This document discusses the Screening Languages project, which used short films to teach foreign languages in UK schools from 2013-2015. It involved showing foreign language short films to year 7 and 8 students learning French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Turkish, and Arabic. The goals of the project were to improve student motivation and attainment in foreign languages through exposure to culturally rich media. Short films were chosen for their manageability, quality, and ability to provide comprehensible input for language learning. Teachers were trained to use techniques like "Tell Me" grids and stopping/starting films to aid understanding and spark student discussion. The project found benefits for both teachers and students, including improved teaching approaches, cultural awareness, and student motivation

1. Screening Languages:
Short films for MFL
Mark Reid BFI Education mark.reid@bfi.org.uk

2. archive and library
cinematheque
Festivals
film production and
distribution
Publishing
Education

3. And BFI Education

4. 2008/09 French shorts Cineminis DVD
Esmee Fairbairn research with IoE on Year 8 French
Reframing Languages

5. Screening Languages (2013-15)
• 6 schools/ 12
teachers
• Hounslow,
Barking&Dagenham
, Barnet, Lambeth
• Year 7/8
• French, Spanish,
German
• 17 schools/ 22
teachers
• 5 LAs, academy
chains
• KS3
• French, Spanish,
German, Mandarin,
Turkish, Arabic
Year 1 Year 2

6. Why film?

7. Why film?
‘Comprehensible input’ and ‘forms of life’
Culturally rich language context
Engagement for children

8. Why shorts?
• New to children
• Manageability
• High quality
- cinematic

9. Shorts pedagogy
• ‘Tell Me’ grids - in target language
• Hiding and revealing
• Stopping and starting

10. character setting
Story
Qu’est-ce qu’il
se passe
Mood
ambience
Qui? Ou? Quand?
‘Tell Me’ grids
Aidan Chambers/ CLPE

11. (Hide the screen and play the DVD, Mark)

12. puzzles patterns
surprises predictions

13. Value for Teachers

14. • New pedagogical knowledge and approaches
• Confidence in exploring film as a cultural
medium
• Changed expectations of pupils
• Greater cultural awareness in their teaching
• Confidence to take risks - experimentation
• Imagination and originality
• Motivation and professional development

15. Value for Pupils

16. Value for Pupils
• Improved motivation towards learning another language
• Improved attainment in listening, speaking, reading and writing
• Develops cultural knowledge and interest in film as a cultural form

17. Speaking skills
during viewing
• Learners report phrases with or without
help of teacher/sub-title e.g. on poster
or PP
• ‘Predictive speech’ - what is he/she
going to say/do?
• Learner originated questions
• Descriptions and summaries while the
film is running (no sound)

18. Speaking skills
after viewing
• Discussion of film – likes/dislikes re
characters, aspects of film
• Information gap activities and role play
• Storyboard - continuing the story, alternative
endings
• Guessing games: describing
characters/events
• Re-sequencing mixed-up stills from film,
relating correct sequence

20. Film resources for MFL
• Kirikou et la Sorciere (1998, Fr, West African, BFI
films; dir Michel Ocelot); also Azur and Azmar/ The
Prince’s Quest by same director
• BFI shorts: Starting Stories 1&2 and Story Shorts
1&2
• Cine-minis DVD
• DVD of Courts Metrages: Courts de Recre and
Enfantillages, Institut Francais -
celine.cordier@diplomatie.gouv.fr
• ALL yahoo group on using film via Helen Myers
• BFI Southbank and Sheffield Showroom cinema days
on using film with MFL at KS2-KS5

21. http://screeninglanguages.wordpress.com
Launch BFI Southbank 23rd
November 2pm