iSnare.com - Free Content Articles Directory
Authors Contents [Advanced Search][Add OpenSearch][Job Search]
Distribute your articles to thousands of article sites for only $2 and below! Read more...

Index  Education
 

5 Popular Films That Can Help To Improve Your English Language Speaking Fluency

 
[ Contact the Author] [ Send to a Friend] [ Article Publisher] [Make PDF] [ Print] [ Bookmark & Share]
 
Read our Terms of Service before reprinting this article. The submitter specified above has claimed the rights to this article.
Larry M. Lynch

Using Popular Films to Improve Speaking Skills

During the course of my 15 plus years of English as a foreign language teaching, I have come across a number of popular films which not only aid EFL learners in improving their English language speaking skills, but are enjoyable for them to watch. In each of these films a scene is selected and the dialogue and setting are exploited for cultural, linguistic and connected speech elements. While there actually many such films, I’ll mention five of my English language learners’ favorites here.

FRANTIC (1988)

This film stars Harrison Ford and Betty Buckley as a doctor and his wife who are visiting Paris for a medical convention when she suddenly disappears. The desperate husband, who doesn’t speak any French, eventually goes to the Blue Parrot Disco in his search for his missing wife but meets a smooth-talking drug dealer instead. The accents, idioms, expressions, slang, setting and dialogue in this scene are absolutely great.

MEDICINE MAN

In their scientific research for a cancer cure, Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco have a great scene for using prediction when they are trekking through the Amazon with a native Indian guide. One of them gets “high” from a locally-produced medicine from the bark of the Yocco tree. The ensuing scene is simply hilarious. The following scene, when they suddenly face a “danger” together, is also a good one. You’ll love the dialogue line, “Go ahead, cry all you want.”

RUTHLESS PEOPLE (1986)

Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold, Bette Midler are terrific in this satirical comedy. The film’s opening scene depicts Danny DeVito with his gold-digging lover in a fancy restaurant. How do we know she’s his mistress and not his wife? Watch the scene with your English language learners and have them answer that question.

THE COLOR PURPLE (1985)

Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Adolph Caesar and Oprah Winfrey deliver memorable performances in this film adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Alice Walker. A scene with the late Adolph Caesar in which a despondent man (Danny Glover) is consoled by his less-than-capable father (Adolph Caesar) who also tries to motivate his slovenly son out of the doldrums is priceless for use in vocabulary acquisition, and multiple verb tense use, among others. My EFL learners often gasp in disbelief at seeing the state of the son’s house.

DIRTY HARRY (1971)

Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino and Reni Santoni star in this classic police detective drama. In two different scenes, police Inspector Harry Callahan, the cop you love to hate delivers his signature lines:

“I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five?”
“Well to tell you the truth, in all the excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself.”

“… you’ve got to ask yourself one question … Do I feel lucky?”

“Well, do you, punk?”

This film is great for illustrating and practicing elements of connected speech in American English.

Key Film Elements

While many popular films contain selected scenes which could be used to illustrate cultural, linguistic and connected speech elements, these five have proven to be useful and well-received by a variety of English language learner profiles. If you can get a hold of any or all of them, give them a try and watch your learners’ motivation and English language speaking skills skyrocket.

Important NoticeDISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.

Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Need original blog or web content? For more information or to send for his amazing free ELT e-book, e-mail lynchlarrym@gmail.com or visit http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com/
Article Tags: language [See Dictionary], learners [See Dictionary], scene [See Dictionary]
Got a question about this article? Ask the community!
Article published on October 27, 2007 at Isnare.com
 
Rate this article:

Turn Your Most Reluctant EFL Learners Into Language Learning Stars Using Film Clusters
Submitted by: Larry M. Lynch

Not only are clusters of movies, films, videos and documentary clips stimulating, interesting and enjoyable for your English as a foreign language learners, but the broad selection of available genres and types offers a substantial range of English language teaching and learning didactic aids...

