FILM AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING STUDENT AUTONOMY:

A MATERIAL PACK FOR EFL / ESL TEACHERS

David Rear and Christine Rosalia
Kanda University of International Studies
Japan

The following paper and activity pack is based on:

Rear D. and Rosalia C. (2004). Using film to teach student language learning autonomy.
Paper presented at the ETA International Symposium on English Teaching. Nov 2004,
Taipei, Taiwan.

It was published in: Rear D. (2005). Film as a tool for developing student autonomy.
Working Papers in Language Education Vol. 2, 93 - 101.

Abstract
When Japanese students are asked how they study English in their free time, they often
say they watch English movies. This paper will demonstrate how students can take an
activity they already enjoy (but often do passively) and fine-tune it into enjoyable, selfdirected, and self-assessed independent learning opportunities. The activities encourage
students to make their own learning materials by utilizing self-chosen film clips to
improve the skills they wish to focus on, including vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar,
critical thinking and listening. Feedback from our students testifies that they hunger for
more native interactions, making autonomous learning with authentic material vital.
Most activities involve students choosing the film, activity, number of participants, and
mode of assessment (self, peer, or teacher), thereby training themselves to be more selfdirected and aware of their own mistakes and weaknesses.

Advantages of Film for Language Learning

It is a truism in foreign language learning that to achieve long-lasting success in their
studies, students need to have the motivation and the capability to work independently
outside the classroom, both during the course itself and once it has come to an end. In an

educational culture such as that of Japan, where autonomous learning often gains little
emphasis, it is vital that learners be afforded the opportunity to work with materials that
can be effectively utilised away from the school environment.
Film is an obvious and practical tool with which this can be achieved. Firstly, of
course, it has the benefit of being attractive to a wide range of students, almost regardless
of age, aptitude, and interest. In a pre-study questionnaire given to sixty Freshman
students at a foreign language university in Japan, over ninety-six percent reported that
they either loved or liked watching movies, and eighty-five percent watched at least
one film in English a week. Film carries the advantage of story: it entices learners with a
powerful combination of sound, image, and dialogue, contextualising the language they
are studying and encouraging in them a natural desire to understand it. Students are
frequently willing to spend hours each week listening to the flow of English dialogue
emanating from their television screen, while more traditional modes of study fail to
inspire.
With the wide variety of films available, it is unlikely students will fail to find one
that suits their interests and tastes. Childrens movies and animations offer lower-level
learners a chance to hear large amounts of English spoken in context. More adult-oriented
films can fulfill the needs of advanced learners. They also provide an insight into the
cultures of the target language (albeit somewhat distorted by the lens of the filmmaker),
providing learners with a glimpse of where their linguistic skills can take them, as well as
exposure to a large range of accents and dialects. Finally, they have the advantage of
being easily accessible away from the classroom. With most families in Japan possessing
DVD players or personal computers, movies can be conveniently utilised as linguistic
resources at almost any time. They will also be available once the student has completed
their course.

Failure to Use Film Effectively

The problem, in the experience of the authors, is that although movies are frequently
watched by language learners, they are seldom exploited with true effectiveness. Students
may sit in front of the television screen and appear to be taking in a rich stream of
language input, but how much of that language are they really processing? As eightyeight percent of the Freshmen students at the university admitted in the pre-study
questionnaire, they tended to switch off as the movie progressed, concentrating on the
pictures while allowing the words to wash over them unattended.

They usually failed to employ strategies that one might reasonably expect to assist
language learning, as the following table illustrates:

TABLE 1: Strategy use by Freshman students while watching movies

Strategy

Always

Often

S/times

Rarely

Never

I understand more than half of what

0%

10%

35%

37%

18%

0%

7%

17%

43%

33%

0%

15%

16%

39%

30%

0%

6%

12%

29%

53%

2%

13%

14%

30%

41%

4%

23%

26%

31%

16%

0%

9%

24%

39%

28%

1%

9%

13%

34%

43%

the actors say.

