using film and other media to engage lower abilities in classic gothic texts

Using film and other media to engage lower abilities in

classic gothic texts.Amy Keenan

The Wellington Academy@numpty_teacher

Introducing the gothic through media

• Interesting and engaging• Allows ease of access to a more challenging text• ‘Secret’ learning• Fun!

Using music• Helps students relate to the emotions in the text• Develops exploration of writer’s vocabulary

choice• An easy way to access subtext

‘Monster Mash’1. Lyrics playing as they enter2. Read lyrics & discuss3. Listen & read along, then discuss

If you or a TA make notes, which can later be distributed they can be used as a PEE paragraph.

Not the only option, but an example starter I’ve used in the past.

Using images• Prompts high level discussion and debate• Develops understanding, analysis and insight• Effective in groups, especially if they’re not taking

written notes. • Don’t be scared to embrace the cliché!

“Can we watch the film, Miss?”

• Catch up / filling in the gaps• Develop understanding• Develop empathy• Comparisons

o Film to filmo Film adaptation to texto Similar film to text

Possible ideas• Glee – ‘Thriller’ / ‘Heads will Roll’ mash up http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjXkJvCNekE • Michael Jackson – ‘Thriller’ http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA• Rhianna – ‘Disturbia’ http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1mU6h4Xdxc • ‘Doctor Who’ – ‘Tooth and Claw’ Trailer• ‘Count Duckula’ - ‘There are Werewolves at the

bottom of our garden’ - 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5NVSUwwRQ0

Using the whole film• Study alongside text or after text

o How are the same emotions created in the two texts?o Judge the quality of the adaptationo How well does the ‘remade’

• Students don’t always need to write something• However, it’s a good stimulus for writing

o but link the writing back to the original text, e.g. Use Sally’s Song from ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFy3gPzuGQc) to encourage them to write a song for the creature.

‘Thriller’1. The disclaimer:

1. How does that fit with the idea of gothic?2. Does it make it more or less gothic?

2. How effective is the filmic part of the video?3. Identify the features of gothic texts within the

video.4. Does the fact that it’s a music video, with singing

and dancing, make it more or less scary?

‘Doctor Who’• Familiar to many students• Non-threatening, as it’s not seen as ‘too clever’• Contains a lot of the classic gothic traits• This proved a good starter for a discussion about

the features of the gothic genre and how they have changed

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wavZNqZwg40