Television for Language Learners in Foreign Countries
Although television is generally derided, and rightly so, for being a mind-numbing technology that makes us dumber by the minute, some aspects of the boob tube redeem it as an educational tool. One of these is not so much related to the content of the show you watch as it is to the availability of subtitles. If you are learning a new language, the subtitles displayed on the bottom of the screen can help you practice your skills. For instance, you can watch an English program and put on Spanish subtitles to practice your recognition of Spanish words and vocabulary, or you can switch to a Spanish program with English subtitles, to practice your Spanish pronunciation without losing track of what is being said during the television program.
Of course you can do this without traveling, by surfing your cable TV channels, but it is much more fun to watch TV in another country, so you are able to step outside your hotel room door and hear the native language spoken everywhere. Take along a phrase book, some language learning CDs, and you are all set to learn a new language, while seeing the sights. And when you come home at night – or back to your room – you can tune in for homework by using the subtitle technique to study while you lay back and become a couch potato – or pomme de terre if you’re learning French!