In writing, Sammy is still not average, but in speaking, it is night and day because he watches his TV series in the original version. “Even my English teacher couldn’t believe it,” smiles a 14-year-old schoolboy who devoured eight chapters of Shakespeare’s “One Piece.” Like him, there are more youths who have adopted VO under parental pressure. And it will be more convenient to express yourself in a foreign language. In English of course, but also in Spanish, German and Japanese!
“I was furious at first, but since my parents were going to cut off Netflix, I had no choice,” admits Sam. » Elias, 14, is fluent in Arabic, but his mother signed him up on the American stage a year ago at the suggestion of a Spanish teacher who was annoyed by his lack of language skills.
Khadija smiles, “It’s really thanks to her that my son is back on track. He’s really improved in English and Spanish, and he’ll learn a third language in high school next year and then become a translator and live in America,” says the mother.
“My oldest watches them with English subtitles to improve her writing skills! »
With the advent of streaming platforms in France ten years ago, VO established itself in the daily lives of young people. “It’s no longer reserved for the elite like it was when I was a teenager,” assesses Sabine, 50, at the end of the year. But not all parents force that on their kids, and that’s a shame. Look in Northern European countries, there are no subtitles on TV, all children are bilingual from a young age! »
Aurelie, a 45-year-old mother of three, strongly believes in the benefits of Netflix, Disney+ and other OCS for learning a foreign language. “I spent my youth in the Loire and you could only see a movie in the original language if you traveled 50 km. When I was young, I used to binge watch American series for hours Friends Or Emergencies, because I couldn’t wait for them to air in France, she remembers. But they obviously didn’t translate, and I quickly became bilingual! » In his house, the series are unlimited but not in French. “My 13-year-old watches them with English subtitles to improve her writing skills! »
“Netflix Workshops” is ongoing
As for foreign language teachers, we recognize this trend. “Students should be encouraged to watch series in original language! » insists Elena, an English teacher at the Parisian College in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. She herself uses them to support her lessons.
“I’ll arrange it Netflix Workshops (Netflix Workshops), in which I use extracts from a series to work on oral comprehension and expression, he explains. For example, during Halloween, we worked with third graders Stranger things. They had to imagine the continuation of an episode. They loved it! And many watched the rest of the series at home, if they hadn’t already. » He encourages children to watch as much as they can with English subtitles. “To better understand the pronunciation and enrich the vocabulary,” he explains.
“Even if you don’t understand everything, it’s only useful to hear the language,” admits Adrian, a teacher at a high school in Nantes (Lower-Atlantic), which he sometimes refers to as “la casa de papel” or “the elite”. His forces. “The sooner we start, the better!” » He also relies on sequences in his subjects. “It is important to capture the students, to reach their world. Let them see that even in high school, we can have happy moments,” said the teacher who worked with his high school students around the “Isabel” series, analyzing the story of Isabella of Castile, queen of Spain. 15th century.
Corentin, who teaches Spanish at a college in Clichy (Hauts-de-Seine), has some reservations though. “The sequences in the original version are good, but you have to have a solid foundation in vocabulary and grammar first, otherwise it’s not relevant,” he insists. The danger is that the student gets stuck and feels overwhelmed. And it should be avoided at all costs. »
He advises those less comfortable to start by watching a series in French before switching to the original language. “There are a lot of YouTubers and Spanish-speaking influencers on topics that can interest young people. Shorter forms, initially, go better. And what matters is everyday life,” notes the author.
Chrome browser offers slow viewing speed
Four years ago, the Google Chrome browser introduced a free extension called “Language Learning with Netflix” that allows you to watch series, movies or documentaries with double subtitles in English and French. It is also possible to switch to a slower speed to better understand the conversation. “It’s very practical,” admits 15-year-old Felix, who started the German fantasy series “Dark.” At normal speed, I don’t understand much,” he laughs.
If parents don’t need to find what they’re looking for for English and Spanish teenagers, German or less common languages like Japanese or Arabic, don’t hesitate to go on a walk-through to help them find the right series. That will make them take it orally!
On Netflix, the “Explore by Language” icon, with about thirty options from Mandarin to Portuguese to Japanese, lets you find that rare gem! Justin, who will graduate with a bachelor’s degree at the end of the year, is interested in Asia in general and South Korea in particular. “With my father, we watched and loved the glory In Korean. He promised to take me to Seoul if I do well in the oral exam, so I’m very motivated! »
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