[Short films in German as a foreign language courses in times of pandemic]

Abstract

The purpose of the present paper is to discuss teaching units around short films that were implemented in German language classes for students of a Brazilian university during the Covid-19 pandemic, exclusively in an online environment. The main aim was to develop film literacy among participants, focusing on the aesthetic aspects of short films. Furthermore, the students should be able to expand their vocabulary in the German language, to reflect on cultural aspects in an authentic context of communication, as well as to discuss in German possible interpretations of the movies. This paper seeks to demonstrate, through practical examples, that the use of short films in foreign language learning and teaching in virtual environments has a great motivational potential and increases learner’s engagement due to the authentic character of the media.

Keywords:
Short films; Film in German as a Foreign Language; Film language; Film literacy; Covid-19 pandemic