A Film as Resource in English Language Teaching

Ahmad Sulaeman
(A Term Paper for ICT in Language Teaching)
Introduction
In Indonesia, the students have begun studying English for at least twelve years before
entering the college. Even there some students who have got English subject from
Kindergarten. However, most of the students do not have sufficient achievement in English
language skills. Especially, they have lack of skill in speaking.
This condition implies that there is such a failure in teaching and learning English in
Indonesia. There are many possible causes leading to the failure in learning English. It could
be the unsuitable curriculum which is applied, the unskillful teacher in delivering and
mastering the lessons, or the lack of students motivation in studying English. One of the
failures is caused by having inappropriate method which has been applied (Pasassung, 2013).
Moreover, the lack of students motivation is the cause of the failure of students in studying
English in Indonesia (Reijerink, 2013)
In recent years, to advance the students mastery of language skills, language teachers have
tried to search a variety of quality teaching materials and aid to be used in EFL classes to
ensure that the students can achieve optimum to learn. Many surveys conducted by language
educators and scholars have revealed that films can become an integral part of the curriculum
because films provide exposures to the real language used in authentic settings and the
culture in which the foreign language is spoken. They also have found films that draw the
learners interest can positively affect their motivation to learn (Kusumarasdyati, 2004).
The Objective
There are some objectives dealing to this essay which would be searched. First, this essay
tries to study what the benefits are of using movies in English language teaching for
improving students skills. Second, what factors the teachers should consider in teaching
English by using film. Third, what the weaknesses or negative effects are of using film in
teaching English.
Review of Related literature
There are many benefits which learners of English language can get from learning English
through film. For example, some researchers have shown the evidence that providing films in
the classroom of English learning permits teachers to expose language learners to authentic,
genuine, everyday conversational expression and spoken language as opposed to textbook
oriented approaches which concentrates on form rather than essence. Moreover, they present
realistic and cross cultural contexts (King, 2002).
In addition, the comparison shows that Features films are more intrinsically motivating than
videos provided for EFL/ESL teaching because they embody the notion that a film with a
story that wants to be told rather than a lesson that needs to be taught (Ward & Lepeintre,
1996). Moreover, the realism of movies presents paralinguistic and genuine cross-cultural
information, riches of contextualized linguistic, classroom listening comprehension and
fluency practice (Braddock, 1996). Films are such valuable and rich resources for teaching
for they present colloquial English in real life contexts rather than artificial situations; an
opportunity of being exposed to different native speaker voices, slang, reduced speeches,
stress, accents, and dialects.
The Considerations of using Films in English Language Teaching
Even though films are a good and practical way to present the lessons more entertaining and
motivate the students, the use of films is not automatically always simple. Actually, there are
several factors that require to be considered when using movies in foreign language teaching.
The teachers should consider about choosing or selecting the films which will be presented to
children, determining the arrangement of classroom activities, and considering about making
full use of the film (Ruusunen, 2011).
It is absolutely important that teachers should select the film which will be shown to learners.
The selection must be based on the planning and approaching which will be applied in
teaching learning process. It is also important that the students understand the instructional
objectives of a film lesson, since it is probable that they do not necessarily consider the film
as a teaching tool, at least not in a similar way as they would consider a textbook. Thus, it is
essential to give explicable and simple instructions to the students, in order to make them
comprehend that the film is not just an pleasurable way to pass time but that it has certain
pedagogical goals (Ruusunen, 2011). Furthermore, another significant factor which should be
determined when selecting the suitable film is the level of students proficiency and
comprehensibility of the film. The film should be adequately understandable, so that
students can complete the language related tasks and that the teacher does not have to work
too hard in order to help the students to understand the language (King, 2002).
