Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Present Perfect Cartoon Videos

Watch the present perfect cartoon clips here.

These six short cartoon video clips contain easy to identify examples of the present perfect tense.  All six come from The New Yorker and are satirical in nature.  Consequently, for students, understanding the real meaning, or for teachers, explaining the meaning, may take more effort than recognizing the actual words spoken.  Cultural context plays a significant role in fully appreciating the meaning of these statements.  So, for lower level (pre-intermediate) EFL students, being able to hear and repeat the statements may be a suitable level of expectation.  For higher level  EFL students (Upper- intermediate, plus) however, these cartoons could act as opportunities for delving into the deeper levels of the present perfect tense, or could even be used as discussion catalysts for issues such as the role that tv has in shaping society's views, views on alcohol consumption, religious concepts and differences between religions, and so on.


Watch the present perfect cartoon clips here.


Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Resume and Application Cover Letter Writing

The Canadian government has prepared a toolkit for anyone interested in improving their resume and application cover letter writing skills It seems to be primarily aimed at native speakers and writers of English, yet there are some very obvious but important points to note for anyone of pre-intermediate writing level or above who is interested in writing a reasonable application. Some key language issues are raised, a list of common verbs are presented, structure and organization are referred to, and so on.  Teachers teaching application letter or resume writing may find some , if not all, of this a useful platform for development.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Indian International Schools and The English Language

In an article about Indian international schools, The Guardian newspaper explores the decision of many East Asain parents to send their kids to India to learn English.  The big question is why Korean and other East Asian parents send their children to India and not to countries where English is the majority language such as the UK, the US, Canada or Australia.  Apparently, 'teachers, students and administrators list three main reasons: Indian schools are cheaper than, say, in UK or Australia; many schools in English-speaking countries don't offer ESL; and even though India can be a difficult place to live in, it is seen as an emerging economic powerhouse. Yet almost all students also see India as just a stepping stone for higher education and jobs in English-speaking countries, especially in the US'.  Opportunities for speaking English outside of the classroom and indeed outside of the school are also reasons cited.  The general lack of English conversations in countries such as Korea and Japan is certainly a hindrance to anyone wishing to practice the English language skills outside of the classroom. Although not everyone in India is a native speaker of the English language, far more opportunities exist for its use, partly because English is a medium of communication between native speakers of different languages within India, and partly because of historical factors.  As Peri Bhaskararao summarizes in an article entitled English in Contemporary India, 'English language in its different variegations continues to thrive in India.  It is a major medium of communication in technical and scientific education, governance, personal interaction among the educated, public information, broadcasting, news media etc. Education in the medium of English language is still valued. It is the main language used in the field of computing and internet-related enterprise. It is an essential tool of interaction between a foreigner and an Indian. India has been hospitable to English and each benefits from the other.'  So, is it surprising that East Asian parents who wish a bright future for their children are sending them to India to be educated?

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Wanted - English Language Students in Asia

Are you an English language student?  Do you live in Asia and want to improve your written English?  Get feedback and corrections from an experienced, qualified English language lecturer.  Get your articles posted to our new website with your name as writer/contributor.  Write short articles in English about your hometown, the things to see there, things to do, places to stay, food, restaurants, festivals, arts, culture, sports...  Write to info@tubedubedu.com for details of your first writing assignment or leave a comment here.  We are looking for interesting articles, while you should be looking for opportunities to improve your English writing.
Teachers, if you think your students would be interested, please let them know about this opportunity to get comments on their writing from another source and their work posted on an English language site.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Little Red Riding Hood


To view the video, click here.



This 2-minute long, animated version of the classic folk story is delivered via the British Council website. It tells the story of the girl who goes to visit her grandmother in her house in the woods and the danger she faces when she encounters the wolf. The story is told mostly using the past simple tense, except for the few snippets of direct speech during the girl's conversation with the wolf.  This shows an interesting contrast between the story told in the past and the spoken language of the present. For lower level students at beginner level, the focus on past simple forms would be sufficient, but for more advanced students at pre-intermediate level, direct speech could be the focus.  

