Using movies to teach the

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Using movies to teach the English language.
Don Bird 8/18/06
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NOTE Preparations for this lesson should begin
before leaving for China so DVDs can be purchased
before departing for your university. (Dont buy
VCR cassettes) Use of short theme-based DVDs for
language instruction. Available from Deseret
Bookstore. Prices vary from 12.00 to 20.00 and
usually have about 4 movies on each DVD. Johnny
Lingo (20 min.) The Bridge (10 min.) The Mail
Box (? min.) The Pump (? min.) The Emmet Smith
Story (27 min.) John Bakers Last Race
(28 min.) The Book and the Rose (30 min.)
The Last Leaf (26 in.) Cipher in the Snow (21
min.) The Pump (10 min.) The Touch of
the Masters Hand(19 min) In Time of Need (10
min.) Uncle Ben (? min) Etc.
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The Johnny Lingo Story (20 mins.) takes place in
the beautiful south pacific islands and deals
with marriage customs. The story teaches a moral
principle and class members should try to
determine the principle being taught.
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Idioms if any VOCABULARY take her off my
hands no longer in ones care or
possession order one from the States have
something sent from the United States gathering
dust not used so just sits there
getting dusty pick it up get
something from the store small fortune
very valuable, costs a lot gossiping
idle talk or rumor about others unpacked
undo or remove contents from box or
suitcase bargain to get
something for less than the usual cost
flutter wave about or heart to
beat rapidly shadow image cast on
the ground by a body intercepting
light spool
a cylindrical object on which something is
wound shrewd sharp or
wise in business matters trader
a merchant or businessman
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Show Movie
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• This lesson may involve several activities
  depending on how much time one may want to use
• Vocabulary building 2) small group discussions 3)
  individual student class presentation 4) entire
  class discussion, 5) debate, and 6) a journal
  entry or an in-class writing activity. (half
  page?)
• Debate
• The women in the class will argue that Mahana
  was worth eight cows and the men argue that
  Johnny should not have paid eight cows. After a
  few moments of discussion the instructor may wish
  to switch and have each team argue the other
  point of view.
• Discussion
• In groups of four discuss what you think the
  Johnny Lingo story means to your group. Choose
  one person to represent the group to report the
  groups conclusions to the rest of the class.
  (The instructor may wish to choose the person to
  make the report.) You could lead a discussion
  with the entire class.

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Friday Night English at the Movies
English Corner
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• Friday Night Movies (English Corner)
• Make arrangements with administrators to show
  movies.
• 2. Usually 100 to 250 attend.
• 3. Show list of idioms and vocabulary before
  movie starts.
• 4. Send a copy of vocabulary, idioms and a short
  description
• of what the movie is about to the
  administrators.
• 5. Usually a discussion occurs after the movie
  with a number of
• students.
• 6. Invite other teachers to have their students
  attend also.
• We usually had about 6 teachers involved.

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We show the following description of the movie we
got from a google search to each class about
the movie to be shown on the following Friday
night.
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The film (Chariots of Fire) is the true account
of two Olympic runners, Harold Abrahams and Eric
Liddell, (born in Tianjin) who train to run the
100-meter sprint in the 1924 Olympic games.
Abrahams is a British nonreligious Jew who is
driven to prove himself by personal success and
individual performance. He gains admission to
Cambridge and distinguishes himself as an
outstanding sprinter. His primary competition for
Olympic gold in the 100 meters is Eric Liddell, a
former rugby star whose life goal is to serve God
as a missionary to China, but who is slated first
to represent Scotland in the Olympic games.
Both runners seem unbeatable, but Abrahams'
fragile self-esteem depends absolutely upon his
winning, whereas Eric Liddell runs because "God
made me fast, and when I run, I feel His
pleasure."
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As they travel to Paris for the Olympic games,
Eric Liddell learns that his race will be run on
Sunday, and it is his conviction that he cannot
run on the Sabbath. The Prince of Wales himself
pressures Eric Liddell to honor king and country
above God, and Eric Liddell's response to this
pressure is a beautiful example of a respectful
but firm resolve to do what is right. Eric
refuses to run in the race he was scheduled for,
and instead chooses to compete in a race for
which he has not trained. The movie presents an
insightful contrast between the two runners.
Abrahams finds that even victory provides no
lasting fulfillment because, ultimately, there is
nothing beyond himself that he feels he can
depend upon. Eric Liddell, however, has a
God-given purpose and a relationship with His
Lord that supplies an unshakable confidence.
Liddell lives a life of godly joy -- joy that
does not depend upon winning or losing -- a joy
that is the fruit of a Godly life.
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End of Presentation