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psychedelic · Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 167 Location: China

Hello,
Does anyone have any ideas for a movie that I can show to my beginning to intermediate level Oral English class? Please reply ASAP.

Thank you! Very Happy

xiguagua · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 768

.......how long is your class? 1 hr 40 min or 45 min or what?

Movies are hard imo because they're so long there's no time for class discussion or reflection, it's just......here's a movie, watch or sleep, I don't care. Seems lazy. 20/40min tv shows are more ideal imo since they don't waste an entire class.

If you just want to waste a class just pick anything......for the love of god though don't choose Titanic or Twilight.......i've never had my students watch a movie in class though so it's hard for me to say what they will be able to understand and catch the first playthrough even with subtitles. I always assign movies as homework if i'm gonna do it.

xiguagua · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 768

Finding Nemo might be ok. It's got pretty easy vocab aside from names of fish like flounder and barracuda etc. Subs are a must tho for beginning to intermediate classes unless you actually have a nice classroom and not a crappy tv that students have to carry in from another building. Audio from some sound setups are hard to understand for some students since it's a bit muffled.

Guerciotti · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 3:30 pm Post subject:

That depends on the class. One class might understand the Bourne Identity with subtitles, and another might get lost in The three Stooges (not recommended).

For what it's worth the girls luuuvvvv Twilight, preferably the latest one.

But the movies are too long unless you are blessed with the "movie class".

dean_a_jones · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 1151 Location: Wuhan, China

You give level but not age. It makes a difference, as plenty in films is about body language and subtle stuff that adults will get even if they miss the language, but children might find harder to follow.

Anyway, you might try something simple. Mr. Bean (the original TV series) is popular as it is language free and relies on short sketches, which can then be discussed.

Otherwise, just go with some popular children's film. They usually have relatively simple themes which are good to talk about, and jokes and language which run the full spectrum as they are made for an audience that is both young and old. If you are teaching uni kids or under something that seems very childish to you will probably be no problem.

xiguagua · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 768

Generally as a rule of thumb I always try to introduce new things to them. They already know Twilight (God help us) and Mr Bean and Titanic and Avatar etc etc etc so it doesn't hurt to put some effort into finding something new that's interesting and around their level.

Also........do you really want to sit and watch Twilight with each class? I can't even watch it once, let alone 10 times. Find something new, at their level, interesting, and something you yourself can tolerate. I've done that with each music lesson i've done and to this day I don't hate the songs i've done and I still see my students singing them and quoting them on their QQ's.

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

See if you can find a compilation of the best English Language TV ads. I picked up one last year and showed about ten really good advertisements that really interested my students.

Guerciotti · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:19 pm Post subject:

Twilight - I was joking. Please for the love of all that is good do not watch this chick flick! My apologies to chicks and flicks. I am qualified to deem it a chick flick because I watched it. I was compelled by my student's preoccupation with this vampire romance.

I have great luck with music lessons.

Ads sound like a great idea. I'm thinking Super Bowl ads.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Make sure the movie is part of the language learning and also that it is a reward for effort not just a fill in.
I found The Parent Trap (Lohan version not Hayley Mills) excellent. Easy to follow dialogue and characters who were easily identified.
I find that once you show a movie to one class the others expect the same one.
For that reason I sat through the movie 9 times one semester.
I would covertly watch the hard case boys who normally were difficult to engage.
Laughing at the funny bits - especially the slapstick and grinning inanely at the romance.

Brian O'Nolan · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 4

Do you think that watching a movie will provide your students an invaluable language learning experience that other lessons can't, or are you just looking to fill up a class period with something? I'm going to assume it's the latter given the implication of "please reply ASAP" that you have a class in the very near future that you have nothing planned for.

English subtitles are going to be necessary. You might try turning the subtitles off partway through after they've gotten somewhat used to the dialogue. I'd say Pixar/Disney movies (Up, Finding Nemo, etc) are a good choice. They're made so the basic story is accessible to children, while adding some subtler points of humor to engage the adult audience; so your weaker students should be able to follow the story, and the more advanced ones can pick up some of the finer points.

Breaking the movie into multiple lessons and having discussions is going to be more effective in promoting any sort of actual learning.

flyingcolours · Joined: 04 Oct 2011 Posts: 73

Show "Southern Comfort"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8g3RHtSpIY&feature=related

OR

"Duel"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irKtyexeu7Q&feature=related

igorG · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 1473 Location: asia

I have just played a movie called "Setup 2". It's about American high school kids and street dancing. As i had two real hours available, i could preview a couple of key parts of the film with a brief follow-up debate, and then I had time to have my class watch the whole thing. The audience got to write an essay about the show for homework.

As i have done this before, i have a suggestion to all that wish to do this. Know your class and make an appropriate choice with a preview and follow-up, so that all benefit out of it.

Note everyone ought to be aware of the local moral standards and the school's programs/policies.

Lobster · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:21 pm Post subject:

My students always enjoyed The Lorax, and the messages about greed, industry and pollution are good for discussion.

RED

cormac · Joined: 04 Nov 2008 Posts: 768 Location: Xi'an (XTU)

I only show movies as a reward for good work in class.. since movies don't teach much from a speaking pov. I don't really teach reading (the subs) or listening.

The majority of my English majors are girls, so I tend to avoid violent movies. My freshman and Sophomores are just too young mentally to deal with too much nudity or any sex scenes. I tried last year to show some since the boys ask for them, but i got too many complaints (or just them going to sleep). Stick to kids movies (they all love them), animation/cartoons, old tv shows (my Juniors love the A-team episodes), and love stories.

I try to avoid the blockbuster movies since the students will probably have seen them already.

With my Business English students I'll show just about anything. They're seniors and are more receptive to anything thats not easily found on pptv.

igorG · Joined: 10 Aug 2010 Posts: 1473 Location: asia