The second factor which should be considered by teachers in teaching and learning English
through films is determining the arrangement of classroom activities. There are three steps
which can be done. Those chronologically are a previewing, while viewing, and post
previewing (Kusumarasdyati, 2004).
Pre-viewing which is really important is the process of helping the learners construct the
suitable schemata to support comprehension (van Duzer, 1997) To prepare students scaffolds
such as the theme of the film, key vocabulary, main characters, the script, grammatical
structure, scene description and questions which will answered by students while viewing the
film.
After pre-viewing, it is directly continued to While-viewing step. While watching, students
are expected to fill in worksheets, which prompt them to find specific information in order to
answer the questions. A second viewing increases comprehension.
The last step is post-viewing. In this step, Individuals views, group dialogue and class
discussion are encouraged and corrected. However, it is more heartening, if students answers
are not judged instantaneously. Further questions like Why do you think that? help them to
reflect more deeply. When different or contradicting views occur, other perspectives are
explored and assessed seriously.
The Analysis
Based on the findings of some researches, it can be described that using films in teaching and
learning English has given a positive implication. Firstly, using films can motivate students in
learning English, because students will get enjoyment which they rarely get in a traditional
teaching learning process. Moreover, students can gain the real and original examples of
expressions which are usually spoken by native speakers, even though they sometimes get
problems in comprehending the dialogues. So, this is a challenge for teachers to provide the
regular activities in strengthening students skill in listening.
In order to hold a successful viewing film, teachers must have a clear planning which consists
of selecting the film and arranging the steps of viewing a film. Actually, it is really important.
The films which are selected must be in line with the students level of comprehensibility and
their age.
However, there are challenges or problems, for example, teachers face about the probability
of students forgetfulness from the main objective of viewing film. Students must understand
that watching film is not only for enjoyment but it is for learning English. So, this is the
teachers responsibility to remind them. Moreover, viewing films tends to spend more time
than a traditional learning method, for the reason that films usually spend much time.
Consequently, teachers must manage the time based on the film shown to students.
The Summary and Recommendation
Related to findings from some researches, it is understandable that watching film in teaching
and learning process of English language has many benefits which can improve students
motivation, language skills, and knowledge of the real and original expressions which are
acceptably spoken by native speakers. So, it is recommended that teachers can make
available or facilitate learners of English language to apply watching films in improving their
skills in English. To get the successful activity, teachers must be skillful enough with the
facilitations which are needed.
References
Braddock, B. (1996). Using films in the English class. Hemel Hempstead: Phoenix ELT.
Ekahitanond, Visara. Learn, Think, Act: Using Movies to Develop Critical Thinking Skills.
Executive Journal. 110-114
Herron, Carol, Sebastien Dubreil, Steven P. Cole, and Cathleen Corrie. (2000). Using
Instructional Video to Teach Culture to Beginning Foreign Language Students. CALICO 17
(3): 395-427.
King, J. (February 2002). Using DVD feature films in the ESL classroom. ELT Newsletters.
Kusumarasdyati, R. ( 2004). Listening, viewing and imagination and education: Movies in
EFL classes. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Imagination and
Education Vancouver, Canada.
Pasassung, Nikolaus,(2013) Is English improving lives in a remote Indonesian
village?http://www.languageonthemove.com/language-globalization/is-english-improving-
lives-in-a-remote-indonesian-village accessed on 25 July 2013

Reijerink, Abdul Rahman, (2013) Passive Learning and the Role of Fear in Indonesian Class
Rooms http://kangguru.me/2013/04/passive-learning-and-the-role-of-fear-in-indonesian-
class-rooms/ accessed on 25 July 2013

Ruusunen, Virve. (2011). Using Movies in EFL Teaching: the point of view of teachers.
Masters thesis University of Jyvskyl Department of Languages English
Tafani, Vilma. (2009) Teaching English Through Mass Media Acta Didactica Napocensia,
volume 2, no. 1. 81-96
Van Duzer, C. (1997). Improving ESL Learners Listening Skills: At the Workplace and
Beyond. Washington D.C.: National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education.
Ward, J & Lepeintre (1996). The creative connection in movies and TV: What Degrassi
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