THE USE OF FILMS I N TEACHING ENGLISH AS A

SECOND LANGUAGE

H. Joan Morley and Mary S. Lawrence

University of Michigan

[This is the third of a three-part report on the develop-

ment of a program at the English Language Institute which
uses documentary films f o r the improvement of aural
comprehension, speaking, writing, and reading in English
as a second language. Part I was a general description
of the program; Part I1 was a discussion of the writing
aspects of the program; the first two parts appeared in
Largmge Learning, Volume 21, Number 1 (June 1971) pp.
117-135;Part I11 is a discussion of the treatment of a u r a l
comprehension in the program.1

PART III:

USING FILMS I N LISTENINGLSPEAKING CLASSES

H. Joan Morleyl

A number of textbooks designed to improve language skill in

reading and writing at the intermediate and advanced levels a r e
available t o the teacher of English as a second language. A few
books can be found to guide the teaching of speaking skills. How-
ever, even a cursory examination of TESL teaching materials
quickly reveals a surprising paucity of materials in the skill a r e a
of listening-particularly at the intermediate and advanced levels.
Although a variety of materials can be found in the areas of audi-
tory discrimination and aural grammar practice, few go beyond
rudimentary listening. They concentrate only on fragments within
the listening process. They stop short of the real goals of aural
comprehension training-listening f o r facts and ideas-listening to
analyze and evaluate-listening as an integral part of the communi-
cation process.
lThe author wishes to thank the staff and students of the English Language Institute for their
help in the development of the program reported here. Twentyeight teachers and over four hundred
students have participated. Special thanks also to Paul Munsell and Sharon Spencer for trial use of
the materials at Michigan State University.
99
100 LANGUAGE LEARNING, VOL. 22, NO. 1

It is difficult to cite the reasons for this almost total neglect

of listening, one of the most essential of the four language skills.
Perhaps a lack of clarity in defining some of the nomenclature
used to describe various aspects of listening-aural-oral method,
auditor y discrimination, a u r a1 grammar, aural comprehension,
listening skill-has clouded the issue and created a false feeling of
having accomplished the entire task. Perhaps an assumption that
listening is a reflex, a little like breathing-listening seldom r e -
ceives overt teaching attention in one’s native language-has masked
the importance and complexity of listening with understanding in a
non-native language. Or, perhaps the difficulty of attacking the
many problems of attempting to teach this high-level aural-cogni-
tive skill, of breaking it down into manageable classroom presen-
tation, has been too formidable. In any case, little published ma-
terial exists which is designed to move a student step by step
along a continuum from identification of sounds and sentence pat-
terns, at the lower end, to the complexities of coping with rapid
aural-intellectual processing of facts, ideas, inferences, and judg-
ments, at the upper end.
Whatever the reasons, teachers have been forced to improvise
and to adapt materials intended for other uses. Often the effect
has been to bombard the intermediate and advanced student with
masses of random aural material assuming that something magical
would take place. Specific purposes, long-range objectives, and
progression of difficulty have been lacking.
During three years of preparation of teaching materials at several
levels along the listening continuum (Morley 1972), a film pro-
gram for advanced and intermediate students has been developed.
It is an important part of the total Aural Comprehension Program
being designed to help students cope with progressively more so-
phisticated listening situations. U s e of this audio-visual medium in
actual structured classroom sessions has proved a profitable multi-
modality teaching tool f o r realistic language practice. And it h a s
proved an intellectually challenging and motivating experience for
students and teachers alike.
However,, a successful program implies thoughtful film choice,
thorough exercise preparation, careful classroom presentation, and
aphilosophy that a film program is a bonafide teaching tool. Use
of films for fun, diversion, o r rainy-Friday-afternoon-filler is not
implied in this concept of “film program.” J u s t as a book of
reading selections is chosen with careful attention to the level of
difficulty, suitability of subject matter, and quality of the readings
and exercises, so the selection and preparation of a book of films
must be approached in the same way. Failure to do s o can result
 FILMS IN TESL 101

not only in wasted time but in discouraged, uninterested, and apa-

thetic students.

