In
order for students to learn, it is important that they are engaged and
interested in what is being taught. The best way to grab a student’s attention
is by appealing to their personal hobbies and interests. Looking back on my
experiences as a student in both elementary school and high school, I realize
that I always enjoyed working with visual, instead of listening to lectures,
engaging in class discussion, or simply reading from the textbook. My favorite
was watching movies in class. Pedagogically, I believe that showing movies in
an English classroom is a great way to enhance students’ ability to analyze.
For example, if the class were reading Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner,” I
could show my students the movie version of the book. There are numerous similarities
and differences between the two; however, in order to be able to point out the similarities
and differences, the students must understand both the movie and the book.
Another engaging way to incorporate movies in an English classroom is by showing
a scene from a movie and then having the students write an alternate ending.
By showing movies, a variety of different assignments could be assigned. For example, students could use a graphic organizer such as a Venn diagram. Students could also write a compare and contrast essay or a persuasive essay on whether or not the movie truly portrays the message of the novel. Documentaries are also excellent to show in the classroom, because they are informative and straightforward. I personally prefer them over a lecture, because a documentary contains music and visuals.
Not only are movies a great way to make learning fun, but several different technologies can be used. For example, to show a movie a teacher can use any of the following: computer, DVD player, VCR, and SmartBoard. Movies can be used in any content area classroom.
By showing movies, a variety of different assignments could be assigned. For example, students could use a graphic organizer such as a Venn diagram. Students could also write a compare and contrast essay or a persuasive essay on whether or not the movie truly portrays the message of the novel. Documentaries are also excellent to show in the classroom, because they are informative and straightforward. I personally prefer them over a lecture, because a documentary contains music and visuals.
Not only are movies a great way to make learning fun, but several different technologies can be used. For example, to show a movie a teacher can use any of the following: computer, DVD player, VCR, and SmartBoard. Movies can be used in any content area classroom.
I completely agree with your stance that movies can be beneficial in a classroom, if done properly. This can range from full movies to little clips from Youtube. The potential pitfall here is that some teachers may be a little loose when it comes to the criteria for showing films in the class. My Senior year of high school, I was shown "The Devil Wears Prada" because it was similar to "The Catcher in the Rye" (I still am not sure what the connection was there). But, in moderation and if properly implemented, visual aids like films can be a great help in the classroom. Well done on this post.
ReplyDeleteMovies are a great way to connect a novel to a universe outside of the words. A movie gives life to a novel or a play, and shows the students how different directors and screenwriters portray a message from a novel. However, some movies are totally different from the novel which they portray. I think in a case like this, a compare and contrast essay like you suggested would be a great assignment. Similar to scholarly articles, movies portray a certain critique of a literary work. I also think you can use movies to introduce a historical background to a novel you are reading. For example, if you are reading the "Narrative of Frederick Douglas", you can show documentary that talk about slavery. This would take a way from having to lecture about history.
ReplyDelete