to use English media as a learning tool. You can encourage your students to watch cartoons, films and TV series in English that are suitable for their level and interests. They will not only enjoy the entertainment, but also improve their listening, vocabulary and grammar skills. And they might even ask for more!
In this article, I will share with you some of the best English media for elementary students at the Beginner-Elementary level. These are some of the cartoons and TV series that I watch with my students and they love them. I hope you will find them useful too.
Gogo Loves English
This is a timeless classic that introduces Gogo, a friendly dragon who learns English with his friends Tony and Jenny. Each episode focuses on a specific topic, such as greetings, fruits and vegetables, animals, etc., and a grammar point, such as the verb be, have got, this-that, etc. The language is simple and clear, and the animation is colorful and engaging.
Muzzy in Gondoland and Muzzy Comes Back
Another classic series that features Muzzy, an alien who visits the country of Gondoland and gets involved in exciting adventures. This series teaches children the alphabet, numbers, time expressions and more. The characters speak slowly and clearly, and the stories are fun and interesting.
Peppa Pig
This is a popular series that follows Peppa, a cute pig who lives with her brother, parents and friends. Peppa explores the world, learns to communicate and make friends. This series helps children to develop their speaking skills and learn everyday vocabulary.
Dora the Explorer
This is a series that invites children to join Dora, a girl who travels the world with a monkey. Dora asks questions and encourages children to participate in her adventures. The phrases are short and easy to understand, and the topics are relevant and appealing.
Humf
This is a series that tells the stories of Humf, a curious and cheerful creature who has many adventures with his friends. This series is suitable for preschoolers or primary school students who want to learn common words and expressions in English.
Spot the Dog
This is a series that shows the life of Spot, a lovely puppy who likes to play and explore. The stories are very simple and easy to follow, and they help children to learn basic vocabulary.
Kipper the Dog
This is another series that features a puppy named Kipper who has fun with his friends. The episodes are short and the dialogues are simple, which makes them ideal for young learners of English.
Stranger Things
This is a popular series that takes place in the 1980s and follows a group of teenagers who investigate supernatural events in their town. The series has a great atmosphere, interesting characters and a lot of suspense.
The Umbrella Academy
This is a series that tells the story of a dysfunctional family of superheroes who reunite to solve the mystery of their father’s death. The series has a unique style, great music and a lot of action.
The Maze Runner
This is a film that takes place in a dystopian future where a group of teenagers are trapped in a maze and must find a way out. The film has great special effects, intense action and an interesting plot.
Harry Potter
This is a series of films based on the books by J.K. Rowling. The films follow the adventures of Harry Potter, a young wizard who attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The films have great special effects, memorable characters and an engaging story.
Matilda
This is a film based on the book by Roald Dahl. The film tells the story of Matilda, a young girl with extraordinary abilities who overcomes obstacles and stands up to bullies. The film has great acting, humor and heart.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
This is a film based on the book by Roald Dahl. The film tells the story of Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. The film has great visuals, memorable characters and a lot of humor.
Paddington
This is a film about a bear from Peru who travels to London and is taken in by the Brown family. The film has great animation, humor and heart.
Inside Out
This is a film that takes place inside the mind of a young girl named Riley. The film explores her emotions and how they affect her life. The film has great animation, humor and emotional depth.
Up
This is a film about an elderly man named Carl who travels to South America in his house attached to helium balloons. The film has great visuals, humor and heart.
Mary Poppins
This is a classic film about a magical nanny who helps two children learn important life lessons. The film has great music, memorable characters and a lot of charm.
Despicable Me
This is a film about a supervillain named Gru who adopts three orphan girls. The film has great animation, humor and heart.
Home Alone
This is a classic film about a young boy named Kevin who is accidentally left behind when his family goes on vacation. The film has great humor, memorable scenes and a lot of fun.
Free Willy
This is a film about a boy who befriends an orca whale named Willy. The film has great visuals, heart and an important message.
Finding Nemo
This is a film about a clownfish named Marlin who searches for his son Nemo. The film has great animation, humor and heart.
Shrek
This is a film about an ogre named Shrek who goes on an adventure with his new friend Donkey. The film has great animation, humor and heart.
The Secrets of Sulphur Springs
This is a modern mystery series that follows a group of teenagers who investigate the disappearance of a girl. The series has great atmosphere, interesting characters and a lot of suspense.
Kirsty’s Secret
This is an educational series for Elementary level teens about friendship and mystery. The series has great vocabulary, interesting plot and memorable characters.
Grandpa in my Pocket
This is a kind series with elements of wonder about a grandpa who can shrink to such a size that he can easily fit in your pocket. The series has modern vocabulary, interesting plot and is suitable for children with Elementary and Pre-Intermediate level.
ALF
This is a series about the adventures of the alien Alpha on Earth. The series has lots of humor, real vocabulary in everyday situations and is suitable for children with Pre-Intermediate – Intermediate level.
Topsy and Tim
This is a good series for children that deals with many everyday situations that any child might encounter in life (e.g. going to the doctor, celebrating a birthday, caring for a pet) and uses the most common vocabulary. The series has 3 seasons and will motivate children to learn English.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
This is a series about a girl named Sabrina who learns that she is a witch and goes on magical adventures. The series has great humor, memorable characters and reinforces basic grammar topics.
Ghost Writer
This is a series about a group of kids who solve mysteries with the help of a ghost. The series has great atmosphere, interesting characters and is not difficult to understand.
Wizards of Waverly Place
This is a series about three children from a supposedly ordinary family who learn to be magicians. The series has great humor, memorable characters and an engaging story.
Shook
This is a modern series about a girl who loves to dance. The series has great music, interesting characters and useful words and phrases for communication.
Learn English Conversation
This is a video course for young people that features dialogues on various topics, analysis of necessary vocabulary and grammatical material.
The Flatmates
This is an animated series from the BBC for Intermediate level language learners. The series has a lot of phrasal verbs and is suitable for more serious high school students who are interested in content.
Let’s Learn English by Voice of America
This is a video course of the American version of English, prepared by American teachers especially for beginners. The course has great visuals, clear explanations and engaging content.
This is a video course of the American version of English, prepared by American teachers especially for beginners. The course has great visuals, clear explanations and engaging content.
Extra English
This is a very funny series with an age limit of 16+ that has already become a classic for older teens and young adults at Elementary level. The series has basic vocabulary on various everyday situations, colloquialisms, lots of jokes and lively language.
