Film in the Classroom: Using Visual Texts to Develop Critical Literacy Skills Elizabeth Cobia, K-12 ELA Supervisor Sylvia M. Spruill, Ed.D – English Teacher, Hillgrove High School Cobb County School District

Our Story…

Focus Statement Today the topic of discussion is film in the classroom and the goal is to learn how to engage students in critical analysis.

Rationale for Using Film and Visual Texts Serves as a useful lead-in to teaching analysis of written text (literature and informational) Provides a more accessible medium for students to sharpen their analysis skills Uses a common and/or shared experience as the vehicle for teaching complex analytical skills Engages students in the task of analysis Affects students ability to analyze and criticize literature (Golden, 2001)

Opening Consider the following: How have you used film in the past? What standards have you focused on when using film in the classroom? What films or film clips you have used in the past or are currently using?

Spruill’s Rules for Film Film Clip vs. Full Film Purposeful Use Why are you showing this film clip? Teaching an analysis skill or literary element Developing a thematic connection What standards are you working on with your students? How will you assess what you intend students to learn? How will it move from identification to analysis to evaluation to synthesis and creation?

Introducing the Language of Film Analysis Film Terminology Paper camera Student application assignment (flip cameras or smart phones)

Analyzing Author’s Choices ELACC10RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. Film Clip #1: Fast and the Furious (2001) “Reading” Purpose: What do you notice? Strategy: See/hear/feel/believe How does the director manipulate time and why?

Approaches to Film Analysis ELACC10RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. Film Clip #2: Schindler’s List (1993)Schindler’s List Include Accountable Talk protocol Analyzing Author’s Choices - “Reading” Purpose: What do you notice? Strategy: One Question/One Comment Why did the director use primarily a long shot? How do the events seem to affect Schindler and Ingrid? Describe the sounds heard in the scene. What is the effect of these sounds?

10 Literary Elements Approach (symbolism and juxtaposition): the girl in the red coat – Why do you think her coat is red and everything else black and white? The sounds you hear – both diegetic and non-diegetic – Describe them. Why are these the sounds you hear? symbolism and juxtaposition.

Analyzing Author’s Choices: character ELACC10RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text…create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. ELACC10RL3: Analyze how complex characters…advance the plot or develop the theme. Film Clip #3: He Got Game (1998) How does the director establish the relationship between the two main characters shown, Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) and Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen)? What do you notice? (say, mean, matter)

Analyzing Author’s Choices ELACC10RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text…create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. Film Clip #4: Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)Good Morning, Vietnam *activity from John Golden’s Reading in the Dark: Using Film As a Tool in the English Classroom (2001) –Describe the visual pictures that might correspond to the song. –Describe the emotions evoked while watching this scene. –Define irony and its effect while watching the clip with sound.

Assessment Analysis mini-paragraphs (using C-E-I – claim, evidence, interpretation format) How does the director manipulate time? The director uses editing techniques to manipulate time. As the two cars race toward the train tracks, the director uses cross cutting between the cars and the oncoming train which prolongs the time that it takes for them to reach the tracks and also builds suspense. Framed Paragraphs (differentiated/scaffolds) The director uses_______________ to ________. - claim [Describe the moment in the film clip in which the technique is being utilized] - evidence [Explain the effect of the technique] - interpretation

Other Ways to use Film Anatomy of a Scene (NY Times Learning Network) Analyze opening credits or scenes –He Got Game (Spike Lee) –Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock) Analyze film trailers (as rhetoric – RI5 and RI6) –Action –Comedy –Drama Analyze documentaries and/or clips (as rhetoric – RI5 and RI6) –Waiting for Superman (Davis Guggenheim) Analyze a concept in different contexts (RI7) –Heroism in The Dark KnightHeroism in The Dark Knight –Heroism in the Real WorldHeroism in the Real World –Heroism in the Greek World (Troy and written classical texts)

Student Voices “ Using film has helped me think harder and analyze better as a student” “Because we studied film…I started analyzing all visuals…” “The one thing I will always remember about this class is how we used film to help us learn better.” Advice to future students who take this class: “That you will probably die in this class, but at the same time, find yourself more alive.”

YOUR TURN! Consider what you currently use in your classroom. How could you incorporate film in your current units of study? What films?

BALANCED LITERACY - DISTRICT