EFL ACTIVITIES using SILENT VIDEOS

My inspiration for these video activities was this post by David Deubelbeiss.

• the activities are short.
• the videos are all found in Youtube.
• there's no need to prepare any extra material.

1. Predicting what's going to happen.

• turn volume off.
• play parts of the video, stop and brainstorm with the whole class what  they think is going to happen. Ex: I think he will .......
• Play and check their prediction.

Suggested video:  http://youtu.be/L6Cuq-BueEs

2. Taking notes / reconstructing scene

• Students watch the video and take notes of what happens in the scene.
• Pairs compare their notes and write a description of the whole scene.
• Students then read each other descriptions.
• Teacher can build a description of the scene with the whole class using http://livetyping.com

Suggested video: http://youtu.be/bS1ePEZZCDY

3. Describe what you see

• turn volume off
• get students into pairs.
• they stand up, one facing the screen and the other with the back to the screen.
• the one facing the screen describes what's happening in the scene.
• teacher pauses the video and students swap places.
• do the same for the rest of the video (or for as long as the teacher decides)
• Students write down a summary of the whole scene.
• If students want to, show the whole video with sound to the class.

Suggested video: http://youtu.be/1Efrg23Sqe8

4. Imagining thoughts

• Divide students in pairs.
• You can turn off the sound or not.
• While students watch the video, they try to write down what the girl and the man might be thinking. 
• Teacher pauses video when necessary.

Suggested video: http://youtu.be/8yIuiXxwUtw

5. Predicting + Retelling

• Show the wordcloud below and ask students to predict  the story of the video. (PAIRS)
• Students watch the video .
• Pairs try to reconstruct or retell the story using the wordcloud (Speaking or Writing activity).

Suggested video: http://youtu.be/rHKV92sNFVM

6. Imagine an ending

• Students watch the video up to 1.59 mins.
• Pairs tell each other what they remember.
• Pairs imagine an ending to the story and write it down.
• Students read their ending to the class.
• Show the rest of the video to the class.

Suggested video: http://youtu.be/GJbiw_bOFmY

7. Vocabulary List

• ask students to write the heading for  two lists in their notebooks (CITY LIFE / NATURE)
• Students watch the video and have to complete the lists by writing down vocabulary related to each topic as it appears in the video.
• Debriefing: ask students what words they've written down.
• In pairs students discuss what they understood about the video.

Suggested video: http://youtu.be/qdxbIRkITBk

For more suggested animations, check out this playlist I've put together:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL47140F33A452888D