Supported by: Government of Indonesia (GoI) and Islamic Development Bank (idb)

Using a Video Clip
 
 
To match with the class objectives, these videos shouldn't last longer than ten minutes. Unless you 
have either access to online resources in the form of an Interactive White Board in your classroom or a 
computer room with internet facilities and preferably a projector screen, you would better copy the video 
clip beforehand. During the class, you just need to replay the video you have copied in your computer 
file. 
There are some advantages of using video clips. First, students are exposed to authentic English in 
a natural context. Not only is this by exposing them to "real people", but they view real situations, too. 
Short documentaries, for example, can open up their eyes to different cultures and ways of life. Second, 
you can really focus on the content, without students losing concentration. Third, since it is a short video, 
you have the chance to pre-teach relevant vocabulary beforehand and then whilst watching the video, 
students will be able to listen to the new vocabulary in context. You will have enough classroom time 
before or after the showing of the video to exploit the content. Fourth, language produced from the video 
can be exploited further by setting up a debate involving recycling of new vocabulary, and followed up by 
a piece of writing for homework. Lastly, the visual element is stimulating to students. Short videos 
provide a nice alternative to reading or listening exercises which students are usually exposed to.

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However, some problems might arise and you have to be aware of them so that you can anticipate 
them from happening. First, technical problems can arise, either with problems of internet connection, or 
in the case of video on demand, a high demand at a given time for one particular video can affect the 
server. If you are not technically acquainted with the equipment you need to have an emergency back-up 
lesson. Second, when a longer video is used, attention may sway, especially if we are dealing with a 
difficult script, and students may end up feeling demotivated as they are struggling to keep up with the 
language. This is particularly applicable to lower level groups. So, be sure to use video which is suitable 
for your learners’ level. Third, some videos can be inappropriate, and the content may not be quite what 
you expect, hence it is crucial that you watch the video beforehand. This leads us onto the point of video 
selection.
There are three key points to consider when selecting an appropriate video clip. First, who will 
select the video? Where students are involved in the selection of the video they may be more motivated to 
watch it as it will reflect their interests. This could even be given as a pre-class task, where students could 
select an online video clip themselves, and be prepared to talk about it. When you, as the teacher, are 
selecting a video, note down any new vocabulary you want to pre-teach whilst watching the video. 
Second, what is the topic of the video? This could be a topic which students have requested or something 
more specific to your students' needs. Perhaps you are teaching Business classes or English for Specific 
Purposes (ESP). Topics which coincide with the course book you may be using in class or something 
related to the customs and traditions of the country where you are teaching, for example, local festivals 
might well be motivating. Third is class objectives. Do you want students to concentrate on the visual 
aspect to make descriptions? If so, you need to look at short stories, or perhaps music videos which will 
tell a story. Or would you prefer to focus on specific vocabulary on the video? You need to consider your 
class aims carefully when it comes to selecting the appropriate video. 
These are the stages about how to exploit the clip in my classroom. During the class, pre-teach the 
vocabulary if you are watching a news item or short documentary. This can be done by asking a few key 
questions using the new vocabulary, and getting students into pairs or small groups to discuss. Once class 
feedback is gathered and the new vocabulary has been put on the board, we can then show the video. If 
you are watching a film trailer or a music video, you may be more focused on the visual aspect, so make 
sure your students know that they will be expected to produce some descriptive writing based on what 
they have seen. In this case the video can be shown more than once.
After viewing, if you have viewed something topical, set a discussion going by gathering student 
opinions on the video. For a talkative classes, the learners will carry a discussion through, once you have 
given them a few prompt questions. Where the class are hesitant to talk, give them some preparation time 
for a discussion by putting them into two groups where one group will argue advantages, the other 
disadvantages. This way, they will have had some time to prepare arguments for the class debate which 
follows. This can be followed up with a piece of writing on the topic for homework, again giving a 
chance for students to recycle the new vocabulary. If you want to focus more on a grammar point, for 
example narrative tenses, then you could get students to write down their own interpretation of events 
once they have seen the video.