This presentation was given by Kieran Donaghy as part of the MEDEAnet webinar on "Media-supported language learning". MEDEAnet aims to promote media-based learning to organisations and practitioners through local training and networking events, online resources and knowledge sharing. MEDEAnet will also exploit best practices of the annual competition MEDEA Awards and extend its existing informal network and support the MEDEA Association, a membership organisation that ensures the sustainability of the MEDEA Awards. More info: http://www.medeanet.eu/

1. Using Film in
Language Teaching
Kieran Donaghy

2. Overview of the session
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Approaches to film
Whole films
Film clips
Short films
Online lesson plans
Online student resources

3. Using whole films

5. ESL Notes
To Kill A Mockingbird
(Drama) (1962)
© 1999 by Raymond Weschler
Major Characters
Atticus Finch..............................................Gregory Peck
A gentle and highly moral lawyer in a small Southern town
who agrees to defend a black man accused of rape.
"Scout" (Jean Louise) Finch....................Mary Badham
The adorable six year old daughter of Atticus who tells
the story of the events that take place in the film.
Jem Finch.........................................................Phillip Alford
Scout's protective 10 year old brother.
Dill Harris...........................................................John Megna
The friend of Scout and Jem who lives in
their town during the summers.
Tom Robinson..................................................Brock Peters
The kind and soft-spoken black man who is falsely accused
of rape, and now must face the charges with an all white jury.

6. ESL Notes
Plot Summary
This movie is the classic story of racism in a small fictional
town in the American South, based on the book of the same
title by Harper Lee. The story takes place in 1932, during the
great economic depression, in Macomb, Alabama. It is told
through the eyes of Scout Finch, an adorable six year old girl
who loves her father very much, and who observes the great
difficulties that he faces after he decides to defend a black
man, Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a poor
white teenage girl. In telling her story, she reveals much
about race, social class and the law in 1930s America.

7. ESL Notes
Some Words and Expressions that You may not Know
Scout and Jem meet Dill, and all three
learn of the mysteries of the Radley House.
Macomb was a tired old town in 1932.
The name of the small (fictional) Alabama town
and county where Atticus Finch and his family lived.
Men's stiff shirt collars wilted by 9AM and ladies bathed by noon.
"To wilt" is to become limp or to bend, often because of heat.
And by nightfall they were like soft teacakes
with frosting from sweating and sweet talcum.
"Frosting" is the sweet covering that is used on cakes. "Talcum"
is a type of powder people use to absorb sweat when its hot.
There was no money and nothing to buy...though Macomb County

12. English Through Cinema
Courses
Flipped classroom?

13. Film
circles

14. The director
The
music lover
The
culture vulture
The
wordsmith
The
cinematographer

15. Using film clips

16. The 4 S’s
Setting
Story
Sound
Symbolism

17. The 3 C’s
Camera
Colour
Character

18. American Beauty

20. Character 1
Character 2

21. Name of character
Age
Height
Build
Arms and legs
Posture
Face
Skin
Eyes
Nose
Mouth
Hair
Expression

22. Generic activities
1.Show with no sound
2.Write dialogue
3.Play with sound only
4.Predict what’s going to happen
5.Roleplay
6.Write an alternative ending

23. Using short films

24. Advantages of short films
1.View several times
2.Different activity each
time
3.Greater dramatic impact
4.A whole narrative
5.Prompts for oral and
written communication

28. When I grow up …

29. When I grow up … video here

30. Adjective + noun collocation forks
hardworking
underpaid
teacher
overworked
footballer
nurse
politician
model
chef

31. Noun + noun collocation forks
Kindergarten/
nursery
Primary
teacher
school
Secondary
school
driver
maid
worker
cleaner
designer

33. The Mirror

35. The Mirror
Show your students this image and ask the
following questions:
• How old is the boy?
• Where's he from?
• What does he look like?
• What do you think he’s like?

36. The Mirror Video here

37. Tell your students they are going
to watch the film again. This time
they should focus on the following
things:
• age:
• face:
• body:
• mood:
• actions:
• objects in bathroom:

38. Paperman
Show students the picture below
and ask them to discuss the
following questions in pairs:
• Where are the people?
• Who are the people in the
picture?
• Do they know each other?
• How do they feel?

40. Paperman
Tell your students that the
picture is taken from a short
film called Paperman. Put them
into small groups and ask them
to predict what will happen in
the film. Give them 10 minutes
to write their stories and then
get one student from each group
to read out their story.

41. Paperman Video Here

42. Online lesson plans

45. Online resources
for students

54. kieran.donaghy@uab.cat