Using short films and clips in foreign language lessons to raise awareness on language difficulties

Abstract

Over the last years, there has been a notable increase in the number of students with language difficulties. These impact on child development at various levels and make classes significantly more heterogeneous. In view of the above, the aim of this paper is to highlight foreign language classes as one promising opportunity for raising public awareness on language difficulties. It is argued that authentic material, such as short films and clips, created by scientific bodies and official institutions, can contribute to important learning outcomes and engage the learners with the learning process while at the same time increasing their awareness of important real-world situations, such as living with a language difficulty, which often go overlooked.