If I do not understand something, I
rewind and listen to it again.
I try to notice if the movie uses a
word I have learned recently.
I stop to write down new vocabulary
and expressions.
I watch movies more than once to
review vocabulary and expressions.
I try to take note of the actors
pronunciation.
If I watch a movie with friends, we
discuss it afterwards in English.
I check the movie script when I
watch.

Perhaps as a consequence of this, few students reported that they felt movies
genuinely helped them to improve their English. The majority (seventy-eight percent), in
fact, admitted that they had little or no idea how to use movies to study English.
It was for this reason that the Film for Independent Learning component was
added to the Freshman English programme. Films can be a rich resource for language
learning, offering opportunities for extensive and intensive listening, pronunciation work,
grammatical and lexical development, and critical reflection. If students were given
guidance on how to use film more effectively, it was hoped they would eventually begin
to do so independently.

Film for Independent Learning Component

The Film for Independent Learning component ran for four ninety-minute classes during
the Freshman English course, which met for four times a week for one year. It consisted
of fourteen separate activities, each designed to be completed by students working
independently, either by themselves or with a partner or small group. Each activity also
contained a feedback sheet, in which the students were able to record both what they did
and their reflections on how it went. These sheets could be checked by the teacher as a
way of monitoring their progress.
Over the course of the four classes, the students were required to complete four
activities in total. The activities were divided into three types: those that involved the
watching of a whole film in English; those that were focussed on a particular scene from
a film; and finally, those that could be accomplished without using film. In all cases, the
students could choose the movie and the clip, selecting ones that suited both their level
and interest. Although estimates were given for the length of time the activity would take
and the optimal number of students for participating, the final decision was left up to the
learners themselves.
As the appendix pages show, students had a wide variety of choice in terms of the
type of activity and the skills it was designed to practise. The following is a brief
summary:

Activity 1:

Discussion Topics

Listening for gist. Speaking.

Activity 2:

Story Frames

Listening for gist. Speaking. Short writing.

Activity 3:

Comparing Characters

Listening for gist. Speaking. Grammar.

Activity 4:

Dear Film Friend

Listening for gist. Writing. Speaking.

Activity 5:

Character Interviews

Listening for gist. Speaking. Grammar.

Activity 6:

Dictation

Listening for details. Grammar.

Activity 7:

Reverse Translation

Listening for details. Translating. Grammar.

Activity 8:

Questions for Friends

Listening for details. Speaking.

Activity 9:

Listen and Repeat

Pronunciation. Vocabulary. Listening.

Activity 10:

Trailers

Listening for details. Note-taking. Speaking.

Activity 11:

Spot the Mistakes

Listening for details. Grammar.

Activity 12:

Predict the Opening Scene

Speaking.

Activity 13:

Making a film remake

Speaking. Writing. Critical Thinking.

Activity 14:

Pronunciation Project

Pronunciation. Speaking. Listening.

At the end of the four classes, the students were asked to give their thoughts on the
component, and the reaction was almost overwhelmingly positive. Ninety-seven percent
of students said they had enjoyed or very much enjoyed the experience, with the only
negative reports being due to the difficulty of finding and setting up DVDs in the
crowded settings of the university. In the future, we would hope to research whether
students continue to use the activities they have learned in their everyday independent
study.

Acknowledgements
Many of the above activities were adapted from:
Stempleski S. and Tomlin B. (2001): Research Books for Teachers: Film. Oxford: OUP

Film Vocabulary

Overview of Activities

Discussion Topics

Story Frames

Comparing Characters

Dear Film Friend

Character Interviews

Dictation

Reverse Translation

Questions for your Friends

Listen and Repeat

Which film looks best? (Trailers)

Listen for the Missing Words

Spot the Mistakes

Predict the Opening Scene

Film Pronunciation Project

Useful internet sites

Film Vocabulary
Talking about movies

Making a movie

Whats it about?

actor

n.

