Even worse, they can't inspire real motivation to learn a foreign language in spite of the new curriculum. But now that satellite TV programs have invaded Eastern Europe, both teachers and learners can come to grips with English. After several years of experimentation, we see video as a middle way to fill the gap between passive classroom learning and live communication. About five classes are required to train students to pinpoint key words and messages. Understanding meaning through the gestures they see on TV, children can work in small groups recreating scenes they viewed at home.
Cartoons can be a great place to start.
Few texts can match a very good cartoon or film. As 90 percent of the films shown on our national television are either British or American, the teacher's task becomes even easier. While watching a favorite film at home, students gradually ignore the Romanian subtitles or simply watch cable television-thrillers, science fiction, documentaries, and newsreels. The class is reorganized into several groups of four or five students. Each student completes his own viewing card.