Video Based Activities

Video based activities represent a good way of reinforcing verbal tenses and lots of other language points. There are many kinds of such activities. I will describe five video based activities:

1. Retelling - you can use Mr. Bean's videos.

First, you need one short scene with plenty of visual activity. Show the clip and tell the Sts to write down exactly what happened in the right order. Lower level students can be given sentences to put in the correct order. Play the video again for students to check. You can reinforce Past Simple, Past Perfect.

2. Running Commentary - I find this one very funny especially because it is meant to trigger interest.

You can also use Mr. Bean videos, played with no sound. Ask the students to work in pairs. One student is watching the video, and the other is facing away from the screen. The students facing the video give their partners a running commentary on what is happening. Then, they swap roles half way through. You can reinforce Present Continuous.

3. No picture

You need a short extract with plenty of sound effects. Play with the screen covered or turned away from the students. The students have to write down what they hear. Students compare what they heard in pairs. Then, at the end of the activity, show the extract with both picture and sound. You can reinforce Modal Verbs.

4. No sound

Students are shown a short extract with a lot going on with volume off. Students can do one of the activities below without having to worry about understanding dialogue:
- describe what happened using narrative tenses;
- anticipate dialogue or reactions;
- arrange a cut up dialogue which you have given them.
Finally, play the extract again with sound.

5. Prediction

You can use any video clip. Show a short sequence - enough to get an idea of what is going on - then ask students to predict what will happen next. Release the pause button to allow students to compare their ideas with what actually happens. You can reinforce future tenses.







Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Prediction stories

Wild Dictation