Whos in it?

actress

n.

Where is it set?

director

n.

Who directed it?

producer

n.

Who produced it?

editor

n.

Who made it?

to edit (s/thing)

vb.

When was it made?

to act in

vb

cast

n.

scriptwriter

n.

It is based on (a true story)

To release a movie

vb.

script

n.

sequel

n.

to dub (a movie)

vb.

remake

n.

crew

n.

agent

n.

agency

n.

(camera) angle

n.

shoot (a movie)

vb.

Watching a movie

Talking about movie

plots
setting

n.

a Western

n.

sound effects

n.

criminal

n.

special effects

n.

victim

n.

subtitles

n.

evidence

n.

trailer

n.

title

plot

n.

character

n.

dialogue

n.

complex

adj.

clip

n.

characteristic

n.

scene

n.

(have an) affair

vb.

commercial

n.

politics

n.

synopsis

n.

detailed

adj.

(opening) credits

n.

scary

adj.

(closing) credits

n.

amusing

adj.

Being a movie star

Success and failure

fame

n.

to succeed

vb.

superstar

n.

to fail

vb.

legend

n.

success

n.

celebrity

n.

failure

n.

popularity

n.

a (big) hit

n.

Oscar

n.

a flop

n.

Academy Award

n.

to criticise

vb.

award

n.

to praise

vb.

role

n.

(film) review

n.

major role

n.

minor role

n.

leading role

n.

Whole Film
If you choose these options, you have to watch the film OUTSIDE CLASS.
You can discuss and do the activities inside class.
Activity One: Discussion Topics (2 3 people): 40 minutes
Summary:

Watch an English movie and discuss it with your friends.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss some general questions together about the movie.

(3)

Write about what you discussed.

Activity Two: Story Frames (2 3 people): 40 minutes

Summary:

Watch an English movie and summarise it using a story frame.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Short writing.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss it with your friends and complete a story frame (like a

questionnaire).

(3)

Give your teacher the story frame to check

Activity Three: Comparing characters (2 people): 40 minutes

Summary:

Watch an English movie and then compare the main characters using a
Venn diagram.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Making comparisons (grammar).

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss and compare the characters using a Venn diagram (the

two circles we used when comparing food in two countries).

(3)

Show your teacher your Venn Diagram.

Activity Four: Dear film friend (1 - 2 people): 40 minutes

Summary:

Watch an English movie and write a letter to the main character.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Writing.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss the main characters.

(3)

Write a letter to one of the main characters.

(4)

Give your teacher the letter to read

Activity Five: Character interviews (2 3 people): 1 hour

Summary:

Watch an English movie and role-play an interview with one of the main
characters.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Making questions.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

1 2 students make interview questions for the main character.

The other student pretends to be the main character.

(3)

Role-play the interview.

Film Clips
If you choose these options, you have to choose and set up the film clip OUTSIDE
CLASS. You can watch the film clip and do the activities inside class.
Activity One: Dictation (1 - 2 people): 1 hour
Summary:

Watch a short scene of an English movie without subtitles and write down
the dialogue.

Skills:

Listening for details. Grammar. Speaking

Method:

(1)

Choose a movie scene outside class.

(2)

Listen and write down what the characters say.

(3)

Listen again and check if you were right

(4)

Give your teacher the dialogue and write about your experience

Activity Two: Reverse translation (2 people): 1 hour

Summary:

Watch a scene from an English movie with Japanese subtitles with the
sound off and try to work out what the characters are saying.

Skills:

Listening for details. Translating. Grammar.

Method:

(1)

Choose a scene from an English movie with Japanese

subtitles.

(2)

Watch the scene with the sound off and translate the Japanese
subtitles into English.

(3)

Listen to the scene to check your answers.

(4)

Show your teacher your translation and write about how accurate
it was.