For more advanced learners, and even teachers, the features of the fairy story genre could be investigated.  For example, language patterns and repetition of those patterns are common features of fairy / folk tales which stem from the spoken medium in which they originated. In this story Red Riding Hood repeats the phrase "What big eyes/ears/teeth you have." The wolf replies with the pattern "All the better to see/hear/eat you with."  Such patterns and repetition enabled memorization by listeners in a time when recording devices did not exist so that the story could be retold successfully to future audiences .   Other features of the genre include opposing pairs of adjectives as main themes of the story, for example, good vs evil, ugly vs beautiful, rich vs poor, etc.  

To view the video, click here.


Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Advice About TEFL Courses

If you are thinking about whether or not to become qualifed as an EFL teacher, you might benefit from reading this TEFL careers advice or advice from the British government

As both articles suggest, the range of courses on offer can be bewildering.  However, in my opinion one major deciding factor for choosing a course should be how much extra value the course will add to your employability as a teacher.  Investing in your future is always a good thing, but like all investments some are far better than others.  Along with a willing-to-learn attitude, teaching practice or experience are probably the two most important attributes that employers look for when hiring new teachers.  If the course you are considering does not involve any real, practical, hands-on teaching with relevant and worthwhile feedback, you will not be as compettitive in the recruitment process as the other applicants who do have that.


On-line, distance learning can be a good thing, but it very much depends on the type and purpose of  learning.  If your goal in taking a TEFL course, such as the CELTA, is to show that you are a competent teacher, the course needs to have a practical teaching element.  


Monday, September 17, 2012

The Tale of Mr Morton - Sentence Structure / Past Simple

Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk-XA5pKkGE

This is a simple animated song about a man (Mr Morton) told using the past simple tense.  It is generally a simple story in which numerous verbs are repeated, making it suitable for beginner level EFL students.  Verb repetition provides students with the opportunity of listing these examples in the past simple tense, perhaps with the goal of later determining which base verbs they belong to.

This short video would add a nice change of pace to a grammar-based lesson.  Although there are references in the song to one or two grammar terms, these should not be a hindrance to the main focus of the story and could in fact be useful to those who are actually interested in grammar.

Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk-XA5pKkGE

Click here for more on the past simple. 

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Movie Clips, Language Worksheets, and More

View the website at: http://moviesegmentstoassessgrammargoals.blogspot.hk/

This website contains numerous movie clips selected for their use of specific grammar points.  There are also brief introductions to the movie clips, introductions to the target grammar, questions about the clip for students to answer, as well as answers to those.  The list of movies and language points are at the bottom of the page, not the most obvious place.  Each clip is labelled as appropriate for particular language learners.  It is worth noting that teachers would need more presentation of the language than that offered on this website. 

In lessons, the movie clips could either be used as starting points from which to pull out particular phrases, or used as a resource for students to listen for particular target language.  As starting points teachers could ask simple questions similar to these: "What did X say in reply to Y?" or "What did X say to Y at the front door?"  By isolating and focusing, students know what to listen for.  Their replies could be recorded visually on the whiteboard so that the language presentation/elicitation can develop from there.  The worksheets on the site could be used after students have some understanding of the target language.

There is no guarantee of accuracy even when a team of writers and editors collaborate, so I advise teachers to check for themselves before using the resources.  Having said that the features I reviewed looked fine.
  
View the website at: http://moviesegmentstoassessgrammargoals.blogspot.hk/

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Third Conditional (with Benjamin Button)

View the clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyrMhKsHHd0

This clip is taken from the film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  It has Brad Pitt narrating the build-up to the traffic accident that Kate Blanchet's character suffers.  During the narration the series of events that finally lead to the accident are described using past continuous and most notably past perfect tenses.  At the point where any alternative actions in the series are suggested which would have avoided the accident, the third conditional is used.  The key word of any standard conditional being "if". In the third conditional it looks like this: (If something had (not) happened) (this alternative would (not) have happenend).  The "if" is quite clearly stated in the clip but there are distractions which may make the whole conditional structure less obvious.

It is an interesting clip to consider in any lesson that deals with past tenses or the third conditional.  This clip does not have subtitles but is less than 4 minutes long.  Despite this and because of the complexity of language, upper intermediate EFL students may benefit from it more than students at intermediate level or below.

