I had originally started my blog questioning the use of videos in the classroom. Often, as English teachers, we are met with students who ask us, "Why can't we just watch the movie?" As I have already discussed, my cousin, who I am tutoring for READ411, has a general dislike for reading and prefers movies. As a future English teacher, my first reaction is to not show the movies that are based on books. I should be trying to instill a love of literature and an appreciate for the written word for my students! Reading a beneficial on so many levels - beyond being able to read the street signs and restaurant menus - reading analytically allows us to see more truths about ourselves and others. So yes, as an English teacher, I need to develop these skills for my students.
So do films based on novels have any value in the classroom? Yes, I now think they do. Clearly, this class has changed my opinion about integrating technology in the classroom. If students enjoy watching the movies, why not show them? Overall, the movies can help them better understand the literature and visualize the characters. It also opens up a whole new set of assignments and evaluations. Students should be able to compare and contrast between the books and their movies. Students should be asking WHY! Why are certain scenes filmed differently than they are written? Why are some scenes in the book completely deleted in the movie? What is changed or added in the movies that lacks in the books? Why is that important? Does it add to or take away from the themes and motifs in the books? They could blog about it, write compare and contrast essays about it, and work through group assignments all based on movies that they may have already seen.
I found this list on Amazon.com of the 25 best books that were turned into movies. Although I may not read all of these books with my class, it is important to note that The Hunger Games became a movie this year. The entire Harry Potter series was made into 8 movies. The Great Gatsby is being remade into a movie to come out this year. Even To Kill a Mockingbird and The Scarlet Letter were made into movies. Not to mention the conversations that can be had about movies that use themes to modernize them: "10 Things I Hate About You" is based on Taming of the Shrew, "The Letter A" was based on The Scarlett Letter, and "West Side Story" was based on Romeo And Juliet. Clearly, these movies are being made and based on books for specific reasons that speak to the validity and craft of these novels.
I can now see the value in teaching books side by side with their movies. What better way to relate to students lives than to develop a vocabulary with them that enables them to have the movies versus books discussion? While it is easier to watch a movie than it is to read a book, it is a great academic tool to use both together to develop a more intellectual understanding of both books and movies!
Lizz, thanks for your thoughts. How much structure and what kind of structure do you think is necessary to give to students before watching the movie?
ReplyDeleteKevin, I feel that there would need to be quite a bit of structure. If I were to simply express a celebration for movies over books, I would not be developing any appreciation of literature for my students, thus defeating the purpose of the literature. I would want to wait until after the book is finished to show the movie based on the book. Also, I would want to provide worksheets for structure, as well as a classroom discussion prior to showing the movie. I would need to model what compare and contrast language is used when comparing a movie based on a book. Providing my students with a worksheet will also help them focus in on important facts and moments in the movies to better aid them with their understanding.
DeleteLizz,
ReplyDeleteI have also questioned movies in an English class. However, like you I have seen the way they can reinforce a lesson. I think some teachers fall into the pattern of using a video as the lesson - due to lack of need to plan or just because teachers can be tired or stressed out. I also agree that students should have a very structured lesson before the movie and a worksheet to be completed with the movie is a good way to have students gain something from the movie, other than just being able to have a movie day in class!
Lizz,
ReplyDeleteThis has always been a concern of mine, even when I was a student in high school. I'm always one of those people that says "the book is better than the movie" whenever an adptation is made. I really do feel that literature will always hold the upper hand to cinema. However, I agree with your point that teaching books side by side with movies is valuable, even if it is just to discuss with students what the advantages and disadvantages are between books and movies. My senior year in high school, they offered a new class called "Literature in the Media" to my utter delight. The entire year was spent reading a book and watching the movie adaptation then writing an essay and having class discussions about what aspects of the movies we liked and disliked, what we thought stayed true to the book and what didn't. It was so interesting to see how many movies have added new, irrelevant details and subtracted aspects of the literature that I thought were so important, in turn ruining the movie, in my opinion. I really do agree, though, that having structure when bringing this issue to the forefront in the classroom and teaching the books and movies alongside each other, as well as showing our future students the modernized version of classic literature is valuable and beneficial.