I’ve talked a lot about using Youtube in the classroom, but I wanted to know what experts have to say. I did some preliminary research, and while there didn’t seem to be a lot out there, I was able to find some good sources. Here are a few themes that I kept seeing:
Immersion
Jon Watkins and Michael Wilson did some research on ESL instruction in Japan, and they stated that Youtube was the best way to immerse students in their second language without actually travelling to a foreign country. While travel is amazing, it can be inconvenient and very expensive, not to mention nerve-wracking if you don’t really speak the language still. James York, another researcher in Japan, said it can even help language learners to read body language and non-verbal cues. These things are steeped in cultural norms, yet they can be so important for understanding.
Cognition
We all know that “learning styles” are a myth which have been debunked, and although they were actually mentioned in some of the articles I read, it’s still valuable to learn through two modes at once rather than just one. York states that watching videos can help students to visualize word meanings and remember them better.
Motivation
Watkins and Wilson talked about the term “learner autonomy.” It refers to the idea that students should take charge of their own learning. They note that with Youtube, learners have a wide variety of choice in terms of what video content they’re interested in watching. They can watch at home on their own time. York adds that students probably already watch Youtube sometimes in their free time, and therefore have positive associations with Youtube. It’s already something that they enjoy, so bringing it into the classroom will be more engaging and motivating than opening up a textbook. The content is fresh, new, and relevant.
Overall, these are just 3 good reasons to use Youtube videos in the language classroom. It’s backed up by experts, and it’s a valuable resource that shouldn’t be discredited.
Works Cited:
Watkins, J., & Wilkins, M. (2011). Using YouTube in the EFL Classroom. Language Education in Asia, 2(1), 113–119. doi: 10.5746/leia/11/v2/i1/a09/watkins_wilkins
York, J. (2011). Reasons for using YouTube in the language classroom including practical usage examples. Jaltcalljournal, 7(2), 207–215. Retrieved from https://journal.jaltcall.org/storage/articles/JALTCALL 7-2-207.pdf
I was at Vic High on Wednesday, and I went to the same ELL class that I go to every Wednesday afternoon. It’s a ton of fun – there’s lots of diversity in the room, different grade levels, different skill levels, and students from all over the world. Naturally, this can also lead to some challenges for teachers, but the ELL instructor is experienced and confident. She uses the TPRS style, which keeps students highly engaged and helps them participate in simple, short conversations. She sometimes uses video in her teaching. However, I also wanted to point out how the TOC used video this past Wednesday.
He showed the students a two-part episode from a series called Extra English. It was set in England, and it looked to be produced in the late 90s or early 2000s. Sure, the accent was different, but he mentioned it to the students and I think that could be a good way of helping them adjust to the varied ways people speak English. The strongest part of this clip was that it addressed youth culture. The characters were roommates who used the Internet and tried to get dates. One character was an immigrant from Argentina and didn’t know very much English yet. Sometimes, he misunderstood things, which led to funny situations. It was actually a lot like a sitcom, except that the actors spoke more slowly and clearly. The TOC also addressed this and asked the class if they heard people usually speaking this slowly. I liked that the slow speech made the content more accessible for students, and it was also great for them to recognize the differences between the show and the native speakers they hear every day.
I’m glad he used this resource because now I’ve made a note of it and I potentially might use it in the future. It was the right level of language, and it’s a type of content that’s relevant and interesting to high school students. Furthermore, it was about 20 minutes long, which is awesome for a TOC who probably doesn’t have a lesson plan. It wasn’t just to fill time, because he asked a few questions afterwards and had students write 5 sentences about the TV show.
This is just another great example of video being used in the language classroom.
This morning, I was doing some more research on my EdTech inquiry project. I wanted to know how teachers are already using Youtube in schools. Well, I came across a section of Youtube that I’d never seen before! I guess to most people this is old news, but did you know Youtube has a section just for education? Here’s what it looks like:
Scrolling down further, I found sections about fear and psychology:
I love that Youtube is highlighting creators who make educational content and separating it out from other content. The article I read said that they specifically tried to filter educational content from distracting videos and potentially offensive content. They also turned off the recommended section so that students won’t just keep clicking and accidentally watch for longer than they intended. I’m sure everyone has had that experience where they’ve gone down a rabbithole and just kept watching entertaining videos for like an hour (or more)…
Another article talks about how students use Youtube on their own time. A survey conducted with German students found that 50% of them watch educational content, including concepts they were stuck on, information they needed to review, and tutorials such as music, art, and drama lessons. I just think it’s so awesome that students who are really curious can learn basically anything they want to know in about 15 minutes on Youtube. If students are already using these resources, then it’s so important for teachers to take advantage of that. Maybe we can curate playlists of suggested content, such as specific math concepts that they can look at if they get stuck while doing homework. For an English or French class, a teacher could ask students to watch a video at home for homework, and then discuss it the next day in class.
