Page 36 - ELG2503 March Issue 493

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INTERVIEW

Entering the writer’s lab

ELT on the big screen? Fabio Cerpelloni sits down with English

language teacher, author and screenwriter, Chara Kourlessi to discuss
her work combining ELT with screenwriting.

Q: You teach a course called ‘Creative Q: What happens in your course and school year till the end, when we have a
Writing: Adapting a children’s book how is it structured? school event. Students’ screenplays are
to English-speaking short fiction I always start by helping my students assessed and children receive awards and
screenplay’. What inspired you to create familiarise themselves with the art of special gifts according to the quality of
a screenwriting course for your students? screenwriting. I create worksheets to teach their work.
I’m an English language teacher working in essential storytelling concepts and visual Last year, my high school students
the Greek public sector. I’m also an author and storytelling techniques. We look at the crafted short fiction screenplays based on
screenwriter, so I decided to use my knowledge structure of scenes and sequences. We look at ‘The Road Not Taken’, a poem by Robert
and experience to engage my students in the character development and the role that crisis Frost. The kids received awards and
magic process of creative writing. and dialogue have in a script. We also watch distinctions at a wonderful school event
I’m keen on helping young people short films in class and discuss what choices under the auspices of the London Greek
establish their own identities and discover the screenwriter made. Film Festival, Epidaurus Film Festival and
their inner voices. That’s why I developed To arouse interest and spark imagination, the Acting Code Institute. It was such a
this course, which in June received the I encourage the children to enter what I call, rewarding achievement for me and my
gold award in the category ‘Innovation in ‘The Screenwriter’s Lab,’ where I assign students.
Language Learning’ at the ELT Excellence creative writing exercises. The kids work This year, the course has a different focus
Awards 2024, an annual ceremony that together on these assignments and then they because I’m teaching younger students aged
honours excellence in Language Teaching in receive my feedback. between 10- to 11-years-old. We won’t focus
Greece and Cyprus. on a poem as this requires higher-order
My goal is to help children boost their Q: What happens at the end of the thinking skills. Instead, they’ll be writing short
language proficiency in English by exploring program? fiction screenplays adapting my first literature
who they are and by crafting their own The kids collaborate throughout the book for kids, ‘Afendoulis and The Gift of
narratives. whole year, from the beginning of the Friendship’.
36 March 2025