Using Movies as Authentic Materials in English Language Teaching: Algerian Teachers’ Perspectives and Practices

Abstract

The present study attempts to investigate Algerian high school English language teachers’ perspectives and practices regarding the use of movies as authentic teaching material in ELT contexts in order to help increase learners’ motivation and engagement to learn English. Data were collected using a questionnaire for thirty teachers from different high schools in Mostaganem. Results reveal that most teachers have positive opinions and attitudes towards movies as authentic teaching material. Despite this, only a small portion of teachers integrate movies into their teaching practices and at a low frequency to develop mainly the listening skills of their learners while totally neglecting their benefits in grammar and vocabulary instruction. Such limited exploitation of movies in English language teaching stems from teachers’ difficulty in finding movies with themes related to the content and objectives of the current English language syllabuses as well as in designing movie-based lessons.