Criteria for Constructing A u r a l Comprehension Lessons2

The six following criteria have been established to guide the
construction of lessons for the comprehensive A u r a l Comprehension
Program. They help insure carefully planned and carefully graded
lessons whether simple basic listening tasks or complex sophisti-
cated listening tasks. In fact, of course, most of the criteria can
apply to teaching materials under development in any of the lan-
guage skill areas.
(1) No lesson should be written without definite goals and sub-
goals all of which f i t into a total framework of the distinctive kinds
of listening. The integrants of listening a r e difficult to separate.
However, for practical planning it is possible to delineate some
distinct a r e a s or types of listening tasks, albeit they a r e over-
lapping and cumulative: in the realm of (‘receptive” listening,
(a) rudimentary perception and reception with recognition of basic
sound, prosodic, and syntactic patterns (encompasses auditory dis-
crimination and aural grammar), and (b) listening to get factual
information (often with the goal of immediate recall); in the realm
of “ reflective” listening, (a) listening to get ideas (understanding
interrelationships), (b) listening to make intellectual judgments
(including synthesis, analysis, evaluation, etc.), and (c) listening
to enjoy (making aesthetic judgments.) Students as well as teachers
should be aware of these goals.
(2) Each lesson should require active overt participation on the
part of the student-not passive detachment. One way this can be
accomplished in listening lessons is by requiring some kind of
immediate written response. In addition, giving students immediate
(or only slightly delayed) feedback about their performance is a
positive factor in securing active student interest and involvement.
(3) Each lesson should be structured s o that students know
exactly what to listen for, where to listen, andhow to listen. Struc-
ture is essential in order to reduce the anxiety which many students
have about aural comprehension. Many a r e afraid they won’t under-
stand, afraid of forgetting, defeated because of past failures in
“catching” the meaning of what is said to them. Structured ma-
terial gives them security, delimited manageable tasks, a chance
to “catch” a little at a time, and gradually build to a point where
they can handle increasingly sophisticated language situations.
2A complete discussion of this section was presented at the ATESL section meeting of
NAFSA-Region V Conference in Chicago in November, 1971 under the title “Improving Aural
Comprehension: Some Practical Suggestions for Classroom and Laboratory.”
102 LANGUAGE LEARNING, VOL. 22, NO. 1

(4) All lessons should guide students toward disciplined lis-

tening-self-disciplined concentration on the task. Psychologists
who specialize in memory cite two key factors essential to listening
and remembering. One is concentration and the other is degree of
urgency for remembering. In our native languages most of u s are
not very well-disciplined listeners. Whatever discipline we do ex-
ercise is i n direct proportion to concentration and urgency. For-
tunately, language redundancy-set as high as 50% by some inves-
tigators -affords native speakers the luxury of relaxed listening.
Unfortunately, the various cues which constitute redundancy a r e
just the bits and pieces which are difficult for the second language
learner to assimilate-a minutia of sound and prosodic features,
morphological and syntactic structures which reinforce and over -
lap, context clues, cultural overtones, predictability of certain things
in certain places, limited selection and co-occurance restrictions-
all of which assist each other in the deciphering of the transmitted
message.
Encouraging and guiding the student to develop disciplined
listening habits is one way to help him compensate, and so better
cope. It also has a value in fending off the defeatist attitude often
used as a defense mechanism, “ I don’t (or I can’t) understand.
Please repeat.” which sometimes actually seems to be saying, “ I
won’t.’’ Structured materials which demand disciplined listening
also can be valuable in capturing and keeping the attention of some
of the more volatile, exhuberant students who find concentration
somewhat out of character-perhaps, in some instances, out of
cultural character.
(5) All lessons should s t r e s s conscious memory work with
special attention to lengthening memory span and strengthening
immediate recall. Hearing is perceiving, while listening is re -
ceiving, receiving requires thinking, and thinking requires memory;
there is no way to separate listening, thinking, remembering. Lis-
tening is thinking-and thinking is remembering.
Because the spoken utterance is so ephemeral in the temporal
dimension-it’s here-and it’s gone-,because the interpretation of
language is on a cyclic not a. linear basis, the basic psycho-physical
intervention in the resolution of decoding linguistic messages. is
reauditorization. Sometimes it is conscious; most often it is not.
Neuropsychologists tell u s that reauditorizing strengthens the mem-
ory trace through a bio-chemical process. We cannot teach re-
auditorization per se, but we can teach conscious attention to re-
membering and conscious repeating of material in one’s mind.
(6) Lessons should teach not test. Although questions are used
to help students assess their level of comprehension, they should
 FILMS I N TESL 103

not be viewed with a pass/fail connotation but only as a tool neces-

s a r y in monitoring performance. Obviously, it is the responsibility
of the teacher to provide work which is just challenging enough to
move the student along but not so difficult that it is defeating.
The Film Program
The listening/speaking/vocabulary-building film program des-
cribed here and in Morley and Lawrence (1971) is designedfor
advanced and high-intermediate ESL students. (Construction of a
high-beginning and low-intermediate film program is underway and
will be reported at a later time.) Criteria for film selection a r e
determined by the two purposes which underlie the film program.
One purpose is linguistic-to provide students with realistic listening/
speaking practice with emphasis on aural comprehension, fluency
in speaking, pronunciation, and vocabulary building. The other
purpose is informational-to provide students with up-to-date, rele-
vant information about contemporary affairs.
The six specific criteria followed in selecting films are: (1)
relevance and timeliness in personal-social, national, and/or inter -
national issues of the day; (2) a thread of continuity which ties a
series of films together; (3) technical quality of the film; (4) voice,
intelligibility, and dialect factors; ( 5 ) variety in the organizational
and illustrative methods used in the films; (6) manageable amount
of new vocabulary items. See Morley and Lawrence (1971:121-123)
for more complete explanations of criteria.
To introduce the film program to the students they a r e provided
with a one-page sheet which explains purposes of the program and
lists the films included in the program. (See Morley and Lawrence
(1971:121) for the list of films). It is suggested that the teacher
read the explanatory sheet aloud and discuss it with the students.
Inintroducing the program to teachers, five points are stressed.
(1) Each of the ten films in the series has a 10-12 page student
work-book which contains six Listening/Speaking (L/S) assignments.
Each assignment has been prepared carefully to give the students
maximum help toward the three stated language goals, Listening/
Speaking/V ocabulary Bdlding 3
(2) The intent of the L/S/assignments is to “teach not test.”
The first consideration here is to be sure students receive very
thorough preparation for the film. Students consistently report that
the better they a r e prepared, the more they get from a film. Re-
sponsibility for thorough preparation rests equally with the student
3The assignments are: #1 - Aural Comprehension Study Guide, #2 - Key Vocabulary for Oral
Practice and Discussion, #3 - Main Ideas, #4A - Specific Facts: Question Guide and Fact Sheet OR
#4B - Specific Facts: Analysis, #5 - Personal Opinion: Discussion Topics, and #6 - Aural
Comprehension Test. These assignments will,be described in detail in this article.
104 LANGUAGE LEARNING, VOL. 22, NO. 1

and the teacher. It is the student’s responsibility to do the assigned

homework to the best of his ability; it is the teacher’s r e s p o n s b
bility to read, discuss, and practice L/S assignments #1 and #2
as the workbook directs. A second consideration of “teach not
test” is to be s u r e the questions in L/S assignments #3, #4A,
#4B, and #5 are used to provide a common ground for class dis-
cussion and/or expressions of personal opinion, not to test aural
comprehension, with a pass/fail connotation. Students should be
encouraged to answer as well as they can and not t o feel em-
barassed if they a r e not correct; learning from each other during
class discussion is another facet of practicing aural comprehen-
sion. Assignment #6 is the only one which might be used for testing.
However, teachers who do not feel compelled to “test” can use
assignment #6 profitably as alternative basis for class discussion
following a second (or third) showing of the film.
(3) The program is planned with the intention of double, even
triple, showings of the same film, probably on different days. The
multiple showing notion is not designed to entertain; it is planned
to give the students a chance to “re-listen” in much the same way
they re-read material-to get more out of it, and to reinforce vo-
cabulary. Each showing should have a specific and slightly dif-
ferent listening focus which is guided by the pre-assignment of
the questions in one of the last four L/S assignments. No student
should be allowed to watch a film without a pre-assigned listening
focus. It may be simple (“At the end of the showing write the
most important message of the film,”); It may be elaborate (“ Take
as complete a set of notes as you can as you watch the film”).
(4) As indicated earlier, psychologists who specialize in lis-
tening and remembering cite two key factors essential to memory-
degree of urgency for remembering and concentration. The “ u r -
gency” is provided for here by the pre-assigned listening focus
to which the student must respond with a n overt (written) answer.
The thorough preparation is one step toward encouraging “ con-
centration.” A second step is to stress concentration verbally and
to encourage a good “ psychological set” for disciplined listening
by keeping distractions to a minimum and, Victorian as it may
sound, by “setting a good example”-sitting with the students and
doing precisely what they have been asked to do.
(5) No one class will use all six of the L/S assignments, al-
though all should use assignments #1 and #2 and probably #3
(higher classes in a less formal way, perhaps.) Low advanced and
high intermediate classes will probably want to emphasize the more
concrete facts and ideas from the film. (See L/S assignments M A
and #6.) High advanced classes probably will want to concentrate
 FILMS IN TESL 105

