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.”
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