Reading Two

Although the article identified many different ways to choose appropriate videos, I am still a skeptic of using videos in the classroom. As an FSL teacher, I am always using gestures and visuals to explain concepts. I like the thought of using videos in the class because they provide words with visuals to explain them, and students enjoy listening to something other than their teacher. I found with movies students are often distracted by the visuals that they don`t pay attention to the words. I tried to show «Le Chandail» in my classroom and students found it too difficult to follow the words while the characters were moving. Students could attempt to infer meaning through visuals, but they felt bombarded. I took the steps suggested in the reading in order to measure it`s appropriateness, but they still struggled. I guess my question is, how do you measure whether the use of a video is an effective teaching tool? Students may fill out sheets while watching a movie, but for those who struggle with language they may need to watch it several times or students may just get the answer from their friend.

I will continue to search for short videos that can be integrated into lessons, but I feel it`s very difficult to ensure all students are engaged. I also think it`s difficult to find videos that address the exact topic that is being taught. I tried looking for resources outside of my program but I found that other words were being used which only lead to students being more confused. Before integrating videos into the program it`s important that students understand that they don`t need to understand all words to grasp the main idea or concept of the activity.