Hi all,

So I've started a reading club at my school using graded readers and it is a rip-roaring success. I have lots of primary students reading oxford, penguin, cambridge graded readers. Initially, they all seem so shocked to realise that they are able to read and understand a book in English. Their confidence has increased tenfold, their vocabulary too. It has been the most successful endeavour I've ever taken up at any school.

Anyway, I decided to show a movie to all my book club members as an end of year party/reward. I didn't want to undo all the confidence-building that the books had done so I needed to find a movie with limited vocabulary which was both easy to follow and interesting. After checking out as many 'suitable' titles as I could I found the perfect ESL classroom movie.

The Karate Kid 2010. The English is simple. There are lots of Chinese characters speaking English as a second language so they speak much slower than other movies. And there are lots of phrases repeated over and over throughtout the movie. The kids loved it too. They think that they are amazing now because they can watch whole movies in English. I want to ride the back of the wave this has created.

So, what movies have you used that have a suitable level of English and suitable content for the primary classroom?

Hi there!

I use 'Johnny English'. It's funny and easy - students really have no problems with understanding.
I also use National Geographic series (Footprint Reading Library with videos) - these are books you can read, listen to, and watch. They're pre-intermediate and intermediate. I like them because they're of perfect quality and educational, too. Even elementary students or post-beginners can understand them quite well.
And for short videos I search You Tube - if you don't know check Lessonstream website.
Good luck.