Popcorn, anyone? Learning English through film

US Customs Officer: What do you call yourself?
Tony: Antonio Montana. And you, what you call yourself?
US Customs Officer: Where'd you learn English, Tony?
Tony: In school. And my father, he was from the United States. Just like you, you know? He was a Yankee. He used to take me a lot to the movies. I learned. I watch the guys like Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney... They teach me to talk. I like those guys. I always know one day I'm coming here, United States.

If that dialogue above sounds familiar, it's because you heard it at the beginning of Scarface, one of my favorite Al Pacino movies. And while one might not normally follow the example of small-time thugs who metastasize into crime bosses, Tony's method of learning English had a lot going for it.

A DVD player and a partial script can be a dangerous weapon in a teacher's arsenal. Movies are great for listening practice, understanding phrases in context and generating follow-up discussions. With a small budget for slightly-less popular DVDs, Internet access and an old printer, a school can quickly acquire the foundation for a kick-ass Listening program.

My favorite source for movie and TV scripts and transcripts is Drew's Script-O-Rama.

It isn't a comprehensive resource, but it has hundreds of scripts to choose from. NOTE: Not all scripts are 100% accurate, so it's a good idea to view the scenes you plan on showing before compiling the scripts for your students.

A few rules of thumb to consider before using movies in the classroom.

1. Never show movies that have graphic violence or sex. If even one of your students is squirming, it's NOT a good sign... for you.

2. Adam Sandler's movies are surprisingly good for ESL teaching. Physical humor + simple dialogue = movies that even lower-intermediate students can understand.

3. Never, ever, use a movie as a substitute for a lesson. The movie is an audio/visual aid for your curriculum. Always have handouts prepared and time set aside to answer questions and have a discussion. Your students ALWAYS know when you don't care enough to do your job.