| Using Popular Films to Improve Speaking Skills | | | | have them answer that question. |
| During the course of my 15 plus years of English | | | | THE COLOR PURPLE (1985) |
| as a foreign language teaching, I have come | | | | Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Adolph Caesar |
| across a number of popular films which not only | | | | and Oprah Winfrey deliver memorable |
| aid EFL learners in improving their English language | | | | performances in this film adapted from the |
| speaking skills, but are enjoyable for them to | | | | Pulitzer Prize winning book by Alice Walker. A |
| watch. In each of these films a scene is selected | | | | scene with the late Adolph Caesar in which a |
| and the dialogue and setting are exploited for | | | | despondent man (Danny Glover) is consoled by |
| cultural, linguistic and connected speech elements. | | | | his less-than-capable father (Adolph Caesar) who |
| While there actually many such films, I'll mention | | | | also tries to motivate his slovenly son out of the |
| five of my English language learners' favorites | | | | doldrums is priceless for use in vocabulary |
| here. | | | | acquisition, and multiple verb tense use, among |
| FRANTIC (1988) | | | | others. My EFL learners often gasp in disbelief at |
| This film stars Harrison Ford and Betty Buckley as | | | | seeing the state of the son's house. |
| a doctor and his wife who are visiting Paris for a | | | | DIRTY HARRY (1971) |
| medical convention when she suddenly disappears. | | | | Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino and Reni Santoni |
| The desperate husband, who doesn't speak any | | | | star in this classic police detective drama. In two |
| French, eventually goes to the Blue Parrot Disco in | | | | different scenes, police Inspector Harry Callahan, |
| his search for his missing wife but meets a | | | | the cop you love to hate delivers his signature |
| smooth-talking drug dealer instead. The accents, | | | | lines: |
| idioms, expressions, slang, setting and dialogue in | | | | "I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots |
| this scene are absolutely great. | | | | or only five?" |
| MEDICINE MAN | | | | "Well to tell you the truth, in all the excitement, |
| In their scientific research for a cancer cure, Sean | | | | I've kinda lost track myself." |
| Connery and Lorraine Bracco have a great scene | | | | "... you've got to ask yourself one question ... Do I |
| for using prediction when they are trekking | | | | feel lucky?" |
| through the Amazon with a native Indian guide. | | | | "Well, do you, punk?" |
| One of them gets "high" from a locally-produced | | | | This film is great for illustrating and practicing |
| medicine from the bark of the Yocco tree. The | | | | elements of connected speech in American |
| ensuing scene is simply hilarious. The following | | | | English. |
| scene, when they suddenly face a "danger" | | | | Key Film Elements |
| together, is also a good one. You'll love the | | | | While many popular films contain selected scenes |
| dialogue line, "Go ahead, cry all you want." | | | | which could be used to illustrate cultural, linguistic |
| RUTHLESS PEOPLE (1986) | | | | and connected speech elements, these five have |
| Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold, Bette Midler are | | | | proven to be useful and well-received by a |
| terrific in this satirical comedy. The film's opening | | | | variety of English language learner profiles. If you |
| scene depicts Danny DeVito with his gold-digging | | | | can get a hold of any or all of them, give them a |
| lover in a fancy restaurant. How do we know | | | | try and watch your learners' motivation and |
| she's his mistress and not his wife? Watch the | | | | English language speaking skills skyrocket. |
| scene with your English language learners and | | | | |