10 TV Shows & Movies to Help You Learn English

By: Paripa Michelle Ganou

The Coronavirus pandemic has created a major change in how we study. This situation has created a lot of uncertainty. The IEC, like many schools around the world, has switched from face-to-face classes to online delivery. Students are spending most of their days in their dorm or homes to practice social distancing. For English as a second language students, this situation can make learning English difficult. However, most of our classes continue to meet virtually, which allows us to continue improving our English. Still, being at home reduces the opportunities to practice conversational English with native speakers. Interaction with the local community is important to mastering the language. Although we can still call or FaceTime friends and family, we may need to find other creative ways to continue practicing our English skills.

Many college students use Netflix, Hulu, YouTube or other streaming services to pass the time. They actually can be helpful tools for students learning English. TV shows and movies can help you sharpen your listening skills, grow your vocabulary, improve conversation, and even develop your note-taking skills. Watch shows with subtitles on or off to practice your listening skills. If you want to challenge yourself more, you can write down some new words or phrases and try using them in conversations with friends or family. Another activity could be taking notes on the story. For this, you could write out your favorite dialogue in the show and check your work with the subtitles for that part. You could also write a movie review and ask your teacher for advice on your writing sample. Another great idea is to find a movie based on a book. You could read then book then watch the movie or vice versa.

You could watch any show or movie in English and benefit from it. The most important part is that the subject is interesting to you, so that you learn as much as possible. There are also different “types” of English, like British English, Australian, American or Canadian. Even in the US, there are different words, phrases, and accents by region. These are dialects. Keep this in mind as you watch. Learning different dialects can be helpful if you plan to travel or if you want to blend in with native speakers. You may want to use subtitles if you are watching something in a new dialect.

Here are 10 TV shows and movies we recommend watching.

Stranger Things (TV Show)

Another way to get English slang from the 80s, this is a great introductory lesson. As a learner, you will get a lot of science-fiction vocabulary, education and more.

Full House (TV Show)

This is an older American sitcom. It is about an American family. This is an important piece of pop culture in the U.S. Many people know the theme song and remember popular phrases from the show’s characters. You may learn some things about American values about family, careers, and education. It is available on Hulu. There is also a new spin-off version called Fuller House on Netflix.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Movie)

This is a great movie for high beginning to intermediate students. There are two versions, one that came out in 1971 and another in 2005 (with Johnny Depp). It is a fun, and wacky, story with a lot of interesting vocabulary. The film comes from the book written by Roald Dahl, which is a classic book to read.

Friends (TV Show)

Have you heard of this show? This show is a pop culture icon in the US. It was on TV for many years. It is about a group of friends living in New York City. There are many memorable characters. There was even an episode where one of the friends, Joey, accidentally went to an ESL class! Find the clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJUdpoo3yqw. There are many ESL activities and worksheets online to help you learn English from this show.

Harry Potter (Movies)

Learn about the magical world of Harry Potter. This series is well known around the world. There are British accents and language in this series, so you will expose yourself to a different dialect. If you have a lot of free time, try reading the Harry Potter books and then watching the movies (or vice versa). This could be a good opportunity to practice your reading and listening skills. You could even get creative and write your own short stories about the characters to practice writing. Create your own magical terms and have fun with the English language.

Parks and Recreation (TV Show)

This show is about a group of people working together in a local American government, in the Parks and Recreation department. It is about local politics, so you will learn some new vocabulary and get a sense of how local governments work. Keep in mind that this show is meant to be funny, so it does not portray all parts of local government accurately. However, you will get a general understanding.

All American (TV Show)

If you like American football, this show is for you! It is based on the life of a professional American football player, Spencer Paysinger. It takes place in an American high school, which will expose you to language used by the younger generation. It is available on The CW network and Netflix.

Spanglish (Movie)

This movie is great for ESL students. You may find parts of it relatable. It is a romantic-comedy starring Adam Sandler. It is about a Mexican mother who moves to America undocumented for a better life for her and her daughter. She becomes a nanny for an American family, but faces challenges with the English language and new culture.

Orange is the New Black (TV Show)

There is a lot of American slang (and some curse words) in this show. It is about a women’s prison on Netflix. It is a popular series, so you may have a friend who has seen it. It would make good conversation practice. Fans call the show OITNB in casual text.

House of Cards

It is a show about politics and American government. If that is your interest, you may enjoy this show. You will need to focus while watching this show. The vocabulary and dialogue in this show is best for high intermediate to advanced ESL students. It can be a little complex.

In my experience, this method is effective for improving English. My native language is French. When I first started to learn English, I watched a lot of movies and TV shows to train myself. While taking English classes, I knew I needed to do more outside of class to improve myself. I am a cinephile (a person who loves movies or film), so it was fun to practice this way. In less than two months, my listening was much better than when I started. I used the “shadowing” method to improve. I would repeat what I was hearing to improve my pronunciation. You can do this too. Even today, I continue to watch all my movies and TV shows in English. I still feel like I am learning every day.

The next time you watch TV, try to find a creative way to improve your English skills—whether that means “shadowing” dialogue or writing down new vocabulary. If you watch any of our recommendations, let us know what you thought of them. Leave some other recommendations in the comments below!

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1 Response

  1. Tony Stark says:

    Dear sir,
    Thank you for your post.
    I love Netflix to see video and love Harry Potter.

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