Planning video challenges for CLIL Primary Education in 6 Steps

When planning any kind of e-challenge for learners to rise up to, one must carefully mindmap it and put it forward to them so that they actually know what they are being asked to accomplish, what learning goals are being achieved and what assessment criteria are being taken into account.

This is how the challenge of coming up with educational engaging video clips for CLIL Primary learners has been evisaged at URJC in Madrid, by a bunch of 27 pre-service teachers who are designing digital outcomes of the kind to be incorporated into their own e-publications for their own future CLIL Primary students.

 Step 1. Overview (challenge scenario)

'Imagine that you are selling a movie idea to a director with the hope that he will buy it and take it to the big screen.' 

This is the starting point, the context to trigger off the crafters' imagination (the learners) into setting up a video learning challenge.

 Step 2. Idea (challenge tip)

'Storyboards are the blueprints of any digital video challenge/project/mission/trailer/activity'.

This is the idea to start drafting the challenge.

 Step 3. The challenging question

'Let's create a storyboard and present it to the director'

This is what sets the challenge in motion and makes crafters go for it.

 Step 4. Guiding steps

Now that the crafters have risen to the challenge, it is time to guide them through how to accomplish it:

- Identify what you know about the challenge you are up to, that is, if you know what a storyboard is, and what you don't know about storyboarding, so as to investigate and find out.
- Analyse the challenge scenario, that is in our case, the CLIL e-publications we are designing and are in progress.
- Define the challenge your are facing, that is, how a video challenge can allign and match learning goals and needs within your overall e-publication.
- Design the work plan, that is, team up and discuss about what kind of video challenge you'd like to come up with: characters, background, aims, target audience and so forth.
- Gather and organise information, that is, surf and choose online means for designing the storyboard for your video challenge, investigate about the topic, about the info your are offering in that video challenge, and so forth.
- Develop activity, that is, use the means chosen and go for the design of that storyboard!
- Evaluate, spread the word, share and keep it up!

Step 5. Guiding missions

This is the time for hands-on work, that is, 
- write the storyboard, 
- craft it, 
- evaluate it, 
- improve it, 
- publish it and share it.

 Step 6. Guiding resources

Providing the crafters with curated useful resources for tackling how to plan a video challenge for CLIL Primary Education learners. In this particular challenge, we are mostly working with the Storyboard That free online tool.

And, finally, here you are the digital storyboards the bunch of pre-service teachers have come up with, which are obviously the preface to their actual video challenges, for whose results you should stay tuned and wait!


Meanwhile, all the participants in the #ictclil_urjc Master's Degree 2015 Edition and myself as their middle-lady are looking forward to your feedback about the final storyboards and what you think the evolution into actual video challenges will look like.

Pretty Woman Revisited

Twenty five years enjoying Pretty Woman, one of the classics of cinema in the late twentieth century.

But, do you really know it all about this enchanting film that shows the American Dream every man and woman would like to live?

Even though you may have seen the film as often as I have, maybe in English, or maybe dubbed to your own language, or maybe subtitled; even though you might have spotted flaws in one or more scenes and showed off about it such as the croissant that becomes a tortilla for Vivian's breakfast, are you really a Pretty Woman Master?

Let's see!

Did you know that

• Julia Roberts and Richard Gere were not the first choice for the film?

• the movie was about to be called "$ 3,000"? Wonder why!

• in the first version of the script, Vivian was addicted to drugs?

• Julia Roberts was so skinny that it was decided to use a double with more "curves" for intimate scenes?

• the legs we have all seen on the promo poster are not Julia Roberts' real legs but belong to a model?

• the necklace that Edward gave Vivian was actually a real quarter of a million dollar one, guarded at all times during the filming? And that the actual snapping the box lid to catch Vivian's finger was improvised by Gere and was not in the original script altough it was later included in the final version of the tape?

• the magnificent red dress every woman wanted to wear was first going to be black?

