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