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teachingenglish.org.uk /article/teenagers-video
Teenagers and video
Submitted by Paul Braddock on 17 December, 2012 - 11:00
As online v ideo- sharing sites have developed, a wealth of
short clips on a variety of topics have become availablefor
classroom use. The teacher is no longer limited to school-owned
cassettes or DVDs; rather, the world is at their
fingertips. Learners can also access video from a number of
devices, whether at school, at home or on the go.
Using video offers the learner access to paralinguistic features
of language in a way that audio alone cannot. Adding
visual clues to a listening activity can assist in comprehending
context and meaning, and afford a more realistic
listening experience.
Interviews, news reports, reality shows, video blogs and
trailers are just some of the examples of formats that teens
encounter daily. Using video in the classroom shows learners
that this media can be harnessed for educational
purposes. The videos are available outside the classroom for
learners to view again and practise outside class
time.
In addition, video exposes learners to the world and shows them
new people, places and perspectives. Because
they are constantly being updated, videos can bring current
events into the classroom.
Lastly, video appeals to multiple intelligences and learning
styles. Videos multiple presentation modes (images,
sound, motion) and simultaneous aural and visual stimuli allow
different types of learners greater access.
The video zone section on LearnEnglish Teens has a selection of
video clips specifically for teenagers who are
learning English. Teenagers can watch videos clips and do
exercises to improve their listening, vocabulary and
grammar, as well as learning about what's going on in the
world.
What are some of the considerations that teachers need to weigh
before using video in the classroom?
First, there are the technological requirements. To use internet
video in a regular classroom, teachers need a
computer, projector, speakers and internet access. If learners
are working independently, then a computer lab is
necessary, unless the school has a BYOD (bring your own device)
policy.
Although the internet can provide authentic v ideos, there is
content that is not appropriate for the c lassroom context.
The teacher should review the videos prior to showing them,
according to what the school and local culture would
deem acceptable. There are educational websites, such as the
British Councils LearnEnglishTeens, which have
pre-selected video content which has been chosen by teachers of
teenagers and considered to be appropriate for
13 to 17-year-olds.
In addition to appropriacy, the teacher also has to take into
account the language level. This includes the speed and
clarity of the speaker, the complexity of grammatical
structures, and the level of vocabulary and register. The
videos
on LearnEnglishTeens have been rated according to the levels of
the CEFR, so teachers can gauge whether a
video is suitable for their learners.
Length should also be considered. For language learning, shorter
clips of between 2 and 5 minutes can be useful for
highlighting certain content, vocabulary or grammar. Lastly, the
video should be motivating; teachers may want to
survey their learners to find out what topics would be of
interest.
How should the model of a normal listening lesson be adapted
when using video?
Video offers a number of options that audio alone cannot. First,
teachers can call learners attention to paralinguistic
features such as facial expressions and body language. For
example, in the video Charlie McDonnell: Dyeing my
hair red, learners can try to predict from Charlies face whether
hes worried or excited about dye ing his hair. At the
end, learners can guess from his expression if he likes his new
hair colour. Showing the video with no sound gives
learners a chance to narrate the video themselves, and then
compare their text to the original.
On the other hand, teachers can play the sound with no video and
ask students to describe what they are hearing.
For instance, in the video Britains Got Talent: Steven Hall,
learners can be asked about how many speakers they
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zonehttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zone/britains-got-talent-steven-hallhttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zone/charlie-mcdonnell-dyeing-my-hair-redhttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zonehttp://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/teenagers-video
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hear and who they are, the format of the video and the crowds
response.
What are the most effective pre-viewing activities?
The pre-viewing activities have the most impact on the success
of learners while-viewing comprehension. Providing
key vocabulary and allowing learners to pre-view the
while-listening questions are common activities. Another
effective way to prepare learners is to activate their prior
knowledge. For example, before viewing the video Maggot
Medicine, a teacher may want to ask what the learners know about
maggots, where they usually see maggots, how
maggots make them feel, and whether they think maggots could
have a medicinal purpose.
The pre-viewing activity should take no more than ten minutes.
To allow for maximum participation, teachers can
assign questions to different groups and have them share.
What are the most effective while- viewing activities?
It is d ifficult for learners to watch, listen and write
simultaneously. Therefore, while-viewing activities should be
simple
and not take too much attention from the viewing. For instance,
learners can answer yes/no questions, categorise
lexical items, or count how many times they hear something. A
good example of this is the yes or no task for
Windsor Castle, where learners can be asked to identify which
items they saw in the castle.
Giving the learners several viewings can deepen their
understanding. Having gained some familiarity with the video
content from the first viewing, learners can deal with more
involved tasks on later viewings, such as sequencing
events, saying whether statements are true or false or
completing gap fills.
How can I assist learners with comprehension while v iewing?
One method that can be employed during the video is selective
use of the pause button. The teacher can pause the
video early on to do a quick comprehension check during a
natural break in the dialogue or narrative. Asking some
Wh- questions (Who...? What...? Why...?) can focus the learners
for the remainder of the video and ensure they are
following. Pausing is also an opportunity to ask learners to
make predictions.
For longer videos, the teacher can segment them into manageable
chunks by pausing. This may help prevent
listening fatigue. It is a good idea to plan in advance at what
point to pause the video.
Pausing can be used to help learners notice specific linguistic
features. For instance, a noteworthy example ofpronunciation, such
as the rhythm and elongation in I love my boy at 0:10 in South
African Lion King is Like One of
The Pride.
What are the most effective post-viewing activities?
After viewing an interesting video, learners can express their
opinions. Questions such as whether they liked the
video and whether they have any personal experiences that relate
to it are good discussion starters. Teachers can
also give writing or speaking assignments related to the topic.
LearnEnglishTeens provides follow-up questions after
videos to stimulate class discussions. Learners can scroll down
to the Discussion question under each video to
read comments from students around the world. English learners
aged between 13 and 17 can sign up for a free
account and can write their comments to be published on the s
ite.
How can the transcript be used?
The transcript should be used at the end so that learners dont
become dependent on it. The learners should try to
comprehend as much as possible through viewing and listening
first.
One language-focused option is to give the learners the
transcript to read through and let them ask questions about
anything they are curious about. A listening-focused option is
to replay the video and allow learners to read the
transcript at the same time. If learners had difficulty decoding
particular words or phrases, this will help them match
the actual words used with their spoken form. This is especia
lly useful as the authentic language found in online
videos often features accents or non-standard pronunciations
which learners might not be familiar with.
How can videos be used for self-access study by learners at
home?
On LearnEnglishTeens, printable worksheets for videos are
available. Teachers can set a homework assignment to
watch a video and hand in the exercises. Another option is to
ask learners to select a video from the site and report
back to the class. For advanced learners, the teacher may ask
the class to come up with their own while- or post-
viewing activity.
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zone/south-african-lion-king-one-pridehttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zone/windsor-castlehttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zone/maggot-medicine
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Videos provide a valuable, up- to-date resource that can be
exploited in the classroom and also used by learners
to practise their English outside the c lass.
By Elana Boteach Salomon and Jonathan Rickard
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