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SOME REASONS AND IDEAS FOR USING VIDEO IN EFL CLASSROOM
Nefyodov Oleg Vladimirovich, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics,
Pyatigorsk branch
E-mail: pallasstadt@gmail.com
Abstract. The article deals with some ideas of using video in teaching English as a foreign language. At each stage of practice there's a variety of tasks, ensuring the successful perception of foreign speech by students that increase their motivation to learn a foreign language.
Keywords: video materials; authentic/adapted resources; introductory exercises; viewing, reading and talking; follow up assignments.
Video is a powerful tool in today's classroom. It provides strong context through which to teach English. Meaning brings the outside world into the classroom and gives teaching "reality". Video also provides all the paralinguistic features of language that only audio can't.
We now have more access than ever to video. News programs, adverts, comedies, documentaries, dramas, academic lectures are available in digital format via the internet. Most of these resources weren't originally created as teaching materials. So it serves a real-world communicative purpose. Some materials are authentic resources adapted for language teaching. Authentic material not originally produced for ELT purposes, but adapted to different grades [7].
There are some positive characteristics of using video in the process of learning foreign languages: the class does not require dimming, and therefore, the contact of teacher with learners is continuous; video provides the possibility of using different modes of operation, e.g. freeze frame, using only video track (with audio track turned off) etc.; videos can easily be used for different types of work: individual, pair, group, collective [9, p. 17]; video equipment allows to split movie into desired number of clips, depending on the objectives of individual needs and characteristics of learners to
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continue working with each clip separately [4, p. 20].
Some teachers think that watching videos in EFL classroom is more entertainment than education. However, if we consider video as a text (a source of information) and we make a lesson using it that helps learners develop language, we can use video resources to capture learners' attention. Video materials should be accompanied with support for language learning (Ibid).
Full-length videos (which demand disruption with discussion, writing and vocabulary) and video clips can be very useful in teaching English as a foreign language. However, it is important to consider beforehand what we want our students to learn from the videos. We'll also need to plan how we can help our students learn. In planning to use video, the following three stages should be considered:
Stage 1: Provide questions that focus students on what you believe is important in the video. Think over why you have chosen this video, and what you expect they will learn from watching it. Questions or prompts can be written on the board or worksheets that are handed out in class.
Stage 2: Watch the video in class. Stop the video to draw students' attention to something you consider important to them.
Stage 3: Discuss as a class or in small groups the students' answers to the questions you gave them [5].
Nowadays, students are very much visual learners. The quick spread of internet access makes the use of video in the classroom much more effective and interesting. Video is a medium which is in some way replacing printed materials.
It should be noted that the optimal solution is to develop a series of exercises based on the selected video. Thus the preferred length of the video clip is 2-5 minutes as this period is sufficient to obtain the necessary amount of information on the problem.
The system of exercises should consist of several sections.
The first section (introductory exercises) can contain tasks that allow students to prepare for perception of video and awaken the existing knowledge on the subject.
The second section (viewing, reading and talking) should include exercises aimed at discussion of the watched fragment. Further on, we should proceed to a more detailed discussion of this material. Exercises can include answers to questions, gaps filling, matching, multiple choice, and so on.
The third section (follow up assignments) should include creative tasks on the basis of the video clip: create dialogue on the video, prepare a report on the topic, make a presentation on the problem [1].
Generally video activities are divided into 3 main types or stages: pre-viewing. Before watching the video students do some activities. They help prompt student general idea and background knowledge; viewing: students perform tasks and activities while watching the video, with or without pausing the clip; post viewing:
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after watching the video, students practice the language forms and vocabulary they came across in the video. Students discuss, retell, role-play and complete tasks at this stage [8].
There are some conditions that should be observed when using video resources: video material should correspond to the level of students' knowledge; visualization should be used moderately, it should be used gradually, and only in appropriate point of a lesson; watching videos should be organized so that all students can see the material clearly; it's essential to highlight the essential points; think over in detail the explanations while watching a video; a video should be exactly matched to curricular material, correspond to the topic under study [3].
Presentation of educational material by means of video is characterized by several specific features. They include the following:
1. Information is presented by means of art, which makes the presence of figurative models in introducing the material. The main characteristic of this model is the presence of plot and composition. This fact underlines the closeness of figurative model to the arts, and, on the other hand, the difference between such model and traditional means of teaching foreign languages; in this case the emotional presentation of educational material and emotional perception is assumed. The use of video in the classroom contributes to the effect of complicity and empathy with the characters, which in turn creates the real conditions of motivated communication in class.
2. The information is dynamic, which increases the productive aspect of learning, increases the density of communication in class, and improves the efficiency of educational activities. Dynamism and emotion of material introduction contribute to retention of information.
3. Video information has a high degree of credibility provided by authenticity of video used in the process of learning that gives rise to a high level of confidence in the information perceived by learners [2, p. 188].
While the growth of online content, social networking, and multimedia production tools have all helped educators reconsider how students should consume, discuss, and demonstrate mastery of content, only the dramatic increase in video availability has led directly to the "flipped classroom" movement.
And with an increasing focus on making more Internet connection available at educational institutions and at home, there is a sense that we are only beginning to explore video's true educational possibilities [6].
All video resources presuppose active teaching. Materials alone don't teach -teachers do. The effectiveness of the use of video resources for teaching foreign languages depends both on precise determination of its place in the educational system, and on how efficiently the structure of the video lessons is organized.
Authentic audio / video materials have great potential for solving learning and
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educational tasks when properly organized by teachers. With very informative material, they create an atmosphere of real linguistic communication and are able to ensure the successful perception of foreign speech by non-native speakers, and increase the motivation of students to study a foreign language.
The introduction of video materials in teaching considerably diversifies the process of perception and processing of information. Thanks to the computer, the Internet and multimedia that students have an opportunity to take in large amounts of information with its subsequent analysis and sorting.
References:
1. Васильева Г. А. Особенности использования видеоматериалов на занятиях по иностранному языку [Электронный ресурс]. - Режим доступа: http:// hmbul.bmstu.ru/articles/89/89.pdf
2. Комаров, Ю.А. Использование видео в процессе обучения иностранному языку в средней школе / Отв. ред. М.К. Колкова // Методики обучения иностранным языкам в школе. СПб. : КАРО, 2006. - С. 188.
3. Савицкая Н.С., Даниленко Р.М. Использование аутентичных видеоматериалов при формировании навыков говорения на занятиях по иностранному языку [Электронный ресурс]. - Режим доступа: http://scjournal.ru/articles/issn_1997-2911 _2011_2_44.pdf
4. Allan, M. Teaching English with Video // Video-applications in ELT. - Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1983. - P. 20.
5. Effectively Using Videos in the College Classroom [Электронный ресурс]. -Режим доступа: http://citl.indiana.edu/resources_files/teaching-resources1/using_vide os.php
6. Quillen I. Digital Video Transforms Teaching Practices [Электронный ресурс]. -Режим доступа: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/05/22/32el-video.h32.html
7. Six reasons to use video in the ELT classroom [Электронный ресурс]. - Режим доступа: http://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2014/03/six-reasons-use-video-elt-classro om/
8. Using Video In The Classroom. An Activity Guide [Электронный ресурс]. -Режим доступа: http://ddeubel.edublogs.org/files/2011/06/Using_Video_In_The_Cla ssroom-20mn397.pdf
9. Willis, D. The potentials and limitations of Video // Videoapplications in ELT. -Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1983. - P. 17.
