Teaching English as a second or foreign language, often referred to as ESL and EFL, can be fun and rewarding while at the same time presenting unique challenges. Communicating with students and staff who do not speak English can often prove difficult and teachers may not always understand cultural differences. No matter what country ESL students come from, there is something that everybody has in common, and that is a love of films. You can use movies in the ESL classroom to teach your students English and keep them interested.

Take notes. Teachers often tell their students to take notes but when watching films and movies in ESL classes, it is important that you as the teacher note vocabulary words, tense usage, expressions, idioms, tone and nuance. Keep a piece of paper and pen next to you during the movie and write down important language elements as they come up. You should also include topics for later discussions based on the movie. Make a note for which scene in the movie goes with which vocabulary word, so that you can reference it to your students.

Choose relevant films that are appropriate for your class. If you are teaching children, or adults with a very basic skill level, animated feature films are an appropriate choice. The simple language and visual representation makes it easier to understand vocabulary and complex sentences. If you are teaching business English to adults, use films that deal with business as a principle element of the plot; for example, "Wall Street," "The Social Network," "Other People's Money" and "The Game" are all popular films that use business English expressions and vocabulary.

Pause frequently. You cannot just press "play" and let the film go in an ESL class; it is essential to check in regularly with your students to make sure they understand what is going on and to answer any questions. Pause the movie every 15 to 20 minutes to talk about what's going on in the film, or any time you notice an important point you would like to talk about. Ask your students to give you a brief summary of the plot so far and if they have any questions.

Create exercises and activities based on the film. Come up with role-play games, grammar exercises, and example sentences using the vocabulary words, idioms and expressions from the film. You can ask your students to write a paragraph about their favorite character, create a timeline of movie events, or act out their favorite scene with a partner.