February 10, 2023
By: Moviesheets.com

Movies capture our attention in ways that other forms of media do not. Many of us are visual learners, which means we like to see things being done in order to truly understand them. Thus, movies are a fantastic tool to use in the classroom to enhance children’s learning experience.

Movies have an amazing ability to bring historical events to life. One that books, especially textbooks, cannot. Are children going to completely understand the magnitude of the Titanic disaster purely from reading a book? Or will seeing a 15-minute clip from the movie, and witnessing the destruction and chaos in front of their eyes, give them a more in-depth learning experience? This technique can also be used with movie adaptations of classic novels. This is effective for students who may struggle to read longer texts. Teachers cannot just use one method of learning to get students to completely understand a topic. Movies used in conjunction with textbooks are a great way to give students a full spectrum of information.

Only using books in a classroom can lead to kids losing focus quicker. Especially today in a generation where a huge proportion of kids own a smartphone, and have shorter attention spans than ever. Movies are a great way to channel students’ focus in a classroom. Their visual appeal is a lot more captivating than staring at a textbook, or listening to a monotone lecture. It’s a lot more likely that students will happily sit through, and be engaged by, a 15-minute video than a reading passage of the same length.

Teachers can also use movies as an introduction to a topic. They can give students a general overview an event or an idea by showing them a short excerpt from a movie. Movies often have subtle nuances that give students a better background to a topic that textbooks will overlook. This can then be followed by a lively debate based on what the students have just seen. Students will often have broad views of what they have just seen. Channelling these differing opinions into a debate can lead to better learning.

For younger learners, movies are a great way to get students to use their observation skills. The ability to recall what they have just seen, is a key skill for small children to learn. This is also a great way to get kids to focus, which can often be difficult when teaching younger kids. For example, teachers can give students a list of things to look for before watching a movie. This will make them hyper-focused and incentivize their watching. You can then ask students questions afterwards to see how they fared.

Teachers should use movies in the classroom, alongside traditional materials such as textbooks and worksheets. This can prove to be an invaluable learning tool. The visual appeal of movies is something that no other learning medium can replicate. They are a great way to give students broad background information on a topic and also as a reinforcement of what they have previously learned.