How to Use Video Shorts in The Classroom

In a recent post, I wrote about why you should use video shorts in your language classroom. Now let’s talk about how you can accomplish this.

Maybe you want to use the videos in your classroom but you are not quite sure of how to go about it. Let me introduce you to one way you can use the videos to engage students while teaching vocabulary and language structures. Understand that there are a number of ways this can be done. I am just sharing with you my process.

The Process

The first thing you need to do is choose a video that will relate to what you are teaching or shares a common theme you are working on. After you have selected the video short you want to use, follow these guidelines:

1. Show the film with the purpose of viewing the first time. Perhaps pause on occasion to allow students to make predictions of what might happen next. There is no need to have the sound on.
2. The second viewing can be used to pause, teach the vocabulary, and demonstrate phrases to students. Talk about the scenes and get a feel for words students know and will need to learn.
3. A third viewing can be used to plot the important elements and place them on a graphic organizer together.
4. Getting key vocabulary, phrases, and structures to the students are also important. You can do this through multiple viewing and discussions.

Before each viewing, make sure to tell the students what they are doing. For instance, “We are watching this video with the purpose of looking for words and phrases we already know.” The second viewing might be to analyze the grammatical structures they know and can recognize.

During and after each viewing, give students the opportunity to discuss with you but also with their peers. Let them discuss in small groups or with a partner. Also, the viewings don’t have to be done all on the same day. In fact, it may be best to spread them out over the span of 2 – 3 days.

Sample Video Viewing Sequence

Day 1: Introduce the theme that you are using. For the video, I use “Sweet Cocoon” to talk about helping others. I ask the students “What does it mean to help others?” “How do you help others?” Then ask the students to ask their partner how they help others. Call on a few partner pairs and have them share what they have learned.

After the sharing is over, play the video telling the students to look for ways the characters are helping the friend. After the video, have the students tell their partner what they saw the characters doing that was helpful. Circulate to help with any vocabulary. As a whole group, have students share their answers from the discussion. As a whole group, ask them what surprised them about the story.

Day 2: Let students know that today you will be creating a story map together. Choose a graphic organizer or story map that works for your class and your goals. Tell students to watch closely at what is happening. Watch the video and discuss the story elements like theme, problem, solution, etc. View the video and pause at the important key elements. Discuss with the students. Ask questions to get them thinking. “What is happening here?” “Why is he helping?” “What can they do to fix the problem?”

At the end of the video, ask students to tell you alternate outcomes. Show them the story summarized as you move through the different scenes using still images or pausing the video. Video shorts can also be a great way to introduce or review new classifiers. Don’t overlook this important element in the story.

Then have students draw the scenes and list words and phrases they learned and can use for this part of the story.

Day 3: Ask the students how the problem in the story transpired and what steps were taken to resolve the problem. Share important phrases and write them on the board if necessary. Repeat the words and phrases together as a class.

Now have students tell the story and what happened in their own words. You can even make this a chain story by moving around the room and giving each student a part of the story to sign.

Conclusion

In the end, there is not just one way to use video shorts in your classroom. They can be implemented in a number of ways. You can use them to teach vocabulary, show how to use classifiers, or to practice language creation. I hope you try a video or two in your classroom.

Get your Movie Talk graphic organizers here!

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