Watch & Catch!

Introducing a new, fun and original video activity for English language teaching – WATCH & CATCH –  containing excerpts from music videos for current songs, in which students have to ‘catch’ visuals in the video excerpts, as well as words in the lyrics of the songs.

Description:  In this activity, students work in teams to identify, visually and audibly,  grammar and/or vocabulary words in the music video and lyrics. as a competition; they are awarded points for each right item identified. 
Language level: A2+ and above     
Learner type: All ages
Skills: listening, writing
Topic: varied
Language and grammar: common objects, animals, parts of the body, food, numbers, basic prepositions, adverbs of frequency, adjectives,
Materials: vimeo video  and a blank sheet of paper for each group (to write down their answers)
Duration: 20 -30 min
Downloadable materials: none

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1. Tell students they are going to watch a video with 5 excerpts from different music videos, and in each excerpt, they have to identify – catch – something visual (in the video ie. find a number or an animal), and also listen to something in the lyrics: ie listen to adjectives.  

There are 5 video excerpts, and before each one, there are instructions to what the students are supposed to catch. The excerpts are recorded 3 times in a row, so tell students they have 3 chances to find what is asked. For each right item, the teams get one point. The team with more points wins!

Step 2. Divide the teams. make sure each one has a blank sheet of paper to write their answers down.

Step 3. Play the video (pause it on each video instruction and make sure to review the things they’re supposed to see or find before they watch it. For example: ask students if they remember adverbs of frequency and ask them to give examples.

Step 4. To award the points, before playing the next video, pause, and walk around the groups awarding the points. (read their answers and write the number of points on their sheet)

Answers:  
Video 01 - Find: a means of communication (TV) - Listen to: something you use in school (a number) 
Video 02 - Find: an animal (tiger) - Listen to: parts of the body (hands / heart) 
Video 03 - Find: a number (98) - Listen to: prepositions (in / out)  
Video 04 - Find: something sweet (ice cream) - Listen to: a frequency adverb (never) 
Video 05 - Find: something connected to religion (crosses on necklaces) - Listen to: adjectives (weak, shy, sweet)

Songs featured in this ELT video activity: 
video 01: Trust My Lonely (Alessia Cara); 
video 02: Big Love (the Black Eyed Peas); 
video 03: Just Got Paid (Sigala, Meghan Trainor, Ella Eyre); 
video 04: Shallow (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper); 
video 05: Woman Like Me (Little Mix)

That’s it for today! I hope you enjoy this ELT video/song activity.

Share this to help other teachers, and If you liked this activity, check out the part 2: Teaching with Music Videos: Watch & Catch 2!

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