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Date Posted: 13:31:54 07/30/03 Wed
Author: Daniela Elisa Duarte Ferreira
Subject: Task 13

Working with a video-extract

It’s interesting to work with video-extracts in class as students usually become more involved in the activity because of the visual matter and also because it’s different from the class-routine. In addition, video-extracts from movies, soap-operas, commercials, etc. are real material, which means that they are part of what students face outside classrooms.

The first step in this activity is getting students together in groups of three or four. They only need a piece of paper and a pen, but they are not obliged to use them, only if they want to take notes.

The teacher has previously chosen a video-extract for the activity. This video can be related to a specific genre that they are working on, such as a meeting in an office, a marriage proposal or one leaving a message for a friend in the answering machine. I’ve planned to do this activity with my students in the first day of the term, in order to discuss topics related to education. I’ve chosen a part from the movie “The mirror has two faces” in which the Professor roled by Barbara Streisand gives a lecture.

For step two, students watch the scene in mute, therefore they only see what happens, but they can’t hear what characters say.

In three, after they’ve watched the scene, they discuss in groups what they think is happening in the video-extract. By trying to decide the group’s opinion about what the scene means, they need to discuss and evaluate facts to reach a conclusion.

Finally, we open up the discussion to see what the groups have agreed to be the scene about. Then they have the chance to explain to their colleagues and teacher their reasons to come up with such decision. Students can exchange questions and arguments. In this activity, the teacher guide and help, talking to the groups before the presentations and leading the discussion. If the students think it’s necessary, they can “hear” the scene afterwards, however, I believe it can be relevant if the vide-extract is in English, not in another language.

This activity goes with Littlewood’s (1983) definition of “Process Information” activities, as “learners must not only analyze information, but also argue, justify and persuade, in order to reach a common decision”. (p. 38)

References:
BREEN, Michael P., CANDLIN, Christopher, WATERS, Alan. “Produção de Materiais Comunicativos: Alguns Princípios Básicos”. In: Trab. Ling. Aplic., Campinas, (32):39-52, Jul/Dez. 1998.
LITTLEWOOD, William. “Communicative activities: some general considerations”. In: Communicative Language Teaching – an introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983 (16-21)
LITTLEWOOD, William. “Functional communication activities”. In: Communicative Language Teaching – an introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983 (22-42)
Movie: The Mirror has Two Faces (1996)

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