Book Trailers Uploaded Flickr on by lynxhoney

Rationale There are many students who seem disengaged at school. It has been said that young people are not reading and won’t write anymore than they absolutely must. Outside school, however, it is a different story. Studies have shown young people are reading and writing incessantly, updating their MySpace/facebook pages, keeping blogs and WebPages In other words they are reading and writing but in different modes and media to the more traditional print literacies of the 20th century. Indeed the definition of literacy is evolving all the time. Literacy can no longer just encompass print-only works. In the 21 st century literacy must include digital, hypertext, images and the plethora of communication media that make up the complex systems that bound in today’s world. The complexity of messages in today’s world means that our students have to not only know how to “read” them but also know enough about them to be critical viewers, with the power to analyse and understand the obvious and more obscure meanings of the messages around them Students are bringing multi-literacy skills to the classroom and teachers tap into their interests and skills and then enhance their students’ understanding of these various diverse texts. This will enable them to become skilled at critically viewing any of the diverse texts that is presented to them so that they can confidently use all the media around them to learn, clarify and communicate information rather than by passive users who can be coerced, confused and persuaded by the unscrupulous.

Some Statistics 73% or ¾ students on the internet watch or download videos ½ of the young internet users say they watch YouTube Many young people post videos to blogs and even more forward on a link in an They are socializing, researching, playing games, getting news via technologies. In schools we need to look at innovative ways to capture the interest and commitment of students to the understanding the deep-thinking and as the learning world because more and more immersive these initiatives are an important step.

Why Book Trailers? Book trailers offer an alternative way to respond to some reading/a book, ways that are creative but encourage critical thinking and analysis. Students can use still or moving images, special effects, recorded soundtrack, voiceovers and/or music, print text and cutting/editing techniques to share their interpretations and critiques of what they have read. Technology is not the goal. It is a means for students to explore a variety of literacies and ways of communicating their response to their reading. Visual, aural, indeed many learning styles and modes can be used It can help reluctant readers and writers by offering them a chance to use methods that interest them and that make use of other strengths that they may have.

Finding book trailers Whilst looking at the some publishers websites I saw a few different book trailers. They were interesting but there was nothing there that I believed our students were capable of creating some. When I went looking specifically for book trailers I found many more. They were varied in their levels of skill, approaches to the books they were publicising and the reasons for their creation. In the US they seemed to be encouraging all sorts of people to create trailers, the authors for their own books, readers of all levels and professional “film” people. The trailers were shown by libraries, used by publishers and in schools. There are competitions run by publishers and others for the “best” books trailers.

Process Choose a book Read the book Analyse the book - what was good, unique, interesting, etc – list/brainstorm/mindmap Write a first draft – impressions, feeling, important points Create a storyboard Plan effects ( transitions, sound, colouring, etc ) Review the plan – with teachers, other students Create the trailer Show the students some different examples of book trailers. Let them see/hear and critique them rs rs

The Product There can be an amazing array of approaches. The product can be used to entice other reader by playing it on electronic screens within the school/library. The trailers can be out up on blogs, webpages, etc. and shared with others beyond the classroom/school so they are used by others not just a class assignment, never to be revisited. An Assessment Rubric can be found at: engaging.wikispaces.com/Book+Trailers+- +Assessment+Rubric engaging.wikispaces.com/Book+Trailers+- +Assessment+Rubric

Tools The students used Audacity (to put together sound), Ulead VideoStudio to create the video Use Creative Commons sites to find licensed images and sounds/music. Images o Video cameras and other digital cameras could be borrowed by the students to take the shots they needed. Sound o Some music students at the school were also happy to help create music and sound for the students doing the trailers. Sites for: Images FlickrCC FlickrStorm Compfight FlickrLeech Wikimedia Commons Sound ccMixter (sound) ccMixter The freesound project (sound)freesound project Soundsnap (sound effects and loops) Soundsnap

Some Points to Note Have a hook for the audience. Get people interested in/excited about the book. Grab their attention from the first second Don’t have too much text Set the mood and convey the “feeling” of the book Length is important. Not too long or too short, just give a quick “taste” of the book. Be mysterious Look at the concept behind the story and don’t focus on the details of the book (the minutiae) Music and sound is essential