Relevant classroom activities could involve students being given a starting and finishing point in a series with or without any linking actions.  They could then be asked to create a similar narration to that which appears in the clip.  Check for logic and sentence structure.

Click here to buy the DVD The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett


Click here to buy the Blu-ray version of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

View the clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyrMhKsHHd0

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Doo-be-doo-be-doo..Scooby Dooby Doo..Tu be du be du



Phrases, words, or even sounds can mean different things to different people.  Semantic differences are often due to the context in which the phrases, words or sounds are heard and this often determines our reactions to such messages.   For example, if someone coughs loudly in a hospital it might be easy to assume he or she is sick and we might feel sorry for that person.  On the other hand, if someone coughs loudly in a theatre during a play, we might think them inconsiderate and  have no sympathy for them. 


Differences in age, culture and even gender can also have an impact on how people make sense of the world.  These differences can influence whether someone associates a particular sound to one type of experience or another.  For example the sound, or text, "doo-be-doo-be-doo" is said by some to be made by people who are bored or feel the need to fill a silence.  Others may be reminded of the name of the animated character Scooby Doo because of the rhyming qualities of the introductory song for the series and Scooby's 'battle cry', "Scooby Dooby Doo (Where Are You?)".  Others may remember the sounds "doo-be-doo-be-doo" as part of the hummed section at the end of the classic Sinatra song 'Strangers In The Night'

Interestingly enough, the head of children's programming at CBS,  Fred Silverman, actually did come up with Scooby Doo's name from the syllables "doo-be-doo-be-doo" in Frank Sinatra's hit song "Strangers In The Night"

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scooby-Doo_(character)]

Here at www.tubedubedu.com we associate "doo-be-doo-be-doo" with "tu-be-du-be-du" = tubedubedu = Tube Dub Edu(cation).





Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Big Bang Theory - second conditional sentences.


Watch the clip at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJF9Gb3dGbc&feature=related


This video shows snippets from the comedy series 'The Big Bang Theory' which focus on use of second conditional sentences.  Although the second conditional is often taught to intermediate level EFL students, these clips in general demand a higher level of English as well as knowledge and undersatnding of US culture to be fully understood.  Having said that, students familiar with the culture could find these snippets quite funny.  Although the conditional sentences are subtitled, the language that surrounds them could be problematic to intermediate or lower level students.

If students are simply required to analyse the structure of the highlighted sentences this could easily be achieved by  intermediate level students, partly because of the subtitles.  The video could even be paused at appropriate spots in order to let the weaker students think about them for longer.  If this is the intended course of action, students should be exposed to the sentence structure and given sentence examples before watching the video.

This is an opportunity to listen to the language in context, to analyze sentence structure and perhaps, for stronger students, to discuss that context a little further.  
Watch the clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJF9Gb3dGbc&feature=related



Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

My Big Fat Greek Wedding: she don’t wanna get married!

Watch the clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnm9KYyc0B8&NR=1&feature=endscreen

This clip is from the movie 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'.  In it, the Greek extended family is discussing the future of the unmarried daughter of one of the main characters.  Although the young woman is a Greek American, the family suggests sending her to Greece, their homeland, to find a husband.  They are concerned about her increasing age and lack of eligibility for marriage.  The daughter has shown no interest in going to Greece or even looking for a husband.  The family is so shocked by the realization that she might not want to get married that they cross themselves, as if hoping the religious gesture will protect them from such a perverse idea.   

The student language levels required for this clip are not as demanding as the concepts behind the humour and the cultural values.  The scaffolding required to understand these concepts through the medium of English and the ability to later discuss the clip does demand that learners have at least intermediate levels of English.
A lead-in activity could be a discussion about attitudes to marriage, or perhaps more relevant to the clip a comparison in attitude between first generation immigrants and their children who are born into a different culture, as is the case for the daughter in this movie.

Click here to buy the DVD My Big Fat Greek Wedding. 

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Bored or Boring?



What does this billboard say about you?  Is it positive or negative?  The words bored and boring are both used as adjectives, but which would you prefer to be described as?  Are you bored or are you boring? 

