iTunes Movie Rentals: Can such services help English Students?
Apple recently started its own movie rental service to provide downloadable movies that users can view for a short period of time. My question is how useful such a service will be to students and teachers learning ESL or EFL. Currently, the service is only available in certain areas and you can only view the movie during a 24-hour window. On the plus side, you can download these movies to newer-generation iPods, so a learner or teacher could view the movie away from the computer.
Personally, I'd probably buy the movie from iTunes (or other places) instead of renting one, but the idea of its portability is interesting. As a teacher, I can imagine showing parts of the movie to help students improve their listening, vocabulary, and better yet, their discussion skills because I wouldn't just watch the movie (a very passive skill with popcorn), but I'd have students discuss the movie content as a way of building thinking skills.
So, what is your opinion on using movies to improve your language skills? Share your experiences and ideas.
Randall
14 comments:
I think the movie receved by iTunes
can help English Students. It doesn't mean the movie is the best way of learning English for them.
I used to rent a lot of movies when I was young. I'd always watch them twice. First, I'd try to watch them without the subtitles, and then I'd turn this feature on so that I could make notes of new vocabulary and expressions I was not familiar with.
I also agree that just watching a movie won't help anybody improve their English. I've always been encouraged to discuss its content with other people so that I could also have the opportunity to use the vocabulary and expressions I learned from the movie.
Another advantage of watching movies is that you can associate /see the situation/context and the kind of language you're expected to use.
I think it can help English students.
I am learning English and sometimes rent movies. When I watch movies, I see with native language subtitle and sound is English. Then, I can know many vocabularies and it becomes practise of hearing English.
It is one of the best ways of learning English.
I think using movies is one of good ways to learn English. It's more intimate than writing vocabularies and answering questions on paper.
I think the movie receved by iTunes can help English sutudent.Because movie is the best way of learning English.
I THINK IT DOES HELP YOU WITH HEARING THE PRONUSATION AND WITH SOME NEW WORD THE YOU MINGHT NOT KNOW.I THINK THE ITUNE STORE IT JUST TRYING TO MAKE MORE BUSSINESS THET WHY THEY DO THAT TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE TO BUY OR RENT
iTunes provides free downloadable movies and music, but it has time limits on those downloadable files. Therefore I agree with that itunes is nothing more than a commercial way to make more benefits on consumers.
As for movie to English learning, I'm crazy about watching movie and learning English at the same time, because watching movie can be not only a reational activity during free time, but also a good way to learn a language and a culture. I agree with Randall saying that watching movies solely is a passive way of learning English. However, I usually watch movie alone because frequently stopping the movie to write down English expressions will make my friends unwilling to watch movie with me,so I usually don't know what I should discuss after finishing the movie. I think if there're a list of questions for discussion with every movie, many movie viewers will love to discuss their thoughts on movies.
It depends on the level of your english. There are some movies that I can't understand anything. Perhaps isn't it better listening to tunes having the thext?
I really agree your idea of having student discuss the movie content as a way of building thinking skill.Otherwise,i don't think just watching movie can improve the listening skill,vocabulary ..etc,even you downloaded some movies to your portable device like PSP,Ipod.Frankly speaking,I'm a movie buff,i like the horror,comedy,science fiction film ,almost i like all of the movie and watch all the the movie.But i really feel watching movie never improve my language skill.Maybe it need some watching skill.for example ,you need know the film script before you watch it or you watch a movie 5 times at least or such like that.but for me,every time,i just read the Chinese script when i watch it.So.....
Best,
Evan.J
I think watching movies can help me improve my listening stills if I do not turn on the subtitles when watching it the first time . As I have great difficulty understanding the actors' words, I sometimes can't concentrate on listening ,instead,I only understand them by reading the subtitles all the time without hearing anything.
I haven't any experience on the effect of movie on my language bet I see someone who improve their language by watching movie.
Using movies to improve english is good suggestion. However, some students say that does not work to improve their english.
So i must reiterate that watching moveies only can improve the oral and listening, especially build english sense. Moreover, students have not to choose complicated-content and deep films at the first time. It must base on your levels and keep to the working routines. Besides, you should write down some common-used speech and grammar during watching movies. Importantly, following their speaking, you should notice their pronounce.
Finally, you can choose the movies you like. If you have time, watch it again.
Many people in my country learn English by watching some famous TV series, such as "Friends" and "Sex and the city". In my point of view, it is a good way to improve English skills and relax at the same time. I can realize different cultures from that as well!
I suppose Apple INC didn't create this service to improve english skills of foreign students :) but it is good idea to use it for learning, for example in my city it's to hard to get any video with english speech especially to rent it... So i support this idea! (but new problem, i can't login in the I-tunes store thereof i don't have credit card is supported by them)
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