A revised version of a presentation made back in 2009. So much has changed in video since then. I have removed the video clips to make this easier to share.

1. A picture paints a thousand
words…
Using video in your language teaching
(an updated version of an earlier presentation)
T.MacKinnon January 2014

2. Tutors say of using video:
• “Video is more fun & therefore more motivating
than just listening & reading.”
• “It demonstrates real situations.”
• “It exposes the learner to a wide range of
accents.”
• “Film can demonstrate new and unexpected
cultural or social issues.”
• “Video clips offer much more than just listening
practice.”
•
Source: BBC Get Talking workshops

3. video can be used for
listening…
video can get people talking…
students can get creative with
video…

4. Video can provide…
•
•
•
•
•
•
A launch pad for conversation
A stimulus for brain-storming vocabulary
A dialogue prompt
Inspiration for a writing activity
Encouragement to read
Practice with strategies to improve
listening skills
• A window to explore cultural and social
issues

5. Pre-listening/watching:
• Matching vocabulary with English
expressions
• Matching new vocabulary with definitions
in target language
• Categorising new vocab or expressions
• Predicting what will happen/be said/used
• Watch with no sound & put descriptions of
images in right order

6. and more…
• Watch with no sound & describe what you
see
• Watch with no sound & brainstorm nouns,
adjectives, verbs etc
• Answer true/false questions then watch to
confirm or correct
• Draw up word families of key vocab

7. During…
• Tick off vocabulary/expressions as you
hear them
• Pause to talk about a particular scene
• Fill in a listening grid with key information
• Identify who said what
• Answer true/false or multiple choice
questions
• Fill in gaps in a transcript

8. After watching…
• Discuss the Who? When? Where? What?
How? Consequences? of the clip
• From a list, tick the things seen
• Fill in blanks in a résumé of the clip
• Answer specific questions about what was
seen or heard

9. The techie bit
• Video files are large and processor hungry
• Format details vary, management can be
complex
• Commercial video may have DRM, copyright
restrictions.
• Useful free software:
 For editing and conversion - Freemake
 For playback - VLC
 For collection - Myth TV, Miro
 For sharing – vimeo, youtube

10. The techie bit
• Video files are large and processor hungry
• Format details vary, management can be
complex
• Commercial video may have DRM, copyright
restrictions.
• Useful free software:
 For editing and conversion - Freemake
 For playback - VLC
 For collection - Myth TV, Miro
 For sharing – vimeo, youtube