Many of the texts that children encounter in their lives outside school involve moving image texts such as film, television and computer games. Most children develop considerable expertise in interpreting these complex texts and yet these skills often remain
unacknowledged in schools. The literacy/English curriculum makes some reference to exploring moving image texts
but it tends to treat this as peripheral rather than central to literacy in the curriculum. In developing approaches
to supporting interactions with moving image texts, we have been influenced by developments in media education.
Developments in technology have made it much easier to film and edit moving image texts in the classroom. T
here are a number of programmes available which make it relatively simple for children to make and edit films, including Digital Blue Movie Creator, iMovie, Flash and Moviemaker. However, whilst there are pockets of excellent practice, many student teachers
will lack opportunities to observe teachers working with this technology in classrooms
unacknowledged in schools. The literacy/English curriculum makes some reference to exploring moving image texts
but it tends to treat this as peripheral rather than central to literacy in the curriculum. In developing approaches
to supporting interactions with moving image texts, we have been influenced by developments in media education.
Developments in technology have made it much easier to film and edit moving image texts in the classroom. T
here are a number of programmes available which make it relatively simple for children to make and edit films, including Digital Blue Movie Creator, iMovie, Flash and Moviemaker. However, whilst there are pockets of excellent practice, many student teachers
will lack opportunities to observe teachers working with this technology in classrooms
As teacher educators, we face a number of challenges:
- helping student teachers to place moving image texts within the curriculum
- enabling student teachers themselves to make explicit their own knowledgeabout moving image texts and find ways of enabling children to do the same
- developing the student teacher' own film-making skills
- encouraging student teachers to overcome organisational difficulties and risk experimenting with film-making in the classroom
Moving image-based oracy work is a vital stage of developing pupils' realisation that, like other art forms and forms of communication, the moving image media have their own codes, conventions and rules of construction. Even more importantly, the safe and supportive environment of classroom talk helps pupils to realise that they are bringing expertise to the debate: they already know something about the rules and codes that govern moving image media. By developing their own use of 'technical' language they can then undertake more confident analyses and evolve a deeper understanding of the ways all texts work. As well as the terms that are specific to moving image media, such as 'shot', 'close-up', etc, there are many terms that can be used meaningfully in the analysis of both moving image and print media, such as 'narrative', 'character', 'genre', 'setting' and so-on. The exploration of these terms through classroom talk in relation to moving image texts provides pupils with a meaningful grounding in key literacy concepts, which in turn leads them to more confident production of their own written and moving image texts -
BFI is the British Film Institute. Their 'world-renowned' archive, cinemas, festivals, films, publications and learning resources is here to inspire you.
BFI is the British Film Institute. Their 'world-renowned' archive, cinemas, festivals, films, publications and learning resources is here to inspire you.