Films as Rich Sources of Culture

situations. One of these methods can be the use of movie films in language classrooms for the purpose of getting acquainted the learners of that language with the cultural elements of the speakers of that language.

can easily set up a relationship between the above contextual variables and the stylistic differences such the languages being tentative vs. direct, polite vs.

impolite, formal vs. informal, strong and blunt, etc (Arnold & Harmer; 1984).

Third, as a moving picture book, video gives access to things, places, people, events, and behaviour, (regardless of the language used) and is worth thousands of picture dictionaries and magazines. It is difficult to fulfil this range of functions except by living in an English-speaking country. It brings the English-language world to the learner. Therefore, films must be selected appropriately in terms of types and content of the material to be used.

Researchers generally agree that using feature films in language class is favourable. But, they have different opinions on the purpose and the approach in the classroom. As the literature showed, most of them found it useful as a medium to enhance language skills -listening, speaking, and reading. Lin (2002) asserted that it is feasible to teach listening and speaking to Taiwan College students with a course based on DVD films. Lin (2002) found that a DVD Chinese film can effectively boost learner-centred language learning. Lin (2002) also supported the idea of using films to motivate students to improve both their listening and communication skills. According to Luo (2003), DVD films can help enhance college freshmen’s English listening comprehension and motivation. Evans (2007) contended that films are useful tools to teach metacognitive reading strategy, motivating students to read difficult text, encouraging textual engagement, and improving comprehension.

Given that feature films provide authentic materials and raise student’s learning motivation, it is a valuable resource for teaching language skills. But, some researchers think that feature films can serve more functions than that. They call for the use of the content of the film for other instruction purposes. Their proposals embodied the two models identified by Brinton, Snow and Wesche (2003); the theme-based course and the sheltered content instruction. Some researchers use film to provide specific themes for students to learn academic as well as language skills. For example, Furmanovsky (1996) suggested using movie as well as other authentic video materials to prepare Japanese students for EAP classes. Pally (1998) also provided a rationale for using sustained content study of films to develop ESL students’ literacy, including reading and writing skills. As King (2002)

pointed out, a theme-based discussion allows students to explore relevant issues raised from a variety of perspectives, develop critical thinking skills, and solicit responses, converse freely on many of the aspects of films they have viewed.

Compared with the approach to merely improve language skills, the theme-based approach utilizes the feature of film more thoroughly by integrating content with EFL/ESL instruction.

The other model, the shared content instruction, aims at teaching the knowledge of other academic fields, for example, cinematography or literature. The researchers believe that, drawing students’ attention to these fields will bring students closer not only to the second/foreign language but also to its culture and society. Carr and Duncan (1987) suggested that teachers make students heed not only the linguistic features such as vocabulary and dialogue but also cinematographic topics such as directing style or the film genre’s conventions.

Sommer (2001) also pointed out that by using discussion and group activities in language classroom, students can analyze the film to achieve contextual understandings that are literary, historical, social, and cultural. The study of Chapple and Curtis (2000) contended that feature films help develop students’

language skills, critical thinking skills and content/technical film knowledge.

Other than cinematography, some researchers’ regard films an ideal tool for teaching literature (Jolly, 1998; Gareis, 1997; 2001; Bo, 2008). Thus lays the part of literature in the foreign language classroom. As opposed to being a fifth extra to the four abilities (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) culture can best discover its appearance through the medium of literature. As Valdes (1986, p. 137) notes, literature is a practical segment of second language programs at the suitable level and… one of [its] real capacities… is to serve as a medium to transmit the way of life of the general population who speak the language in which it is composed.

Most importantly, literary texts are an undiscovered asset of authentic language that learners can profit themselves of. Exposure to literary works can help them to extend their language mindfulness and build up their language competence. In addition, attempting to decipher and represent the qualities, suspicions, and convictions mixing the literary messages of the target culture is instrumental in characterizing and reclassifying those acquiring in the home culture (personal

communication), literature can reach out to cover the utilization of film and TV in the FL classroom, for they 'have the potential… to present language and situation all the while, that is, language in completely contextualized structure' (Corder, 1968, referred to in Jalling, 1968, p. 65).

A noteworthy inadequacy, however, is that the viewer must be an observer, not a participant. There is just response however no communication on her part.

Besides, there are a few troubles in regards to the procedure of teaching literature.

Carter (Carter & McRae, 1996), for instance, alerts that a restricted learning of linguistics could blindfold educators and students to the way that literary texts are 'comprehensive artefacts which are arranged inside cultural customs, are truly moulded and become out of the lived encounters of the writer' (Carter & McRae, 1996, p. 22).

The literature on culture teaching methodology is immense and a large number of methods have been utilized, trying to strip away the layers of confusion the term culture has been shrouded in, and demonstrate that 'an essential capability in the English language appropriate, with at least cultural references' (Giroux, 2006), is of little esteem as well as lead to misconception, culture shock, even animosity among nations. What ought to be made express is that the "cultural references"

Giroux implies can just go about as encouraging devices, in a manner of speaking, during the time spent socialization into the target society. Knowing a second or foreign language ought to open windows on the target society and also on the world at large. By the same token, communicating in English or Chinese ought to give the learner the chance to see the world through "English or Chinese eyes,"

without making him give up his own particular hold of reality, his own character, which can venture back and assess both home and target societies.

As it were, cultural information and experience ought to make us mindful that, a long way from getting to be individuals from the same 'monocultural global town' (Kramsch, 1987c), we can really get to be eyewitnesses and members in the meantime, enlisting what is coming to pass in each culture and attempting to discover 'third places' (Kramsch, 1993), a third specialty, from which to divine poisonous dichotomies and scaffold cultural gaps. All things considered, as respects language teachers, 'we can't instruct a comprehension of the foreign

providing the recognizable has not get to be foreign to us in numerous regards' (Hunfeld, 1990, p. 16; Kramsch, 1993, p. 234).