Are You An Earthworm Or An Octopus?
Submitted by: Larry M. Lynch

When Scot Ginsberg of “My name is Scott” name tag fame asked this question he originally referred to an online web presence...

Cartooning Your Way To English Or Foreign Language Learning Success
Submitted by: Larry M. Lynch

Cartoons vs Comics Who doesn’t love cartoons and comics...

Why You Should Learn To Speak A Foreign Language
Submitted by: Larry M. Lynch

There are a multitude of reasons for wanting to speak the lingua franca of another people; travel, business, education, matrimony, retirement, personal pleasure, even family or friends among many others...

Geology - More Than Just Rocks
Submitted by: Jesse Akre

When you think about some of the most exciting professions that you have heard of, chances are pretty good that geology never made your Top Ten List...

Gemstone Globes - Beauty And Education In One
Submitted by: Jesse Akre

It is unfortunate that today's youth has lost a grasp on the world and the countries involved Many schools today just teach to standardized tests and learning about other lands and cultures seems to have been left out of the mix...

Become a Polyglot: It’s Easier Than You Think
Submitted by: Jacob Coroner

When you hear the adjective ‘polyglot’ describing someone, it is most likely for you to think that the person is a sheer genius, since he may have the ability to speak in 6-7 languages or more...

How to Become Fluent in a Foreign Language
Submitted by: Jacob Coroner

Almost all of us have learnt French, Spanish or any other foreign language in our primary or secondary education...

How to Learn a Language: The Most Effective Approach
Submitted by: Jacob Coroner

In order to enhance your memory skills, learning a foreign language is an ideal subject Learning the vocabulary of a foreign language often requires associating sets of meaningless syllables of that language with words already existing in your native language...

Language Learning Approaches: Better Approaches For Faster Learning
Submitted by: Jacob Coroner

The language learning approach refers to the approaches that need to be applied to view the nature of the language, its beliefs and the ideas about how these can be applied practically so as to ease the language learning and teaching process...

Language Learning Strategies: Better Strategies For More Effective Learning
Submitted by: Jacob Coroner

Language learning strategies do not imply overall plans, but rather methods using which you can comprehend and remember the language while you are learning it...

Language Learning Techniques: Better Techniques For More Effective Learning
Submitted by: Johnathan Cunnings

Language learning or language acquisition is the process by which humans learn or acquire a language and this is the leading aspect that distinguishes humans from other species...

Learning Tips For Effortless Language Learning
Submitted by: Johnathan Cunnings

Any person, who is learning a new language for the first time, may initially face some emotional trauma related to the territory...

Second Language Acquisition Strategies
Submitted by: Johnathan Cunnings

Second language learning or second language acquisition refers to the process of learning a second language besides the native language...

Second Language Learning Theories, Myths and Facts
Submitted by: Johnathan Cunnings

Second language learning refers to the learning of a new language besides the native language There are many second language learning theories that aim to explain the way second language is learnt and which approach is the best...

Second Language Learning: How to do it Right
Submitted by: Johnathan Cunnings

Second language learning is defined as the process of learning an additional language besides the native language...

How Much Money Can I Make Teaching English?
Submitted by: Honor Baldry

How Can You Answer That How much money you can make is, of course, a very difficult question and the answer is somewhere between nothing and a moderate amount of money...

I Don't Like Kids, Can I Still Find Teaching Work?
Submitted by: Honor Baldry

Some people just don't get along with children – it's a fact And if you're one of them, the idea of teaching abroad might not be so tempting...

Teach English in Algeria
Submitted by: Honor Baldry

Halfway between Tunisia and Morocco and home to the legendary expanse of the Sahara desert, Algeria is full of challenging adventure opportunities and cultural diversity...

Isnare.com Footer Divider

© 2004-2009. Isnare Free Articles - An Isnare Online Technologies Free Articles Project. All Rights Reserved.   Privacy Policy