Take a look at this link and then decide for yourself:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/askaboutenglish/2010/04/100601_aae_bored.shtml

Most people wouldn't want to be described as boring as this is a reflection of how other people see them.  I expect most would prefer to be referred to as interesting, rather than boring.  If you are bored it may be because of something like a boring lesson, a boring movie, a boring location, etc.


Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Coronation Street- post attack melt-down

This clip is taken from a long-standing British tv soap: Coronation Street.  A cast of stereotypical everyday characters live in the street living so-called normal lives.  Of course, to keep the story flowing there is something happening all the time.  This clip shopws the aftermath of an incident where one of the girls has lost money to a culprit who is now on the run.  It gives an opportunity for intermediate and above EFL students to listen to colloquial English terms such as 'scumbag', 'bottle something up' and 'psychobabble' spoken in regional British English accents.  There are also British cultural references to the constant supply of  tea and one of its reported benefits. For students of intercultural communication the relationships and attitudes expressed between the family members might also be interesting.

Click here to buy DVDs of Coronation Street.


Watch this clip at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ3gJRthl9M&feature=BFa&list=PLD8F3F0F5381EE487&lf=results_main 

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Meet The Family


This is a 5 minute clip from the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  In the clip the new non-Greek boyfriend is introduced for the first time to the whole (collectivist / polychronic) family of his Greek American girlfriend.  In particular at the end of the clip he meets one of the Greek aunts for the first time who, after spending a while touching the boyfriend’s hair, responds quite dramatically to the fact that the boyfriend is a vegetarian.
The main focus of this humorous clip is the cultural comparisons between stereotypical Greek culture and stereotypical mainstream American culture.  The aunt physically touching the man’s hair towards the end of the clip is something worth discussing.  The importance of meat in the Greek diet is exaggerated as well when the aunt is shocked that the boyfriend doesn’t eat meat but then, considering the options available for feeding the boyfriend, casually dismisses lamb as a non-meat dish and goes on to dance as though nothing had happened.
The student language levels required of this clip are not as demanding as the concepts behind the humour and the cultural values.  The scaffolding required to understand these concepts through the medium of English and the ability to later discuss the clip does demand at least intermediate levels of English.
The lead up to watching this clip could indeed be an introduction to collectivist / polychronic versus individualist / monochronic cultures, with particular emphasis on Greek versus American.  A discussion of examples of relevant cultural traits shown in the clip could be a follow-up activity.  For more analysis of culture in this film follow this link: http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/forum/archives/docs/files-folder111111/48_2-etf-intercultural-training-with-films.pdf
Accents also play a role in the clip and this could perhaps be explored in a lesson with a pronunciation focus.

Watch the clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3N5V9ml2VU&feature=related

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Joy Luck Club - Dining Disaster

This video clip is from the well-known movie The Joy Luck Club: a film about intergenerational conflict between Chinese immigrants and their Chinese American children.  In this clip the American born daughter takes her traditional American boyfriend for dinner to her parents’ home. During the dinner a number of situations arise that sometimes suggest significant differences in cultural values between the boyfriend and the girl’s parents.
The clip is made easier for students in terms of language because of the addition of subtitles.  Learners at pre-intermediate level should manage a general understanding because of this.  The visual element also helps the viewer appreciate the problems that occur for the boyfriend during the meal.  However to fully appreciate the possible reasons for the cross-cultural conflict that occurs, a lot of language scaffolding might be needed. 
For further analysis of the cross-cultural issues visit: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/tan.html

Because of the visual support provided for students this video clip could form the foundation for discussion at pre-intermediate level up to advanced level although the level and focus of analysis would vary significantly.  At pre-intermediate level, students could be asked questions about what happened, who did what, how people responded etc.   In other words the focus is simply reporting what was observed and is language-based.  Practice using the past simple tense seems one possible focus area for language.  However, at upper-intermediate levels the concepts of cross-cultural conflict could be explored, with students suggesting reasons for the incidents that occur during the dinner rather than simply reporting what they saw.  A follow-up activity could be to construct a list of do’s and don’ts, perhaps using conditional sentences, for anyone about to face a similar, or slightly different, experience.
See this clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t82eWkb_tM&feature=related

