Teacher, trainer and materials writer John Hughes answers The Image Conference Questionnaire.
Your favourite film to use in class:
When I do workshops on using videos, participants always suggest new films which then become my current favourites. As I tend to specialize in Business English teaching, the short film ‘Signs’ (directed by Patrick Hughes, no relation) is a good example of a film with no speaking but which is very generative in the classroom. I use it in lessons on workplace routines and also for the language of texting. Watch it to see why!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ-HTKq_pLg?rel=0&w=640&h=360]
Tell us a bit about your two sessions:
The first session is very practical with lots of ideas on using video in different ways and with a rationale for why using video is important in relation to the language learning and the brain.
The second session is for people who are keen to write their own video scripts or who want to encourage students to write and create their own videos. We’ll look exposition, plot, character as well as, of course, language.
Why are you interested in using video in your classes?
We watch more than we read nowadays so using video in the classroom is one of the most obvious starting points for generating interest, learning something new about the world, and using language authentically.
What should your audience expect to learn?
They’ll take away some practical ideas for using video with their students, consider some of the pitfalls to avoid and pick up some writing ‘tricks’ if they (or their own students) want to write scripts for their own videos
What are three words that sum up your sessions?
Session 1: Interest, inform, integrate
Session 2: Hollywood vs. ELTwood
Which other presenter(s) are you looking forward to seeing?
When it comes to using video games in the classroom I’m a bit of newbie (bordering on slight sceptic) so I plan to go to Video Games & Visual Graphics by Kyle Mawer in order to be educated!