• in the fight between Edward and his friend Stuckey, Richard Gere actually lost the crown of one of his teeth due to the struggle?

• the scriptwriters first thought of returning Vivian to the streets and sending Edward back to New York with his girlfriend instead of ending the film with the romantic kiss that we all have had printed in our minds for the last 25 years?

See how Julia Roberts and Richard Gere reenact Pretty Woman lines and read about the cast 25th reunion.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Header image from Flickr by Alifia. CC BY 2.0

Crear y editar un proyecto audiovisual con herramientas en línea

Reto audiovisual digital

Practise your English pronunciation while you watch TV shows

PlayPhrase.me offers you the possibility to improve English pronunciation and patterns of intonation with your favourite phrases out of famous scenes of TV shows and movies.

Just key in the phrase or chunk of text you would like to practise and the tool will come back to you with the bits where the phrase was uttered by various actors and actresses at various films or TV shows. You will then be ready to drill the phrase as if it were a karaoke machine, as the phrase rolls down, highlighted below the sliding scenes out of which it has been singled out.

Quite a dynamic enjoyable way to keep your English intonation and pronunciation up. Enjoy it!

A tribute to Robin Williams

Maybe the one guy who was able to best wake up the world in the morning.

Image seen at The Hollywood Reporter.

Goodbye, Captain!



And, please remember: 'Seize the day!'



Related Posts: Good morning Vietnam!

Kalios 327, a new YouTuber has just landed!

Today we have the pleasure to introduce Kalios327, a learner who has just finished his Primary Education studies in Spain, but who is telling us here about his true dream: becoming a Youtuber, and how he has just opened his own Youtube Channel and has taught himself to work with video edition, at the age of 11.



YouTube Channel name and URL: Kalios327

Opening Date: May 2014

Interview Transcript:

Me: First of all, Kalios, thanks for presenting your channel in this blog, and congratulations on your work! I do believe that your initiative might become an inspiration for other kids that at your age are maybe thinking of doing the same. And now, could you start by describing the channel a little bit?

Kalios: My channel aims at entertaining all those viewers interested in video games, such as Happy Wheels, Minecraft, League of Legends, World of Warcraft and so forth, quite simple actually. If you are 7 years or older, this is the channel for you, you are welcome to suscribe!

Me: OK, and why have you opened this channel? How did you come up with the idea?

Kalios: The idea came up through a friend of mine, actually, who suggested uploading League of Legends videos to YouTube and so, I slept on it and thought of extending it a little bit and uploading various types of video clips. It took me a long time to set up the whole channel, and I know it still needs improving quite a lot, but like beta games, it is now ready to be public and tested.

Me: Could you please explain what you do before the video clip is at YouTube, step by step?

Kalios: Of course! There we go:
Step 1 - Screencasting the game with my comments about it.
Step 2 - Editing the recording to improve quality. I usually use Camtasia Studio 8 for that, altough I know there are many other tools available.
Step 3 - Viewing the outcome, revising that there are no mistakes, changing, improving it until I feel happy with the result.
Step 4 - Uploading the clip to my channel, sharing it with the audience and looking forward to the comments, which are always welcome if made with respect and good manners.

Me: But that must take a lot of time! How long does it take you to produce each clip, from the beginning until it is public at your channel?

Kalios: Well, that depends on the length of the clip. At the moment my videos are about 15 minutes long, and the whole process takes me around one hour per video.

Me: I guess you really enjoy the whole thing, but is there any part of it that you'd say it's your favourite?

Kalios: What I like best is to play the game and to know there are others that play the same game, as well as thinking that my videos might be helpful for players or that they simply make them smile if viewing them after a hard day. Sharing is the best part of it all!

Me: And what is the most difficult part of it all?

Kalios: the technical part, that is, the quality of audio, uploading and above all, having suscribers and getting to be known on the net.

Me: OK. And the easiest part of it all?

Kalios: Commenting, without any doubt at all, commenting.

Me: I see all your clips are in Spanish. Have you ever thought of commenting in English?

