The Facilitating Effect of Short Films in Language Education: A Visual, Auditory, and Story-Based Language Learning Adventure

By Birgül Tombul

Learning a foreign language is often seen as a long process requiring patience, repetition, and discipline. However, recent studies show that learning through enjoyable and contextual methods is both more lasting and more motivating. In this context, short films stand out not only as an entertainment tool for language learners but also as a powerful learning method.

Think about it: When trying to memorize words from books, your attention eventually wanders. But while watching a short film, both your eyes and ears are active, and you're emotionally connected to the story. This multi-stimulation accelerates the brain's language learning.

Learning a foreign language requires much more than memorizing words. Language is a communication tool intertwined with culture, stories, emotions, and daily life. That is, when you start learning a language, you don't just memorize its words and speak within a grammatical framework. In language learning, you also acquire knowledge about the culture and lifestyle associated with that language.

This is exactly where short films come into play. Thanks to their visual and auditory richness and the natural context they present with their storyline, short films become a powerful tool for language learners. Apart from the short film's unforgettable emotional transfer, its offering of an excellent practice opportunity is quite functional.

Visual Elements: The Materialized Form of Language

The human brain processes visuals much faster than words. Short films offer viewers additional context beyond dialogues through facial expressions, gestures, spaces, costumes, and objects.

The visual memory of the human brain is much stronger than word memory. According to psychology research, people remember 65% of what they see, while they can only retain 10% of what they only read. This is where short films provide a great advantage.

• Scene support for words and placing them in context: When a character says "open the door" and actually opens the door, or when a character says "drink" while holding a glass, the student not only hears the word but also reinforces it visually at the same time.
• Materialization of abstract concepts: The word "freedom" is an abstract definition in the dictionary, but in a short film, the scene where a character breaks their chains takes the concept to an emotional and visual dimension.
• Capturing meaning through facial expressions and gestures: A word missed in dialogue can be understood through the character's facial expression. This is a skill that also facilitates communication in real life.
• Facilitating recall: Visual support ensures that new words stay in memory longer. This is especially strengthened by associating abstract concepts with concrete scenes.
• Use of visual memory: Short films that appeal not only to the ear but also to the eye transmit information to our brain through dual channels (visual-auditory), thus accelerating learning.

Visuals transform language into something "living"; the learner learns not only words but also situations. They see and learn which sentence pattern to use in which context through natural usage.

The Power of Auditory Factors: Hearing and Feeling the Language

Language is learned as it sounds to the ear. Short films are one of the most enjoyable ways to accustom ears to the rhythm of language. Learning a language is not limited to reading written texts; intonation, stress, speed, and accent are also indispensable parts of the learning process. Sound is also at the foundation of language learning. Intonation, stress, speed, even silence are all parts of a language. Short films expose the learner to a natural conversational environment.

• Exposure to natural speech flow and speed: Artificial dialogues in textbooks are generally slow, clear, and "ideal." However, short films show sentences used in real life that speed up, get interrupted, and sometimes remain unfinished. This prepares the student for reality.
• Accent diversity: For example, for a student learning English, it's important to hear not only "textbook English" but different accents. Short films offer this diversity.
• Music and sound effects: Emotions are conveyed not only through words but also through background sounds. For example, in a tense scene, even if the words are less intelligible, the student captures the spirit of the event.
• Learning stress and intonation: Meaning is sometimes determined more by the rise and fall of the voice than by words. Short films are unparalleled in learning these nuances.
• Listening practice: The learner encounters different accents and prepares for diversity in daily life.

Language is learned as it sounds to the ear. Short films are one of the most enjoyable ways to accustom ears to the rhythm of language.

The Ease of Learning Language with Context Within a Storyline

Memorized words are often forgotten in a short time. However, words learned within a story are not easily erased from memory. Because our brain records information more permanently within context.

The storyline makes language not just "information" but "experience." The most important element that makes short films special is their stories. Words heard within a storyline are understood faster thanks to context.

• Inferring meaning from context: "Hurry up!" can be understood without looking at a dictionary because the character's frantic running explains the context. Or learning the word "run" from a dictionary is one thing, witnessing a character shouting "Run!" while fleeing from danger is entirely different.
• Learning through emotions: Research shows that information with emotional connections stays in memory longer. A student who connects with the story also remembers words along with emotions. As the viewer connects with the story, the language learning process becomes more natural and enjoyable. Forming emotional bonds makes learning permanent.
• Curiosity motivation: The question "What will happen now?" pushes the student to listen and watch attentively. This unconsciously accelerates learning. When curiosity-inducing scenes replace boring memorization, learning becomes not a task but an enjoyable experience.

