ENGLISH teachers should use video to liven up the classroom and get students more involved. That’s the suggestion from Kathleen Flynn, a professor at Glendale Community College’s Credit ESL Division, in California.

　　Video can do much to improve teaching. One of its good characteristics is that it presents language in a life context. It can show students just how language is used naturally in a realistic setting. Students can see facial expressions and gestures. And they can see whether the speaker is hesitant about a particular subject. They can observe the body language for a particular situation, for example, how far apart people stand of, how people react to emotional situations. That information is difficult to get from a book or an audio tape.

　　Context is important: First, the language is authentic. This motivates students and teaches language that is useful. And, it increases the probability that second language input will be comprehensible. In addition, the setting in a video teaches culture as well. So, students get as much as they need, to know English. Students who are new to the culture feel comfortable. That’s because they can see how others handle typical problems with school, family, or finding a job.

　　Second, video can add variety to the classroom by providing more than one method to present language. This will make a class more interesting, and it can help students with different learning styles.

　　Many visual learners feel left out in the typical classroom, but they can benefit from the visual input of video. Auditory learners also benefit since they can listen to videos more than once. Because a video can be watched over and over, it can provide the repetition that language learners need. Most companies that sell ESL videos allow them to be copied, so students can rent a video or tape it off the air and then watch it at home.

　　Third, a video offers flexibility. Students can go to a lab or check out a tape and watch it several times. Slower learners can spend more time with the materials, while more advanced learners can move ahead at their own speed. Not all ESL learners study in academic ESL programs.

　　These learners are in school and need to learn English or to improve their English skills quickly. They don’t have time to commute. There may not be a campus that’s easy to get to, and they are trying to balance the demands of work, school, and family.

　　Video can provide the flexible instruction that they need. Video is also applicable in distance learning programs. These fit the busy schedules of many working students who can benefit from a combination of classroom and home study. In distance learning, students meet with a teacher six to eight times a semester and then watch the videos in their own time. The videos are aired on public television or can be rented or borrowed.

　　Overall, video can make learning a much richer experience. Students get more time on a task and can do their lessons when their schedules allow. Publishers are adding video components to more of their materials. In the next few years we will see even more videos that bring language to life in the classroom.