Authenticity and Motivation: Using DVD and Video in Class

Rob Dean, Pearson Teacher Trainer / Academic Consultant

Just for watching? - At home, yes, but class time being a precious commodity means that time spent viewing video and DVD needs to be carefully focussed quality time! This article presents some ideas with this principle in mind.

Why Video / DVD?

It’s Authentic. It brings in the outside world. It adds an extra dimension to listening. It allows your classroom to visit any place in the world (and beyond!)

It’s Motivating. Students like it. It appeals to visual learners. It can present opportunities for multi- layered learning – developing learners’ knowledge of the world as well as their language.

It’s Accessible. Coursebooks often come with a DVD nowadays, some with graded content and some authentic. Authentic DVDs are plentiful and cheap in the shops, and have the advantage of switchable language and subtitles. Video material can be downloaded from the internet. Of course, one must be aware of copyright restrictions when using commercial DVDs in schools.

What can you use in class?

·  News / weather reports
·  Documentaries
·  Adverts
·  Music Videos
·  Chat shows / ·  Comedy Sketches / sitcoms
·  Feature films (contemporary and classic)
·  Nature programmes
·  YouTube / Podcasts
·  Students’ own video….

… in short, almost anything!

What Can You Do With It?

Receptive Work

(Exploring the language in the video.)

a)  Accuracy Work – Analysing Language

Just as with audio cassettes or CDs, DVD / video can provide a rich source of language – grammar, functions, vocabulary and pronunciation that can be analysed in context before going on to controlled and freer practice. Authentic DVD can also be an excellent source of real colloquial language that can be exploited in the same way. The study of colloquial language is often very motivating for learners, and the visual element of video / DVD can make it very memorable.

b)  Fluency work - For gaining information and / or as a model for a task

This use of DVD / video reflects what we do outside the classroom in real life. In class, this typically involves the use of general and detailed listening tasks – again, as used with audio CDs and cassettes. Using video as a model for a task can be an extension of this whereby the learners use the DVD material as template for a communicative task that they go on to create themselves – eg a news report, or cookery programme.

Productive Work

Using the material as a stimulus for learners to produce language of their own.

This is perhaps the area with the greatest potential, as it is not always necessary for learners to understand all the dialogue; the focus here can be more on reacting to the visual aspect of the material.

a)  Accuracy work

This involves the learners using the material as a means of practising specific aspects of language – for instance describing the action using present tenses or guessing what will happen next using future tense structures. Material with plenty of action is very effective for this kind of work – for instance clips of action films, Mr Bean, etc.

b)  Fluency work

This involves learners using whatever language they have at their disposal to react to the material in some way – as we do in real life. This could involve viewing and then discussing opinions on the material, or describing the action in a ‘split screen’ viewing activity (where in pairs one student sits with their back to the screen and their partner describes what is happening on-screen.)

Points to Bear in Mind When Using Video / DVD in Class

-  Think about what you want your learners to achieve linguistically – provide a focus. Which of the four categories above do your activities fit into? Learners can watch video / DVD at home in their own time for pleasure and ‘general’ language development.

-  Gear the tasks to suit the level of the students. Don’t be afraid to use material containing language that is too advanced for their level - as long as the task is achievable through reference to the visual element.

-  Less is more! In the same way as we rarely use audio material that is more than a few minutes long, so the same should apply to video / DVD. This is especially the case if we are using the material for receptive (language analysis) purposes – more than a few minutes and learners will lose concentration.

Potential Problems

Lack of integration

Think carefully about how the material fits into your syllabus in terms of topic or language point. Pearson coursebook DVDs come with suggestions as to the optimum time to insert their use into the syllabus.

Low Pay-Back

Some learners may complain that firstly, watching video is a ‘soft option’ for a lesson, in which they learn little, and secondly, it is easy for the teacher to use lots of fun activities with video that do not take the learners forward in their language development. Always ensure that you have a clear aim in mind when using such material - and tell the learners why you are doing what you’re doing. They have a right to know!

Preparation time

This aspect of exploiting video often puts teachers off using it. This is why DVDs accompanying many courses come with ready-made lesson plan material. Many teachers have used the structure of these as a template to go on and create their own lesson material to accompany other non-coursebook video.

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Robert Dean was born and brought up in the North of England, and has over 16 years teaching experience. He has taught a wide variety of ages and levels during his time as a teacher, Director of Studies, and CELTA trainer. He has lived and worked in Malaysia, Spain, Slovenia and Poland – where he continues to be based. Over the last four years, Rob has worked exclusively for Pearson Longman as an international teacher trainer and academic consultant, and travels widely delivering talks, workshops and seminars to teachers all over the world.