From the Director
Over the course of a 20 year teaching career, I have taught literature, media design, and English to both children and adults. Currently, I am completing a graduate degree in instructional technology. While teaching English to immigrants, I used film with more fluent students but felt that less advanced students were missing out on a very effective learning tool - a virtual field trip that contextualized the language. Thus, I set out to create a video for beginning and intermediate level speakers that integrated proven principles of language acquisition.
The fundamental approach is based on the research of eminent language specialists. James Asher has shown the effectiveness of pairing physical response with language. Stephen Krashen emphasizes the importance of comprehensible input for language acquisition. Patricia Kuhl's work agrees with Krashen as she has found that adults make their speech to infants clearer and more distinct. Also, Kuhl's work shows that the processing of language information occurs through multiple modalities, including vision and audition, both in early infancy and adulthood.
The video includes many other features that enhance the learning experience - a high level of visual support, familiarity of the themes, likeability of the character, humour of the situations, a variety of music, and repetition of key vocabulary.
A sample video of each vignette was field tested on language learners and their feedback, along with that of teachers, provided me with valuable insights for refining the script. People of all ages - children, teenagers, and adults - were enthusiastic about it. When the video was finished in the four languages, I marketed it to schools and learning programs in Canada, the United States, and Japan. The response was overwhelmingly positive. As well, individuals who have used the video at home have found it very effective. It is the favorite video of the actor's own toddlers and they have watched it in one language or another hundreds of times. The video was originally intended for use by individuals at home and I'm pleased to now have the opportunity to offer it for individual purchase.
Product Description
This is an interactive language learning video with a unique technique. The technique is based on action-linked communication. Physical actions corresponding to the spoken language are presented by a Chaplinesque character. As an aid to memory, the viewer is encouraged to act along with the character.
This technique integrates the latest research on effective language acquisition. Both humour and music are used to relax the learner and, along with the physical actions, create a most enjoyable language learning experience.
This 90-minute video, available with a workbook, comes in four different languages - English, Spanish, French, and German. Each video presents high frequency vocabulary, common verb tenses and basic sentence structures in functional situations.
The grammar and vocabulary in the twenty lessons is designed for beginner to intermediate level speakers. The language presented includes expressions encountered with native speakers of the language. Each lesson is carefully constructed to enable the viewer to make the transition from listening comprehension to speaking.
The workbook reinforces the language encountered in the video. It contains the complete script of the twenty lessons and two written exercises for each lesson. The answers are in the back of the book and the Spanish, French, and German workbooks include the English translation.
Until now, the video and workbook have been available only to schools. Both teachers and students have been enthusiastic in their praise of the comprehensive and entertaining approach incorporated in the video. It has proven very popular with both children and adults in classrooms throughout North America.
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