The silent film Joy and Heron: Didactic-methodological considerations in German lessons for advanced beginners

Abstract

Many animated short films are attractive and ideal for language teaching. The use of short films in German language teaching makes it possible to expand the concept of learning, which is often exclusively language-based, to include the medium of short film. In this way, on the one hand, the media socialization of the learners can be used positively for the learning process and, on the other hand, cultural and social aspects can be incorporated lively into the classroom. The short film assumes the function of presenting the themes and offering certain forms of interpretation. This article aims at illustrating the importance of short films in German language teaching and contains a concrete example of how an animated, wordless short film can be used in German lessons to develop the language skills of advanced beginners in Thailand.