A survey by Kaplan International Colleges has shown that 60% of English language teachers have used TV shows to enhance lessons, with comedy classic Mr Bean topping their list of choices.
The survey, which involved 500 teachers from 40 countries, found that 23% used episodes of the British comedy created by and starring Rowan Atkinson. It beat the American shows Friends, used by 22%, The Simpsons, 10%, and How I Met Your Mother, 6%.
“Mr Bean has been popular for very many years both on television, video and in the classroom”
Kaplan acknowledged the irony that Mr Bean rarely spoke – hardly ideal for English learners.
However, it explained in a statement: “The comedy character is ideal for ESL teachers as in each episode he is presented with everyday tasks such as going to the dentist, taking an exam or eating at a restaurant. These scenarios are perfect for lesson plans that focus on vocabulary and grammar.”
Katherine Senior, executive producer of Mr Bean, said the show had long been popular on television, video and in the classroom.
“This is due to the small amount of dialogue and the fact that it appeals to all cultures as it is easy to understand. The Mr Bean character is very well known internationally, currently with 38 million fans on Facebook.”
The survey also found that 86% of ESL Teachers had used music as a teaching aid, with the Beatles the most popular band. 81% had used English-speaking celebrities to engage students, 76% movies and 75% newspapers. Radio, comics and computer games were also popular.