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Recipes

View these videos at:
These videos show the viewers how to cook a variety of dishes.  They list the ingredients and offer a step by step guide through the cooking process, much like an audio-visual cook book.  Although the full spoken script isn’t shown in the form of subtitles, the key words are displayed.  This is sufficient scaffolding for pre-intermediate learners to follow what is already a fairly limited language task.  The main language focus being the (imperative) verbs of action.  See the following link for information about the imperative: http://www.englishlanguageguide.com/english/grammar/imperative.asp

The videos also include key vocabulary directly related to the dish being made. 
Pre-teaching of recipe specific items may be useful before watching the video.  However,  one task for stronger students might be to make a list of unfamiliar vocabulary while they watch the video.  This list can be shared and checked before watching for a second time, perhaps with the aim of reporting the recipe and cooking process to partners, after the second viewing.
View these videos at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjEtrPo4dqo&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrjKZjBoi0c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFy6yeZkt2k&feature=related


Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

A checklist for choosing suitable video clips


Check the quality of the video
If you can’t hear what people are saying or see what is happening discard the video: it will leave your students with a bad impression and they won’t learn anything from the video.
Check the length of the video
If the video’s too long, identify and make a clear note of exactly which time segments you can use.  Be sure to prepare an introduction to segments that don’t begin at the start of the video so that students have some context to work from. If the video is very short, perhaps just a minute or two, decide whether the content is worth the effort of setting it up – having said that the video may short but it may also be just what you need to change the pace of the lesson and focus on specific language used for a particular purpose.

This short 1.5 minute clip of a brainstorming session (good and bad versions) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqPAUYF2-XQ  offers very specific target language examples making it a useful resource for a variety of reasons.  See my review of this clip: http://www.tubedubedu.com/2012/07/making-suggestions-brainstorming.html
Check the content for target language or other content
Determine the purpose of using the video clip.  Often in EFL classrooms or for self-study purposes there is target language to focus on.  If the clip contains a specific range of vocabulary, perhaps language related to an activity or location; or phrases for achieving particular purposes, such as asking for directions or giving opinions, these can be good reasons for choosing the video.  If the clip is to be used for intercultural communication training purposes you should again clarify the specific purpose.  Perhaps the purpose is to contrast attitudes or behavior, perhaps focusing on elements of the cultures that are noticeably different from one another.
Check the difficulty level of the language
English language difficulty is of primary concern to the EFL student.  If the language is too difficult there may be no benefit at all to viewing the video.  Similarly, if the language is too easy advanced students may not feel theyare gaining much from the experience. Having said that, more advanced students can often benefit from content in other ways.   
Language difficulty and target language are often related, so if there is particular target language identifiable in the clip then to a certain extent you can justify using the video.
Consider whether the video adds value to the lesson
Ask yourself whether the same results be achieved through other channels. If they can then ask what the advantages or disadvantages of using this video are. 
Check for subtitles
To many students reading subtitles whilst watching a video makes a big difference in their understanding of it.  Determine what the purpose of the video is and whether or not subtitles are beneficial to the task.  Perhaps both options at different times for different reasons may be suitable.  Some videos come with permanent subtitles while others give the viewer the option of turning them on or off.  On YouTube videos the CC button gives this option, if available.
Check the video for its interest factors                                            
Although a video may be of a suitable quality, contain the target language , be of a suitable level for the students, be a suitable length or be divided into sections for easy use and may or may not have subtitles, if the content is boring, inappropriate, out-of-date or aimed at a completely different audience there may be no point in showing it.  Recognize who the student viewers are and determine whether or not the actual content of the video is of use and interest to them.
Check the context of the video content
If the video forms a part of something greater like a tv series, or if the clip is a segment from a movie, or if the content is something a little unusual, it is worth presenting some context to the audience first.  Without this kind of background understanding some of the content might be lost to the viewers even if they fully understand the words that are presented on screen.  One approach is that you could simply tell the viewers the necessary background details first.  Alternatively, you might show another small clip, or a trailer, from the show or movie first and then elicit comments from the audience for them to build the context.  They might need help with this so a list of prepared questions for them to answer could enhance the activity.
Consider what lead-in activities and follow-up activities you can use
If a clip is deemed suitable for a lesson or part of a self-study programme its position in that lesson or programme needs to be decided.  In other words, when should the video be used?  What should happen before it and after it?  How should it be used? How many times should it be shown? Can it appear in more than one place in the lesson or programme?  Does it provide opportunities for learning about more than one area of communication?    These and other questions help determine the video's effectiveness.
It takes a while to make the most of video resources, but the variety of learning opportunities that they offer make them essential tools for language and communication studies.

