B2 ESL Extensive Viewing Guide: The Blind Side

A 36-page Extensive Viewing guide to the Oscar-winning film The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron and Kathy Bates for English language students who want to learn English through watching films. The guide will help students improve their English vocabulary, listening comprehension, pronunciation and speaking.

The viewing guide includes:
• Viewing recommendations
• A film synopsis with a glossary
• Pre-viewing discussion questions
• A glossary of 150 key words, phrasal verbs and expressions with phonetic spelling used in the film, with 450 example sentences, to aid comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.
• Post-viewing discussion questions
• Post-viewing writing and videoing tasks

What Is Extensive Viewing?

Extensive viewing is an approach to language learning that involves regular viewing of L2 (second language) television or films, inside and outside the classroom, with the aim of improving vocabulary and overall language skills. Extensive viewing is a proven and effective method for language acquisition. It allows learners to immerse themselves in real-world English in a natural and enjoyable way. Unlike isolated grammar or vocabulary tasks, extensive viewing encourages students to watch full-length films and absorb the language as it is genuinely spoken.

Through this method, learners are exposed to authentic vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, regional accents and rich cultural references. These are often difficult to teach through traditional classroom materials.

Why Use an Extensive Viewing Guide?

By watching a film from start to finish, learners can better understand not only the words but also the emotion and context behind them. They see how tone, gesture and facial expression combine with spoken language to convey meaning. This makes the language more memorable and meaningful.

An extensive viewing guide maximises these benefits. It offers a clear structure, with pre-viewing, while-viewing and post-viewing activities. These tasks help learners build expectations, set goals and reflect on what they’ve learned.

In addition, each guide includes:

• Viewing tips
• A summary of each film section with a glossary of key words and expressions
• Comprehension questions
• Critical thinking tasks
• Multimodal tasks

These features help students stay engaged while reinforcing language skills.

Who Is It For?

This extensive viewing guide is designed for Intermediate (B1) to Advanced (C1) learners. It is suitable for both classroom use and independent study. Learners can improve:

• Listening comprehension by hearing natural speech
• Pronunciation by noticing intonation and stress
• Vocabulary through real-world examples in context
• Speaking and writing with discussion and creative tasks
• Multimodal literacy through viewing tasks and follow-up work

Learn English Naturally

Whether used in the classroom or for independent study, this extensive viewing guide helps learners not just understand English—but experience it as it is really spoken in everyday life and film.

Watch the trailer.

Remember that Individual Membership and Institutional Membership of Film English Club allow unlimited access to all 800+ Film English Club Video Lesson Plans, Extensive Viewing Guides and Film Study Worksheets.

Thanks for being part of the Film English community, and happy teaching!
— The Film English Team