Repetition: We watch each segment at least 3 times.

• 1st Viewing: No subtitles. I want students to focus on what they hear and understand rather than what they can read. Pause in between scenes to allow for processing and brief clarification. I usually don’t answer any questions, but remind students that if that’s what they have a question about that they’ve provided themselves with a goal for the next viewing. Students are not allowed to work on any comprehension guide during the first viewing. They miss way too much and I don’t want them focusing on just getting the questions answered-- I wanted them to focus on understanding what’s said and what’s happening. 

• 2nd Viewing: I turn on the TL subtitles so that students can catch more and can understand what’s going on. They work on some of their activities (comprehension questions, true or false statements, etc.) to solidify understanding of the events and to work with the targeted vocab/structures. 

• 3rd Viewing: I usually leave the subtitles on. Now that students have a greater understanding of what the events are, they are better equipped to devote their attention to the language. After the 3rd viewing, students usually need 5-10  minutes to complete their comprehension questions, then we go through them as a class or in small groups. 

• If there’s time, I really like to watch the segment a 4th time. By this point, students know exactly what’s going on because of the re-watching, the conversations they’ve had, the questions they’ve responded to, and the clarifying information that they’ve received from the teacher and their classmates. Watching the segment another time allows students to relax a little and just take in all of what they’re seeing and hearing. 

 

Scenes that are too fast/incomprehensible: Mute the scene and explain while the characters are speaking what’s going on or what the characters are saying in language that is more accessible. Pause after each character speaks. Give students a “quick minute” to discuss what they heard. Pause in between scenes. Give students time to “turn and talk”. Ask clarifying, “right there” questions to assess comprehension. (Who said…? What did this character want? Where did they go?)

 

No English subtitles. Ever. Students will inevitably ask, but you want to send the message that they can do it. Showing the English subtitles is akin to giving up on your students’ abilities to make meaning of a challenging text. 

 

Feedback: I rely heavily on student feedback and I really encourage them to stay positive and be patient with themselves and the process. 

 

It's not about finishing the episode: If something’s unclear, don’t move on. Let students know that they don’t need to know every single word in order to make meaning of the scene, but if they’re completely lost, dedicate the time to going deeper and making it comprehensible. They’re no value in watching anything in class if students aren’t able to make meaning of what they’re seeing and hearing. Remember why you're doing this and know that it may take longer than you like or feel comfortable with at first. But if you give students the opportunity to create meaning, it will be worth it.

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