The Seven Best Film and Video Resource Sites

Kieran Donaghy
seven-best-elt-video-resource-sites

 

As part of the launch of the website I’m organising a prize draw for my new book Film in Action. Everybody who subscribes to the website in February and March will be entered into the draw.

This is the first in a series of posts in which I will look at what I think are some of the best websites, resources, books, short films, and videos for English language teachers and their students. All of the posts will be titled ‘The Seven Best …‘

There is now a wealth of online video and film resources for both language teachers and their students. Here I’m going to recommend the seven sites that I have found most useful and engaging.

 

Sites for students

Learn English Teens Film UK

A British Council website which gives learners the opportunity to watch amazing films made by young people, and do a variety of activities designed around the films. Students can download all the activities and transcript.

Simple English Videos 

A wonderful website created by Vicki Hollett for English learners with free simple English video lessons supported by interactive transcripts. Students simply watch, click, and learn English.

Speechyard

There are a number of free websites where students can watch films in English with subtitles; one of the best is Speechyard where students watch films with subtitles, click on unknown words, see their translation, and add them to their own vocabulary library for further study.

Sites for teachers

There are many websites and blogs which provide detailed and well-structured lesson plans designed around film and television clips, short films and viral videos which save the busy teacher a lot of time. Here are my personal favourites.

Viral ELT –

This excellent blog by Ian James is dedicated to harnessing the emotional impact of viral videos in the ELT classroom. Each post includes an embedded viral video, 10 conversation questions and a listening activity. The lessons are aimed at upper-intermediate and advanced adult learners of English. This site should be known by many more teachers.

All at C 

This is a superb blog by Steve Muir and Tom Spain, which supplies lesson plans designed around short videos , especially clips from television series, for teachers of advanced students (C1 and C2). The instructions are clear and straightforward and all handouts are available as pdf downloads.

Lessonstream

Jamie Keddie is a pioneer in the use of video in language teaching, and his website has an abundance of creative and imaginative lesson plans designed around short videos. All lessons are tagged by level and language point.

Film English 

My own resource site has over a hundred and fifty detailed lesson plans designed around short films, and promotes the innovative and creative use of film in English language teaching and learning. All lesson plans and any additional materials are available as pdf downloads.

Are there any other film and video sites which you have found useful?

53 comments on “The Seven Best Film and Video Resource Sites”

  1. Violetta says:

    Thank you for sharing! Violetta

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      A pleasure, Violetta.

  2. Magdalena says:

    Video for all should be also on the list for teachers….but generally I’ m so happy to see your website as I used the Film English a lot and found it very useful and this one starts in a good professional manner. Great job!!!

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      Hi Magdalena,
      Thanks very much for commenting and for the kind words. I do know Video for All, but didn’t include it in this selection as it’s a repository of video resource sites rather than a resource site in itself.
      All the best,
      Kieran

  3. Frank Baker says:

    My web site, The Language of Film, is designed to help teachers and students better understand LoF, as well as provide resources such as: timely news articles, related websites, lesson plans, books, videos and more. Take a look: http://www.frankwbaker.com/mlc/language-of-film/

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      Hi Frank,
      I know your site quite well and it’s very impressive. I didn’t include it in this selection as I was focusing on ELT/ESL sites, but I’ll certainly include it in a future visual literacy selection.
      All the best,
      Kieran

  4. Marusya says:

    Thank you very much for the nice selection of websites that we could use. Very helpful. xx

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      Hi Marusya,
      I’m happy you like the selection.
      Cheers,
      Kieran

  5. Tory says:

    ESLnotes.com

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      I would have included ESL Notes, but it hasn’t been updated for many years.

  6. Incoming link: The Seven Best Film and Video Resource Sites | ...

  7. sandra MARTIN says:

    As an English teacher in France all these will be very useful to my students.
    Thanks for sharing
    SANDRA

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      Hi Sandra,
      I hope your students find the sites useful.
      All the best,
      Kieran

  8. Sarah says:

    Thank you very much for helping both students and teachers. Congratulations for this great work. I have a request if you would like, to just do some of them for free to review not to download.

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      Hi Sarah,
      Thanks for the kind words. I’m very happy you and your students find the lessons so useful. I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand your request.
      All the best,
      Kieran

  9. Incoming link: Movies0Tv Shows for EFL | Pearltrees

  10. Evanthia says:

    Thank you sooo much for sharing!!! Film English is a great site and has helped me a lot in my teaching, especially giving food for thought to my students. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    1. Kieran Donaghy says:

      Hi Evanthia,
      Thanks for the kind words. I’m very happy you find the lessons so useful.
      All the best,
      Kieran

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