Many EC Boston Academic Year Program advisers will recommend watching movies to students who struggle with listening skills. Not only does listening teach you new vocabulary, but it also exposes you to native speakers using very emotional tones, who may be more difficult to understand. Have you ever realized that watching movies can improve your reading too? Try watching films in other languages (not your native language!) to improve your reading skills using subtitles!
I recently watched the spectacular movie The Intouchables, a touching portrayal of the connection between two very different people who pull each other out of depressing situations and build a shared life. In the film, an elderly disabled man required to use hired help to live everyday life hires an unlikely candidate as his personal health aid, a young troubled man who eventually becomes one of the largest sources of joy in his life. They adventure together, proving that life goes on after tragedy. Try finding the movie on Netflix!