In this webinar, ELT writer and Eyes Open video manager Anna Whitcher explored how teachers can use video creation as an engaging classroom project.
Filmmaking is a great way to take student-centered learning to the next level. It involves students taking charge in a creative process and organising work as a team; it provides a good tool for language practice as well as a project-orientated life skill for their futures. Video creation is particularly motivating, as it provides an outlet for every type of student, whether they are extroverts, introverts, writers, actors, musicians or techies! Some may want to be more or less involved, and the great thing about filmmaking is that there is a role for everyone.
There may be disorder at the beginning of the task but teachers should not fear – there is an order to the chaos! To ensure your class has order, here’s Anna’s five-step approach to video creation, that you may find useful to follow:
1. Decide on a basic topic and the type of video you want students to create.
2. Give them a time limit, both in the length of the video and the time they can spend on it.
3. Have students select a role e.g. scriptwriter, director, actor and/or narrator, camera person, video editor.
4. Make sure students have access to the devices and/or other materials necessary to create the video.
5. Let them run with it (the hard part!).
Anna goes on to discuss the best way to make this process manageable, looking at ideal group sizes and how to organise the video time into slots in order to get the best results. She also explores the example introductory topics that students may like to capture on film.
Press play on the recording below to hear more: