Learners seek diverse methods to improve their English skills, such as studying through books, attending language centers, or joining clubs, to enhance their English proficiency. Among these methods, using movies as a tool for IELTS exam preparation has gained popularity because it offers a sense of “learning through entertainment.” In this article, azVocab introduces a method of preparing for the IELTS exam through films, allowing you to conveniently save vocabulary while watching movies.
Benefits of Learning Vocabulary for IELTS Through Movies
Natural Language Usage
Movies expose learners to authentic English usage in various contexts. Unlike grammar and vocabulary learned from textbooks, which often lack real-life context, movies provide a wealth of language usage scenarios relevant to the IELTS Speaking section.
Enhanced Listening Skills
In the IELTS Listening section, candidates may encounter accents from English speakers around the world. Watching English-language films helps learners become familiar with diverse pronunciations and accents, improving their listening skills over time.
Improved Speaking Skills
Just as children learn to speak by mimicking the conversations of adults, IELTS candidates can benefit from mimicking the expressions of native speakers in movies. Additionally, by replaying scenes and focusing on pronunciation, learners can refine their speaking skills and achieve a more natural delivery of dialogues, including body language and appropriate gestures.
Expanding Vocabulary and Knowledge
Vocabulary acquired from movies is diverse, ranging from everyday English to specialized terms depending on the movie genre. For example, family and friendship-themed movies like “How I Met Your Mother” provide vocabulary related to daily life, which is useful for the first two parts of the IELTS Speaking test. Conversely, documentary films or those with complex themes offer a deep vocabulary for all four sections of the IELTS exam, especially IELTS Writing and IELTS Speaking.
Learn While Having Fun
Lastly, the method of using movies for IELTS preparation combines learning with entertainment. After hours of strenuous study, you can relax by enjoying your favorite movie while still extracting valuable knowledge for the IELTS exam. Learning through movies not only provides diverse IELTS vocabulary by theme but also teaches learners how to apply grammar in rich contexts. It makes exam preparation less monotonous and more enjoyable.
Guide to Preparing for the IELTS Exam Through Movies
General Notes for Preparing for IELTS Through Movies
- Listen to Yourself and Set Clear Learning Goals
Start by asking yourself how you want to improve your English, in what context, what movie genres you enjoy, and which language skills you want to progress in. You should approach learning English with a relaxed mindset, not as a dry subject to conquer. Therefore, choose a movie that genuinely interests you. When you have a specific preference, you’ll be more eager to watch complex films with academic elements. In this way, you’ll conquer English and the IELTS exam enjoyably and effectively.
- Be Proactive and Stay Focused During Practice
Once you’ve defined your goals, actively engage in practice rather than passively watching movies. Each study session focuses on a specific movie segment instead of watching the entire film at once. This approach allows you to relax while absorbing useful IELTS vocabulary and sentence structures.
- Imitate Character Dialogues (Shadowing) and Use Subtitles Effectively
Imitate character dialogues whenever you can, much like how we mimic adults when learning to speak as children. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; you’ll improve and correct errors through repeated practice. This imitation technique is called Shadowing. You listen to the dialogue and try to mimic pronunciation, intonation, and pacing. If you can’t catch the entire dialogue, you can use English subtitles as support, but avoid relying on them to immediately repeat after reading. For those with weaker pronunciation, consider recording your shadowing practice to review and improve. Additionally, the recorded segment will help you self-assess and seek feedback or corrections from a teacher.
How to Prepare for IELTS Through a Specific Movie
- Step 1: Choose a movie according to your preference and suitable viewing platform.
- Step 2: First viewing – Watch the entire movie with Vietnamese subtitles or in a bilingual format. Focus on listening to the dialogue to understand the movie’s content. Most importantly, avoid depending on the subtitles.
- Step 3: Select your favorite movie segment for practice (preferably a short segment with a duration of under 3 minutes).
- Step 4: Second viewing – Actively practice and concentrate on the chosen short movie segment. Re-watch it with English subtitles, and look up and save useful vocabulary and sentence structures. Additionally, apply the Shadowing technique during this step.