Kalios: Yep, the target audience is Spanish speakers, and I had not thought of commenting in English, but you never know.

Me: Well, thanks again, Kalios, for this lovely presentation. Now, let the readers view your channel opening trailer.

Kalios: You are welcome! I hope you all enjoy the trailer, and the channel, too!

Storyboarding the trailer of the Book-Me Library e-project

View StoryBoard by @blitacor for Book-Me Library trailer. Stay tuned for upcoming film!

Multilingual cruise

Get ready for your educational seafaring ticket in September 2013 and cruise around innovation, journeying with those in exile.

More information:

El Barco del Exilio

N-MOOC

Twitter

Facebook

Linkedin

Spundge

Mural.ly

Pinterest

Google+

The Great Gatsby

Undoubtedly Gatsby has hit it big since its release on May 10, 2013, but for those of you that know there is a novel behind and not only DiCaprio, there you go further information about The Great Gatsby, an abridged ebook, and the audiobooks to have a go at and then make up your mind about giving the movie a try, or not! Who knows?

Cover from Wikipedia

Picture from ESL-bits.net

Have you ever felt like Eliza Doolittle?

Click on the image below, watch the video clip and find out.

Picture from The Jane Austen Film Club.

While you are watching and listening, you have some work to do: this worksheet will help you understand what is going on and why.

Movie Clips

Movie Trailers, Previews, Clips of old, new and upcoming films.

Visit MovieClips.com

Moments

Have a look at this picture:

What does the woman look like?

What kind of person do you think she is?

What has she done in her life?

How is she feeling right now?

What’s she looking at?

Now, look at this new picture:

What does the man look like?

What kind of person do you think he is?

What has he done in his life?

How is he feeling now?

What’s he looking at?

Both photos are taken from a short film. 

Create a story in which the man and the woman are characters. Write your story in the Comments Textbox of this entry and discuss the different stories your partners are writing with new replies to your mates' own comments.

Now, let's watch the film and compare your stories with the story you see in the film.

How does the man feel when he sees images of his daughter on the TV screen?

How does the wife feel when she sees her daughter?

How does the daughter feel when she sees her father?

How does the father feel when he sees his daughter and wife?

How does the film make you feel?

What do you think happens after the film finishes?

Homelessness

Discuss:

1.Are there many homeless people in your country? 

2.What are the main causes of homelessness? 

3.What can governments do to prevent homelessness? 

4.What can you do to help homeless people? 

5.How do you feel when you see a homeless person? 

6.If you were homeless, how would you feel and what would you do all day? 

7.Is homelessness a “hidden” issue for society and homeless people “invisible”? 

8.How do you feel when people say homeless people “should just get a job”? 

9.Are there homeless children in your country? 

10.What are the causes of child homelessness?

I always get butterflies in my stomach

'I always get butterflies in my stomach when I have to speak in public.'

Can you understand  the idiom above? 

Can you tell me other idioms which use parts of the body?

Now, let's see if you can fill in the gaps in the sentences below using a part of the body.

shoulder    arm’s    foot    nerves    heart

1. I really put my ______ in it when I asked how his wife was; I didn’t realise they’d got divorced last year.

2. Maria will do anything for anyone; she’s got a _____ of gold.

3. It’s not easy to become friends with Peter; he tends to keep everyone at _____ length.

4. John always talks to his mother when he needs a _____ to cry on.

5. My boss is really getting on my ______ at the moment; he never stops criticising my work.

Interested in learning more idioms with parts of the body? Just click on English area.

Next, in pairs, tell each other about the following situations:


1. A time you put your foot in it.

2. Someone you know who has a heart of gold.

3. Someone you know who keeps other people at arm’s length.

4. Someone you talk to when you need a shoulder to cry on.

5. Someone or something that’s getting on your nerves at the moment.

'Head over heels'

Do you know what the idiom above means? 

You are going to watch a short film called Head Over Heels.

