Oral Language Teaching Projects and Resources

This is an example of a two week oral language programme for Intermediate-aged children. It was based on an integrated literacy approach around the theme of the book of ‘The Burnt Stick’.

Week One

Strand: Oral Language –Listening

Level: 4 (Year 7/8)

Achievement Objectives: Interpersonal Listening – Students should listen to and interact with others to clarify understanding of narrative, information, ideas and opinions, and to contribute to discussion, in one-to-one, small group and class discussion.

Read Aloud: “The Burnt Stick” by Anthony Hill

Focus – Identity

Links to other curriculum areas: Listening

Links to others strands: Listening, writing, viewing

Approaches:

Teacher-directed

Modeling

Joint construction

Group work

Learning Activities

Lesson One

The class has a discussion – “what makes a good film?” e.g. good sound/visual effects, humor. Children discuss as a class the features of a film that makes it exciting to watch.

Children watch the film named “A Snail’s Pace” and brainstorm in small groups all the features they observed that helped convey e.g. high/low camera angles, fast blurred background –sharp close up.

Children report back to the class the techniques they observed that they thought helped create meaning.

Introduction of film techniques (visuals) to the class directed by the teacher.

Lesson Two

The children fold up a piece of A3 paper so there are eight equal boxes and explain to the children that this will be a storyboard

Review the short film – in small groups the children will do a quick sketch of eight significant parts of the film and write what made it effective. Review techniques from Lesson One. More play than one if necessary.

As a class, discuss and talk each group put in each of their eight boxes. “What were the most effective? What sort of mood did this create?”

Skills:

Interpersonal Listening – listen to and interact with others as a whole group, small group and one-to-one.

Co-operating in small groups.

Reporting back to the class using effective oral skills e.g. slow pace, clarity, tone.

Organising material effectively and supporting each other.

Processing information as a group and selecting relevant points to share to the class.

Processes:

Children working in small groups on a given activity.

Children given specific group roles to ensure everyone is actively participating and co-operating e.g. recorder, reporter, encourager, time manager, material collector.

Allowing each member to report back at least one point from the ideas gathered to encourage children to use their oral skills in front of an audience.

Introduction of specific film terms, (e.g. setting, plot, sound effects, cinematography) as a form of modeling – children are given examples from the teacher (a brief term such as ‘introduction’) that they can extend from.

The children are given the opportunity to work as a group, and to collaborate knowledge and ideas orally and to recall back these ideas as a group/individually

  • Teacher records ideas onto whiteboard.
  • Teacher introduces the features of them film such as colour/mood, music/sound effects, symbols, setting and characterization etc.
  • Ideas are put into sub-categories on the board, e.g. sound =noisy traffic, fast cars, lettuce crunch

The teacher and students create this by a joint construction

Learning Intention: The children will become familiar with various film techniques to prepare for the film study of “The Rabbit-proof Fence”

Specific Objective: The children will be encouraged to talk coherently in small groups about their previous knowledge, ideas of film and to share this knowledge through speaking as a whole group.

Week Two

Strand: Oral Language –Listening

Level: 4 (Year 7/8)

Achievement Objectives: Interpersonal Listening – Students should listen to and interact with others to clarify understanding of narrative, information, ideas and opinions, and to contribute to discussion, in one-to-one, small group and class discussion.

Read Aloud: “The Burnt Stick” by Anthony Hill

Focus: Identity

Links to other curriculum areas: Listening

Links to others strands: Listening, writing, viewing

Approaches:

  • Small group discussion
  • Whole class discussion
  • Teacher directed

Lesson Three

Recap from lesson one + two

Class discussion on how visual techniques are visual techniques can determine whether a film is well excellent/poor e.g. boring sound effects, not good use of lighting

Class discussion on “what is a film review?” e.g. people who review a film for a profession before the movie is previewed

Analysis of a film in small groups “The Rabbit-proof Fence”

Discuss the similarities between the novels “The Burnt Stick” and “The Rabbit-proof Fence”.

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