In Secondary English classrooms, videos can bring literature and language to life by helping students explore novels more deeply, keep track of changing plotlines and events, break down complex characters, analyze relationships, and summarize chapters in a way that makes content more accessible. Furthermore, learning from videos, compared to reading, does not require the same range of basic language skills to comprehend the learning content (Delgado, Anmarkrud, Avila, & Salmerón, 2022, p. 5251). Therefore, videos might give the learner a greater possibility to allocate attention and processing capacity to the content itself, rather than the reading processes required to construct meaning from text (Delgado et al., 2022, p. 5251). While literacy skills and the ability to analyze texts are important, there are instances where content is the focus, and videos can provide students with an opportunity to access such information if they have difficulty with their reading.
Platforms like YouTube, for instance, offer a wide variety of educational videos and channels that provide analyses, summaries, creative interpretations of text, as well as audio-narrated chapters of various novels. Students can use YouTube to review learning content not understood in the classroom, find information and explanations when completing homework, prepare for tests and exams, and as a general source of knowledge (Delgado et al., 2022, p. 5250). Additionally, channels like TED-Ed provide engaging animations of literary concepts, writing techniques, themes, and summaries of texts. These can aid students in developing their understanding of various forms of literature and literary devices, as well as polish their grammar skills. Lastly, even shorter-form and more accessible mobile platforms like TikTok and Instagram also house millions of videos that can be used to make content more digestible for students. Within these platforms are literary interpretations, student-led projects, and literacy lessons.
Therefore, by combining visuals, sound, and narrative, these videos make challenging literary concepts tangible, spark discussion, and offer multiple entry points for learners with diverse needs. When thoughtfully integrated into lessons, videos can support comprehension, critical thinking, and create an interactive classroom environment where students can engage with literature in ways that extend beyond the page.
References
Delgado, P., Anmarkrud, Ø., Avila, V., & Salmerón, L. (2022). Learning from text and video blogs: Comprehension effects on secondary school students. Education and Information Technologies, 27(4), 5249–5275.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639- 021-10819-2
TED-Ed. (2016, April 12). Does grammar matter? - Andreea S. Calude. (Video).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn_eBrIDUuc&t=36s
TED-Ed. (2019, December 12). Why should you read “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding? - Jill Dash. (Video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnnZ6y1HPqI&list=PLJicmE8fK0EiUroVhuEyeOYkAGAAB58Xx