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Simpsons Gun Shop Clip


This is a short clip from an episode of the satirical cartoon series. 
Irony, satire and figurative language are explained to some degree at this link:
The Simpsons clip emphasizes some of the arguments regarding the constitutional right to bear arms in the US.  For upper intermediate to advanced students with a background knowledge of the arguments for and against the right to bear arms, this video clip provides not only context-based listening and discussion opportunities, but could set the foundation for a more formal debate, for and against such a right. Discussion points could revolve around Homer Simpson’s attitude and reasons for wanting to buy a gun, as well as the attitude and actions of the gun salesman.
Before watching the clip it would be useful to provide students with the basic laws outlining gun ownership in the US. (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_law_in_the_United_States )  It might also be valuable to encourage students to share their relevant knowledge.  This should provide a more level footing for all students to view the video clip.
After watching the clip and discussing the two characters’ attitudes, the student group could be divided arbitrarily into two debate groups: one group for and one group against the right to bear arms. Preparation time (on-line, preferably) would give students the opportunity to develop arguments based on ‘solid’ evidence.
News of the recent Colorado cinema shooting at this link:  http://news.sky.com/story/965075/cinema-shooting-suspect-warned-of-attack

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

No Alcohol Zone in Chiang Mai, Thailand


Group discussions about cultural differences and values as well as cultural sensitivity can be based around images such as this.


www.tubedubedu.com
While in Chiang Mai I picked up a local magazine and read an article, written in English, about the local teenagers' increasing thirst for alcohol.  If this is the reason for the sign it seems odd that that it should be written in both Thai and English.  A bi-lingual sign suggests a bi-lingual target group.

What's interesting to me is the temple in the not-so-distant background, encouraging the discussion to involve attitudes toward religion across different cultures.  Included in that discussion could be the relationship between alcohol and religion, the positive or negative view of religion or alcohol or both, the separation or integration of everyday life and religion...  The list goes on. 

For an intermediate or pre-intermediate EFL group discussion this could simply be an opportunity to express personal opinions or experiences, using appropriate target language, but for an advanced group who realize that understanding a culture is an essential pathway to understanding a language, this could certainly be an opportunity to investigate the differences between East and West, and more specifically US / British/ Australian etc attitudes toward drink and religion compared to those of the Thais.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Presentation - Frank Gehry's Architecture


Watch the presentation at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7dAs3aiE-o&feature=relmfuThis (6.5 minute) presentation outlines some of the key arguments in favour of the work of architect Frank Gehry.  Intermediate students who watch this well-managed, yet informal presentation about the work of controversial architect Frank Gehry would probably benefit from a pre-viewing photo introduction to the architect’s work itself, which can be seen at:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lisathatcher.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/fg-6.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lisathatcher.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/frank-gehry/&h=314&w=468&sz=142&tbnid=50ZNYr7eQbVUTM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=128&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgehry%2Bimages%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=gehry+images&usg=__N4m88Y6Vtx6MCBkipuBMFfBCZ1Q=&hl=zh-TW&sa=X&ei=B8HVT9v6N4iEmQWXp9SDAw&ved=0CBIQ9QEwAA
The message of the presentation relies largely on the spoken word, as there are no written or other formal visual aids.  Naturally this means that this is not the best choice for demonstrating the complete presentation package to any students.  Despite this, the video does give intermediate students the opportunity to focus specifically on the spoken content of the presentation, such as linking words, organization of ideas and presentation structure
The body language of the presenter, although low-key, is something else of value that intermediate students could learn something from.  The gestures, eye contact, awareness and rapport he has with the audience are all evident and worth analyzing.
After watching the presentation, students could develop appropriate visual aids for the presentation by listening to and taking notes of the spoken message, identifying the key points made and presenting them in succinct yet accurate slide form.
A further follow-up exercise could be for students to give their own versions of the same presentation using the slides they have just developed.  Video recordings of the student performances could then be compared in a variety of ways to the original video clip.
This presentation works in conjunction with the discussion about Gehry at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBte1_S8yCg&feature=related
Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Discussion - Frank Gehry's Architecture

