TEACHING STUDENTS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE BY INCORPORATING MODERN AMERICAN TV SERIES

Abstract

This article covers the peculiarities of incorporation the new American TV series into the educational process of teaching English as a foreign language. It has been stated that teacher needs to improve methodological materials in order to succeed in applying new teaching methodology. Besides printed books and or audio material, teacher may use some English films, including modern American TV series.  It has been proved that TV series have some advantages over movies, because they possess authentic language and short timing that better keep student’s attention on specific topic and make the whole episode understanding easier. These factors make students watch the episodes routinely and at this pion ensure their systematic  language practice. While watching students are encouraged to listen to the colloquial, real life conversations, distinguish dialects variations; understand the use of idioms and phraseological phrases according to the context; look at actors mimic and gestures. Films and TV series provide the opportunity to get acquainted with culture and traditions of native speakers, their common way of life. Moreover, authentic films improve students’ pronunciation, listening and speaking skills, while enriching their vocabulary. Subtitles may help in better understanding audio material as students listen and read a text at the same time. Choosing the material, attention should be paid to such criteria as: basic students knowledge; corresponding level in language confidence; modern video material; knowledge of cultural, linguistic and social peculiarities.   

Methodologists recommend to follow these three steps while conducting a lesson: pre-watching step; tasks during watching step; after watching step. There is a methodological example based on the episode of TV series "Freud", that shows how to incorporate enlisted three steps into one lesson. We believe that proposed method to operate video material at a lesson is highly effective, as it keeps students more engaged and motivated to study a foreign language and as a consequence improves listening and speaking skills, enriches vocabulary and provides clearer understanding how meaning  and sentences are constructed.