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READERS,
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FILMS, AND ACTION,
in the classroom.
Can we make
the learning of a foreign
language more appealing? We strongly believe we can. This is our challenge. In
this demonstration we intend to share a
number of practical hints and suggestions to work with both novels and the
films based on them, in order to catch our students’ attention and interest.
Why short stories and novels?
Reading activities encourage students to
improve their English by reading abridged versions of literary masterpieces.
Being exposed to these literary pieces will enable our students to enhance their general knowledge, and to
develop their critical thinking, when analyzing the novels read on their own.
Furthermore, the extensive reading of these literary works will allow our students to develop not only their
autonomy as learners, but also their self - esteem.
The reader’s we have worked on are the following: “The Horse
Whisperer” in 4th year; Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” in 5th year;
“Ghost Stories” in 6th year,
and Wüthering Heights” and “I, Robot” in 7th year.
Why use films?
The use of a film as a language teaching and
learning resource is motivating and it provides a source of authentic and
varied language. The medium of film is excellent at communicating cultural
values, attitudes and behaviors. It’s very effective at bringing the outside world into the classroom and at providing
a stimulating framework for classroom communication.
On the other hand, we can’t deny the fact
that reading is no longer as appealing as it used to be for children and teenagers due to the devastating invasion of
video games and TV that are flooding the mass media. Therefore, we thought in
war terms: if we couldn’t beat our foes, we’d better join them.
In this way, by incorporating films, and
comparing them to short stories and novels we try to make reading and enjoyable
task.
The films we dealt with have been: In 4th
year, “The Horse Whisperer” based on the book which bares the same name. In 5th
year, “The Secret of Mary Reilly” related to “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. In 6th
year, “Fallen”, about ghosts and related to “Ghost Stories”. In 7th year, “Wuthering Heights”
based on this novel; and “Minority Report” related to “I, Robot.”
This selection was not at random, but it was
based on our students’ choices. Firstly we carried out a survey to cater for
our students’ interests and preferences. The survey result generally showed a
tendency to horror, suspense and
romance.
In your handouts, you will find a sample
interview made to our students.
How we work?
Now we are going to show you how we
introduced our students to readers through the films related to them. We
divided our activities into pre- reading, while reading and after reading
activities. These three steps / stages were connected to the watching of the
corresponding films.
PRE-
READING ACTIVITIES, RELATED TO FILMS.
These activities encourage students to
improve their English by watching film, observing what goes on, hearing what is
said, and describing what happens in their own words.
I’d like you to pretend to be students.
WHILE READING ACTIVITIES RELATED TO FILMS.
Students watch the film based on the book
they are reading. After watching it they are given different exercises to
help them remember details about the film which they may forget, in a short
time, like exercise 1 on page 4. We could also encourage them to state the
differences and similarities between the beginning of the book compared to the
beginning of the film; the setting, or the main characters. A chart like the
one in page 4 can be particularly useful to organize the students’ ideas. New words may hinder the students’
progress and they may feel disappointed when there are a lot of words in a text
they do not understand, so and exercise like the one in page 4 can be very
effective to help them overcome the difficulties in vocabulary they may come
across.
AFTER READING ACTIVITIES. (four skills will
have been practised and developed: Listening- film watching. Speaking:
discussion in class. Reading: extensive. Writing: assessment.
Being exposed to these literary pieces and their screen adaptations will enable
our students to:
a)
Predict
/ Foresee how society and its values may change in the future. Minority report.
How, in searching the development of science, we are running the risk of
heading towards the dehumanization of mankind.
b)
Foster
critical thinking when discussing the upbringing of children, the background,
the atmosphere and the setting and values
of other times. The relationship between parents and children and how
this family liaisons have
evolved throughout the times. Wüthering Heights”.
c)
Analyzing
the positive and negative side of the characters according to their own
personal experience and background ( D. Jekyll and Mar. Hyde. “I’d like to be
the blade and the wound”). We could also lead them to consider the reasons that
may cause double personality development.
d)
To
become aware of how will power always
allow us to overcome difficulties when
we are surrounded by love. Horse Whisperer.
e)
To
discuss about the possible existence of things that can’t be explained. Man’s
fear of the unknown. (Fallen)
Assessment.
Assessment is a must. It may be written. On
page 6, 7, 8 you will have different tests given to our students. It may be
oral, through the discussion on the story-line, the main characters, the plot,
the end, and the point of view.
Another interesting way of
assessing their acquisition is through a written task done in groups. This work
must be submitted in due time and
following the teacher’s requirements.
Conclusion.
Thus, by comparing novels to the films based
on them we intend to rescue fun in learning, the chance of learning with
pleasure so that learners who do not seem to succeed when always exposed to the
same traditional exercises or those students who may do so at the cost of
getting bored to death, could enjoy learning and could be successful in doing
so.
New technology allow much greater versatility
in the way films can be shown, and the teachers can choose from an ever-widening variety of techniques
for presenting and exploiting films in the classroom, this, connected with
readers can form the basis of an enormous range of dynamic and motivating
classroom activities. Let’s profit from them.
Bibliography.
Books:
* Stempleski, S and B. Tomalin. 2000. Resource Book for Teachers. Films.
Series editor: Alan Maley. Oxford University Press.
* Gimenez, J., Asis, M. , Ferreras, C. and A. Portela. 2002. Curriculum Development. Managing the Change. Conference Proceedings.
Comunicarte editorial.
* Dawson, N. 2000. Penguin
Readers. Teacher’s Guide to Using Graded Readers. Pearson Education Limited. Longman.
* Basset, J. 2003. Oxford Bookworms. Oxford
University Press.
* Richard and Roberts, “Approach and Methods
in Language Teaching.” Cambridge.
* “Teaching with Films and Videos.” Karin’s
ELS The Partyland. Website.
READERS AND FILMS USED IN CLASS.
Readers:
Stage 1: The
Witches of Pendle.
Stage 4: The
Horse Whisperer. Edgar Alan Poe’s short stories.
Stage 5: Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The thirty nine steps.
Stage 6: Wuthering Heights. Ghost stories.
Films:
The Secret of Mary Relly, starred by Julia
Roberts.
The Thirty Nine Steps.
Wuthering Heights, starred by Juliet Binosh.
The Horse Whisperer, starred by Robert
Redford.
Fallen, starred by Danzel Washington.
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