Activity Three: Questions for your friends (2 4 people): 1 hour

Summary:

Watch a sort clip from an English movie and make some comprehension
questions for your friends, who then watch the same clip.

Skills:

Listening for details. Speaking. Making questions.

Method:

(1)

Watch a scene from an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Write some comprehension questions about the scene.

(3)

Show the scene to your friends. Your friends try to answer the
questions

(4)

you wrote.

Show your teacher the questions and write about your

experience of making them.

Activity Four: Listen and Repeat (1 2 people): 30 minutes

Summary:

Watch a short clip from an English movie with subtitles and repeat what
the characters to improve your vocabulary and pronunciation.

Skills:

Vocabulary. Pronunciation. Listening.

Method:

(1)

Watch a scene from an English movie.

(2)

Listen carefully to what the characters are saying and try to repeat
it with the same pronunciation.

(3)

Write down any new vocabulary or expressions you learned.

(4)

Fill in the form and give it to your teacher.

Activity Five: Trailers (2 4 people): 30 40 minutes

Summary:

Watch trailers for three different films and discuss which trailer you think
is best.

Skills:

Listening for details. Taking notes. Speaking.

Method:

(1)

Choose a video with three trailers outside of class.

(2)

Take some notes about the trailers as you watch.

(3)

Discuss which trailer was best and why.

Activity Six: Spot the mistakes (2 people): 45 minutes

Summary:

Get a script from a short movie scene and write it out with four mistakes.
Show the scene to your partner and see if they can find the mistakes.

Skills:

Listening for details.

Method:

(1)

Choose a scene outside of class with a script.

(2)

Change the script so that there are four mistakes.

(3)

Show the scene to your partner and see if they can find the
mistakes.

Activity Seven: Predict the opening scene (2 3 people): 45 minutes

Summary:

Look at a movie poster or video cover and guess what happens in the first
scene.

Skills:

Speaking.

Method:

(1)

Look a movie posters or video covers of films you havent seen.

(2)

Discuss what you think might happen in the opening scene.

(3)

Watch the opening scene to check.

(4)

Write to your teacher about what you guessed would happen

and what actually happened.

Others
Activity One: Pronunciation project
Summary:

Listen to and then act out a scene from a movie, concentrating on

pronunciation and fluency.

Skills:

Pronunciation and speaking

Acknowledgements
Many of the above activities were adapted from:
Stempleski S. and Tomlin B. (2001): Research Books for Teachers: Film. Oxford:
OUP

Discussion Topics (2 3 people): 40 minutes

Summary:

Watch an English movie and discuss it with your friends.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss some general questions together about the movie.

(3)

Write about what you discussed.

Materials:

Any movie

Questions for discussion

Whats the movie about?
Whos in it?
When / Where is it set?
Who directed it?
When was it made?
What did you like best about this film?
What, if anything, did you learn from this film?
Was there anything you did not understand about the film? What was it?
Which character in the film did you like best?
Which character in the film did you like least?
Did you like the way music was used in this film?
What do you think of the ending of the film?
If you were the director, how would you have ended the film?
ANY MORE QUESTIONS?
_____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________ ?
_____________________________________________________________ ?

Feedback
What movie did you watch?
________________________________________________________________
Explain about the movie: what was it about? who was in it? where was it set?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
What did you think of the movie?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

How did you feel about this activity?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Story Frames (2 3 people: 40 minutes)

Summary:

Watch an English movie and summarise it using a story frame.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Short writing.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss it with your friends and complete a story frame (like

a questionnaire). Give your teacher the story frame to check.

Materials:

Any movie

Story frame
Film title
Setting
Character
The main character in this film is
In the film, he / she
I think he / she is good / bad because
Plot
The film starts when
Next,
Then,
Finally,
Opinions
What I liked about this film was
What I didnt like about this film was

Comparing characters (2 people: 40 minutes)

Summary:

Watch an English movie and then compare the main characters

using a Venn diagram.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Making comparisons (grammar).

