Bfi Reframing Literacy

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ReframingLiteracy



‘I found that the children weremotivated, engaged and exceedinglyattentive right from the beginning.Their descriptive, inferential andpredictive skills were extended andthey found that they were better at this than they thought because this

form of media was familiar to them.The biggest difference in participationand quality of work was from theboys who are not usually enthusedby literacy. By the end of the twoweeks, the children had extendedtheir vocabulary and were able towrite for a variety of purposes andin different styles with greaterconfidence.’

The ‘form of media’ in question is film, and this feedbackfrom a delighted teacher in Peterborough encapsulates theextraordinary success of an ongoing campaign by the BFI.Our aim is to ‘reframe literacy’: to persuade teachers andeducation policy-makers that film should be an integralpart of the literacy curriculum in primary and secondaryschools throughout the land. And our reasons for doingso are compelling.Leading literacy teacher, Cambridgeshire



‘Literacy is not just about thewritten word’

Peterborough city councillor

This announcement in December 2006 signalledPeterborough’s long-term commitment to the idea thatwatching, studying and analysing a broad range of film inschool is integral to successful literacy teaching – not as aspecial option but as a regular part of literacy or Englishlessons for all five- to 14-year-olds.



We believe that learning about moving image media needs

to be seen as a fundamental entitlement for all children.This means looking at literacy in a new way.

Literacy is the repertoire of knowledge, understanding andskills that enables us all to participate in social, cultural andpolitical life. Many now recognise that this repertoire has toinclude the ability to ‘read’ and ‘write’ in media other thanprint: in moving images and audio, and in the hypertextstructures of the digital world.

A strong casefor change



For many years ‘media literacy’ has been seen as adifferent, and often threatening alternative to print literacy.Media skills, it is assumed, are bound to dilute or displace

learning about the written word.They are also seen as highlyspecialised: not only different from other literacy skills, butrequiring a completely different pedagogy.

These concerns recede when we examine what print andfilm have in common instead of focusing on their differences– and concentrate on the simultaneous development of whatwe call ‘the three Cs’: the critical, cultural and creativeapproaches to film and media literacy. 1

1

‘The three Cs’ approach was conceivedby the Media Literacy Task Force,a group of broadcast and culturalorganisations committed to thepromotion of film and med ia literacy.For more information and to sign theCharter for Media Literacy, please goto http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/research/advocacy/charter/

The critical approach: merging print and film

Both print and film media tell stories, differentiate betweenfact and fiction, present characters, manage time-scales, andconvey a sense of place and context. Both have evolvedgeneric features that enable us to recognise certain kinds of story (romance, for example, or propaganda) and organise ourexpectations accordingly. In other words, different mediashare many common textual strategies, and many of the keyconcepts necessary for the development of literacy are notmedium-specific.

Thanks to TV, DVDs and videos, four- and five-year-oldsarrive in school with a wider grasp of these key concepts.They have some understanding of narrative, genre, character,setting and time, even if they can’t express them very clearly. 2

Long before they learn to read, they can readily answerquestions about films like ‘can you tell what is going tohappen next?’ and ‘how can you tell?’. These questionsdevelop their ability to infer and predict: essential skillsin the reading of any kind of text.

2

See Jackie Marsh et al DigitalBeginnings: Young children’s use ofdigital media and new technologies ,University of Sheffield 2005 athttp://www.digitalbeginnings.shef.ac.uk/final-report.html



The cultural approach: exploring world film

The strong and positive links between children’s understandingof film and TV and their later reading achievement 3 are onereason for integrating film study into literacy teaching.Another is that children ought to experience a broader rangeof film than they would choose for themselves.Access tofilms from all over the world empowers children to engagewith the widest possible range of people, stories and cultures.

Despite the fact that they arrive in school with the capacityto engage with moving image texts that are much morechallenging than the books they are beginning to read, schoolsdon’t always recognise the need to introduce children to newcultural experiences through film. As a result, children can bepatronised and intellectually under-stimulated by many of the films they encounter at school.

3See Paul W. van den Broek (2001)The role of television viewing in thedevelopment of reading comprehension athttp://www.ciera.org/library/archive/2001-02/04OCT99-58-MSarchive.htmland Paul W. van den Broek et al (2005)Assessment of comprehension abilities in

young children in S.Paris and S.Stahl(eds) New directions in assessment of reading comprehension (pp 107-130)Mahwah: Erlbaum (in press).

The creative approach: making film

The third reason for bringing film into the heart of literacyteaching lies in making film. Much excitement and resourcegoes into creative film work, but often unrelated to criticalwork or wider viewing. We have found that children who makefilm after watching and discussing other films greatly expandtheir knowledge and understanding of what film can do.



‘Using moving images in theclassroom has made the end of KeyStage 3 fun and exciting. I chose tolook at The Man with the BeautifulEyes, using the poem and film.This enabled me to create a TransitionScheme of Work. From this I hoped to

forge a link between poetry in year 9and poetry in GCSE, focusing oncritical analysis of both film andprint based text. This was incrediblysuccessful. In fact it had the pupilson the edge of their seats wantingmore. A very refreshing way totackle the end of what is always ahard year for the pupils. They didnot realise how easy the Assessment Objectives could be at Key Stage 4.’

Gina Axford, Langleywood Secondary School, Slough



A greattrack record

The BFI campaign to reframe literacy began in 1999, when John Stannard, then head of the National Literacy Strategy(NLS), asked us to help his team explore the role that filmmight play in their emerging strategy – and address theirconcerns about the teaching of whole texts and thestructures that go with them.



Spreading the word

Our first resource, Story Shorts , was a compilation videowith a substantial teachers’ book. Those who used it wereenormously enthusiastic. The NLS bought copies for everylocal authority in England, and had their regional consultantsand advisers trained in our approaches. Both Scottish Screenand the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission setup new initiatives based on our campaign resources.

Even so, by the end of 2004 it was clear that the campaignwas not reaching anywhere near the numbers we wanted.So in England, we adopted a new approach: training anationwide cohort of Lead Practitioners – nominatedand financed by local authorities – who would designand disseminate curricula, resources and training.

A complete resource

We know that many teachers are intimidated by the ideaof analysing films in the classroom: they associate it withMedia Studies and assume that technical jargon must beused. To counter this, we evolved a user-friendly way of exploring the key concepts, even with very young children.Effective techniques were developed in collaboration withteachers and pupils in 35 schools, and then refined inseminars with literacy advisers and consultants. 5

5

Sample teaching materials can befound at http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/primary



top left:Baboon on the MoonUK 2002Christopher Duriezcourtesy of Britshorts

bottom left:The Lucky DipUK 2001

Emily Skinnercourtesy of Slinky Pictures Ltd

right:Between UsUK 2004Charlotte Bruus-Christensen,Stefan Monkcourtesy of the National Filmand Television School



Hidden (Gömd)Sweden 2002Hanna Heilborn, David Aronowitschand Mats Johanssoncourtesy of Story AB

Little Wolf UK 1992An Vrombaut courtesy of An Vrombaut



top left:NitsUK 2003Harry Wootliff courtesy of Dazzle Films

bottom left:Rescued by Rover

UK 1905Lewin Fitzhamon, CM Hepworthcourtesy of the BFI

right:Otherwise (Anders Artig)Germany 2002Christina Schindlercourtesy of Christina Schindler,Trickfilms



Birthday BoyAustralia 2004Sejong Parkcourtesy of the Australian FilmTelevision and Radio School

FlatlifeBelgium 2004

Jonas Geirnaert courtesy of La Big Family asbl



‘We had our initial launch event andwere delighted that the majority of our schools were represented…what has really amazed us though, is theway the project has taken on a life of its own. Despite our plans to impact on the classrooms in autumn 2006,

we were inundated with reports of moving image adventures happeningacross Slough in July. Neither of ushas ever known any project to havesuch an immediate impact. What hasbeen particularly pleasing is that thispositive response has come frompupils across all Key Stages.’

