Using Media to Teach About Language

Abstract

The number of documentaries being made about language has recently increased. Many of these have tremendous value in informal educational settings, but using them in classroom contexts in the United States often proves somewhat tricky. There are concerns about curricular fit, educational goals, potentially incendiary portrayals of topics, etc. High-stakes testing further reduces the likelihood that language-related documentaries will be used in schools, especially among populations who may benefit most from exposure to sociolinguistic perspectives. This article offers an evaluation of the usefulness of recent and older media in teaching about language in formal educational contexts. From this review emerges an incipient roadmap for adapting media so that it will be attractive to teachers and improve the likelihood that teachers will be successful incorporating said media in their classrooms.