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss and compare the characters using a Venn diagram.

Materials:

Any movie

Character questions: examples

What kind of person is X?

What kind of person is Y

How are the characters similar?

How are they different?

What kind of jobs do they do?

What kind of clothes do they wear?

Other questions

Venn diagram

Who are the main characters? How are they similar or different?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Dear film friend (1 - 2 people: 40 minutes)

Summary:

Watch an English movie and write a letter to the main character.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Writing.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

Discuss the main characters.

(3)

Write a letter to one of the main characters.

(4)

Please show your teacher the letter

Materials:

Any movie

Things you can think and write about

*

What do you like or admire about the character?

What do you dislike about the character?

Why does the character interest you?

What do you and the character have in common?

What advice would you like to give to the character?

What are the characters plans for the future?

A different idea
If you want, you can imagine you are another character in the film and write the
letter from that character.
e.g. If the movie is Titanic, you could be Rose and write a letter to Jack.

Feedback
Please write your letter here:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Character interviews ( 2 3 people: 60 minutes)

Summary:

Watch an English movie and role-play an interview with one of the

main characters. Present in front of classmates or video tape your
interview.

Skills:

Listening for gist. Speaking. Making questions.

Method:

(1)

Watch an English movie outside of class.

(2)

1 2 students make interview questions for the main

character. The other student pretends to be the main
character.

Materials:

Student A:

(3)

Role-play the interview.

(4)

Record or videotape the interview

Any movie. Equipment to record the interview (tape, MD, video)

Imagine you are an interviewer for a famous magazine (think: What

kind of magazine?). You are going to interview a character from a
movie. Think of some questions you want to ask that character
(think: What information do you want to know?)

Student B:

You are the character and are going to be interviewed by a

magazine. Think: How does your character behave? Is he / she
nice or nasty? Will he / she tell the truth in the interview or does he /
she want to lie? What kind of body language will he / she use?

Example questions
Rose is being interviewed by a famous romance magazine called We Love Men.
o How do you feel about Jacks death?
o Why did you fall in love with him?
o Were you scared when Titanic sank?
o What are doing now?
o What are your hopes for the future?
o Are you planning to get married?

Dictation (1 2 people: 1 hour)

Summary:

Watch a scene of an English movie without subtitles and write

down the dialogue.

Skills:

Listening for details. Grammar. Speaking

Method:

(1)

Choose a movie scene outside class.

(2)

Listen and write down what the characters say.

(3)

Give your teacher the dialogue.

Materials:

Any movie with English subtitles

More information
Sometimes we only need to catch the main ideas, but sometimes we need to
understand every word. You can use movies to improve you ability to listen
accurately for details. One way to do this is by dictation.
Procedure
1. Choose a brief scene (or part of a scene) from your favourite film. Don`t
make it too long- about 10 lines of dialogue is enough. Do not have
subtitles.
2. Get a piece of paper and a pen, and watch the scene. As you watch, write
down the dialogue. At first, you may only be able to understand a few
words here and there. Don`t worry! Watch the same scene again. Write
down more words. And again. And so on
3. When you`ve done as much as you can do, you have a number of options.
If it is a DVD, you can check the English subtitles. If there is a screenplay
available, you can check that (SALC has about 30 screenplays). Or you
can bring the video and your script to me, and I`ll check it for you.

Feedback
Please write your dictation here:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Reverse translation (2 people: 1 hour)

Summary:

Watch a scene from an English movie with Japanese subtitles with

the sound off and try to work out what the characters are saying.

Skills:

Listening for details. Translating. Grammar.

Method:

(1)

Choose a scene from an English movie with Chinese

subtitles.

(2)

Watch the scene with the sound off and translate the

Chinese subtitles into English.

Materials:

(3)

Listen to the scene to check your answers.

