28.2448, Review: English; Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition: Viebrock (2016)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-28-2448. Fri Jun 02 2017. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 28.2448, Review: English; Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition: Viebrock (2016)

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Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2017 11:38:24
From: Kirsten Colquhoun [kirsten.clq at gmail.com]
Subject: Feature Films in English Language Teaching

 
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Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/27/27-2959.html

EDITOR: Britta  Viebrock
TITLE: Feature Films in English Language Teaching
SERIES TITLE: narr Studienbücher
PUBLISHER: Narr Francke Attempto Verlag GmbH + Co. KG
YEAR: 2016

REVIEWER: Kirsten Colquhoun, (personal interest - not currently working at a university)

Reviews Editor: Helen Aristar-Dry

SUMMARY

Feature Films in English Language Teaching, by Britta Viebrock, discusses the
use of films in the Advanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. It
provides a general introduction to using film in the classroom and then offers
in-depth cinematic analyses of sixteen films from five countries to instigate
consideration for use in the classroom – each chapter written by a different
contributor. These films were chosen not for their entertainment value but for
their ability to communicate geographical, historical, political and social
issues. The book is aimed at students, teacher trainees, in-service teachers
and university colleagues but should not be considered an activity book for
the classroom, though it does provide a set of materials which can be used
with the films. Instead it should be read by the teacher in preparation for
dealing with interesting topics in the classroom through the medium of film.
The use of the films is intended for Advanced EFL learners of English at high
school or older. 

The volume is introduced by Viebrock as she considers the usefulness of using
film in the EFL classroom. She comments on the fact that films are a good
option for the classroom because of their visual elements and how they can
contribute to our students’ visual literacy. However, while film is often
utilised for discussion on plot, theme and character – and, of course, for
linguistic purposes - this resource hopes to introduce elements of terminology
and cinematographic aspects into the classroom to supplement this standard
practice. The author appreciates that teachers are constantly on the lookout
for teaching materials and activities, but proposes that there is a further
need for guidance on content and suitability. Essentially this is what this
book aims to do: provide a thorough analysis and comment on topical films so
that they can be utilised effectively in the classroom.
The book begins with an introductory chapter on film literacy in the English
language classroom. The introduction looks at the rationale behind using film
in the EFL classroom, different theories of film literacy, the peculiarities
of film, criteria for the selection of film, a discussion on the various
approaches to working with film in the EFL classroom and legal issues to be
aware of.

It is argued (quite rightly, I believe) that our learners today are constantly
surrounded by visual images and so need a new kind of literacy, a multi-modal
literacy, in order to understand the texts they are exposed to. Because films
have become such a big part of their everyday lives, it makes sense to make
use of (appropriate) films in the classroom so as to maintain interest in
language learning. In fact, films lend themselves so well to the classroom
situation that they can be utilised for more than language instruction; they
can further be exploited to investigate historical, social and cultural
issues.

A discussion on the different theories of film literacy follows. The argument
for dealing with film texts in classrooms as proposed by this book is
supported by Blell & Lutge’s (2004) argument that films should not only be
used as a springboard for discussion but also to raise awareness of
cinematographic techniques and their effects on the viewer. What’s more, films
are to be appreciated as more authentic than the usual texts found in EFL
coursebooks, simply because dialogue in film is not written for didactic
purposes and so ends up being more realistic teaching devices. Finally, we are
reminded that the fact that film-making is a commercial industry needs to be
highlighted in the classroom as well. 

The particularities of film are then laid out, ostensibly to clarify issues
for those teachers who are not familiar with film techniques and jargon. There
are explanations of the different dimensions of the medium: narrative,
relating to plot and characters; dramatic, relating to the cast and set; and
the cinematographic dimension, relating to post-production. There is a useful
summary of technical language and practical issues which may not be familiar
to all teachers but would be necessary to be able to teach using film in this
way. This is supported by a glossary at the end of the book, which is a very
necessary addition to the volume.

A justification for using film in the EFL classroom is then laid out,
according to national curricula (in Germany, specifically) and to the Common
European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR). The use of film as a tool
for teaching language is thus supported on numerous levels and is a necessary
addition to any EFL classroom. The process of selecting an appropriate film is
described by identifying key considerations, most notably the language level
of the film and the students, the topic of the film and the interests of the
students, and the possibility for the students to identify with the
characters, but also including orientation, film aesthetics, intertextuality
and diversity. 

The chapter then moves on to more practical issues. In terms of how to utilise
a film in the EFL classroom, teachers can make use of a straight-through
approach, a segment approach, a sandwich approach or a clip approach. Of
course, how the film lesson is handled will depend on the preference of the
teacher and any practical constraints. Regardless of which approach is chosen,
there needs to be three steps involved: pre-, while-, and post-viewing
activities. While many teachers may be familiar with activities for all three
stages, there are a range of ideas given here to provide further inspiration.

Finally, there is a discussion on the legal issues which surround the use of
film in the EFL classroom. 

The rest of the book is divided into five sections, each section corresponding
to a country – namely, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States
of America and Great Britain – and a discussion on three films from each
country. Each chapter provides a synopsis of the film, a discussion of the
film’s historical, social and political background, a discussion of the
relevant cinematographic elements in selected scenes and teaching ideas
related to the specific film. There are worksheets related to the teaching
ideas available on the publisher’s website, which are an added bonus. 

EVALUATION

While each chapter provides a thorough enough analysis of the film in order to
inform the teacher before utilising the material, the use of these films and
the corresponding teaching ideas will depend on both the teacher and the
students. Some of the films contain content which is decidedly adult in nature
and may not be suitable for certain age groups or cultural situations. The
materials too, though definitely helpful, will need to be analysed carefully
by the teacher in order to ascertain their appropriateness.

The films range from the well-known – Invictus, 12 Years a Slave, Dallas
Buyer’s Club and Brick Lane – to the more unknown – Skin, Anita and Me, and
All or Nothing – so, again depending on circumstances, some of your students
may be familiar with the films but others probably not. This should not cause
you to discard a film, though, because in the classroom the film would most
certainly not be approached in the same way as it would be in your students’
free time.

In summary, this is a useful volume for teachers thinking about utilising film
in the EFL classroom. The background detail given for each film is essential
information for the teacher to be able to handle the topic effectively and
saves the teacher from having to do their own research. The discussions on the
particular social, cultural, historical or political themes relevant to the
film provide information which will adequately inform the teacher. The film
analyses are equally useful but somewhat technical so may not be easy for
everyone to grasp. This is surely affected by the teacher’s attitude toward
teaching with film, as this is the aspect of teaching with film which will
probably be most unfamiliar to teachers with no background in the media.
However, the sections on how to teach using the films and the extra materials
provide ample resources with which teachers can expect to successfully exploit
these films. 

If a teacher is interested in introducing film into their EFL classroom and is
looking for ideas on how to do so which are not traditional, this volume is a
valuable tool. Teachers may need to be selective about which aspects of the
volume they utilise and consider carefully how they would incorporate the film
into their lessons, but the volume is definitely necessary for a solid
understanding of these particular films, especially in relation to
cinematographic aspects. As with any teaching materials, how you use this
volume will depend on your particular teaching circumstances.

REFERENCES

Blell, G. & Lutge, C. (2004). Filme im Fremdsprachenunterricht. PRAXIS
Fremdsprachenunterricht 6/2004, 402 – 405.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Kirsten Colquhoun holds an MPhil in English and Applied Linguistics from the
University of Cambridge, as well as the DELTA. She currently works as a
freelance TEFL teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer. She is
interested in topics related to English language teaching and second/foreign
language acquisition.





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