their opinions in some situations. Furthermore, watching English movies will give learners more opportunities to speak English correctly because the following reasons: Learners learn what words they use. When speaking, native speakers use words and phrases that you often will not find in a book. Learners learn how English native speakers say these words. Movies let them improve their pronunciation, not only grammar and vocabulary. If they listen to Americans or Britons speaking English, you can learn to speak like them. Learner will be able to understand spoken language. Movies are made for native speakers, not for learners of English. So the actors talk fast, just like native speakers talk in real life. CONCLUSION Movies enable learners to translate words into image, since some researchers claim that learner who is able to visualize as they are able to comprehend what they read. Watching movies improves retention of information and easy to retrieve them. With practice, students can learn to use movies to their advantage as an independent strategy in listening, speaking, and writing. When learners learn to pay attention to those scenes of the movie they create while watching, the text becomes more alive and interesting. Using movies also help to stimulate imagination, develop an atmosphere to enhance motivation and creativity and experience the value of a learning language process. In addition, using movies as learning material promotes some learning styles and strategy which are used by learners to enhance their perception of language components. Although visual learners seem to be most comfortable with movies as learning material (because the vast majority of knowledge75% is learned by seeing), other learners such as kinesthetic and auditory may be interested in many kinds of movies that suit their interests (Laired, 1985, cited in, Lee Dunn, 2002). Movies support students with socioaffective strategies and enable them to refresh their consciousness about other cultures especially when students of different cultures tend to watch the movie together. In fact, listening and speaking are the most fortunate skills improved through movies. When students carefully listen to the native-speaking actors, students will obtain the exact pronunciation and correct use of vocabulary in varying circumstances. Then students will train themselves on pronunciation even they are silent while watching a movie, as NiuQiang (2007) proposes “Movies make the learner's articulatory organs work even when the learner is merely watching the movies silently. This is proved by their silent (covert) imitation of the speakers’ pronunciation and utterances without uttering a sound. This is the most effective way for improving their pronunciation and intonation.” REFERENCES Dunn. L. 2002. Learning and Teaching Briefing Papers Series. Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development OCSLD. Christine Canning-Wilson, 2000. 'Practical Aspects of Using Video in the Foreign Language Classroom'. The Center of Excellence for Research and Training, Higher Colleges of Technology (Abu Dhabi). KÖKSAL, D. 2004. To Kill The Blackboard? Technology in Language Teaching and Learning. Journal of Educational Technology. 3 (3). Kusumarasdyati. 2006. Subtitled Movie DVDs in Foreign Language Classes. Conference Paper. Nyland, R, Marvez, R and Beck, J, 2007. Myspace: Social Networking or Social Isolation? Paper Presented at the AEJMC Midwinter Convference. Qiang, N. 2007. China EFL: Teaching With Movies. Cambridge Journals Online. 23 (2) Teresa,B and Goldenber, M (2008). 'Teaching With Movies: Recreation, Sports, Tourism, and Physical Education'.USA. LI Ling. 2009. On the use of films in EFL classroom. US-China Foreign Language. 7 (12). Tafani, V.2009. Teaching English Through Mass Media. Acta Didactica Napocensia. 2 (1). Yuksel. D. and Tanriverdi. B, 2009. Effects of watching captioned movie clip on vocabulary development of EFL learners. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology. 8 (2). Teaching with Movies: A Guide for Parents and Educators. A Partnership of Heartland Truly Moving Pictures and the National Collaboration for Youth.