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Database of Teaching Sources

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A database of selected, reviewed, tested, assessed and validated e-learning based language teaching sources addressed to Higher education students for the learning of 18 different European languages.

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Summerhill

Date of Publication

25/11/2014

Target Group

Lecturers
Students

Domain Area

Teacher Education

Learning Scenario

Autonomous learning
Classroom Context

Target Language

Slovakian

Language of Instruction

Slovakian

CEFR level

B2

Type of Material

Video

Linguistic Features

Vocabulary
Grammar

Skills

Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Writing

Description

The present resource is the famous BBC television drama about the radical Summerhill School, located in Summerhill. The film offers an authentic insight into the everyday life of a free school and a democratic community while giving useful information about the philosophy and the educational structure of the school. Students and teachers have the opportunity to get acquainted with the most relevant expressions and words related to alternative education as well as the methods used in this school. The film is ideal for learners at B2+ level and it is definitely appealing to those students who are interested in teacher training, as it offers a unique perspective of education. This resource allows lecturers to use a motivating teaching material in the classroom.

Case study

The material can be tested in classroom context. Students are asked to do the activities recommended in the guidelines section below. After this, they can be tested on their knowledge about Summerhill School and its philosophy or the vocabulary related to the topic to check the efficiency of the film and the related tasks. Also, a questionnaire can be designed so that the students participating in the project can give feedback on the source and the activities: Did they consider them useful, interesting and motivating? Do they think that they suit their needs? Do they have any ideas or suggestions for improvement?

Guidelines

As the film is more than 90 minutes long, it may be a good idea to watch it scene by scene.
Led-in-activity/warmer: The teacher elicits information on the students’ knowledge of Slovakian vocabulary in connection with schools, school subjects, school activities, school equipment, etc. This may encourage students to use Slovakian.
Step 1: Pre-listening activity. The teacher discusses and explains the expressions and words in each scene that the students may not be familiar with. The students are given worksheets containing questions, or true or false statements, etc. related to each scene. They read them carefully.
Step 2: Listening activity. The students do the given task. The teacher has to make sure that the students can hear everything without any interferences. If necessary, they can watch a scene twice.
Step 3: Post-listening activity. The answers are discussed and explained after each scene while practicing speaking skills. If necessary, the relevant parts can be watched again to clarify misunderstandings.
Step 4: Open discussion. The students have the opportunity to express their own ideas, opinions orally and they can write a comparative essay about traditional schools and Summerhill School based on this discussion.

Review

Category
Rate
Comprehensive approach
Capacity to match the needs of lecturers and students

5

Added value
The provided tangible improvements

5

Motivation enhancement
The capacity to motivate students to improve their language skills

5

Innovation
Effectiveness in introducing innovative, creative and previously unknown approaches to LSP learning

4

Transferability
Measurement of the transferable potential and possibility to be a source of further capitalisation/application for other language projects in different countries

5

Skills assessment and validation
Availability of appropriate tools for lecturers to monitor students’ progress and for students to assess own progress and to reflect on learning

5

Adaptability
Flexibility of the contents and possibilities for the LSP lecturers to adapt the contents to their and to students’ need

4

Usability
Assess the technical usability from the point of view of the lecturer and the student

5

Accessibility
Assess the accessibility from the point of view of the lecturer and the student

5

Comments:
Using films in classrooms is highly effective, innovative in nature and popular among language teachers and language learners as well. It does not require much preparation while most students find carefully selected authentic films motivating and interesting. It contains many technical vocabulary items and information about Summerhill School, so students can benefit a lot from it. It is relatively easy to apply this particular resource in different countries as it was dubbed into many languages or was subtitled (e.g. in Hungary). Adding subtitles to the film and asking simpler questions can make it possible to use this material with students whose Slovakian is at B2 level. Assessment can be aimed at the vocabulary, the topic itself (i.e. what students have learnt about Summerhill School), the comparative essay or their oral performance in the open discussion. The film is accessible on YouTube and can be downloaded easily.
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