Jeanette Wenman, Manager of Primary Literacy,Slough Local AuthorityZoe Livingstone, Secondary English Consultant,Slough Local Authority



On local authorities

Between February 2005 and February 2007, 61 local authoritiesparticipated in the Lead Practitioner training. At each workshopwe introduced new short films and received a huge range of

learning programmes and creative ideas in return. The LeadPractitioners returned home fired with enthusiasm for trainingothers, for creating and circulating schemes of work, and forintegrating film with other new approaches to literacy.

The total financial commitment by local authorities currentlystands at over £800,000.And the money they have spent overthe past two years on BFI resources stands at about £400,000,reaching 5000 schools, and well over two million children. 6

A big impact



On the national curriculum

There has also been high-level political impact on thecurriculum in England. Since September 2007 all primaryschools in England have been following a revised frameworkfor teaching literacy, which now includes the requirementfor children to develop their ability to read ‘in print and onscreen.’ To support the new framework, the Primary NationalStrategy now includes sample schemes of work featuringshort films from the BFI resource and adopting our approachto teaching practice.

On teacher training

Universities running teacher training courses haveenthusiastically embraced our resource and approach,among them De Montfort University, Liverpool Hope,Roehampton Institute, London University Institute of Education, Oxford Brookes University, University of EastLondon, Sheffield University, Sunderland University andBath Spa University. In addition, Teachers TV has producedtwo sets of programmes demonstrating our approach. 7

6

Barnet, Bedfordshire, Berkshire,Birmingham,Bournemouth, BracknellForest, Brent, Brighton and Hove,Cheshire, Cornwall, Croydon,Derbyshire, Devon, Doncaster,Dudley, Ealing, East Yorkshire, Enfield,Gloucester, Hampshire, Hounslow,Kirklees, Lambeth, Lancashire, Leeds,Leicester City, Leicestershire,Lincolnshire, Liverpool, Merton,Milton Keynes, Newcastle Upon Tyne,Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Norwich,Nottingham City, Peterborough, Poole,Reading, Redbridge, Rotherham,Sandwell, Slough, Solihull, SouthGloucestershire, Southampton,Southend, Southwark,St. Helens,Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Swindon,Thurrock,Torbay, Walthamstow,Wandsworth, Wiltshire, Windsor andMaidenhead, Wolverhampton,Worcestershire

7

Teachers TV films featuring BFI shortfilms can be found at www.teachers.tvSearch for Reading Films KS1 andReading Films KS2.



‘The BFI should seek funding fromthe Department for Children, Schoolsand Families (DCSF) for an extensionof this scheme. Given its earlysuccesses, despite limited funding,it is clear that the properly-fundedextension of the scheme would have

a significant impact on movingimage education from FoundationStage to Key Stage 3 in England.’

Dr Jackie Marsh, University of SheffieldDr Eve Bearne, United Kingdom Literacy Association

These are the promising findings of an independentevaluation of the Reframing Literacy initiative (the finalreport, entitled Moving Literacy On, will soon be available atwww.ukla.org). And this call is made at a time when publicconcern about how we care for and educate our children isintense and widespread.



The timeis now

Burning questions

According to the Primary Review, the national curriculum is‘monolithic and inflexible…attending too little to creativity

and the generic skills of communication and problem solving’.It asks, ‘what should the primary curriculum look like? In what,precisely and all rhetoric apart, do curriculum breadth andbalance reside? What is a rounded primary education?’

In her latest Annual Report, the Chief Inspector of Schoolsnotes that ‘the gap between the outcomes for those withadvantages in life and those with the least is not reducingquickly enough.’



Clear answers

At the heart of the Reframing Literacy initiative lies theconviction that, if children get the chance to experience aliteracy curriculum that respects and extends their knowledgeof moving image media, they are likely to do better in school.It seems at least possible that if schools fail to address thefull range of children’s cultural experience, literacy standardswill continue to disappoint.

