Best TV Shows for ESL Students

If you were to ask me the question students ask me most often, I wouldn’t even have to think. Without a doubt, the most common question I get is, “Megan, how can I improve my English?” It’s such a big question, and I could go on and on about how to answer that question. But when I want to give a short, honest answer, I tell students to watch TV shows.

I know students can’t talk to native speakers all day long, and they’re already spending hours studying textbooks and memorizing vocabulary. They might not have a language partner they can practice speaking with every day. What can they do? They can easily watch TV shows.

TV shows are excellent because students can study anytime, for a low cost or for free. They get to hear native speakers speaking quickly. They get to learn new vocabulary words (that native speakers actually use!). They get to practice their listening skills. If they want, they can even pause the show and try to mimic the actor’s pronunciation. It’s perfect.

But not all TV shows are created equal for studying English. I tell students to watch whatever shows they’re interested in if they’re just watching for enjoyment. But watching shows with complex medical vocabulary like Grey’s Anatomy or ridiculous scientific vocabulary like The Big Bang Theory probably won’t help them much on their English-learning journey.

Instead, I tell students to look for TV shows where the characters speak at a fairly reasonable speed, where the topics are a little more “daily-life” focused, and where there isn’t a lot of action (since actors often mumble during action scenes). Tip: I also recommend that students watch TV shows that match their accent. If they have an American accent, watch American TV shows. If they have a British accent, watch British TV shows

Here are a few shows that I like to suggest for students if they want to improve their English!

Shows that highlight American culture:

• Modern Family

• Friends

• Gilmore Girls (warn them that they speak really fast)

• This Is Us

Intense Drama:

• Breaking Bad

• Orange Is the New Black

Comedy:

• The Office

• How I Met Your Mother

Drama:

• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

• The Morning Show 

• Mad Men (warn them that it’s a period show)

• Why Women Kill

• The Queen’s Gambit

• Sherlock (warn them that they speak really fast)

Next time a student asks you for TV show recommendations, use one or all of these recommendations! Pro Tip: you could even use these TV shows in your class to add a little life into your lessons.