- Step 5: Review vocabulary
Some Common Mistakes When Preparing for IELTS Through Movies
Studying for IELTS through movies is a recommended method due to its entertaining nature while still being effective. However, learners still need the right approach and strategy to achieve the desired results. To apply this learning method correctly, learners should be aware of and avoid the following mistakes:
- Watching Movies Without Subtitles
Watching movies without subtitles or any support tools is a common and fundamental mistake made by those using the IELTS preparation through movies method. If you’re not accustomed to watching English videos without support, attempting to watch an entire movie without subtitles can make it challenging to keep up with the movie’s content and may lead to frustration with this learning method. Therefore, choose movies with subtitles or watch with someone experienced in using this method first.
- Choosing the Wrong Movie
When applying this learning method, many learners select movies based on their popularity. However, blockbuster movies are not always the best choice for language learning. Fantasy or artistic films often use complex vocabulary. Secondly, learners make a mistake by choosing overly lengthy films. Learning from a movie with an excessively long duration can be overwhelming, as it requires a significant amount of time and focus to understand what’s happening. Start with simpler, shorter films.
- Not Researching the Movie’s Content
If you know nothing about the movie you’ve chosen, you’ll struggle to follow the plot and gain any knowledge. Instead, invest time in understanding who the characters are, what they are doing, and why they behave the way they do. Failing to grasp the content will make you lose interest in the movie and miss out on opportunities to improve your language skills.
- Rushing Through the Movie
Normally, when watching movies in your native language, you can multitask or watch them once and grasp the content. However, watching an entire movie in a different language can be overwhelming. During the IELTS preparation through movies, repetitive viewing is essential for memorizing vocabulary and structures. Watching the movie quickly and without breaks doesn’t provide these repeating experiences. Take breaks and mark important content for future reference.
- Putting Too Much Pressure on Understanding During the First Viewing
Instantly comprehending the entire movie in English during the first viewing is difficult, even for those with a good English foundation. Putting excessive pressure on yourself to understand immediately can lead to disappointment and self-doubt, which can hinder your preparation. Be patient and work towards becoming more proficient in English over time.
- Passive Viewing
Watching a movie is an effective way to practice listening, but to maximize the learning benefits, you should do more than just sit and watch. To get the most out of it, you should speak along with the movie, alongside listening. Additionally, have a pen and paper ready to jot down unfamiliar words, phrases, or anything that catches your attention for later reference.
- Looking Up Too Many Words
Focusing too much on individual words can cause you to lose sight of the overall message of a sentence or paragraph. In a conversation, you may encounter words you don’t know. Having the experience to understand the overall meaning of a sentence based on context is valuable. Missing one or two words is not a problem. Instead of concentrating on individual words, focus on the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph.
- Over-Dependence on Subtitles
Subtitles are excellent aids for beginners learning English through movies. However, learners should not become overly dependent on this support tool. Remember that the ultimate goal of this method is to understand English without relying on subtitles.
List of High-Quality Movies for IELTS Preparation
Below, azVocab provides a list of quality movies suitable for IELTS preparation.
Movies for Improving English in Daily Life
For the goal of improving everyday English or for IELTS Speaking Part 1 and Part 2, you can consider an American sitcom series to practice using vocabulary in context. Among them, F.R.I.E.N.D.S is a valuable resource, suitable for those who want to practice everyday English.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S
Movies for IELTS Preparation by Topic
In addition to movies that serve to develop communication skills, azVocab shares movies with specific themes to provide you with knowledge in various fields.
- Topic Science and Technology: Black Mirror
Black Mirror
- Topic Environment: Cowspiracy
Cowspiracy
- Topic Nature: Our Planet II
Our Planet
- Topic Health: What the Health
What the Health
- Topic Crime, Laws, and Politics: House of Cards
House of Cards
Movies are a popular form of entertainment, and incorporating them into the IELTS preparation process, especially IELTS Speaking, can make studying more enjoyable and less stressful. Learners can choose movies they love themselves. The language used in movies is also highly practical, and you can quickly apply it to everyday contexts. With the sharing from azVocab, it is hoped that you can learn how to maximize the effectiveness of this learning method. Install azVocab to save vocabulary to study anytime you want!
👉 Explore more effective English learning methods: 5 EFFECTIVE METHODS TO LEARN IELTS VOCABULARY
