Learning languages through series and films: what actually works

We are not native English speakers. I work as an editor in German public broadcasting, and my partner does not come from an English-speaking country either. But we live abroad for stretches of time and wanted English to feel familiar to our children, not foreign. So from age three we made a conscious and consistent decision to use English-language media. No language courses, no pressure. Just good series, films and apps in English.

Our children do not speak English like native speakers. But the difference is real. English feels familiar to them. When we are abroad they find their footing quickly, without having to push through a wall first. That was the goal, and media genuinely helped get there.

That sounds too simple. But the mechanism behind it is actually quite well researched.

Language researchers call it immersion: stepping into a language, not studying it. In Canada and Switzerland this has been established educational practice for decades. The findings are clear: children who are immersed in a language acquire it faster and more naturally than through formal instruction. That is exactly what happens when a child loves a series and watches it again and again. Not because they want to learn, but because they want the story.

The same applies to German. A strong first language needs equally rich input: good stories, vivid language, content that children seek out by choice. That is why Kuratu takes both languages seriously. Not as a programme, but as a starting point.

An honest caveat: for young children, media cannot replace direct interaction. Conversation, reading aloud, shared everyday life remain the most important things. Media comes alongside, not instead.

The recommendations on Kuratu are all chosen with this in mind.