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• Vocabulary. This section can be used at any time during work on a particular video for reference, or later (without access to video equipment) as further exercises with a vocabulary bias. We put this on the fifth page of each unit as the words may be needed in subsequent work (especially Tell The story). This example is from English Channel One, video two, "Hackers" |
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• Tell The Story This is the sixth page of each video unit. It is a freer activity, and during it, students will be able to refer to the Vocabulary on the directly facing page. Even in video one, students will be able to say something about each picture. The addition of the present continuous in video 5 enlarges the scope, and from video 7 work may be donne in the past tense. These pictures may also be used for various paired activities (see below). This example is from English Channel One, video five, "Dennis Cook & The Red Balloon" |
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• Exercises The exercises will provide additional work based on the story of each episode. This example is from English Channel One, video one, "Welcome to English Channel" The Exercises are related to the story of the video, but can be done in a subsequent lesson, without access to video equipment. If time is short, the Exercises page can be done as homework. |
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• Grammar A complete language summary of each video for reference. These may be referred to if problems are experienced earlier in the video unit. The paradigms are colour coded. This example is from English Channel One, video three, "Ken's Kitchen" |
• Transcripts
We recommend that these should not be used in class, but in our experience the great majority of students wish to have a transcript to which they can refer AFTER the lesson. We have found that students make copious notes and add translations to transcripts of videos, and this is usually done at home, on their own. Such extra work can only be advantageous, even though most experienced video teachers would opt strongly for discouraging their use before viewing.
> Level
- English Channel One has been designed at beginner level. The video can be used at higher levels by amending the tasks.
- English Channel Two has been designed at elementary / false-beginner level.
- English Channel Three has been designed at pre-intermediate level.
> Instructional language
We have had to decide whether to use language for exercise instructions at the level of students at each point in the course, or whether to use instructions beyond their language level. We feel that totally confining instructions to the student level in exploiting the video would restrict the type of activities we could suggest too much. We have therefore addressed the instructions for activities at slightly above the perceived student level. The possibilities with video are such that we think it worth the teacher getting more complex instructions across to the students. Ideally this would be done by demonstration and example initially. As a last resort, they may be translated.
> Using English Channel as supplementary material
English Channel can be used as a supplement to any beginner / elementary course. If it is done quickly, and extra discussion generated from the Teacher's notes it can be used at higher levels also.
We have been careful to ensure that the teaching points for each video are transparent. There is no continuing story, so that the order can be adapted to suit the progression of any course at the level.
The syllabus is based on Grapevine and Main Street by Peter Viney & Karen Viney. These have their own parallel video materials, but English Channel can be used instead of, or additionally to these.
> Using English Channel on its own
English Channel may be used as a free-standing short course, taking anywhere between twenty four and forty eight classroom hours to complete.
It is ideal for short intensive courses with all age groups.
In a school situation, it may be useful as a short introductory course in situations where pupils have come from different schools or classes, and have differing levels of English. As a short, stimulating course it will help to consolidate a general body of knowledge. It may be also useful as material to complete a year's work.
> English Channel / Grapevine Videos / Only in America
The same actors (Steve Steen & Jim Sweeney) and some of the same situations (Dennis Cook, Inspector Grant) appear in the Grapevine videos. The following integration chart may prove useful. The video unit numbers do not correspond as Grapevine videos were designed to precede each unit of five lessons, whereas English Channel was designed to follow each group of equivalent syllabus elements.
Also See