ESL+-+YouTube

In a traditional classroom setting, it is very common for the teacher to stand in the front of the classroom and lecture about the course content. This process involves a teacher speaking quickly, rattling off information. However, this process does a poor job of adapting to ESL (English as a Second Language) students that may struggle with following the lecture. This is where Web 2.0, such as YouTube can help ESL students, and empower a traditional student. I will provide you with some skills and techniques using YouTube that accommodate ESL students and provide them with an opportunity to succeed in the classroom.

YouTube can be thought of as a vehicle for discovery in the classroom using a variety of techniques. It is important that the video used in the curriculum is aligned with the specific learning target and reduces the cognitive load in a traditional lecture. This will limit the stress often found by a traditional ESL student.

Some other guidelines to follow to promote active viewing and maximize learning are to segment the video into shorter segments. This will allow the students to retain the content at a much more manageable pace. Using the pause feature on YouTube will allow the teacher to temporarily stop the video and discuss what had just occurred in the video. Now, if the teacher has done a good job of selecting a video that is not overwhelming with crazy graphics, they can turn the video’s sound off and allow the students to rely on their visual skills to decipher what is being conveyed. This is especially helpful for ESL students who may be struggling with the narration. This also puts the entire class on a level playing field. The teacher can again pause the video and discuss what the narrator may have been trying to convey. Once the video is completed, the teacher can lead a discussion with the class that encourages questions such as: What interested them? What was confusing? Was there any vocabulary that needed to be clarified?

Another way for the teacher to accommodate their ESL students would be to have each student focus on a specific segment of the video. This will give them the opportunity to focus their attention of a smaller portion of the video and relieve them of the chance of being overwhelmed and not singled out in a traditional classroom lecture.

Resource: Engaging the YouTube Google‑Eyed Generation: Strategies for Using Web 2.0 in Teaching and Learning