Job Discussion Forums

[Sashadroogie]

Why does this particular language learning myth continue to do the rounds? Learnt English from films, TV shows, with without subtitles, or other variations on that theme.

But one of those present, a young teacher called Yegor Moskvin, who learned English from watching the US TV series Friends, believes Roizman is there for him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24654157

[spiral78]

Ah, I once had a fairly brilliant young Russian student with C1 English who claimed he learned English from Friends. Seriously. I somehow doubt it's a panacea for the masses, though.

[HLJHLJ]

I believe some people can do it, but only because I have a friend who did. Or rather, he taught himself German from watching TV. However, he mostly watched the History or Discovery channel, so his vocab was ...odd... to say the least. He could hold a conversation about the military, but struggled in a supermarket. He did have a flair for languages though, and had no difficulty picking them up in any situation. I took a beginner's Spanish course with him once, he finished the 1 month syllabus in less than a week. Somewhat demoralizing for me, I didn't finish it in a month.

[Sashadroogie]

There's no doubt that many people can learn something from TV or radio, but I'm rather sceptical of statements abouting learning the whole language. Can speak about military matters but is lost in a supermarket? Can use a line from the Friends theme song? Points very much to extremely limited output, which is hardly surprising given the limited nature of the input.

[muffintop]

A friend of mine picked up English by watching TV and Movies. She was a bit of an insomniac so she had a lot of free time on her hands and chose to use it productively. Of course she started with subtitles in her L1. Her English is fantastic now. Few errors, an impressive vocabulary, and she does not sound like a textbook when she speaks. Her pronunciation is great, minus a few sounds in English that are not present in her L1.

While she did not learn EVERYTHING from movies and TV she was able to learn enough to make future language acquisition much easier.

I do believe movies and television are a very useful supplement to more structured courses. Relying on them for instruction it not something I'd suggest to anyone though.

[Shroob]

Exposure to input is not enough (for 99% of people) but it certainly helps.

If exposure was all it took, people would move abroad for a year and pick up a language. Instead we have immigrants who can't speak the language after 5+ years in a country (I'm including some English teachers I know in this).

[fat_chris]

[santi84]

My husband claims he learned English from video games. Not sure how Atari had more influence than the 12 years of mandatory ESL classes, but he thinks what he thinks, and that's that.

He can't understand why I've hired a private tutor instead of just reading his old Asterix books.

[Sashadroogie]

That's my whole point. Sometimes people make all sorts of mad claims about how they learnt English, and even EFL teachers seem to accept them. Where's the critical thinking brigade when you need them?

It is a myth that you can learn a language just from pop songs and TV. Pick up some phrases, sure. Even an impressive array of them, fine. But learn the language? Not on your nelly.

[santi84]

[haleynicole14]

Obviously every person is different, but I would be curious what methods the people who learn only from TV and movies are using. Are they just watching the show? Do they watch on DVDs so they can rewind and listen to the same phrases repeatedly? Are they viewing the same episodes over and over again? Whenever I watch shows in a language that I am learning, they go way too fast for them to be of much value to me. I'll write down new words sometimes and look them up but it's a slow process. I've been studying Spanish for many years and am just now getting to the point where I understand most of what I hear on TV.

[vabeckele]

What media does is take away the uncomfortableness of trying to follow the threads of conversation in groups. Less fear equals more learning, this is poignant in older learners.

I always read the subtitles of my second language when something is aired on the TV in English, always reinforcing the language.

Not everyone can afford or want a formal classroom setting. I was taken aback a first when individuals would side up to me on my walk around the lake in Hanoi and begin to practice their English with me. After I got to grips with the fact this is all they wanted i relaxed. It was hard for me to imagine groups of individuals just hanging around the lake just waiting for the opportunity to learn English.

Please be careful, there are a lot more sinister activities going on here in Vietnam aimed at parting you from your money.

[Sashadroogie]

How is poignant being used here?

[damn_my_eyes]

[santi84]