(4)

Show your teacher your translation and the answers.

Any movie available with Chinese and English subtitles (DVD)

More information
In this activity, you get a chance to practise your grammar and vocabulary, as
well as your listening. You can also take the first steps towards becoming a
translator in the future!
Procedure
1) Watch a part of a movie you like with the sound off, and with the Chinese
subtitles visible. DVDs work best.
2) Watch about 10-15 lines of dialogue.
3) By yourself, or with a friend, translate the subtitles into English. Try to use
natural, colloquial English if you can- remember, movies try to show
people having real conversations.
4) Watch the scene with the sound on to check your answers.
5) Watch the scene with English subtitles for a final check.

Feedback
Please write your translation here:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Please write the real translation here:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Questions for your friends (2 4 people: 1 hour)

Summary:

Watch a scene from an English movie and make some

comprehension questions for your friends, who then watch the
movie.

Skills:

Listening for details. Speaking. Making questions.

Method:

(1)

Watch a scene from an English movie. It should be 3 5

minutes long.

Materials:
NB:

(2)

Write some comprehension questions about the scene.

(3)

Show the scene to your friends.

(4)

Your friends try to answer the questions you wrote.

(5)

Show your teacher the questions you made.

Any movie

If you do this with two people, one person should write questions for

one movie and then ask their partner, and the other person should do the
same with a different movie. With four people, two people can make
questions together for the same movie and two people a different movie.
Write your questions here:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Listen and Repeat ( 1 2 people: 30 minutes)

Summary:

Watch a short clip from an English movie with subtitles and repeat
what the characters to improve your vocabulary and pronunciation.

Skills:

Vocabulary. Pronunciation. Listening.

Method:

(1)

Watch a scene from an English movie.

(2)

Listen carefully to what the characters are saying and try to

repeat it with the same pronunciation.

Materials:

(3)

Write down any new vocabulary or expressions you learned.

(4)

Fill in the form and give it to your teacher.

Any movie (best with English subtitles)

Name of movie: ____________________________________

What happened in the scene? ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Expressions / vocabulary you repeated:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Which film looks best? (2 people: 30 40 minutes)

Summary:

Watch trailers for two different films (one which you picked out and
one which your partner picked out) and discuss which trailer you
think is best.

Skills:

Listening for details. Taking notes. Speaking.

Method:

(1) Choose a video or DVD or go to http://www.apple.com/trailers/

with two trailers.
(2) Take some notes about the trailers as you watch. Make notes
about:

the title

the leading actors

the genre (horror, drama, action, comedy, animation,

etc)

the plot (what happened?)

the mood (feeling) of the film (romantic, dark, happy,

etc.)

(3) Try to catch the words and write down the key dialogue. (Ask
your teacher to watch your trailer if you need some help. Before
you ask though, watch the trailer at least 3 times)
(4) Discuss which trailer was best and why.
Materials:

Any movie trailers

Feedback
Trailers watched: __________________________________________________
Which movie looked best? ___________________________________________
Why? ___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Listen for the Missing Words

Summary: Get a script from a short movie scene (3-5 minutes is recommended).
Blacken out 4 words. Watch the scene again and see if you can catch the words
you blackened out. Next, show the scene to a friend and see if they can find the
mistakes.
Skills: Listening for details
Method:
1. Preparing the words: Do step A or B or C
A. Watch a 3-5 dialogue minute scene with the subtitles on. Write down
the subtitles.
B. Download and print the words from a film script resource page. The
following pages might be helpful:
http://www.script-o-rama.com/
http://www.simplyscripts.com/
http://www.weeklyscript.com/index.htm
http://www.eslnotes.com/synopses.html
http://www.moviescriptsandscreenplays.com/
http://www.scriptcrawler.net/
http://www.dailyscript.com/
http://www.allmoviescripts.com/,
http://www.movie-page.com/movie_scripts.htm
http://blake.prohosting.com/bamzon
C. Photocopy 2-3 pages from a movie script book. You can purchase
movie scripts from many bookstores, for example,
http://www.amazon.com
2. Read the script once
3. Look up any words you do not understand.
4. Darken out 4 words. (A good challenge is to darken out the words you did not
know in step 3.)
4. Watch the film scene and try to catch the missing words.
5. Switch film sheets with a partner. Can you fill in the words your partner had
blackened out? Can they fill in the words that you blackened out?