The Reframing Literacy experience also informs the currentdebate on public service programming for children. In a recentpaper entitled The future of children’s television programming,Ofcom reports that ‘a clear majority of parents regard publicservice programming for children as very important, [but] lessthan half think it is being delivered satisfactorily, especiallyin reflecting a range of cultures and opinions from aroundthe UK’. 8

In light of this criticism, we must look at children’s literacywithin the wider context of children’s culture. The time hascome to think about how schools can help make children’smedia experiences as rich and varied as we have long insistedtheir literary and artistic experiences should be.

8

The report summary can be found athttp://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/kidstv/summary



‘Teachers have seen how, startingwith film, all children regardlessof their ability, have been able todiscuss narrative in a sophisticatedmanner. Pupils are now more fullyengaged in a relevant and motivatingcurriculum. The use of film has

allowed children to learn using amedium within which they feelcomfortable and able to take risks.This allows for higher orderthinking to take place which isthen transferable into both readingand writing, as well as giving themthe tools they need to understandthe media rich world around them.’

Nicola Highfield, English and EAL Consultant(Secondary) Sandwell Local AuthorityRuth Leask, Primary Strategy Consultant(Literacy) Sandwell Local Authority



To becontinued

The BFI continues to use its national networks and contactsto build awareness of its short film resources and theavailability of its team of freelance trainers. Lead Practitionersacross the country are forming an online community supportedby a BFI-funded website, which will host resources, activitiesand debate around film and literacy. 9



Our partner, Film Education, offers training for LeadPractitioners through its CP3 programme. Several RegionalScreen Agencies in England are supporting schools by buildingLead Practitioner networks of their own. And short films area growing dimension of both cinema-based educationprogrammes and of the UK’s five children’s film festivals.

Through extended school services, another partner, Film Club,enables children to access cultural cinema. Placing an emphasison the ‘three Cs’, First Light Movies supports film productionby young people throughout the UK, and its website, FilmStreet, provides yet another gateway to cultural cinema.

Beyond literacy, we are developing short film resources tosupport the modern foreign languages curriculum; if filmshelp literacy, they ought to help language!

In June 2008, the BFI, its partners and the UK Film Councilwill launch a nationwide Strategy for Film Education in whichReframing Literacy will play a key part. And on 13 and 14November we will host a national conference at BFI Southbankin London.

9

For more information on the LeadPractitioners online community,please see www.mediaed.org.ukand www.mediaedassociation.org.uk



ActionTo realise the full potential of the Reframing Literacyinitiative to transform children's learning, we must worktogether to:

– Gather comprehensive evidence of the impact of this workon children's literacy throughout the country

– Gather, share and publicise good and 'next' practice withfilm in the literacy curriculum

– Conduct research into how children's learning progresseswhen they engage in literacy through film, especially in theFoundation stages and across the KS2/3 transition

– Conduct research into integrated creative, cultural and

critical learning through film i.e. the 'three Cs'

– Develop short film-based literacy programmes to supportInitial Teacher Training in Higher Education Institutions

If you have support, resources or evidence to offer, or wouldlike support or resources from us, please write to Mark Reid,Head of Education, BFI, 21 Stephen Street, London W1T 1LN,or email [email protected]



www.bfi.org.uk/educationwww.cinemagic.org.ukwww.discoveryfilmfestival.org.ukwww.filmclub.org www.filmeducation.org www.filmstreet.co.ukwww.firstlightmovies.comwww.barbican.org.uk/lcff www.mediaedassociation.org.ukwww.screenonline.org.ukwww.showcomotionconference.comwww.ukfilmcouncil.org.ukwww.ukla.org

More literacy and film resources can be found atwww.mediaed.org.uk

Regional Screen Agencies:www.filmlondon.org.ukwww.em-media.org.ukwww.northwestvision.co.ukwww.northernmedia.org www.screeneast.co.ukwww.screensouth.org www.screenwm.co.ukwww.screenyorkshire.co.ukwww.swscreen.co.uk

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