on only a brief resume of the facts and ideas, moving quickly to

identifying some of the methods used in the organizational frame-
work of the film, then concentrating on the inferences and impli-
cations of the film. (See L/S assignments #4B and #5.)
The amount of time spent on any film will probably vary. The
level of the class, the interest value of the film, and the atten-
tion to other L/S work will be deciding factors. Each teacher should
choose and adapt assignments t o fit the needs of the class and the
amount of time available.
Asskn men t # I : Aural Comprehension Study Guide. (For a sample
of this assignment s e e Morley and Lawrence (1971:131). The pur-
pose of this assignment is to guide students in what to listen for
and how to find the organizational plan and illustrative methods
used in the film in order to prepare for fullest auditory compre-
hension. In reading and discussing the study guide, students can
be encouraged to speculate about what they can expect to see in
the film. Also, they can be asked to comment about items from
their own personal knowledge or experience. The more the student
becomes personally (‘involved’’ during this preparatory session,
the better he is motivated to concentrate when viewing the film.
Assignment #2: Key Vocabulary f o r Oral Practice and Dis-
cussion. (See Morley and Lawrence (1971:130) for a sample of this
assignment.). The purpose of the vocabulary work at this point in
the film lesson is two-fold: (1) to introduce items (the students’
actual ‘learning’ of new vocabulary will come about as they see
the film several times, answer questions, and discuss), (2) to give
students aural and oral experience with both familiar and unfamil-
iar items. ‘(Key” vocabulary does not necessarily mean new vo-
cabulary. The intent of the vocabulary assignment is to focus student
attention on nucleus vocabulary items-old words and phrases as
well as new ones-and to provide practice in hearing and pronouncing
them.
It is essential that the in-class oral practice with the voca-
bulary not be neglected, for two reasons: (1) The listening/speaking
skills are very closely related. The student9s oral experience of
pronouncing phrases and words with the resultant moto-kinesthetic
as well as auditory stimulation can be an important aid to his
recognition of the words and phrases the next time he hears them.
(2) A s a student reads a’vocabulary word silently from the list,
he may imagine-or actually produce-a pronunciation which is
Wrong, due to his own faulty pronynciation, as in, for example,
‘(famine” (famin) and ‘‘ jeopardy” (jiopardi). If, then, he expects
to hear that pronunciation in the film, he will miss the word when
it is spoken in its correctly pronounced form.
106 LANGUAGE LEARNING, VOL. 22, NO. 1

