Learning English from the movies

How many punchlines or dialogue can you remember after watching a movie? My family has a unique way of sharpening our English through this method.

My two boys were brought up watching cartoons, animation and children's movies as long as the selection is suitable for their age. To encourage them to be bilingual, I insist that all selections have to be in English.

Along the way, I noticed that both of them are practically using punchlines and dialogue from what they have been watching.

Some of their favourites are:
“Better out than in!” - from Shrek
“I cannot breathe.” - from Brother Bear
“Mayday! Mayday!” - from Toy Story
“Where have you been?” - from Harry Potter

They have used these lines so often that now my husband and I have joined in the fun, too. We all try to impersonate the actors/ characters and repeat the lines whenever we have a chance to do so in our daily activities. It is also normal for us to use different voices while talking to each other.

I am overwhelmed by how fast the kids absorb and learn things. They have learnt to pronounce all the words perfectly. As they both enter preschool, I am sure they will discover new things and with more movies in the pipeline, they will have hundreds of lines to repeat and have fun with!

Rozaimah Razali