Moving Image – Moving image texts in the curriculum
Activity summary – Making movies
- Read or listen to a case study describing the use of film in the classroom.
- List some reasons for analysing or making film in the classroom.
- Ask different groups to look for the potential for using film within different curriculum documents.
- The groups then jigsaw into new groups and feedback what they have discovered. These groups return to and add to lists of reasons for using film.
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Some students (like many schools) find it difficult to locate work on moving image texts within the curriculum. Clearly this work is explicit within Media Studies, but what are the other opportunities for its use? Should making and responding to film form a part of the curriculum in its own right? Or should it be used to support other areas of the English curriculum (e.g. within collaborative speaking and listening tasks, supporting response to texts or as a stimulus to writing)? Consequently, whilst students may be enthusiastic about its use, they are not sure how to justify this to mentors. We therefore find it important to provide students with opportunities to consider how moving image work might support objectives relating to different curriculum frameworks linked to literacy and English (and of course this could be extended to the whole curriculum for primary students). We also introduce them to frameworks specifically designed to support moving image work in primary and secondary schools.
We ask the students to read or listen to an account of a film-making project. Sometimes we have used examples from our own work in schools, or asked students to share theirs. Otherwise, we have relied on written accounts of moving image projects. An example is (link to Shooting the Story case study) This gives an account of a short film-making project in Key Stage 2. The article describes the process through which the children made the film and suggests what the children gained from this experience. Alternative sequences can be found in ‘Moving Images in the Classroom’ (aimed at secondary English teachers) or ‘Look Again’ (aimed at primary teachers), which can be found at the British Film Institute website http://www.bfi.org.uk/.
Following this, we ask students to list what they feel children would gain from this experience.
Next we divide the whole group into sub-groups and ask each sub-group to revise a different curriculum document. Each sub-group notes down opportunities for using moving image texts to support objectives within their document. The documents clearly relate to the age group the students are training to teach, but are selected from the following list:
- Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage
- National Literacy Strategy Framework for Teaching
- National Curriculum for English
- Speaking, Listening and Learning
- Key Stage 3 National Strategy Framework for Teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9.
- Look Again
- Moving Images in the Classroom
Next the groups are jigsawed into new groups. Here they revisit their earlier lists of reasons for using moving image texts. They see if they can add to these lists, drawing from their examination of the different curriculum documents.
Finally, they are presented with the following scenario and asked to write a short response.
The Local Education Authority has allocated a series of £5000 grants to support the purchase of equipment to support the innovative and creative use of ICT in schools.
You are keen to apply for a grant to buy video cameras and editing equipment for your school. However, competition for these grants is high and you will need to submit a convincing funding application in order to be considered.
Make notes on what you will include in your application, explaining how the purchase of this equipment will benefit the children in your school. |
An alternative approach is to use a straight forward agree/disagree sorting activity
Looking at moving image texts is a waste of time – children get enough television at home.
Making comparisons between film narrative and print narrative can help children understand how narrative works and may improve their writing.
Making films destroys the magic – children should be allowed to enjoy films without being forced to examine how they work.
Understanding how films work is important for children in this day and age.
Developing a language of film (pan, zoom, edit, etc) is important.
Involving children in making films makes them realise that films are constructed versions of reality. This is important.
Responding to films can broaden children’s experience and understanding of the world.
Discussing films is more important than making them.
Children should explore moving image texts as part of English rather than the rest of the curriculum. |
Other resources
A useful bibliography for research relating to use of digital video in educational contexts can be found on the Becta website
Look Again: A Teaching Guide to using film and television with 3 to 11 year olds. Provides guidance on exploring moving image texts in the primary and early years. It also provides a suggested scheme of work. This is accessible through the British Film Institute website www.bfi.org.uk . Go to Education/ Resources/Teaching/Primary
Film and Media Schemes of Work A set of suggested schemes of work produced by teachers on a Masters level programme. These are available through the British Film Institute website www.bfi.org.uk. Go to Education/Resources/Free.
Moving Images in the Classroom: A secondary teacher’s guide to using film and television. This provides advice for English teachers (and teachers of other subjects at Key Stage s 3 and 4) on how to integrate film and television into the curriculum. There are a number of practical activities along with a general introduction to film analysis. This These are available through the British Film Institute website www.bfi.org.uk.
Useful glossaries of terms relating to moving image work can be found in Look Again and Moving Images in the Classroom.
You can also find access to details of the Moving Image Research Registry, a searchable database on research projects in the field of moving image
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