4 Techniques to Study a Foreign Language While Watching a Movie

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te down some unknown words that are catchy to you and then, once the movie is over you look for the meaning.</p><p id="8414">This is a way of knowing new words and also a way to realize that you don’t need to know the one-hundredth percent of the words to have an overall understanding of the movie.</p><h1 id="984e">2. SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH + KNOWN WORDS</h1><p id="d921">Again, this is an exercise my German teacher applied to me and I also applied to my students. Contrary to the previous example. You have to write down the words that you already know. This helps better for beginner students. If you are the one who says: <i>“Yo hablo un poquito de Español” (I speak a little Spanish)</i>, for example, you gotta apply this one for yourself.</p><p id="646c">This way you will prove yourself that actually you know more words and understand better the studying language better than you thought. Try this and you will see that you are going to feel more motivated at the end of the movie.</p><h1 id="c33b">3. AUDIO DESCRIPTION</h1><p id="4284">There are some streaming services that offer audio descriptions while watching the movie. You gotta select this option and there’s gonna be a <i>voice in off </i>that will be telling everything that is happening on the screen. This voice will make a short but detailed description of the same thing that you are watching.</p><p id="61ad">Th

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e purpose of this is you to listen as much English as possible and to visualize what you are listening to. It happens, even in your native language that it seems that you didn’t hear well but by watching you understand better. You will also learn some descriptive words that are not necessarily part of the regular subtitles.</p><h1 id="c980">4. FAMILIARIZED MOVIE + NO SUBTITLES</h1><p id="7d4c">This technique helped me a lot when I was studying French. Try this one with a movie that you have watched lots of times. <i>I choose Disney movies because I knew them well and also because they use simple language as they are for kids.</i></p><p id="8b5d">Once you chose a movie you are familiarized with, you will not have to be aware of what’s happening in the story, because you know it well. And be more receptive to the sound of the language and probably you will be able to identify some words.</p><p id="048e">These are four techniques that I have applied to me and on my students. If you are a teacher looking for some activities to do with your students some of these might help you. And if you are studying on your own, these are good ways to enjoy yourself at home and feeling productive for studying. If there’s the case that you are learning Spanish, check out my blog: <a href="http://www.helloimglad.com">www.helloimglad.com</a></p><p id="f578">Cheers!</p></article></body>

Studying English doesn't have to be boring. Kill two birds with one stone!

If you are learning English as a foreign language, probably you have listened a lot of times that watching movies in English with English subtitles will surely help you to improve your skills. But, how? In which way will watching a movie will help you to improve your skills?

As a forever English learner and a six months English teacher I can tell you some studying techniques which involved watching movies that absolutely will make you feel to enjoy studying and “killing two birds with one stone”.

1. SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH + UNKNOWN WORDS

This is an exercise I learned from my German teacher that I applied with my beginner's French class. You play a movie with English audio and English subtitles as well. While watching the movie you will have a note pad or a notebook where you will write down some unknown words that are catchy to you and then, once the movie is over you look for the meaning.

This is a way of knowing new words and also a way to realize that you don’t need to know the one-hundredth percent of the words to have an overall understanding of the movie.

2. SUBTITLES IN ENGLISH + KNOWN WORDS

Again, this is an exercise my German teacher applied to me and I also applied to my students. Contrary to the previous example. You have to write down the words that you already know. This helps better for beginner students. If you are the one who says: “Yo hablo un poquito de Español” (I speak a little Spanish), for example, you gotta apply this one for yourself.

This way you will prove yourself that actually you know more words and understand better the studying language better than you thought. Try this and you will see that you are going to feel more motivated at the end of the movie.

3. AUDIO DESCRIPTION

There are some streaming services that offer audio descriptions while watching the movie. You gotta select this option and there’s gonna be a voice in off that will be telling everything that is happening on the screen. This voice will make a short but detailed description of the same thing that you are watching.

The purpose of this is you to listen as much English as possible and to visualize what you are listening to. It happens, even in your native language that it seems that you didn’t hear well but by watching you understand better. You will also learn some descriptive words that are not necessarily part of the regular subtitles.

4. FAMILIARIZED MOVIE + NO SUBTITLES

This technique helped me a lot when I was studying French. Try this one with a movie that you have watched lots of times. I choose Disney movies because I knew them well and also because they use simple language as they are for kids.

Once you chose a movie you are familiarized with, you will not have to be aware of what’s happening in the story, because you know it well. And be more receptive to the sound of the language and probably you will be able to identify some words.

These are four techniques that I have applied to me and on my students. If you are a teacher looking for some activities to do with your students some of these might help you. And if you are studying on your own, these are good ways to enjoy yourself at home and feeling productive for studying. If there’s the case that you are learning Spanish, check out my blog: www.helloimglad.com

Cheers!