Integrating Internet-Based Video

I attended a fabulous session entitled "Integrating Internet-Based Video in English Language Instruction" by Angela Webster and Kristi Reyes of MiraCosta College. I would rename it to "Making English Language Learning Totally Fun!" In this demonstration, the presenters showed how they use video clips found on the internet to teach a grammar point.

Advantages for students:
1. authentic language input: reduced speech, normal speech rates, contractions, reductions, idioms, and various accents
2. opportunities to build fluency
3. visual support for language learning
4. engaging, high-interest materials

Advantages for teachers:
1. break from routine
2. numerous free, easy-to-find materials
3. basis of or supplement to thematic, integrated-skills lessons or project-based learning
4. chance to plan lessons that integrate skills thematically or to employ project-based learning

Demonstration 1 was about how to use short action clips (with or without) sound to practice grammar. After watching (the very funny) video clip, the students can tell a partner or write down what: is happening (present continuous), happened (simple past and past continuous), has just happened (present perfect) or will happen next (future)... Here was the clip they used for this one (fabulous!) about some people doing a (theatrical?) experiment (show?) called "Frozen in Grand Central Station."

Activities for teaching:
1. list vocabulary from clip (example: freeze, to be frozen)
2. Order/unscramble words or phrases from a sentence that describe the action
3. Use prompts to describe the action
4. Tell a partner about the action
5. Write a sentence to describe the action

Demonstration 2 focused on a clip (with no dialog) for fluency development and writing practice where students can:

1. Write the dialog they create or a scene summary from memory
2. Order sentence strips of a scene summary or dialog
3. Complete a cloze exercise of the dialog or scene summary
4. Provide oral or written alternative endings or character descriptions

There were a couple of really great video clips for this one that I call Red Car and this one I call Beautiful People.

Demonstration 3 illustrated how you can use a longer clip or documentary or news report to create or build on a thematic unit. The presenters used a news report about a guy who won the lottery. The thematic unit was "Lottery Winners/Luck" and the skills practiced were conversation/speaking, listening, writing, grammar and vocabulary. [I could see presentation skills and idioms as other skills to learn and practice.] There was a section on discussion around fortune cookies and luck and playing the lottery and then the video clip of the Lottery Winner.

The activities for this one are many and can be found on the handout, which I will put a copy of in my accordian file in the 2nd St. classroom building. Feel free to grab it and make a copy of it for yourself. Please remember to put it back for the next person. Thank you!

Danielle P. (DJP)