Page 31 - ELG2202 Feb Issue 479

FEATURES
Widely applicable (or ‘transferable’)
skills
- guided observation
- cultural awareness
- interpretation of content
- textual (in this case film) analysis
- cooperation (group/pair work)
- creative thinking
Specific language skills
- listening comprehension
- vocabulary development (both active and
passive)
- awareness of accent varieties
- intonation as a conveyor of meaning
- expression of opinions

Teaching tips and techniques
A) Using mainly short clips:
i) Play the clip with no sound: what is the skills are required: general comprehension of the course I taught). I make no apology for
relationship between the characters, story and character, interpretation of actions the age of some of these films: to me, quality
where are they and what might they and motives, and imaginative thinking. is what counts!
be saying? Relevant language focus might target the  In Which We Serve (1942)
ii) What language are the characters clear expression of opinions and the relevant  A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
speaking? In which country does this structures and phrases to enable this, such as  Kes (1968)
scene take place? Any visual clues? “In my view…”, “Yes, but then why did …?” or  If... (1968)
iii) (With the sound on…) What is the “I totally disagree!”  Local Hero (1983)
mood of the characters in the clip?  Hope and Glory (1987)
How can you tell? C) Longer tasks for group discussions or  Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
iv) How many different shots or camera homework could include:  Billy Elliot (2000)
movements are used in this scene? i) Discuss how the main characters’ lives  Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
v) Was music used to accompany the might develop after the end of the film.  The Queen (2006)
scene? If it was used, was it effective? ii) Write an angry – or appreciative –  Once (2007)
How? Why? letter or email from one character  Made in Dagenham (2010)
vi) What is the attitude of the characters to another.  Dunkirk (2017)
towards each other in the scene? iii) Write a journal entry by the main  Bait (2019)
Positive or negative? How can you tell? character looking back on the events
vii) Where do you think this scene comes portrayed in the film. So, if you have the chance to introduce films as
in the whole structure of the film? iv) Imagine you are the main character’s a regular part of your syllabus, either to show
What might precede – or follow – boss. Write an honest reference for the occasional full-length film (perhaps set up
this scene? him/her. a regular film club?) or use just an occasional
v) A class debate based on a main short clip, then plenty of good ideas can also be
For added language focus in some of the above theme from the film: for or against, found in the sources below.
activities you may choose to highlight sentence eg, the monarchy, space exploration,
structure or intonation patterns in some, euthanasia.... REFERENCES
specific lexical items or features of register and vi) Work on specialised or idiomatic n Daniel Xerri, ‘Feature Films in English
appropriacy in others. vocabulary from the film, eg, from the Language Teaching’, ELT Journal, Volume 73,
field of politics, sport, cooking.... Issue 1, January 2019.
B) Using full-length feature films: vii) Using short quotes taken from reviews n Martin Bradley, Teaching with Film (three
i) Fill in a table listing a character’s good of the film, rebut or agree with the books), 2013-2021, Stone River Books, Vienna.
and bad actions or attitudes. critics’ opinions, creating your own Kieran Donaghy, Film in Action (2015), Delta
ii) What for you is the key scene in the film? written review. Publishing.
Why do you think it’s so important? viii) Design a (better?) poster for the film. n Susan Stempleski & Barry Tomalin, Film
iii) Do the film-makers show or suggest (2001), Oxford University Press (Resource
their own point of view on the topic or This last set of activities again encourages Books for Teachers series).
theme of the film? If so, how? students to think outside the box, to analyse, n British Film Institute: www.bfi.org.uk
iv) If you could introduce a new character discuss and deploy a full range of language
into the film, who would it be? Give skills in working collaboratively on tasks in Rick Haill worked for
reasons for your choice. pairs, groups or individually. many years at Oxford
v) Can you think of a better or alternative Brookes University,
title for the film? Which films could I use? where he taught language
vi) What is the film’s overall ‘message’ for Everyone has favourites, no doubt, but below is teaching methodology, study
us the audience? a sample of some that I have used successfully skills and British Studies.
vii) Does the story proceed in a linear in my classes. Much will depend on what you Before that, he taught
way or are there jumps forward or wish to achieve: whether to work on specific
flashbacks? If so, why are these used? language items, to stimulate creativity and for the British Council in France, Croatia,
lively discussion among your students, or Egypt and Singapore. Since his retirement
Using the above ideas (many of which to encourage them to look at aspects of the as Professor Emeritus, he has been working
and more can be found on my website, country they may be studying in. The following on his website for teachers worldwide:
www.teachbritishfilms.com), more holistic list is all British (no surprise, given the title of www.teachbritishfilms.com
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