Link to the journal article:
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Hazzard-MakingMovies.html
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Hazzard-MakingMovies.html
A Proper citation of the article
Title: A Motivating ESL/EFL Students to Use English Through Movie Making
Volume : XII
Author: Dana Hazzard
danahazzard(at)pusan.ac.kr
Pusan National University (Pusan, Korea)
B Summary
The aim of the research is to create an English classroom that is comfortable whilst motivate the students to learn the language. The teacher is trying to promote the language in a more preferable way that comforts the students and at the same time enhance the students’ proficiency on the language that hopefully covers every part of English language as the core subject. The author interestingly tried to incorporate friendliness among the students as it was their first class without derailing from the main objective that is to improve their skills in the language.
The methodology of the teacher is rather interesting and brilliant. She had it done organized with everything taken care of in order to ensure the objective is met. The sample of this research was the author’s students herself of university students regardless of the sex and race. She firstly, divided the class into groups of three to five people each with variety of skills and capabilities. This is regarding the author’s experience of the students were well acquainted when they are different from each other, that they have lots of things to talk about. 30 minutes were given for them to mingle around. Later, the teacher started briefing out the rules and regulation to complete the assignment. The students were required to hand in the assignment on the seventh weeks. They were required to make a four minute movie for each group with scripts of totally by their own. Originality is compulsory with contribution equally from every member. Tools for filming the movies can either be on cell phones, digital cameras, webcams, or camcorders and the end product should be burned in a CD. As the submission of the assignment is on the seventh week, therefore the teacher required the students to do certain progress for every week. The first week, the students were to come out with at least five ideas on the movies with continuation to show a proposal of the movie they wish to conduct on the second week. During the second week, once the students got approval for their proposal, they can continue writing the scripts with given time of 30 minutes. In the mean time, they need to decide on the schedule of filming their movies. Again, the script needs approval from the teacher.
On the third and fourth weeks, teacher checked on the scripts’ originality and length as well as if there are grammar mistakes. The students are now started practicing their dialogue in groups to check the time line. They started memorizing their lines and practice the pronunciation. The teacher then advised the students to start thinking about the special effects, background music, costumes, lighting, computer graphics, and make-up to be used in their movies. They started filming the movies on the fifth week. They were allowed to leave early to go to the set but many chose to shoot the movie in class with little improvement. They used the boards to draw pictures and used posters or signs to show location and stuff. The sixth week is used by the teacher if the students have any final corrections or improvements on their movies.
The research turns out terrific and very helpful to the author. The experiment showed incredible results whereby the students of 74% spent approximately 8 hours working on the movies and 98% enjoyed doing the assignment. The experiment also had the author found out that 82% students prefer the movie-making assignment than sitting on regular test. The movies turned out surprisingly terrific that gave shock even towards the classmates. And the good news is that around 80% students were motivated to learn English while and after the movie making. These percentages proved that learning English through movie making is working whilst inculcating other benefits towards the students. The students showed tremendous creativity on the story line itself that mesmerized everyone who watches.
C Reaction
I Does the research interest you
I really think this research is interesting and very helpful for teachers. The use of technology is rather growing rapidly nowadays that it is a crucial thing to even have the skill to make a movie and by instilling or enhancing the skills while learning language is definitely something brilliant. The author had enhanced the students’ speaking skills through the dialog in the movie; it somehow also increased the students’ confidence because acting is something that not everyone can do. And these students succeed in acting as well as producing good movies. They managed to improve their grammar through the script their produced. They even showed progress on the relationship among themselves. The movie making assignment had them forgot about who they are and the thought of English language is difficult to learn isn’t there anymore. They managed to channel their talent in arts through this particular assignment. Their creativity is put in good used that they manage to come out with magnificent ideas of movies such as the Cindrella fairytale who is unable to marry the Prince out of the credit cards’ debt.
II Do you think the research is well conducted? If not how do you think it can be improved?
I think that this research is very well conducted that the author had thought of everything of the project. The author had planned the activities step by step for every week so that the students are able to follow every instruction without being left behind and positively gain something from it. The author had every students participate and contribute on the project that it gave equal opportunity for every students to learn and improve themselves. The choosing of movie making as the attraction for the students to improve their English language is very good and thoughtful. Furthermore, technology as simple as hand phones has always been the fascination for teenagers. Apart from the objective to produce a good movie, the teacher never forget her core intention to improve the students' language proficiency. She required every group to submit every draft or proposal to be checked thoroughly and these include grammar mistakes and choice of words. The teacher made the students work on their speaking ability through pronunciation and clarity to ensure the movies have good qualities. the objectives are met at the end that the students were all happy and hoping for upcoming similar assignments in the future.
III What is/are the implication(s) of the research in the teaching and learning of ESL (in the general and Malaysian contexts)
This research should be applied in our teaching and learning of ESL because movie making is something common now in our society. Students record silly things with their hand phones and make fool of themselves. Their ability and capability on technology should be manipulated into something good to ensure they acquire language as good as the skills because it shows that the learning of English as long as 12 years could not guarantee a Malay student to speak or write well in English. Another obvious problem with Malaysian students or Malay students in particular is that they are very shy to speak the language. It is known that we can only master the language if we practice the language and the practicing isn't happening with our students. therefore, a program or task like movie making somehow enforce these students to participate in the movie for everyone must has dialogues. At the same time, without they even realize it, they manage to speak and surprisingly act out that this somehow gives them an opportunity to use the language. Teachers now have variety in their ways of teaching . Language teachers have challenges to attract their students to like the subject and even greater to have the students excel in the subject. This research has been the reference for the teachers to vary their classroom activity with multiple advantages that can be incorporated towards the students.
