Subject: course work theme: The role of games in teaching listening for A2 learners scientific supervisor: head of chair: student: Farxotov Sh. J. Group: 337 content

3.3 The role of video and criteria for selecting video for young learners

Role of video.

Once the decision has been made to use a video in class, thought should be given as to what purpose the video is being used for i.e. the role of the video. The way the video is used and the materials prepared for use with the video will depend on the role the video is to take. Below are four possible roles for video. ( Adapted from Willis' 6 roles for video 1983: 45)
Developing listening skills
Listening for global understanding, listening for detail.
To provide information
To provide content relevant to students' needs and interests.
Presenting or reinforcing language
Grammar, vocabulary, functions.
Stimulating language production
Video used as a basis for discussion, a model for learners to follow, a visual aid.
Criteria for selecting video
When selecting an authentic video for use in the classroom certain general criteria should be kept in mind.
Watchability
Is the video interesting? Would a young native speaker want to watch this video?
Completeness
Tomalin (1991: 50) 'The ideal video clip…… tells a complete story or section of a story'. This idea of completeness is important for young learners whose primary motivation for watching a video is enjoyment.
Length
The length of the clip is important, it shouldn't be too long, perhaps between 30 seconds and 10 minutes depending on the learning objective.
Appropriateness of Content
The content should be suitable for Young Learners. How has the video been rated; 'Universal', 'Parental Guidance', for ages '13'or '18'? Would the video be suitable for viewing in all cultures?
Level of maturity
Children mature very quickly so a group of 7-year-olds watching a video made for 5-year-olds would probably regard it as 'too babyish'. On the other hand using a video intended for older children with a group of younger children might lead to the children not being able to understand the concepts in the video.
Availability of Related Materials
Many authentic videos now come with ready made materials that can be used for language teaching (Wallace and Gromit, the 'Speak Up' series of films in Spain.) Other videos may have been adapted from books, which could be used in the classroom to support the video. (The 'Spot' series and Eric Carlyle stories such as 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'.
If, however, the video is being used for presenting language or for comprehension tasks there are further factors which should be considered when selecting a video.
Degree of visual support
A good idea is to choose scenes that are very visual. The more visual a video is, the easier it is to understand - as long as the pictures illustrate what is being said.
Clarity of picture and sound
If the video has been copied from the television it is important to make sure both the picture and sound are clear.
Density of language
This refers to the amount of language spoken in a particular time. Videos where the language is dense are more difficult for learners to comprehend.
Speech delivery
'Clarity of speech, speech rate and accents are all factors in determining how difficult a video excerpt will be for students to comprehend.' Arcario (Undated: 115)
Language content
'In using video to present language, an important factor to consider is the linguistic items (particular grammatical structures, language functions, or colloquial expressions) presented in the scene’
Video types
Animation/cartoons
Spider, Spot, Pingu, Mr Ben, Eric Carlyle stories, Wallace and Gromit series.
Educational programs
TV documentaries made for children about science/nature etc, Dinosaurs series, The Blue Planet
TV advertisements
Music
Programs about musicians, video clips
Drama
TV series/soaps for young people (especially good for seeing life in Britain, maybe not so easy to understand!)
The participants in Simulation activities will have a situation to work with and that will state who they are, what they want to do, and what their attitude is. If the preparation gets over, the participants will be clear about how they should respond, although there may be some degree of choice amusing and at the same time challenging. Furthermore, they employ meaningful and useful language in real contexts. They also encourage and increase cooperation. "Games are highly motivating because they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication.
In this course paper, I also write about some interesting games as examples for which, in my opinion, will receive good response and feedback and also their application in the language classroom.

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