Teaching English through movies (with reference to «The Crown»). Part 3: global competence and the conversational analysis

Abstract

The article explores the potential of using popular English-language series, particularly «The Crown», as a valuable educational resource for teaching English. It focuses on developing students’ global competence and communicative skills, which are among the key tasks of modern education. A detailed conversational analysis of the scene from the series’s fifth season – a meeting between Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister John Major – demonstrates how a dramatised dialogue reconstruction can serve as practical material for studying complex social interactions.

A step-by-step methodology is proposed for teachers that helps students analyse language rather than merely perceive it. The dialogue exemplifies asymmetric power relations, in which each participant employs distinct communicative strategies to achieve their goals. The Queen applies diplomatic pressure, combining appeals to authority, tradition, and moral obligation. In contrast, the Prime Minister employs a strategy of cautious avoidance of confrontation, disguising rejection through financial arguments and concerns over adverse public reactions.

This analysis illustrates how language functions in real life, reflecting cultural norms, social hierarchies, and psychological nuances. Studying such materials allows students to go beyond academic rules and understand how context, tone of voice, and non-verbal signals influence the meaning of messages.

The research findings have immediate practical applications. They provide teachers in general secondary and higher education with a ready framework that can be adapted for lessons, seminars, and in language and discussion clubs. The proposed methodology fosters an in-depth study of vocabulary and grammar, as well as the development of critical thinking, negotiation skills, and interpersonal communication, which are essential for shaping a modern, globally competent individual.