Introduction to Video Plus
Video Plus takes real video footage from authentic sources, and builds it into the heart of traditional language learning exercises. The clips used are real, authentic German — as broadcast by Germany's international televsion service, Deutsche Welle, and run for a total of 75 minutes. A range of topics, such as have been used in British A2 examinations in recent years, are covered in the ten video clips included in the package.The target audience for the software is intermediate to advanced level — for older school students (usually in the 17–18 age group) and younger university or college students (first or second years of whatever age), and it covers a wide range of subject topics and linguistic styles and registers. It can be used as a teaching aid within a computer-based classroom, and for private study and revision. Licensing favours institutional users: it can be run on individual computers, from the CD, or installed on a local network, according to your needs and expertise. It runs under Microsoft Windows.
Video Plus is published by Arnold Publishers using footage from Deutsche Welle, and was created and produced by the German Department and CALL Facility in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge.
This web site tells you all you need to know about the package: what it contains, how to use it, and how to install it: for full details, and to navigate round the site, use the options on the left-hand menu bar. Use the link to the 'printer-friendly version' if you want to print or view a page without its navigational apparatus. This page contains a summary of the site's content, and you can also follow the links to 'more information' as shown.
Using Video Plus
Navigation
The software is designed to be straightforward to use for anyone reasonably familiar with computer software, but if you get stuck as to how to work it, a help facility (described below) is provided for every exercise and every page, so you shouldn't be stuck for long. You quickly learn how to find your way round the ten units, operate each exercise type, play back video extracts and turn subtitled information on and off.
>> more information...
Help
There are two kinds of help you may need. The first is help with the program — finding your way round, which buttons to press, and so on) — and for this you can call up the program's help facility at any time. The second is help with the language — repeated listening to specific extracts, understanding what's being said, and what certain words and phrases mean; for this you use the
carefully-constructed video play buttons provided in every exercise, and also the subtitled information, which include target-language transcription and glossary information. Video Plus is specially designed to use computer-based digital video as effectively as possible.
>> more information...
Units
There are ten units in the package, each on a different topic area, and most feature different linguistic styles and registers. The topics include many featured in recent exams, and the range of styles — from formal commentary and voiceover to rapid and sometimes colloquial speech — ensure that you are getting to grips with the real spoken language. While the units aren't intended to be progressively more difficult, each one can be regarded as a level of achievement in its own right.
>> more information...
Exercises
Ten exercise types are used for each clip, so once you're familiar with them, you'll quickly be able to focus on learning the language rather than learning how to use the package. They include 'traditional' exercises on general comprehension, picking out key facts from the clip, transcription/spelling, true/false and multiple choice, along with more unusual exercises such as 'rebuilding' extracts from the clip.
>> more information...
Technical Issues
These sections tell you all you need to know about the technical side of the Video Plus software — what you need to run it, how to install it in a way which suits your institution, and and some of the troubleshooting issues that might arise.
Specification
Video Plus runs under most versions of Microsoft Windows, and will usually work on most computers made in the last four or five years. Check the specifications in full.
>> more information...
Installation
The software is designed for use in schools, colleges and universities — and because institutions vary so much, the installation instructions start from the simplest installation routine and work up to detailed technical information which systems and technical specialists will be able to apply in your situation.
>> more information...
Troubleshooting
Advice on how to get the best out of Video Plus when problems arise is available, and will be added to in the light of experience.
>> more information...
Academic and other Issues
Background & Research
This section will include papers and research materials related to the development of Video Plus.
>> more information...
Credits and Acknowledgements
Thanks to all who helped us get Video Plus ready.
>> more information...
Ordering
The latest information on prices and how to order Video Plus.
>> more information...