Spot the mistakes

Summary: This activity is just like Listen for the missing words, but instead of
blackening out words, change four words in the script.
Skills: Listening for details and Grammar
Method:
1. Do steps 1-3 as above in Listening for Missing Words.
2. Change the script so that four words are changed; make four mistakes.
3, Switch film sheets with a partner. See if they can catch the mistakes
you put into the script.
A variation on this activity is to target certain grammar. For example,
change four verbs into their noun form or leave out some noun word
endings or leave out articles

Predict the opening scene (2 3 people: 45 minutes)

Summary:

Look at a movie poster or video cover and guess what happens in

the first scene.

Skills:

Speaking.

Method:

(1)

Look a movie posters or video covers of films you havent

seen.

(2)

Discuss what you think might happen in the opening scene.

(3)

Watch the opening scene to check.

(4)

Write about what you guessed would happen and

what actually happened.

Materials:

Any movie and the front cover / poster of that movie

Ideas to help you predict the scene

Think of:
Setting:

When and where might the opening scene take place?

Characters:

Which characters might appear in the scene?

Key events:

What might happen in the opening scene?

Dialogue:

What are some lines of dialogue you might hear?

Other:

List any other details you think might be part of the opening
scene.

Feedback
What did you think would happen?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
What actually happened?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Using Dialogue in Films

to help you improve your fluency and
pronunciation

1. Select a 5 minute clip from your film

How to select a good clip?
Choose one that has many characters so that everyone in your group is speaking
OR
Choose a clip for every 2-3 people in your group (when you cannot find a clip that
has good speaking parts for a larger group).
2. Write or find a transcript of the scene.
How do I write the words from a film down?
You can go to scriptpimp.com or script-o-rama.com or do a internet search for
the title of your film and the key words film script. When you do this you can
find the words to the film. Look inside these scripts for the scene you want to do.
OR
Listen to the scene and try to write down the words you hear (We can go into the
SALC or ELI to do this). I can help you.
3. Practice copying this scene. Dont worry about props so much. You
will have a chance to make your own film later and then that will be
important, but for this activity the DIALOGUE is most important and
you should focus on speaking the dialogue as the actors do. Focus
on the

Intonation
Speed
Rhythm
Accent
Word stress

4. Tape-record (or MD record) the dialogue that you perform.

5. Give your teacher a copy of your tape/MD and a printed copy of the
words to your scene.

Recommended Sites for film scripts, screenplays or

transcripts
http://www.script-o-rama.com/
http://www.simplyscripts.com/
http://www.allmoviescripts.com/
http://www.movie-page.com/movie_scripts.htm
http://www.weeklyscript.com/index.htm
http://www.moviescriptsandscreenplays.com/
http://www.scriptcrawler.net/
http://www.dailyscript.com/
http://www.eslnotes.com/synopses.html
http://blake.prohosting.com/bamzone/
For purchasing scripts
http://www.iscriptdb.com/
For purchasing learning sites that use film
http://www.learningbrook.com/
Movie trailers:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/
http://www.movie-list.com/
http://www.comingsoon.net/trailers/
http://www.movie-page.com/trailers.htm (all of these trailers also have film scripts
to full versions of the movie)
http://www.movie-trailers.com
Lesson plans sites for using film:
http://bogglesworld.com/lessons/MovieLesson1.htm
http://www.onestopenglish.com/News/Magazine/News/video_beder.htm