The content on Youtube is infinite, so the possibilities are endless!
Well, it’s Sunday morning, and I’m sick at home for like the third day in a row. My husband and I both caught the same awful cold and now we’re in the phase which involves hacking our lungs out, so it’s better to stay home rather than infecting the general population. With all this extra time, I’ve been looking into my tech inquiry. I’m really interested in using video, more specifically Youtube, in bringing authentic speech into the language classroom. As recently as ten years ago, we simply didn’t have the massive linguistic resources on the Internet that we have today. Youtube was in its infancy. But now, we can learn basically anything on Youtube.
First of all, here’s a video from Audrey D., a young Québécoise content creator. I love how she takes expressions that would commonly be heard in high schools, on TV, and things that she would normally say in daily life. That’s exactly the kind of language I want my students to learn! Moreover, I think this is the kind of content that students would be interested in learning. They’ll be able to express their emotions, vent their frustrations, and use slang just like the average francophone teenager.
There are a few limitations to using this kind of video in class; namely, she doesn’t write her own French subtitles and the auto-generated ones are inaccurate, and also, she doesn’t provide English translations for these expressions. I don’t understand all of them, and it’s hard to find accurate translations for slang because most dictionaries and translators focus more on formal, “correct” language.
Here are some of the expressions that she says during the video (in both Quebec informal language and French informal language):
Guess what? I have a date tonight!
Hey guys, party at our place tonight.
Did you see my new outfit?
I love you so much!
Next up, we have a video from a guy whose videos I used to watch all the time when I was preparing to visit France and while I was living there. He is from France, but lives in the USA, so his channel used to be called, “Ma vie aux États-Unis.” Now, it seems he’s started vlogging a lot more in English, so he changed his channel name to its English translation: “My life in the United States.” (It doesn’t rhyme anymore but oh well).
I like that he has added full English subtitles to this video. It’s about different types of people on an airplane and how they act. He’s made it humorous and relatable, and after each “type,” he shows a little skit to illustrate his point. I think this would really help with comprehension of the video. I also appreciate how this isn’t explicitly trying to teach language, but students can pick up some new vocabulary nonetheless. However, I do wish there were full French subtitles because I often think using English is a bit of a cop-out with high school students. It’s too easy for them at that level. I suppose what you could do as a teacher is talk about literal translation versus stylistic interpretation. For example, at one point he says “Laisse-moi tranquille!” which he translates below as “Leave me alone!” A literal translation would say “Leave me calm!” But of course, that makes no sense in English!
Another video he made is “Shopping in the USA.” I love this video because it shows a daily activity with key vocabulary words, yet it also demonstrates major cultural differences. Yoann, the Youtuber, is shocked to see that eggs are kept cold. (In France they’re held on a shelf). Moreover, they sell 16 in one container, and they’re white instead of brown! (In France you can buy a teeny tiny container of 6 eggs; it’s very cute). It’s an opportunity to have a conversation about differences between France and North America. We have totally different perspectives on food, and I think we have a lot to learn from French cuisine.
Finally, I just found this video and it made me so happy! I had never encountered this Youtuber before, but she’s a French expatriate living in Montreal. This video was filmed on a trip to Lille, France, where I actually lived during my study abroad. I’m actually jealous because she was there during the Braderie de Lille. It’s a massive flea market and festival which takes place every year during September (and I was never there in September, unfortunately!) This vlog is an open door into exploring a new culture – the north of France. In the video, they eat mussels (the traditional dish of Lille) and of course, drink beer. They explore the wonderful antiques that are on sale throughout the city. This is a great video to show students because of the cultural content and also the amazing visuals.
If I were to show this in a French class, I would incorporate it into some sort of project. I’d ask my students to vlog something, like maybe their makeup routine, or how to change a tire … maybe a cooking tutorial or a trip to a famous landmark nearby. Whatever they’re interested in. They could do a voiceover in French describing what they’re doing, seeing, experiencing, and it would be just like these francophone vloggers.
I realize that this post is getting pretty close to 1000 words, so I think it’s about time to wrap this up. I spent about an hour combing through Youtube and looking for content, and there is just so much available that teachers can use in the classroom and expand into creative, culturally relevant, authentic lessons. I feel inspired now!
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