El uso de cortometrajes en el aula de ELE: Una propuesta didáctica para el contexto multicultural de la India

Abstract

This investigation examines the benefits of using short films as a medium for foreign language instruction, in particular, for Spanish teaching in the context of the multilingual and multicultural India. The main premise is that films constitute a valuable tool for Spanish classroom as they provide the learners with a varied real-life language and cultural input which may be difficult to receive otherwise in this non-Spanish-speaking environment. Moreover, the entertaining aspect of the short films definitely increases the students’ interest, motivation and participation in the class activities which, apart from improving their linguistic proficiency, language and communication skills, also contributes to the enrichment of their cultural competence. In addition to all this, an effective film-based language instruction could help promote intercultural attitudes and values like empathy, respect, flexibility and acceptance of cultural differences. Nevertheless, the use of motion pictures in this instructional context requires a meticulous process of selection to find audiovisual materials suitable for the Indian audience. This paper includes practical examples of classroom activities based on the use of "Una luz encendida" (Spain, 1999), a short film produced and directed by Alber Ponte, and the discussion of the results obtained with the students of the Centre of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Latin American Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi)