HOW TO MAKE SUBTITLES FOR VIDEOS?

Aim

Using https://amara.org/hu/ for making it easy for anyone to caption and subtitle videos.

Activities

The teacher chooses a movie extract or a video from any sources for the students and ask them to watch the video and then prepare subtitles to the text.

Media used

laptop, smart phone, wi-fi

Advantages

It’s fun and easy to learn, and encourages collaboration. It’s motivating for students.

Evaluation

Peer evaluation, Ss compete in groups and choose the best subtitles.

HOW TO USE VIDEOS IN THE CLASSROOM?

How to use videos in the classroom?

Aim

Using https://www.ted.com/ for advanced learners’ competences and vocabulary

Activities

It applies to advanced level groups. First teacher discusses general topic e.g. nature, environment or education with the class then they watch a relevant video from this website and it can be followed by lots of tasks e.g. worksheets, group work, class debates etc.

Media used

projector, laptop, IWB

Advantages

This method is a very effective way of acquiring new advanced vocabulary in context and practising speaking skills e.g. presenting arguments while participating in discussions

Evaluation

We can use Kahoot or Quizlet to check the command of new vocabulary.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Listening Comprehension

Aim

To check students’ understanding of the text

Activities

Playing an authentic material e.g. videos three times for students. After the first listening Ss make notes for a minute in English. Then comes the second listening. After the third listening ss are asked to write a summary in the native language.

Media used

CD, Youtube, laptop, projector

Advantages

Immersing in foreign language, practising pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary in context.

Evaluation

Teachers can pick several Ss and ask them to present their summary/ peer correction/ Ss work in pairs and compare their summaries.

SMALL GROUP WORK (USUALLY 4 OR 3)

 Small group work ( usually 4 or 3 )

Aim: Collaboration and interaction in understanding a written text.

Pupils work together on a text and help each other with vocabulary instead of using the teacher all the time ( or a dictionary). They must stay in their target language which necessitates the use of synonyms, antonyms, mime  etc.... The teacher should only intervene when nobody can find the answer and we encourage pupils from one group to go and explain something to another group.

Activities

Maybe just silent reading, or gap-filling, reformulation, putting paragraphs in order, finding headings for each paragraph, writing a recap (individually or per group), making a definition. of something from the text that the teacher has asked for... 

Use of a different text for each group (but on the same subject) enabling a sharing of all the information at the end, imagining the end of a story, preparing a debate, filling in a grid etc... some things can be continued at home.

Advantages

The advantages of this method are that everybody is interacting and pupils feel useful and valued when they help the others. It is less stressful for pupils to work together on a text (especially a long or complicated one) and makes understanding easier as the pupils open up and discuss things together. The can aslo exchange their ideas and their interpretations of the text. ( often coming up with things that the teacher may not have thought of )

Pupils learn to develop their own methods : highlighting, finding proper nouns, using any images, headlines, etc....

The weaker pupils can help others and in doing so remember more themselves, and the weaker ones often prefer being helped by other pupils instead of the teacher.

Sharing is important to grow together.

Media used

QR codes, internet, newspapers, websites.

Requirements

Photocopies, teacher preparation for theme, texts etc...

Evaluation

Firstly there can be formative evaluations such as crosswords to test vocabulary, or battles ( where the class is divided into 2 or 3 groups and each group prepares questions for the other groups which they have fun asking and the teacher keeps score ) why not use mimes for fun to explain words or sentences or some aspect of the text.

Pupils will also be ready to be able to face a final evaluation on the text such as a reading comprehension or a written essay ….

Evaluations can be envisaged individually or in groups or pairs.

Pupils can evaluate each other or use self evaluation using a grid prepared by the teacher. (or in an ideal world a grid prepared by themselves )

STICKING TO THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM

Sticking to the foreign language in the classroom

Aim

To create an immersive environment for students where they hear, read and use only the language they are learning.

To improve reading skills by encouraging students to search for synonyms in the target/foreign language.

Activities

Teachers introduce and study texts with their students, giving comprehension guidance only in the target/foreign language.

Reading materials could be anything such as song lyrics, poems, articles, emails.

Questions are asked in target/foreign language. Activities are undertaken in target/foreign language.

Students work together only in target/foreign language and teachers encourage this by rewarding positive contributions verbally.

Media Use

Reading texts available to students.

Worksheets or questions in target/foreign language

Advantages

Students' use of texts helps their vocabulary acquisition as they are encouraged to only use target language to describe their understanding (or misunderstanding) of the text.

Teachers and students create an authentic environment, giving the students an immersive experience. This is beneficial for all skills.

Finding synonyms and antonyms from texts helps students to express themselves more easily.

Evaluation 

Using only target/foreign language in the classroom when exploring a text is an excellent way of ensuring students learn new and varied vocabulary. They are engaged with a variety of resources and are able to understand the context of texts more easily when not relying on their mother tongue.