Movie comments on A Streetcar Named Desire by GXUT students from China
Watching movies can be extremely useful in learning a foreign language since a motivating learning environment is essential for EFL learners who are not exposed to the target language in everyday situation. Chinese college students often find tongued-tied when they talk with native speakers of English for five or six minutes,which has been bewildering EFL teachers for ages.
One promising way to raise motivation is by using movies that include useful conversation and culture-background.
Thanks to Ms Candance Pauchnick in San Diego,USA, students in Guangxi University of Technology start to watch A Streetcar Named Desire. They will watch the movie section by section and then give their comments on the main characters.By writing online,students realize that they don't write only for their teacher Yaodong but for the whole world to read.This can make their writing more meaningful and ,more importantly, the interactivity online can make the students more motivated in their learning. It, too, often goes beyond just language practice.
We appreciate the enthusiasm from students in Ms Pauchnick's classes and from students in other countries. We look forward to talking to you 'face to face' through webcam and microphone sometime in the future.
Yes, we are connected through literature discussions. We can make a better world by
more communication via blogging.
More movies for my students in China
Hi,Summer et al,
Thanks a lot for replying to Yilu with a moive "Tomorrow Never dies'.i am now trying to download it for my whole class to watch.Students pick up a lot of things while watching movies in English.They learn more than language from watching movies.It is said one has to watch over 200 movies in order to perfect the language he is learning. Do you agree?
Could you all give a list of movies good for students in China that are learning English as a foreign language( EFL ) ?
Below is a list of the movies I have shown to my classes and I hope the list would keep growing:
1. The Sound of Music
2. Dead poet society
3. Parent Trap
4. Moonstruck
5. SLeepless Seattle
6. Forest Gump
7. Roman Holiday
8. As Good as It Gets
9. ( now it is your turn to add more, Thanks in advance)
hello, Tanyi Lu
Tanyi Lu, I believe that the movie is hard to understand when it is not in your primary language and its even harder when you have to catch the words that they are saying in order to get what they are saying and the concept of the movie, don't you agree?
Farhiya A. San Diego, CA USA
Hi Tanyilu!
I know what you mean about movies where they speak too fast. Sometimes when I have the television volume turned down too low I cannot even understand them either, and English is my first language. I think a movie that has slower speech is a movie called "Titanic". They speak very clean and understandable English and I believe would be easier to understand. However it is a love story and often called a movie for girls. The other movie "The Godfather" involves characters that have thick Italian accents but most of it is in subtitles so that would a good movie either way. Let me know if you need some suggestions!
-Summer D.
San Diego, CA, United States
Good Movies
You should also watch some other classic movies that are still shown on television here all the time like The Godfather, an action movie about the Italian mafia. Far and Away is a good one as well. It's about American Immigrants in Boston in 1893.
One of my favorite movies is called Catch Me If You Can, which is about 17 year old runaway that manages to become very wealthy and travel the world using fake identities and travelers checks. It also features two very popular actors. Please feel free to ask me about other movies if you wish to!
-Summer D.
San Diego, CA, United States
I am interested in watching
I am interested in watching foreign movie.It can help me know more about how the local people use their language.But their speed of speaking are so quick that I cannot get that they say sometimes.so I should listen to them again and again,and then speak English like them.I will watch this movie later.
Hey, Tanyi Lu I think it is
Hey, Tanyi Lu
I think it is very hard to watch a foreign language movie, isn't it? I understand that, when I was first here, I felt the same, I can only understand half of the movie, but I think it will improved as long as you keep listen the English. Don't give up, just try.
San Diego, California, U.S.A
Mooooovies!
Hi Summer and Tanyilu,
Summer had some great movie suggestions. I'm going to try to think of movies for you to watch also.
I would like to suggest the movie, "The Notebook". It pretty much depicts the American girl's ideal love story. It is about a boy named Noah and a girl named Allie and they meet one summer and fall in love. It's a really beautiful story and I think you would enjoy it as well as the movies Summer suggested.
What's your favorite book made into a movie?
Katie B
San Diego CA
USA
Movies
I totally agree, don't give up on trying to find a movie that's right for you. Definitely try a wide variety like the old classic James Bond movies, those are good like "Tomorrow Never Dies" which stars Sean Connery-a very good actor.
-Summer D.
San Diego, CA, United States