Welcome to HLS English class - the best place to learn English in Kuantan, Malaysia. English class for children and adults conducted in a fun and creative way. Learn English with Horne Learning Services. English speaking and conversation, reading, writing and listening training based in Kuantan. This is what we do . . .

Thursday 22 November 2012

Learning English through movies - Mirror Mirror

Welcome to Horne Learning Services and our blog post for today!

I do hope you are enjoying life and being successful.

Today I'm going to talk about learning English through listening.


Most people who want to learn or improve on their English, always demand speaking classes, or say "I just want to speak!" But English is about a lot more than just speaking.

"Speaking's" best friend is called "listening", and if they don't go together, "speaking" just isn't the same!

Listening is an important exercise in mastering the English language. And that doesn't mean a class of students should have to listen to each other's imperfect English while the teacher sits down and lets them get on with it. That is not the ideal listening exercise.

Students need to listen to correct English, from somebody who can speak English perfectly, which in most cases, should be the teacher. The exposure to listening to correct English is a big advantage for English students to have.

Fortunately for me and my students, I'm from England, and English is my natural language, it hasn't been learned like other languages had to be.

As such, I try to talk to my students a lot, give them instructions to see if they have listened well and follow them. I will not speak in any other language but English, to them. Very soon, they get comfortable with English and their listening improves.

I record myself speaking and give them listening tests with questions to answer. Best of all, I watch English movies with my students, young and old!



This week we are watching the movie, "Mirror Mirror", based on the story of Snow White, but told from the point of view of the evil queen. I've prepared 20 questions for students to answer by watching the movie and listening very carefully.

Students will not understand every single word that is spoken, and at times it may seem that people in the movie are speaking very quickly, and students may feel that they are losing pace from time to time.

It is however, a great opportunity for students to practice listening, look out for key words and answers, and develop an understanding of how the English language works. Learning new words to add to their vocabulary is another privilege.

But it's the exposure to listening to correct English which is the overriding benefit here.

9 comments:

Barbara said...

Well said, Duncan! I believe in the same... and I don't understand countries, which choose full dubbing of movies in theatres.

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Thanks for visiting Barbara and for taking the time to read this message. I guess there are 2 sides to the dubbing topic - we are grateful that a popular Malaysian cartoon, "Upin and Ipin" has been reproduced from the original Malay language into English.
But I do find it strange when entire or large portions of movies, have the English language changed to a local language.

geeds said...

I did a few blog-walking and my sight immediately caught the "our home called kuantan" link.

as my home is also in kuantan, i thought that the blog name is just so sweet and end up visiting your blog, and this blog of yours as well.

and guess what i stumble upon next? the picture of my cousins! little did i know, my cousins are your student. they are in your monday and tuesday class. Jay jay and faris. It has been so long since i last saw them (which explain the excitedness i experience when i saw them in your pictures) haha.

thought of saying hi. but end up on a lengthy comment instead haha.

have a good day. :)

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Hi geeds,

Well thank you so much for dropping in to say a long 'hi'! Jay Jay and Faris are good students.

Cloudia said...

clever!


Aloha to YOU
from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral

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Anonymous said...

✿ ✿ ✿
Hello ☺

je viens te souhaiter une très bonne journée et une bonne semaine.

I'm french.
I have to progress in english !!! You're right : watching english moovies help us to speak better ! ☺ sorry for my english ! it is not good !
I hope you understand my words.

★ BISES AMICALES ★
✿ ✿ ✿

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Hi Cloudia and Nancy, thanks for stopping by my English learning blog.
Nancy, your English is not bad at all, thank you for the effort!

Kelly said...

English is a difficult language. We need to listen more, write more and talk more. It is so complicated. It is so hard for me.

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Yes Kelly, you're right! I hope you will be able to learn and enjoy our classes!