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Teaching LC English Comparative texts

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  • 18-10-2017 4:10pm
    #1
    anothernqt
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭


    Ive just picked up some english classes for senior cycle and Ive not taught these before.

    Ive been asked to start off with film, but ive no idea how to go about this, or to structure it for my students.

    What notes should I prepare? Is there a good/ bad way to teach this?

    Also on the modes, should I take one at a time, and work through that? For example if I look for Cultural Context, how would people recommend I go about that?

    I dont remember my own school days and how this worked si any help is very much appreciated!


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    #2
    randylonghorn
    Registered Users Posts: 29,509 ✭✭✭✭randylonghorn


    Moved from LC to T&L; you may get more helpful responses here. :)


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    #3
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,222 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    If you can, teach them how to make their own notes. It will stand to them.


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    #4
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,905 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    The phrase "Themes, Tone, Techniques" was nearly drilled into us 10 years ago, but it worked.

    Watch the film yourself and pick out a few things under each heading.

    Is the outlook of the text optimistic or pessimistic? How so? Or is that open to interpretation by the reader/viewer?

    We were always advised to avoid focusing on "Love" as a theme as it's too vague and is easily open to banal or clichéd answers. Ask yourself not just what the artist was trying to communicate, but how they achieve it.

    Is there use of pathetic fallacy, foreshadowing, ambiguity, humour, close-ups, colour signals, stereotype, etc? How is tension created? Don't just focus on dialogue, but pick examples of darkness and light in different scenes, score/background music, body language, power dynamics highlighted by height or size, etc.

    Cultural context might need a bit of extra research if the text is set in a particular era. What is the history of that place? How did those conditions come about? Are there political or racial or religious divisions or class conflicts? What motivates the people in that particular place and time? Are there pop culture references from the real world?

    You'll be able to point out some of these things easily, but the class should be offering their own ideas and asking questions from time to time as well if they get a chance to respond to pieces of the film in class.


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