Capturing the Spirit of Language Within Cultural Context

Language is not just spoken, it's lived. Short films make learning holistic by presenting language together with its culture. Language cannot be considered independently of culture. Short films teach not only words but also the values, humor, and daily life of the society to which that language belongs. Learning a language only through grammar rules is incomplete learning. Because language is the carrier of culture. Short films teach language more naturally with cultural cues.

• Daily life scenes: A scene taking place in a market teaches words related to shopping while also showing payment culture.
• Idioms and proverbs: Daily expressions that generally don't find place in textbooks are frequently used in short films. This gives the learner "real-life language."
• Social values: For example, for someone learning Japanese, greeting rituals in short films teach not only words but also the culture of respect.
• Cultural codes: Forms of greeting, food culture, social roles... All of these are important for using a language correctly and naturally.
• Local idioms and expressions: Idioms not found in textbooks frequently appear in short films. This also gives the learner conversational skills.
• Empathy and understanding: The student not only learns the language but also begins to understand another culture.

The Repeatability and Practical Use of Short Films: The Secret Weapon of Learning

In learning, repetition is the key to permanence. Short films easily offer this key. They take less time compared to feature-length productions and are suitable for repeated viewing. One of the most important features that distinguishes short films from feature-length films is their repeatability.

• Quick repetition: An 8-10 minute short film can be watched repeatedly, and each viewing reveals a new detail.
• Subtitle method: Students can progressively strengthen learning by watching with native language subtitles on the first viewing, with target language subtitles on the second viewing, and completely without subtitles on the third viewing if possible.
• Working by dividing scenes: Long films can be difficult to divide, but short films are suitable for scene-by-scene study. This makes the learning process more systematic.
• Active learning: Short film scenes can be used in classrooms for dramatization, role-playing, or word games.

Social Sharing and Community Interaction

Learning a language is no longer just an individual process; it has become a global interaction space. Today, short films are not only watched but also produced for sharing; they're shared and discussed on social media and platforms. This situation provides additional contribution to language learning.

Social media and online platforms offer new opportunities for language learners.

• Commenting practice: Students improve their writing skills by commenting in the target language about the short film they watched.
• Online discussion groups: People who watch the same film can be from different countries; this creates a global learning community.
• Creative production: Students can shoot their own short videos inspired by the films they've watched and put the language they've learned into practice.
• Global connections: Watching the same film and exchanging ideas with people from different parts of the world strengthens intercultural communication.

Results Shown by Scientific Research

Although it's an enjoyable method, the effect of learning language through short films is not limited to sentiment; it's also supported by scientific data. All this data is available as open source on the internet. Data that can be found with even a very small search reveals the effect of short films on language learning.

• Dual Coding Theory (Allan Paivio, 1986): When visual and auditory channels are used together, learning becomes much more permanent.
• Emotional Impact Theory: Materials with which the student forms an emotional connection provide a higher recall rate. Short films establish this connection.
• Multisensory Learning: The simultaneous activation of different parts of the brain accelerates learning. Short films bring together visual, auditory, and emotional factors.

This research reveals that short films are not only enjoyable but also scientifically a powerful method.

Living the Language with Short Films

When learning a foreign language, short films go beyond words to transform language into a life experience. The combination of visual and auditory factors, the context offered by the storyline, cultural elements, and repeatability make short films one of the most enjoyable and effective ways of learning. Learning a language is not just learning rules, it's feeling and living that language. Short films are also one of the most creative guides on this journey.

Learning a foreign language is not just about words; it's also learning a culture, a way of life, a way of thinking. In short, learning language with short films is more like experiencing a story than studying a lesson. With each viewing, a new word, a new expression, a new cultural cue is captured. And most importantly, learning a language stops being a task and becomes a passion.

Practical Methods in Language Learning with Short Films

Short films are a powerful tool for learning language, but how they're used is as important as the film itself. Here are some practical methods that will make learning more effective:

Viewing Cycle Method

• First viewing: Watch the film without subtitles, try to understand only the general subject.
• Second viewing: Add subtitles in your native language, complete the points you missed.
• Third viewing: Watch with subtitles in the target language. Match the spelling of words with their pronunciation.
• Fourth viewing: Watch again without subtitles, test what you hear.

This cycle trains both ears and eyes.

Scene-by-Scene Study

Breaking down a long film is difficult, but short films are ideal for scene-based analysis.

