Talking and Writing

14. The text above contains a lamentation about the negative experience of teaching through the medium of cinema. Is it at all possible to make movies a handy means of education.

Tips for consideration:

• Cinema has become cross-cultural and ruins traditional values and patterns of behaviour.

• Feature films represent virtual reality, which is at odds with real circumstances, and they are misleading.

• Films are too successful in manipulating the young's conscience and have to be avoided.

• Films are indivisible into small episodes, which makes it difficult to discuss things analytically.

• Whole generations have been brought up on films one way or another.

• Values are not communicated to the viewer explicitly.

• The "Alf" TV series was hugely successful among youngsters.

• Most films cater for the general public with its varied tastes.

• Most films do have a positive message, but you have to put up with additional story-lines.

15. At home, write a summarising argumentative article based on the class discussion. See the format of argumentative story writing below.

• An argumentative articleis a piece of formal writing. There are quite a few types of argumentative articles such as: outlining advantages and disadvantages of the question under discussion, expressing the writer's personal opinion with supporting arguments, expressing for and against arguments and discursive essays.

• You should use a different paragraph for each point you make. Begin each paragraph with a key sentence which sums up the point you are going to make. Give examples to support your point of view.

• Study the chart with sample plans below and express your opinion in writing.

Type 1	Type 2	Type 3	Type 4
Advantages / Disadvantages	Expressing opinions / providing solutions	For and against	Discursive essays
1. State topic	1. State opinion/problem	1. State topic	1. State topic
2. Advantages	2. Point 1 / Suggestion 1	2. Arguments for	2. One point of view (e.g. scientific)
3. Disadvantages	3. Point 2 / Suggestion 2	3. Arguments against	3. Another point of view (e.g. moral)
			4. A third point of view (e.g. social)
4. Balanced consideration/ opinion	4. Restate opinion/best option and reason	4. Balanced consideration	5. Give own opinion

Role-play

16. In the course of cinema-related discussions you recall your old school and decide that incorporation of movies into the school curricula has become topical. You are convinced that both teachers and schoolchildren are starving for an expressive education medium and feature films would be the best answer. Every school must have a mini-cinema. Through films school would get through to every child and would be benefited in many other ways. There are scores of donors who could finance such project. However, the first step must be reaching an understanding and coming to terms with your ex-school's head teacher (nothing personal – a mere language exercise). From the start the head teacher is constructively opposed. Now it is your job to convince the PRINCIPAL of the benefitsof having that project in place andbreak his/her misconceptions.

    Your Avant-garde Ideas	School Master's Prejudice
    Children will learn best examples of Virtue and Dedication.	Kids will be exposed to low life and will make idols of villains.
    Feature films will support teachers' notions of "right and wrong".	Films glorify most notorious characters.
    Undubbed films will give a huge boost to foreign language learning.	Children will pick up even more dirty language.
    A good film includes indirect references to a lot of subjects at a time.	Feature films are chaotic from school's point of view.
    Films make up good common ground for mutual understanding between teachers, schoolchildren and parents.	A child's day is booked up with homework and other commitments. Films will encroach on this precious time.
    Films carry vast amount of knowledge and will ease introduction of most ingenious optional subjects on the curriculum (tailoring, design, career guidance, etc.) and familiarise with a number of jobs and industries.	Films represent fake reality; tell far-fetched plots about non-existent characters.
    Through the school cinema the school will become a genuine community centre.	This cinema will only add problems. The school will be confronted with having to handle a lot of extra folk.
    The project will give the school good publicity and open new opportunities for both the school and pupils.	Beaten road is the safest.
    Etc.	Etc.

17. You've heard favourable reviews of a film (choose one specific picture). You would like to go to that film and tempt a friend to pay you company. You decide to convince him/her and point out the film's brightest features (e. g. plot, performances, camerawork, etc.). In his/her turn, the friend might value the same or other aspects in a movie. This seems to be like a jigsaw game. Will the shapes fit and you will find company, or will you be disappointed? In the notebooks each of you privately mark the points you will either mention in convincing, or expect to hear (see below). After this you start the conversation.

Real Characters, with Real World Problems	Ingenuity of the Story-line	Humour	Cast	Direction
Work on Many Levels	Blend of Genres	Work on Emotions	Film's Message	Gives Role Models & Recipes for Youth
Characters	Quality of Script & Dialogue	Memorable Scenes	Symbolism	Score
Camerawork	Costumes	Performances	Hollywood Film	Domestic Film
Special Effects	Action	Romance	Technology	Based on Real Events

Optional: Mould the idea of a "school-cinema as a breakthrough into new opportunities and instrument of education" into the project format in writing. See the template in Unit 1 Part 4.