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At Keighley College in West Yorkshire, laughter fills the classroom as students watch Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean struggle through a dentist visit. As reported by The Guardian, their teacher, Tanya Driver, highlights a key moment—the chair "reclining"—by writing the word on the whiteboard as students eagerly jot it down.
This scene is part of an entry-level ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) class. For 22 years, Driver has been teaching English to a diverse group of students, using TV shows and films as valuable tools in the learning process. In each academic year, she introduces five to six different programs, including comedies like *Inside No. 9* and the 1988 Arnold Schwarzenegger film *Twins*. After watching, students discuss verbs and phrases, describing the quirky scenarios Mr. Bean finds himself in.
Driver's class is one of many across England, where 144,560 students enrolled in ESOL courses last year. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Keighley College has seen an influx of Ukrainian students, including three coincidentally named Iryna: Zhydetska, Bielikova, and Baltiuk. They join a diverse mix of nationalities at the college, with students from Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and beyond.
For Iryna Zhydetska, 65, who moved to England two years ago, the use of TV and film in class has been essential. "It’s good practice because when I first came, I didn’t understand anything around me," she says. "Now I understand some words, some sentences. Not all, but some." Zhydetska enjoys watching gardening shows with subtitles to aid her understanding.
Similarly, Iryna Bielikova, 39, is adapting to her new life in England and improving her English through practice. “Sometimes I make mistakes, but I understand I need time and a little more practice,” she says. Meanwhile, Iryna Baltiuk, also 39, finds British reality TV shows helpful in getting accustomed to the UK’s accents.
Driver notes that many students arrive with strong literacy skills but struggle to understand native speakers, especially with regional accents like Yorkshire's. "The main benefit of watching movies is to train their ear to understand more," she explains.
John Gray, a professor of applied linguistics at UCL, supports the use of film in language learning, calling it a "rich source of input" that helps students eavesdrop on conversations and stay motivated.
Local organizations also support this approach. Chris Fell, director of the Leeds Film Festival, notes that many attendees use films to supplement their language learning. "A lot of people commented they love hearing languages they might not have heard before," he says.
[Information sourced from The Guardian]
