Five more YouTube channels to use with curious students

In this post, I am sharing 5 more YouTube channels you can share with your curious students. You might find them appropriate for older and more mature teenagers as well. The only prerequisite is for both you and your students to be curious, open-minded and eager to learn new things about the world. 

Why do I use videos with my students?

I use videos for a number of reasons. It is one of my favourite ways to introduce the topic of the lesson, provide the context for discussion, and present relevant vocabulary or grammar. What is more, videos provide great material for listening and speaking activities. Finally, they are a great way to introduce some humour into the lesson.

What I also often do is ask my students to watch a certain video at home and either treat is as homework (comes with some exercises) or as a way for them to prepare for the next lesson where the video’s content and language will be relevant (comes with a set of instructions and points to pay attention to).

The YouTube channels below feature videos that I have already used with both adult and teenage students.

#1 Sprouts

Authors behind Sprouts make animated videos on education, learning, science, and creative and critical thinking. It is an excellent place to find interesting explanations of phenomena connected to education and the process oflearning.

My pick: The Pygmalion effect

#2 Old Time TV

This YT channel is a true gem, featuring old-timey TV clips on various topics. It is perfect for talking about what the world used to be and whether it has actually changed. Students love taking a glimpse at issues such as dating, family life, or the classroom as depicted in those vids. Plus, you might take a closer look at how the English language has been changing over the past decades.

My pick: Good Eating Habits

#3 DW Documentary 

According to their About page, DW Documentary gives you information beyond the headlines. Watch high-class documentaries from German broadcasters and international production companies. Meet intriguing people, travel to distant lands, get a look behind the complexities of daily life and build a deeper understanding of current affairs and global events.

This is one of more serious YT channels that contains longer videos (some of them last almost an hour) and touches on more mature, serious topics. I myself find the videos here extremely informative yet, I would think twice before assigning them to just any student. Still, advanced learners who are curious about the world issues should appreciate this channel and subscribe to it in no time.

My pick: The school for role-play in Denmark

#4 The Art Assignment 

The Art Assignment is a weekly PBS Digital Studios production hosted by curator Sarah Urist Green. They explore art and art history through the lens of things happening today.

I love this channel as it is one of the few that concern themselves with the topics of arts and culture. Even if your students are not particularly into that (or they do not know they are!), they might find some of these vids quite eye-opening. I believe that channels like this might actually spark a passion in our learners and it is not an opportunity we as teachers should miss.

My pick: Is Instagram changing art?

#5 Shopify

Shopify is an online shopping platform which created a great YT channel which is not blatantly devoted to self-promotion. They share the extraordinary stories of ordinary people who just happen to be entrepreneurs. I would say it these are must-watch videos if you teach professionals or Business English courses.

My pick: Meet a couple farming coffee on a volcano

#6 UK Parliament

Let’s not forget that the culture of the country also means its politics. This channel allows us to watch videos on how the British scrutinise the government, discuss issues important to the public, and work at the heart of UK democracy. Even if you can’t imagine the whole lesson centering on politics, these clips are worth watching for purely educational reasons, plus listening to such excellent English speakers as John Bercow.

My pick: any of the teach Parliament videos

Take a look here and here for more ideas on YT channels to be used with your students.