How to use the guides
- Use the films and extracts that most clearly illustrate a key issue for your students – be critical in your selection – what scene and why is it useful
- Bear in mind the level of difficulty of the film but also think about its versatility – you can tackle smaller chunks of the film that allow more detailed focus
- Think about examining more authentic language than previously covered/prescribed
- Thinking about challenging the students’ analytical and evaluative skills
- Talk about yourself in relation to the film – what did it mean to you?
- Encourage students to research and to give their own personal reaction
- Think about what themes the film fits into – future plans/family and friends/self and identity/school life/social issues – to make the study topic based
- Try not to think of it as a film, but as a text to explore and study
- Use a mixture of authentic material to back up the syllabus but also allow yourself ‘off-piste’ activities
- It is possible to watch the film then complete the activities, or do the clip-based activities and then watch the film from an enriched position
- Always keep evaluation in mind – question how, if and why something is effective