On Films and Music in ELT

Have we taken Music and Video for Granted? On “forgotten”media in E.L.T. by Dionysis Psoinos Dip. RSA/DELTA Abstract This paper will attempt to investigate the use of both music (songs) and videos (VHS and DVD) in EFL classrooms, provide research evidence upon their effectiveness in the learning process as well as describe how a practitioner can exploit the two media to enhance second language acquisition with less effort than believed. Introduction Music and films are not new media in the classroom. However, I believe we, teachers, need a reminder, a sort of pressing the refresh key on our PC. My choice of topic and heading is indicative of the widespread view in the ELT world the last few years, that playing authentic video and music are of some unable-to-determine value in the classroom and are either used sporadically or offered to learners as a reward for having done well in a test or just have the aim of “exposing learners to authentic language”(which in many cases is interpreted as the teacher not being prepared). Contrary to the above, in a recent talk in Athens, Jeremy Harmer demonstrated story writing to his audience by asking them to produce whatever came to mind while listening to airy, ambient, instrumental music and immediately after traditional dance music. Most attendants ended up with an approximate full page. First, I have to make a distinction between music and video in that the latter involves visual stimuli with all the implications this brings. Nevertheless, both media have the common denominator of what Krashen calls “the Natural Approach”, that is they both contribute to the natural acquisition of language since learners at all ages listen to music and watch T.V. so there is real need for communicating messages as learners want to know what their favourite song or film means. This can be achieved on condition that learners are exposed to comprehensible input and not an array of unknown words or notions. e.g. one cannot give a song full of low-frequency vocabulary to low intermediate students or cannot bring a film dealing with relationships to a class of ten-year-olds. (see ‘things for the teacher to be aware of’’ ) In that light, I believe that songs and films are the best teaching tool we now have at our disposal. The “Forgotten” Benefits It’s alive! As Cooper, Lavenry and Rinvolucri (1991) claim, adding a moving visual image to sound could not only make language more alive and meaningful but it could also help bring the real world into the classroom. Thus, it is vital that learners see, listen and get a feel of English outside their course book and drills. Burke (1998) adds that it is only wise to familiarize learners with idioms and expressions which may either isolate them or affect the quantity and quality of communication. High Attention Span Especially when it comes to songs whose duration is usually from 2 to 4 minutes. Baltova’s findings show that video heightens sensory acuteness and helps nonnatives understand stress patterns. Moreover, it is proven by scientific research that most students loose concentration more than often while performing exam preparation listening tasks. Presenting/Revising Grammar and Lexis (Semplenski and Tomalin, 1990) Catering for Learners with Different Learning Styles “Many visual learners feel left out in the typical classroom setting but can benefit from the visual input of video. Auditory learners also benefit since they can listen to videos more than once.” (Flynn, 1998) Practicing the Four Skills (note-taking, composition, viewing and listening comprehension, telling a story, discussions) It’s Fun and Motivating for everyone! Using a song or a film extract to highlight a specific item targetted, first of all, provides ground for experimentation on the part of the instructor, which equals creativity. However, baring in mind the time constrains, one could have prepared set lesson plans and adapt them to the level quite quickly. It also alters our instruction and keeps learners interested due to variety of input sources. Depending on the choice of material, learners may sing along or identify with film characters this contributing to a memorable lesson! Things for the teacher to be aware of According to Dr Flynn (1998) “one fear of administrators is that teachers will simply start a video and essentially stop teaching.” This brings me back to my initial reason for writing about the use of authentic videos and songs in the classroom, as careful planning and organization of the film sequences and the tasks learners need to perform before, while and after watching, is a prerequisite for a film/song-based lesson to be successful and this is what we teachers choose to unfairly overlook. Selecting Materials according to learners’ level, interests, schematic knowledge and cultural background can prove vital when it comes to the effective use of media. Gedes and Sturtridge (1984) stress the appropriacy factor. “The questions of what and why must be asked and answered first and the more comlex how should be dealt with later. The reverse could lead to a lot of time spent preparing perfectly good lessons and then using them with the wrong target audience.” Affordability and knowing how to use the apparatus are also issues that must be considered, as they may deter teachers from using video, dvd, cd players Always remember why you are using the song or film sequence. There should be a very clear linguistic objective e.g. to present/revise the use of the passive to describe processes and any other paralinguistic features on which you may choose to focus. e.g. gestures, intonation etc Staging a lesson / Conclusion If we treat films and songs like texts, then the process of staging a lesson could be similar to that of the warmer, while-listening/reading/watching, post-listening/reading/ watching paradigm. The teacher could try to raise interest, pre-teach related vocabulary and get the students involved before viewing. To follow, there should be task(s) for learners to do while they are viewing so as to both practice the target item(s) as well as check skills work (listening for gist vs specific info, completing a form…) and keep interest high by providing students with a reason for watching. Finally, further experimentation can be encouraged by means of role plays, interviews, narrations, reviews, letters of complaint and/or homework at the post viewing stage. The same process can be followed when using a song. In very few cases can I imagine the teacher playing the whole film without critical cut-off points which are either not linguistically useful or do not affect the plot of the story. Thus, material adaptation and knowing exactly what it is that you are bringing in the classroom, is crucial. What is more, it is my firm belief that language schools should be equipped with a video cassette and DVD player as well as an authentic contemporary songs collection with ready made materials classified by level. This resource bank should be updated yearly and new materials should be designed throughout the year by the teaching staff in collaboration. The result will be more than rewarding for both learners and instructors alike. References Cooper,R., Lavery, M. and Rinvolucri, M. 1991. Video. Oxford; O. U. P. Burke, D. 1998. Without slang and idioms students are in the dark! E. S. L. on-line Magazine. Flynn, F. 1998. Bring Language to Life! Using Video in your E.F.L./E.S.L. programme. E.S.L. on-line Magazine. Stempleski, S. and Tomalin, B. 1990. Video in Action. Hertfordshire; Prentice Hall International. Geddes, M. and Sturtridge, G. 1984.Video in the Language Classroom. Practical Language Teaching. London; Heinemann Educational Books. Baltova, I. 1994. Impact of Video on the Comprehension Skills of Core French Students. Canadian Modern Language Review. Wordage: 1277