Comment on the Comments

Students watch a video clip, predict viewer reactions, then analyse, categorise, and write their own comments about it.

Procedure

1. Briefly explain the background to a selected video clip that has generated controversy or divided opinion.
2. Play the clip and get students' initial reactions — what do they think of the technique, story, overall effect?
3. Ask students to anticipate the types of positive and negative reactions viewers might have.
4. Show a selection of level-appropriate viewer comments. Students categorise them as positive, negative, or neutral. Comments can also be categorised by focus area (content, style, performances, music, concept, etc.). Were they similar to what students predicted?
5. Students discuss which comments they agree or disagree with. Are any inaccurate or too extreme? Pick out key opinion adjectives to reinforce this lexical area.
6. Students write their own comments about the clip and responses to existing comments, then read them out. Is there a class consensus or radically differing opinions?
7. For homework, ask students to bring a video clip of their choice with comments to analyse in the next class.

Tips

• Extends to any online forum with user comments: restaurant reviews, hotel sites, product reviews
• Great for practising the language of appraisal and opinion
• Be aware that online comments may contain offensive language — vet material before class