Students a r e encouraged to keep the vocabulary list, which is

arranged in order of first appearance, in front of them for ref-
ference as they watch and listen to the film. A small amount of
dim light during a filming does not seem to interfere with either
student concentration or aesthetic appreciation.
Assignment #3: Main Ideas. The purpose of this assignment
is to help students concentrate on an overall perspective and iden-
tification of essential main ideas. Students a r e given the following
directions: ‘‘ Please answer each question immediately after you
have seen the film for the f i r s t time. Be prepared to present and
to defend your answers during class discussion.” Thus the student
is asked to do a second thing during the first showing. First, he
was asked to follow the vocabulary list as he listens. Now, in ad-
dition, he is asked to attend consciously to the main ideas pre-
sented.
The answers quoted below are verbatim quotations from student
papers. They serve as a common core for class discussion; they
provide structure and direction; they a r e sufficiently general to
allow almost every student to be at least partially right. A student
is encouraged to express any opinion as long as he is willing to
t r y to defend it with reasonable argument; no answer is ruled as
“wrong,” unless a good reason can be given.
Initially several students are asked to present their answers
to a given question. Others a r e asked to agree, disagree, and
challenge. Then the original students are allowed to respond. Often
answers a r e written on the blackboard and examined critically for
clarity and exactness of answer in response to precise inquiry of
the question.
The give-and-take of the situation enables even the shy students
to be drawn into the discussion. Sometimes a student leader is
chosen to guide the discussion and to encourage participation from
all. The length of the discussion may vary from a few minutes to
half an hour depending upon the interest value of the film and the
disparity of the answers.
Assignment #3 asks the same three questions for each film.
Through the s e r i e s of films the intent is to sharpen the student’s
ability to focus on key ideas and to improve his ability to think
critically in English. Selected answers to the three questions 01%
the film Problems of Conservation: Air4 are quoted below; they
were taken directly from student books. (Spelling e r r o r s and some
grammatical e r r o r s have been corrected.) Notice the disparity in
answers; some a r e too broad and some a r e too narrow; others do

4Distributed by Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Films. 15 minutes - color.

 FILMS IN TESL 107

not answer the questions with precision. The subsequent discussion

and analysis of words and ideas was lively and constructively criti-
cal.

Question 1: What was the subject matter of the film? (4o r 5

words)

Student A - Effects of a i r pollution.

Student B - Pollution.
Student C - The cause of a i r pollution in big cities.
Student D - Problems of a i r pollution and how to solve them.
Student E - The contaminants of the a i r and results of air pollu-
tion.
Student F - The danger of a i r pollution.
Student G - How to solve a i r pollution.
Student H - Many problems occur because of a i r pollution.
Student I - A i r pollution, how it is produced and how it can be
avoided.

Question 2: What was the most important message of the film?

Student A -
A i r is being polluted and we must try to prevent it.
Student B -
There a r e no overnight solutions.
Student C -
A i r pollution contains many dangerous things and
gases that can kill lives.
Student D - A i r pollution is a serious problem.
Student E - We should control a i r pollution.
Student F - H e tried to convince u s that a i r pollution i s going to
be an important matter and we should try to conserve
a i r ; a s it has been done in America.

Question 3: Many students think the title, Problems of Conserva-

tion: A i r is a poor name for the film. Think up a
new title for the film and tell why you chose it.
Student A - Diseases Caused by Dirty A i r and The Avoiding Points
(because it concerns the most part of the film.)
Student B - Can Clean A i r Get Along with Industries? (Co-Exist)
(because conserving clean a i r is a challenging prob-
lem because useful industries cause part of a i r pollu-
tion.)
Student C - How to Solve A i r Pollution (because we have realized
the necessity for it although we don’t know how.)
Student D - A i r Pollution (because the film concerned mostly with
a i r pollution.)

Assijpment #4A: Specific Facts: Question Guide and Fact

Sheet. (See Morley and Lawrence 1971:133). The purpose of this
assignment is to focus the students’ attention on specific facts
through an ordered set of questions designed to extract key factual
information. Questions in the assignment are discussed before the
108 LANGUAGE LEARNING, VOL. 22, NO. 1

second showing of the film. This is designed as a follow-up as-

signment for the low advanced and high intermediate levels. The
emphasis is on the more concrete facts and ideas. Students should
write answers and discuss.
Assignment #4B:Specific Facts: Analysis. The purpose of this
assignment is to focus on specific facts and again emphasizes or-
ganizational and illustrative methods. The following directions are
given: “ Read each question carefully. Take notes during the showing
of the film. After the showing write short answers. The words in
capital letters emphasize methods used in organizing information
and illustrating facts and ideas. If you do not understand them,
consult your dictionary or ask your teacher for help.”
This is designed as a brief follow-up for higher advanced
classes. It is often assigned in conjunction with Assignment #5.)

SAMPLE : Specific Facts: Analysi_s Sheet from Meanings aye

i n Peo@e. 5

1. Misunderstanding of the words “burn it” occurred because it

is an ambiguous term. EXPLAIN the two interpretations of
term.

2. Frank, the manager, and George, his employee had an argu-

ment because of a communication breakdown. Later Frank ex-
pressed three personal feelings CAUSED BY the communication
breakdown. List those three feelings.

3. CONTRAST the two points of view which these statements rep-

r e sent :
(a) “That’s not what I said.” (Meanings a r e in words.)
(b) “That’s not what I meant to say.” (Meanings a r e in people.)

4. Give another EXAMPLE of communication breakdown a s shown

in the film.

5. Give one of the NEGATIVE DEFINITIONS given in the film.

Assignment #5: Personal Opinion: Discussion Topics. (See

Morley and Lawrence (1971:134) for a sample of this assignment.)
The purpose of this assignment is to provoke discussion and ex-
pressions of personal opinion-in small-group work-in general class
discussion-in short (5-minute) individual speeches-in formal Or
informal debate. Higher level students seem to enjoy this assign-
ment the most. Small-group work has been popular with many
SDistributed by Bureau of National Affairs. 24 minutes color.
~
 FILMS IN TESL 109

teachers. Some a r e highly structured with a chairman who s e e s

that everyone participates, a secretary who must report findings
to the whole group, and one or two questions or problems to which
the students must address themselves. Classroom debates with
some students playing the “ devil’s advocate” and defending an
unpopular side of an issue have been developed by some teachers9
Sometimes questions from Assignment #6 also are used for class
discussions; sometimes teachers or students add their own ques-
tions o r problems for study.

SAMPLE : Personal Opinion: Discussion Topics from Con-

quering the sea.

1. Some people believe the resources of the sea will provide the
solution to the world food problem. How realistic is this idea?
Consider cost, distribution, and other problems.

2. A t the present time what specific resources from the sea a r e

being used in your country?

3. Discuss the problems of “ocean pollution” which will be the

result of many of the examples given in the film.

4. Jacques Cousteau is one of the foremost underwater explorers.

Perhaps class members can describe some of his explorations.

5. Choose one point o r idea from the film with which you strongly
agree/disagree and give your reasons.

6. Choose one point o r idea from the film and compare/contrast

other information (supporting/conflicting) which you have heard
o r read about it.

Assignment #6: Aural Comprehension Questions. (See Morley

and Lawrence (1971:135) for a sample s e t of test questions.) The
purpose here is to test comprehension (although the questions might
be used less formally for class discussion.) As has been sug-
gested earlier, this assignment may be used in several ways-
following Assignment 4A f o r the lower levels as a basis f o r con-
trolled class discussion-following Assignment 5 for the upper
levels as a source of personal opinion discussion topics-or as a
‘‘ real” pass/fail test assignment.
6Teachers Marjorie Baril, Helen Carney, Carol Compton, and Dorothy Messerschmidt have
develo ed structured buzz sessions and debates.
!Produced by CBS News. Distributed by McCraw-Hill, 25 minutes - color.
110 LANGUAGE LEARNING, VOL. 22, NO. 1

Conclusion

This kind of program provides an opportunity for students to

participate in purposeful language learning, language for communi-
cation of thoughts and ideas, language in a setting which provides
real communicative urgency. At the same time it has structure,
direction, and purpose. It is designed to move the student ahead
in his listening/speaking abilities.
This kind of program involves the student in his own learning
process. The purposes and directions are in the student’s book,
not a teacher’s manual. The burden of responsibility r e s t s with the
student, to prepare and to participate. He cannot play a passive
role; he is forced to play an active role.
Lastly, this kind of program provides high- intermediate and
advanced students with realistic sophisticated listening/speaking op-
portunities at the upper level of a comprehensive aural compre-
hension program.

REFERENCES

Morley, H. Joan. 1972. Improving Aural Comprehension - Student’s Work-

book and Teacher’s Book of Readings. The University of Michigan
Press, in press.
Morley, H. Joan, and Lawrence, Mary S. 1971. The use of films in teaching
English a s a second language. Language Learning 21:l. 117-135.