Pre-intermediate students may benefit from the video to a certain degree with a lot of pre-watching language scaffolding and an opportunity to informally discuss the architecture before actually watching the video. The idea being that some of the same arguments that appear in their discussions appear in the video, making the ideas more accessible at the listening/watching stage.
This video discussion has speakers both for and against the controversial Gehry architecture.  Appropriate language functions (giving and asking for opinions, giving reasons, agreeing and disagreeing) are evident during the discussion.  However, there is more to the discussion than the standard set of language functions outlined above.  For one, there is humour in the evaluations of the work and in the conclusion to the discussion.  While watching the video, students could be asked to not only identify useful language phrases, but identify who is for and who is against the architect’s work and why.  Attitudes between speakers may be something else to explore after watching, although this is a more subjective discussion point for students.
Pre-intermediate students should be able to extract most of the useful language functions but would need a lot of support in understanding the whole of the discussion.

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Making Suggestions - Brainstorming

Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqPAUYF2-XQ

This short (1.5 mins) video clip is an advertisement for a longer training video that compares good versus bad brainstorming meetings.  Despite this, there are still some useful phrases (making suggestions) for pre-intermediate or above students to listen out for and take a note of. 
Higher level students may make sense of the whole scenario, although there are some North American culture specific references made, such as the one-man/woman performance of ‘Annie’.  Overall, the clip shows the classic contrast between a good brainstorming meeting versus a bad one, with the bad one first showing a lack of ideas, immediate negative evaluation, followed by a quick end to the meeting.  The second version shows a flurry of ideas from all participants with no evaluation of any kind, allowing the number and diversity of ideas to flow: the classic brainstorming method.
At pre-intermediate level the language functions of making suggestions are the key language focus. The context of what the meeting is for (to come up with ideas for this year’s office party) may be suggested through a warmer activity where the students themselves are asked for suggestions for a good office party.  At intermediate level the actual suggestions could be largely understood.
Follow up activities for pre-intermediate students might include a make-over of the good version, adding even more appropriate phrases for making suggestions.  Higher level students may benefit from the principles of the problem solving process - http://www.gdrc.org/decision/problem-solve.html - where brainstorming (suggestion-driven) meetings are followed later by evaluation-focused meetings.

Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqPAUYF2-XQ


Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Obama Speech

Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfjQujYrfEk&feature=relmfu

This is a video of a speech made by President Obama, a gifted public speaker.   Listen to this as an example of a beautifully delivered and scripted speech.  Rhetorical strategies, such as repetition of key words and phrases, the use of opposites (light and dark) and the use of themes (time), amongst others, are crafted into the script so well they are almost undetectable.  The pace of delivery, the tone of voice and the rapport built by being aware of his audience and their needs are all qualities worth analyzing for the development of learners' public speaking skills. 
This video could first be used in a listening exercise where students need to listen out for and identify certain rhetorical startegies, analyze how they are used and determine what impact they have on the speech as a whole. Before an exercise like this students would need sufficient input on these strategies and how they are constructed as phrases.
Learners could attempt to include certain types of rhetorical strategies in their own speeches and these could be one element to focus on for specific feedback in their speaking skills development.


Watch the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfjQujYrfEk&feature=relmfu

Disclaimer: The owner of this website does not claim ownership or control of any of the content accessed via the links on this site.  Consequently the owner of this site is not responsible for any changes to or unexpected content found at these links.  The owner of this website has no control over the continued availability of such content and cannot be held responsible for discontinued availability. Users of this site are expected to have read and agreed to these conditions and are especially advised to check content via links before use in the classroom.