In this exercise you'll need a short two minute extract from a DVD with Greek subtitles. You can use this to practice whatever grammar point (e.g. past tenses) or language function (e.g. asking for advice) you're teaching.Also, it works, depending on your choice of movie, with most levels.
Lesson Plan
1 Tell students that they are going to translate Greek subtitles from a DVD into English. Just remind them that they don't have to reproduce exactly what was said in English, but rather the same idea.
2 Show the beginning of the sequence with sound off. At the first subtitle, pause the DVD and ask students to write down their translation. Then repeat this until you've come to the end of the extract.
3 Students then compare extracts in twos and threes and come up with a group answer that they all agree on. Remind them that there is not one correct answer and that we can translate things in a number of ways, each equally correct.
4 Replay the original with sound (and English subtitles, if necessary). Students discuss any differences between their version and the videos. Which on was better and way?
This exercise was made for DVD as you can swop or get rid of subtitles at will. Interestingly, I once did it with video a few years ago which had a pretty poor translation, which in itself made for a lively discussion and acually gave the students a great boost to their self-confidence since they could do something in English better than the so-called "experts".
I found this idea in Video by Richard Cooper, Mike Lavery and Mario Rinvolucri (Oxford University Press)
4 comments:
That definitely sounds like a great activity for intermediate or advanced students.
Efl geek, you've blown your credibility as a blogger.
I can't remember where I read it but somebody once defined the blogosphere as 23 million people who cannot spell "definitely".LOL
Actually, depending on the film sequence you choose, the exercise couls also be used at beginner levels, e.g. something as simple as somebody going into a shop to buy something.
BTW I read your blog most days, it has some great ideas and links.
I am one of the saps who cannot spell definitely correctly. The sad thing is I KNOW how it is spelled, but when I type it my fingers just type definately. It is a sickness, no doubt.
I use Greek subtitles to ask my husband questions about grammar and build my Greek vocabulary. No doubt the emergence of DVD with the multi subtitle capability has been a boon for language learning of all kinds. The problem is, the more Greek I learn, the more problems I find in Greek subtitles. Like last night a character said "Fail!" in English and the Greek subtitle was "gamoto", lol. Maybe the translator was frustrated about something and typed that instead of the correct translation. ;)
I remember reading an interview in Σινεμα about how translations get done in Greece. Apparently, the translations for movies released in the cinema are different to those for video/dvd, with those doing the latter getting paid a pittance, hence lack of quality.
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