• Choose a scene, write the dialogues in a notebook.
• Learn the words you struggle with from a dictionary.
• Then watch the scene again to place the words in context.

This way, vocabulary expands slowly but permanently.

Shadowing Technique

Short films offer excellent material for shadowing exercises.

• Immediately imitate the voice as the character speaks.
• Pay attention to intonation, stress, and rhythm.
• Although difficult at first, over time your pronunciation becomes natural.

This method is very effective especially in improving speaking practice.

Keeping a Vocabulary Journal

Writing new words in a notebook after each short film is a simple but powerful method.

• Add an example sentence next to it.
• Note the scene where the word appears.
• Review these words one day a week.

Words connected with visual memory are much more permanent than abstract memorization.

Role-Playing and Imitation

Short films also allow students to practice by imitating scenes.

• Choose a scene and take on the role of one of the characters.
• Repeat the dialogues aloud, even record your own voice.
• If you wish, perform the scene with your friends for group work.

This method enables actively using language instead of learning it passively.

Creative Writing Exercises

Writing creative texts inspired by the watched short film improves both vocabulary and written expression skills.

• Answer the question "How would the film continue?"
• Write an alternative ending.
• Imagine one of the characters' diaries.

This way, the language you learn becomes not just a tool you consume but one you produce.

A Few Good Films of Recommendation Quality for Language Practice from Cineshort

The Balcony is one of the most beautiful dramas I've watched on Cineshort. A topic very well handled on the axis of racism. In the world too, this issue of racism comes at the forefront of topics discussed around I. Wallerstein's Modern World System Theory. Is the only truth really what the West presents to us, why is what's different evaluated as inferior and bad, as outside the norm? These are questions being asked and answers being sought on this topic. In conclusion; the world doesn't consist only of the West and every society has its own cultural structure. Also, no culture is superior or inferior to another. Essentially today, with the intense migration phenomenon experienced everywhere in the world, this problem has gone beyond the West-East axis and become a racism problem experienced globally. I think every person can be hostile to what they don't know, but only when they see themselves in such a superior and absolutely correct position. With an excessively arrogant perspective. The solution to such problems is possible by trying to understand, not filling the gaps outside our knowledge with assumptions, and developing our empathy ability. I wish you good viewing.

Standby is a wonderful comedy film you'll watch on Cineshort. The film tells the events woven in and around the front seat of a car. Our heroes are two police officers. Besides their work partnership, they are very close friends. They convey to us their routines, fun and sad periods, and their backing each other up with both a humorous and emotional editing. A person's greatest fortune is perhaps doing the work they love. In addition to this, their other important fortune is being able to do the work they love with a team they love. Another point the film shows is the uniqueness of friendship. A person caring about their friend and being sensitive to their habits. I don't know if such friendships still exist, but if they do, I think we should definitely increase their numbers. The film affected me quite a bit and I definitely recommend it to everyone. Enjoyable viewing.

Hot Dog is a fun action film you'll watch on Cineshort. Our heroes see a dog trapped inside a parked car and thus begins a chain of events. The rescue operation is left to the talents of those in the group. Will our heroes, who struggle to find a solution, finally be able to save the dog? You can't know without watching :) It's quite an entertaining film and the fact that they did all this without using any digital compositing is incredible.

Workshop is a youth film containing good messages that you'll watch on Cineshort. Our heroes have problems with their families and they're trying to solve their problems with group therapy. Our biggest problem in our age is lack of communication, and this while communication channels have multiplied so much. Now our words, our messages fall victim to the noise that prevents this communication with the person opposite us - no matter how close this person is to us. Especially when this lack of communication is within the family, it causes a much more troubled process to be experienced. Wishing for days when we understand each other better, I definitely recommend the film. Enjoyable viewing.

As a Final Word

Short films make foreign language learning more lively, more enjoyable, and more permanent. But what makes the biggest difference is how you use them. With the right strategies, short films stop being merely works of art to be watched and become the most colorful and creative tools of the language learning journey. In this regard too, Cineshort with its unique catalog is always helpful and by your side.

Short film actually represents a way of life, a system of thought. Unable to stay still, not withholding its word, showing its reaction, and moving fast. These also apply to language learning. There's no such thing as learning or not being able to learn a language for years. Among many materials, you should definitely also turn short films into learning material and shorten your learning time with it. After all, in the new global world order, learning a language is not a desire but a necessity, and for all age groups at that.

So we're waiting for you on Cineshort to learn language too. How good that we have short films in our lives.