Ok, so I am new to the site, and also new to having a Chinese bride….in fact, so new that she is not here yet (she and her son should be here in a little over a week). I have a couple of "off the wall" questions for someone.... For the last several years, I have not watched television. You might say that I have some amount of disdain for TV, although I am not the zealot that this might sound like to some. I just hate it personally. I want to allow my wife and stepson enough freedom to use the TV if they want, although (obviously) we have talked about this and at least my wife is in general agreement with me about TV. (When I speak of the TV, I mean television programs as opposed to movies. I know that some television programs are good, but I feel that most of the content/commercials are moronic, insulting, and often undermine our culture. I do not mean this to be offensive or insulting to anyone who likes to watch the TV and enjoys it. This is just me.) I have heard that the TV can be very useful for helping someone immerse themselves with the English language.... as well as the culture. Frankly, the "culture" part of it is what I worry about with the TV, but my questions are: Is the TV beneficial in helping someone learn English, and are the benefits enough to offset my concerns about picking up cultural ideas that I do not feel are appropriate or acceptable? Where does one go to find either Chinese movies with English subtitles, or English movies with Chinese subtitles? I was thinking that Netflix would be a good source for mainstream movies, but I also want to find some movies that are actually in Mandarin or Cantonese. I am sure that they will appreciate a break from the English immersion once in a while! Would anyone care to tell me what they have found to be the best ways to teach English? I expect that I will not settle on just one method, but some of the thoughts that I have entertained ranged from school textbooks to interactive DVDs. Thanks in advance! Brad
