intro to my inquiry topic!
It's taken me a few days of back and forth to settle on what I'd like to inquire about for my blog topic. After much consideration, I've decided that I'd like to explore the idea of using film as a medium for students to learn how to analyze certain themes and issues critically. Oftentimes, classes like film analysis are not available to high school students, especially in high schools that are underfunded and overcrowded. However, I think that a class that uses film as a means for literary analysis would be beneficial for engaging the students who might not be as interested in reading. It could also help with engaging students who are not as strong in their reading. There are many ways to go about teaching a film analysis/literature class, but I have never taken a film class that doubled as an English class, so I'm not sure exactly how they are structured.
For what I do know: I know that it would be an English class offered to upperclassmen because it would probably be touching on some more serious topics. I know that I would want the students to have some say in the curriculum, not all of it, but maybe for a unit or two, they could decide between a few movies or books that I have already chosen.
For what I don't know: There's a lot more that I don't know than what I do know for this. To start, I wasn't sure if I should mainly do movies that are already books so students could be reading as well? I was thinking that maybe for one or two of the movies we could do that, but in my head, I pictured this as more of a writing/analysis class than anything. Another thing I wasn't sure about, but it's pretty broad, and I guess it goes for literally any class ever; how do you keep your students engaged?! On one hand, I feel like it could be easy if the students who end up taking this class are actually interested in film analysis. However, I feel that many students will see "film class" instead of "English class" and see it as a "get-out-of-jail-free" card, so I guess I wouldn't know how to keep them engaged. My hopes are that my movie choices and activities will be so thrilling and appealing to them that they'll have no choice but to participate in whatever I have planned, but of course, that's very wishful thinking on my end!
(also which one are you guys... i'm annoyingly all of them probably.. but mostly film twitter <3)
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=48aqDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT7&dq=secondary+education+language+arts+using+film&ots=wklwO8sQeb&sig=Qe6Y6iVvmENTF8MEIA5MccBgUM8#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://erepository.uwks.ac.id/3488/
https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jaal.966?casa_token=IUI4ufIEzQUAAAAA:97YSbQwNhw_8FgKcXan4l34b0nDz_07V66_8uByIq-audYILah78M94RcqtNmld9mCtx5F37gdHZQQ
https://www.proquest.com/docview/303068381?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true
https://repository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/bitstream/123456789/62776/1/LAELY%20SKRIPSI%20WATERMARK_organized%20%281%29.pdf
Hi Katie, I love your inquiry topic. Not just because I think you're right in that you could captivate students who are not as strong readers but also because there is a lot for you to learn. I look forward to learning with you! Maybe to avoid the "get out of jail free card" approach, you could focus on short films that don't take several class days to view. One of my favorite Spanish classes was multimodal. We watched music videos, read non-fiction articles, and watched a bit of a documentary to increase our contextual understanding of the fiction novels we were reading. Thus, I think your thoughts are spot on. You are inviting students to engage innovatively with literature. I also think that it would be creative to go beyond just watching a movie that is a remake of a book.
ReplyDeleteHey Katie! I love the topic you choose to explore, I would have absolutely loved to take a film analysis/literature class in high school. As far as keeping the students engaged while watching the film, you could pass out worksheets with small questions for the students to fill out while watching. I had teachers use this method in high school and I personally felt like it was beneficial for keeping the students engaged. To answer your question, I would have to say I am more of a film twitter type person!
ReplyDeleteHi Katie it was interesting to read about your inquiry topic as a never had thought film being used as a means to analyze literacy and critically think about certain themes and topics through this form of media. I know in my high school we had a after school film club but never knew much about it and it sounds very interesting to see how creating a film class and implementing this into a curriculum would impact students views on literature.
ReplyDeleteYadi Pequeno Romero
ReplyDeleteHola Katie!! It is very interesting your blog about this other method of writing and literature; filming more challenge to coordinate sequence, message, and plot. I love this class where everyone is developing a unique strategy to improve and master to teach the students the diversity of writing, reading, and creating. Thank you for all your artistic talent gift.
Yadi.
Hi Katie (or shall I call you "Literary Lavris" ;). I love your topic selection of flim for critical analysis. I think that the text offers so many possibilities for literary thinking, analysis, and media literacy. I look forward to seeing what texts you gather for students to read/view on this topic.
ReplyDelete