June 17, 2017 3:08 am
http://era.org.uk/blog/using-foreign-language-dramas
Import some Foreign
Language Drama into your
teaching
The Young Montalbano – (MICHELE RIONDINO) – (C) RAI Fiction/Palomar
Film and television dramas can be valuable resources for teachers of foreign
languages. Clips or whole films/programmes can really motivate students to learn
and engage their interest in a language. Making use of this kind of resource offers
the student a chance to absorb natural speech patterns and become accustomed to
authentic idiomatic language. It can also help students to understand the language
by offering a visual context.
Channel 4 has recently launched a new foreign language strand called ‘Walter Presents’ . This
is described on the Channel 4 website as,
“..a brand new collection showcasing the best foreign-language drama series from around the
world, handpicked specially for you. Entire box sets, all completely free, when you want them.”
Most of the programmes have adult themes and so would be best used at Further or Higher
Education level.
Series can be accessed on the Walter Presents homepage, and there is also a section with clips
and extras which could be very useful.
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The season has been launched with the much acclaimed German Spy Drama Deutschland 83,
currently showing on C4 on Sunday nights at 9pm. From the website:
“Set against the real events, culture wars and political realities of Germany in the 1980s, this
epic drama series is a stylish coming-of-age story, framed within a suspenseful Cold War
thriller.”
The acclaimed French political thriller ‘Spin’ begins on More4 on Thursday 8 January.
Among the other series currently available on the website is a tense French Crime Drama,
“Match Day” and the Argentinian thriller, “Pure Evil”.
Finally, for students of Italian, the police crime drama ‘The Young Montalbano’ returns with a
new series on Saturday nights, BBC4 9pm.
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