Use movies or TV series clips so learners notice how formulaic sequences are used among speakers¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (3 for, 1 mixed) · 2 studies (2 causal), q2–q3 · 1 of 2 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

A classroom strategy in which instructors bring media into lessons and have learners notice formulaic sequences in authentic visual contexts. The article states: "Instructors can bring in movies or TV series and help learners notice how FSs are used among speakers." It recommends pairing frequent exposure and noticing with "multiple opporunities to practice in small groups and role-play exercises" so learners acquire and use FSs over time, and cautions that media usage should correspond to real-life usage.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Instructors must verify that the way FSs are used in media corresponds to real-life usage
• Learners need repeated exposure, noticing support, and small-group or role-play practice opportunities

Constraints¶

• The study used scripted speech from drama series, which the authors note tends to be artificial and carefully constructed

Target Learners¶

• EFL learners
• ESL learners in Canadian contexts who lack opportunities to interact with native speakers

Target Learning Goals¶

• noticing, comprehending, and producing formulaic sequences in appropriate contexts

Affordances¶

• Noticing Hypothesis Fs Media Retention

Claims¶

• Advanced EFL learners reported positive perceptions of learning formulaic sequences through TV series, valuing visual context [+W]
• Advanced EFL learners exposed to TV-series video clips retained formulaic sequences at a significantly higher rate than learners receiving explicit instruction only [+W]
• Exposure to TV-series video clips did not produce a statistically significant advantage in immediate learning of formulaic sequences [~W]
• Humorous video clips improve Iranian undergraduate EFL learners' idiom achievement compared with conventional instruction without clips [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Teach idioms through interactive, contextualized activities such as role-play and movie clips rather than isolated definitions
• Have learners repeatedly watch authentic English video series, selected for recurring characters and culturally appropriate standard dialogue
• Supplement task-based lessons with explicit noticing, corpus examples, and production practice of formulaic sequences

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Didem Koban Koç & Serdar Engin Koç. (2017). On the Role of Media Input in the Learning of Formulaic Sequences by EFL Learners. TESL Canada Journal/Revue TESL du Canada, 34(3), 93–110. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v34i3.1275