The American sitcom Friends has been credited with teaching people English around the world, according to The New York Times.
In an article published on 31 May 2021, several English teachers relate how they use the show in their lessons and encourage their students to watch it, not only for the practice with listening to fairly simple English, but because it informs the viewers about American culture through universal themes that are familiar to young people the world over, such as getting your first job, trying to get a boyfriend, embarrassing themselves at key moments and getting anxious about life’s big moments, like moving home.
A number of famous people have even admitted they picked up English from watching the show, including Kim Nam-joon, the lead singer of Korean pop band BTS; Liverpool’s German soccer coach, Jürgen Klopp; and several US Major League Baseball players whose native language is Spanish.
So, if you’re looking for ways to boost your students’ English acquisition, you could always introduce them to Friends.
