APRÈS LE DÉLUGE Where is video now? Jane Sherman IATEFL TECHNOLOGY SIG Cyprus May 2006

The Simpson

PUBLIC / MEDIA VIDEO Where is it now? TV TV DVD DVD Technological FILM Revolution VIDEO

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS Satellite and cable TV Satellite and cable TV + worldwide channels + dubbing and subtitling Streaming for speed Streaming for speed Access on home computers Access on home computers Interactive multi-media Interactive multi-media DVDs + dubbing/subtitling DVDs + dubbing/subtitling Synergy with media text, WWW Synergy with media text, WWW

EFFECTS: NEW LEARNING LANDSCAPE HOME ACCESS (outside the classroom) HOME ACCESS (outside the classroom) HUGE PERSONAL CHOICE HUGE PERSONAL CHOICE LOW COST (high availablity) LOW COST (high availablity) LANGUAGE MEDIATION LANGUAGE MEDIATION GLOBALISED PRODUCTS (mainstream media diet) GLOBALISED PRODUCTS (mainstream media diet) = SL, autonomy, “home work”, choice

THE CASE FOR VIDEO Media video is neglected / undervalued. Media video is neglected / undervalued.BUT It has by right a place in the curriculum. It has by right a place in the curriculum.AND It is indispensable to language learning. It is indispensable to language learning.

COMPLEMENTARY MEDIA INTERNET - talk to the world - read all about it - read all about it MEDIA VIDEO- see and hear the world at play, home, work, war at play, home, work, war

NEGLECTED! SOME REASONS Overwhelmed by CALL Overwhelmed by CALL Seen as soft option (mistaken) Seen as soft option (mistaken) Seen as hard option (mistaken) Seen as hard option (mistaken) Seen as means, not end Seen as means, not end Main contributions not curriculum priorities Main contributions not curriculum priorities

THE SUGAR ON THE PILL? VIDEO’S INCIDENTAL STRENGTHS High quality High quality Interest, motivation, conviction Interest, motivation, conviction Generative power Generative power Access for the less literate Access for the less literate PLUS (new) Range and individual choice Range and individual choice Home access Home access Multilingual mediation Multilingual mediation

VIDEO IN THE CURRICULUM Main “social literacy”, major element of community’s discourse Main “social literacy”, major element of community’s discourse Learners want and expect it and are already seeking it Learners want and expect it and are already seeking it Media comprehension is one of main CEF comprehension targets Media comprehension is one of main CEF comprehension targets SO video objectives must figure alongside other real-life language objectives SO video objectives must figure alongside other real-life language objectives

VIDEO’S ADDED VALUE VIDEO’S FOUR UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS WIDE AGREEMENT WIDE AGREEMENT RESEARCH EVIDENCE (more needed) RESEARCH EVIDENCE (more needed) ALL NEGLECTED ALL NEGLECTED

1. MOVING PICTURE BOOK PROVIDES ALL VISIBLE SETTINGS, OBJECTS, ACTIONS, TIMEFRAMES PROVIDES ALL VISIBLE SETTINGS, OBJECTS, ACTIONS, TIMEFRAMES for every kind of language activity DEMONSTRABLY IMPROVES VOCABULARY TAKE-UP through bimodal interaction DEMONSTRABLY IMPROVES VOCABULARY TAKE-UP through bimodal interaction Very underexploited

2. LISTENING COMPREHENSION ENHANCES COMPREHENSIBILITY + COMPREHENSION ABILITY + ACQUISITION ? - Visible speakers, paralanguage, mouths - Full context, T/D advance organiser - Developing context - More imitable – looks like acquisition

RESEARCH QUESTIONS WE NEED TO KNOW: When does video distract? mislead? mesmerise? When does video distract? mislead? mesmerise? How does it compare with audio? How does it compare with audio? What are the linguistic comprehension effects of L1/L2 subtitles/captions? What are the linguistic comprehension effects of L1/L2 subtitles/captions?

3. CULTURAL AWARENESS DISPLAYS CULTURE “Bic C” cultural icons / products “Bic C” cultural icons / products “Small c” everyday life, everyday settings “Small c” everyday life, everyday settings Attitudes and reactions (explore!) Attitudes and reactions (explore!) Verbal behaviour to be included Verbal behaviour to be included Also distorting – but always culturally! Research needed, and TALK

4. SPOKEN INTERACTION THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR MOST?  Main language component of media video  Basis of pragmatic competence, cross- cultural understanding, social survival  One of eight areas of language competence in the CEF

WHAT SPOKEN INTERACTION INVOLVES All features of spontaneous speech and interaction, including conversation management conversation management interaction management interaction management quantities of formulaic language quantities of formulaic language talk about talk talk about talk

WHAT STUDENTS NEED Some productive capacity Some productive capacity Large receptive capacity Large receptive capacity Talk about talk (target and instrument) Talk about talk (target and instrument) And hence… Speed and familiarity Speed and familiarity And hence… Extensive exposure and practice Extensive exposure and practice

ARE THEY GETTING IT? COURSEBOOKS PROVIDE Little interaction as input Little interaction as input Mostly as (tight) models for production Mostly as (tight) models for production Hence limited range for comprehension Hence limited range for comprehension Teachers say it’s bland Teachers say it’s bland Conversation analysts say it’s inauthentic Conversation analysts say it’s inauthentic

USE REAL CONVERSATION? Authentic but – Authentic but – Over-specific Over-specific Difficult to get Difficult to get Limited range Limited range Boring? Boring? Must use, but how?

IS MEDIA VIDEO THE ANSWER? range range full visible context full visible context vast reservoir of formulaic language vast reservoir of formulaic language developing situations developing situations high interest high interest imitability imitability naturalistic/“authentic” naturalistic/“authentic” (= not produced for LL)

BUT HOW “AUTHENTIC” IS VIDEO DRAMA? SCRIPTED DRAMA Fewer dysfluencies Fewer dysfluencies Shaped for dramatic purpose, heightened Shaped for dramatic purpose, heightened By definition out of the ordinary By definition out of the ordinaryBUT Good fake, demonstrable verisimilitude Good fake, demonstrable verisimilitude High linguistic visibility High linguistic visibility Appears to enhance production (research) Appears to enhance production (research)

CASE MADE? “Handy tool” much enhanced “Handy tool” much enhanced New role in learning landscape New role in learning landscape De iure place in curriculum De iure place in curriculum Value added to language learning in Value added to language learning in - moving pictures - aural comprehension - cultural awareness - spoken interaction

VIDEO ADDS DIMENSIONS…. WISH I COULD FLY…..

…… AS QUIDDITCH DOES TO FOOTBALL

WHAT WE NEED ResearchExperimentation ResearchExperimentation Advocacy and promotion TrainingUnderstanding TrainingUnderstanding

WHO SHOULD ACT? Ministries The media Teachers’ organizations Teachers’ organizations Teacher educatorsResearchers Teacher educatorsResearchers PublishersTeachersStudents PublishersTeachersStudents

WHAT’S THE MESSAGE? GET ON YOUR BROOMSTICKS!

JANE SHERMAN UNIVERSITÀ ROMA TRE ROME, ITALY