Why use Videos to learn a language?

In addition to Flash Cards, video is another form of visual input, one of the brain's favorite ways to learn!

For example, when was the last time you forgot how a certain movie ended? Were you taking notes while watching the film? No! But wouldn't you agree that we generally tend to remember things we've seen or watched on TV, without even having to try!

How can you as a language learner put this to use in your language studies?

Watch your favorite films in the target language!

We have researched which films in English are available to buy with multi-language dubbing and subtitle options, and from where you can get them, so that you can use these DVDs and their language features to learn almost any language! The sources we have found differ from HMV or Amazon for example, in that you can search for the same movie titles with HMV or Amazon and they will be available however with not as many language options. Don't ask us why, we don't know... but in response we have done our best to locate dvds with the most possible language options.

Feel free to press the Buy and Rent buttons to search for a DVD with the language options that are best for you, as well as the right region DVD!

Film	Dubbed Languages Available	Subtitled Languages Available	LOVEFILM	DVDgo	YesAsia
Babe 1995 Rating:G/U	French, German, Italian, Spanish	Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish			----
12 Angry Men 1957 Rating:G/U	French, German, Italian, Spanish	Bahasa (Indonesia), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese
Glenn Miller Story 1953 Rating:G/U	Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese	Danish, English, French, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish Swedish, Japanese	---- ----
Remains of the Day 1993 Rating G/U	French, German, Italian, Spanish	Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish			----
Raising Helen 2004 Rating:PG	Spanish, Portuguese, Thai	Bahasa (Indonesia), Danish, English, Estonian, Finnish, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Thai	---- ----
Charade 1963 Rating:PG	----	Japanese	---- ----	----
Out of Towners 1970 Rating:G/U	French, German, Italian, Spanish	English, Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Serbian, Slovakian, Spanish, Turkish	---- ----		----
Sandlot 1993 Rating:PG	French, German, Italian, Spanish	Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish			----
Inspector Gadget 1999 Rating:G/U	Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish	Croation, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese
Truman Show 1998 Rating:PG	French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish	Croation, English, French, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Thai, Traditional Chinese	---- ----

Read on for some more ideas on usage of the video/teaching methodology!

Using Video to Create Language

Not only can visual media be used to learn a language - in some cases, it can even allow you to create language.

How? For example, you could use a SILENT film like Charlie Chaplin or Mr. Bean, to watch and pause, and then use your new language to describe what is happening or what the character is doing. This method can be applied no matter what your language level and is especially effective in a classroom environment. You can say "Mr. Bean is walking" (simple) or "Mr. Bean is walking worriedly to get to the store before it closes". This is a great way to learn to think in your new language. By all means use your dictionary if you don't know a certain word. The different scenarios that Mr. Bean and Charlie find themselves in will no doubt help to improve your vocabulary!

Try it with the following clips...

Using Video for Language Repetition

Another way that visual media (foreign language films) can be used is to repeat what the characters in a movie say. Pause the player after a sentence and try to repeat, with the same accent and inflections (for example if they're angry then you should say it angrily too).

You could very effectively use the language options on a DVD to turn a simple English language DVD into a multi-faceted language learning device. With audio options and subtitles, there is great flexibility for training the ear and the eye to pick up on and practice the new language.

Check out our Wikihow article below for some more detailed tips and suggested activities that get that different parts of the brain involved.

How to Teach Yourself a Language Using Video We remember images from movies we saw 10 years ago without ever thinking we'd have to remember it, or trying to remember it. For example what movie shows a couple standing on the front edge of a boat with their arms extended, the sun going down? Or what movie shows a feather landing at the feet of a man sat on a bench with a box of chocolates? Videos are another form of visual input: one of the brain's favorite ways to learn...

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. How to Teach Yourself a Language Using Video original author: LiveandLearnLanguages.com. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Recommended Foreign Films and DVDS available in Different Languages

So far we have been able to provide recommendations and supply direction to find DVDS in the following languages:

Cambodian, Chinese Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Lao, and more on the way, so check back often for updates!

Help Others Live & Learn

Has video help you in learning a new language? If so we'd love to hear how you feel that it has helped you. Please e-mail us using the form below and share your language learning experiences.