1. What type of film do you think you are going to watch?

2. What sort of things do you think you are going to see in the film?

First, watch the first two minutes of  the film.

short film from kieran donaghy on Vimeo.

1. Were your predictions correct?

2. What problems do the couple have?

3. What do you think is going to happen in the rest of the film?

4. Are they going to be able to sort out their problems? How?

Let's watch the rest of the film now and answer  the following questions.

1. How did the film make you feel?

2. What adjectives would you use to describe the film?

3. How did the couple overcome their problems?

4. What’s the message of the film?

Finally, discuss the following questions:

1. Do you believe in love at first sight?

2. Do you believe that opposites attract or that birds of a feather flock together?

3. Do you think that some people are just made for one another?

4. Do you know any couples who are a match made in heaven?

5. Do you know any couples who have a stormy relationship?

6. If a couple are on the rocks, what are the best ways to patch up their relationship?

7. What is a really romantic way to pop the question?

8. What’s the best age to settle down?

See full lesson at FilmEnglish

Margaret Thatcher dies

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died today at the age of 87, due to a stroke, as sadly announced by her children Carol and Mark Thatcher.

Read all about Britain's first female PM:

The Guardian

CNN

BBC News

The Telegraph

Time World

Our Farewell to The Iron Lady.

By David F Marqués

By Julia Garrido

By Cristina

By D. Morán

By Yolanda G.

By Rosa

By Paloma

The Lighthouse

To all the fathers in the world.

No need for words!

Leave your comment with your tribute to your own father, if you wish.

The Joy Luck Club

By Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club tells the story of four Chinese mothers and their first generation Chinese-American daughters, living in San Francisco, Califormia; two generations in a continuous fight to come to terms with their cultural identity.

These immigrant families start a club known as 'The Joy Luck Club', and they play a Chinese game called mahjong while they feast on a range of foods.

The book is structured in four parts, divided into four sections to create sixteen chapters. The three mothers and their four daughters (one mother dies before the novel opens) share stories about their lives.

Later on, after being a best seller, it was made into a film directed by Wayne Wang.

Watch an interview with the director:

Now, watch a scene from the film, where Waverly introduces her American boyfriend to her parents:

Now, discuss:

Do you know any second generation immigrants to any country?

In your opinion, what are the main snags immigrants have to face when leaving their own countires of origin?

Is the current world the perfect melting pot? Why/Why not?

Would you move abroad in search of a better life? If so, where?

What cultural differences would you find most shocking?

What cultural differences would immigrants coming to your country find most surprising?

Read further information about The Joy Luck Club.

Finally, let's make a map-based story narrating one of their trips from their country of origin to the USA. Choose one of the mothers, surf for information about her itinerary and create your tale.

Let's get ready for the 85th Academy Awards

How many Oscar awarded films do you know?

Watch and make your comments.



Academy Awards: Best Picture Oscar Winners from Nelson Carvajal on Vimeo.


Now that you have the images, make up the words.

You are about to become a film narrator!

Your job is to attend the ceremony and be the voice for the video above.

Juanjo's Opening Speech

On time

What can you see in the image below? Can you describe it in pairs?

This image comes from a short film called On Time.

Before watching the film, discuss the following questions:

What do you think the short film is about? 

What story does the short film tell? 

What do you think you will see and hear in the short film? 

How does the image relate to the short film? 

Why is the short film called On Time?

Now, watch the film and compare your answers to the previous questions with what you see and hear in the film.

Did you like the film?
How did it make you feel?
Does the film have a message?

You are going to watch the film again; this time, concentrate on Arthur, the main character, and use adjectives to describe how he is feeling at different stages in the film: 

• at the beginning, when he is looking at the photo
• when the salesman shows him the case
• when he talks to the woman
• when he signs the contract
• when he boards the plane

Now, in pairs, talk about these questions:

Would you like to have this case?
How could the case be useful?
Could the case be used in a bad way?

Finally, ask each other this set of questions:

Time expressions questions by

Lesson by Kieran Donaghy at Film English