View Content #25325

By Zach Patrick-Riley, CASLS Fellow

The primary goal of this activity is to motivate students to watch video clips of the target language outside the classroom and encourage self-directed learning. By learning strategies on how to mindfully engage with videos found on websites like Netflix and YouTube, students will develop their ability to improve their pronunciation and analyze the language they hear in contextualized videos more autonomously. This activity is intended for students with intermediate proficiency and higher on the ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Objective: Students will be able to practice a variety of speaking and listening strategies including activing background knowledge, paying attention to target content words, connecting intonation with meaning, and using visual cues to support auditory comprehension.

Mode: Interpretive

Materials needed: Device with access to YouTube and/or Netflix, Handout: Self-directed video watching

Procedure:

1.  In pairs, students discuss:

• How often do you listen/watch videos of speakers in _____ outside of class? (put target language in the blank)

2. In pairs, students discuss:

• How can videos on websites like Netflix and YouTube help you develop your listening and speaking/pronunciation?
• What are some strategies for helping you understand the content when it goes fast?
• Do you ever watch Netflix with audio or subtitles in the language you are learning?

3. Elicit students’ ideas from the questions in Steps 1 and 2. Then, inform them that they are going to practice four listening and speaking strategies today: activating background knowledge, paying attention to target content words, connecting intonation with meaning, and using visual cues to support auditory comprehension. *As an optional addition to this stage you can show a one-minute video on the mobile application LingroToGo. The video is about listening to online media such as music and TV with a purpose. You can ask students the question: What does Brian change about the way he listens to online media? The video can be found at LingroToGo>Health and Safety>Exercise>Listening Actively to learn>Inventing a friend to exercise>Listening with a purpose.

4. Show a clip on either Netflix or YouTube appropriate for your context (language and level). The clip should be reasonably short (1-2 minutes) so that students may watch it a couple times. Ideally, the clip relates to the theme of the current unit you are studying.  Students receive Handout: Self-directed video watching and fill in their responses for the following steps.

• Pre-watching prediction: Before watching, students activate their background knowledge of the topic of the clip by predicting what they will see in the clip.
• 1^st time watching: Show the clip without subtitles. Students pay attention to the visuals in the clip including body language and background.
• 2^nd time watching: Students write down content words they hear. Students pay attention to the speakers’ intonation and how it’s connected to meaning/the situation.
• Post-watching reflection: Students discuss what they found helpful and difficult while watching. Using the notes from the categories, students discuss anything interesting they noticed about intonation, body language, and content of language.

5. Next, lead a class discussion about the students’ experiences and if and if/how any of the four strategies helped them while watching.

6. Students receive another copy of Handout: Self-directed video watching. As additional practice at home, students watch a video clip in the target language on Netflix or YouTube using the handout as a guide. While watching, they pay attention to the same characteristics as they did during class. They should be prepared to share their experience the following class periods. Depending on context, students can either choose what show/film to watch or they can be asked to watch a specific video clip that relates to the topic of the unit. The length of the video for homework can also be specified to fit your context.

Notes/Modifications:

• If your target language is English, you can consider using VoiceTube or YouGlish which were discussed in this week’s Topic of the Week.  For example, students could be asked to watch a clip about sarcasm in English found on VoiceTube at  https://www.voicetube.com/videos/64840?ref=bbc