Watching+films+in+English

== Activity: == Watching films in English subtitled in English

Level:
Lower secondary up to 4th ESO

Short description:
Watch the commercial film //Kung Fu Panda// in English, subtitled in English.

Every session is planned to cover about 15 minutes of the film. The fragment for the session is watched twice.

During the class session, they complete a worksheet that is corrected at the end of the class. I think of simple questions and small quizzes and prepare worksheets. When we finish watching the fragment for that session we correct the exercises and they get __#|gold__ stars. I am careful to try to give all pupils the chance to speak. Watching a film takes us about 8 sessions.
 * During class time**

They also have to write and translate five true sentences about the film on our wiki. I tell them I do not care if they copy them from the film and then translate them, but they will get a better mark if they use their own words. I ask them for a minimum of 5 sentences per session. In this way, it is either a reading comprehension exercise or a writing exercise. It is for them to choose what suits them best. I think in this way I focus their attention.
 * As Homework**

Finally, they have to add anything that calls their attention into their Learning Diaries.

Objectives:
On completion of this task students will have developed their capacity to:

>
 * Listening:**
 * Listen to real English
 * Read and listen to English while watching image
 * Focus on how words that they understand in written form are actually pronounced
 * Writing:**
 * Make small sentences in English (individual)
 * Do a small research on a theme related to the film


 * Learning to Learn**
 * Develop their capacity to reflect on their own learning
 * Developed their capacity to work on their own on the class wiki
 * Find and relate information

Assessment:

 * Listening skills**
 * Class gold stars when correcting the worksheets, based on the Film gold stars template
 * Improve their Learning Diary mark for writing down how words and expressions are pronounced


 * Writing skills**
 * Quality mark for written assignments related to the movie
 * Gold Star mark


 * Integrated skills**
 * Presentation on some issues related to the film
 * Final written exam based on general aspects of the film and the worksheets


 * Learning to learn skills**
 * Some issues they have learnt when watching the film have to be included in their Learning Diaries

https://fluwiki.wikispaces.com/Kung+Fu+Panda
 * Link:**

= Add your comments: = Maria Asunción I find it very interesting, but don't they lose the thread of the story?

Núria They complain about that when I stop the movie, but only then. I will ask them about this. I have not taken the complaint seriously so far. Thank you for bringing that up.

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Marisa I think it is an interesting way to watch and work with a film, sometimes I'm not sure what kind of activities do after a long film.

Núria

I just ask them fill in the gaps exercises, give true false sentences, and/or work on nice grammatical structures that appear in the film. In the end they always sit a comprehension exam and an oral exam. They also have to write down sentences related to the film. When I revise the worksheets for next year, I will also add some transcripts with errors. I owe this idea to Maria Asuncion.

What I like most about this activity is correcting it after we have watched the film. Students interact with me a lot, and get gold stars. One of the things I am very serious about is I do not use "negativos", only gold stars.

Lluís

Hi Núria,

Watching movies in English is interesting, engaging and motivating, more memorable, transferrable, more communicative, it teaches student to think, there’s an inexplicit focus on grammar.

Watching movies in English in class also carries further implications, positive ones, e.g., it fosters learning to learn, because students can take up the activity of watching movies in English at home with any movie of their choice. Not only movies, but also TV programmes or any favourite TV series. On the other hand we teachers have to make an effort to change our thinking and stop being so hung up on error-correction. Your idea of only handing out ‘gold stars’ is excellent. Fostering a positive attitude and building up self-esteem helps create a safe environment where students can find using English easier.

Sònia

Hi Núria. Thank you for sharing this awesome activity with us!! I'll definitely try it some time next course. I've always tried to use films in class but I was concerned about them being too time-consuming and I had the feeling I didn't take much profit of them. This proposal of yours is great to make students realize that watching a film in the English class is not just a chance to "miss" a class.

Hi Sonia,

I think we have all had that concern. It was a friend of mine who introduced me to using films in the class. She changed school and in her new school everybody used films. Unfortunatelly she never told me how. She was diagnosed a cancer and died shortly after. She just told me that Kung Fu Panda worked very well with students. That was the first film I tried, and every time I watch it I am reminded of her. After that I tried Mamma Mia, that students did not like, and then Ice Age 2, that has worked very well.