1. Learning English through Popular Culture NSS Network Informal Gathering June 25 th 2010

2. Promote sharing of experiences ideas resources

3. NSS Network E-group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NSSnetwork/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NSSnetwork/ handout

4. Getting to know one another Tell your group members: –Your name –Your school –Levels and no. of classes you’re teaching

5. Warm-up activity Follow the instructions to play the game. Listen carefully! Slap/escape when you hear the word “module(s)”

6. School sharing: GCC&ITKD Lau Pak Lok Sec School Ms Au Yong Tan Fung Ms Luk Wing Yan Ms Ma Ho Yan Ms Lai Wing Yee

7. Students: Average ability Weaker in this year’s S4 Background School background Teachers: Experienced in teaching LA Developing expertise in designing materials Planning group set up

8. Rationale Variety of text types Interesting topics for students Can include SBA tasks Not much ready-made material available School-based module on popular culture

9. Arrangement for teaching the electives YearTerm 1Term 2 SS1CorePopular Culture SS2Poems and Songs Workplace Communication SS3Core

10. Module overview No of lessons Content 2 Defining popular culture 4 Introducing heroes and villains 10 Superhero movie review and discussion 8 Real life heroes and villains 6 Advertising and movie trailers 6 Final task – writing a scene from a movie Extra-curricular programme

11. Supporting decisions Vocabulary related to superheroes Describing appearance and character Introducing heroes and villains 1.Categorising famous people 2.Reading about comic book heroes 3.Creating a superhero Defining popular culture Asking questions Reporting Defining popular culture 1.Categorising pictures 2.Class survey 3.Report and definition ObjectivesActivities

12. Categorising pictures Report and definition

13. Describing character, justifying opinions Discussion skills and language Vocabulary for giving opinions of a movie Superhero movie review and discussion 1.Commenting on characters in a movie 2.Evaluating a student discussion 3.Writing a review 4.Comparing two movies ObjectivesActivities

14. Work on “Spiderman” Plot summary, setting and characters Vocabulary work on the plot summary Comparing the characters of Peter and Harry Discussion questions Writing a letter to Mary Jane Which is the most important event in the story? Who is a better boyfriend for MJ – Peter or Harry? What kind of superpowers would you like to have? Discussion

15. watching a student interaction http://www.hkedcity.net/article/project_sba_eng_present/ep4/ assessment rubric reading and writing a review SBA task

16. Reading and listening skills Speaking Advertising and movie trailers 1.Reading about advertising techniques 2.Analysing a movie trailer 3.Writing a voice-over Listening and reading skills Language features of a biographical article Presentation skills Real life heroes and villains 1.Watching an interview with a famous person 2.Reading a biographical article 3.Writing a biographical article 4.Giving a presentation ObjectivesActivities

17. biography preparing presentation sample presentation

18. adverts movie trailers

19. Dialogue writing Understanding assessment criteria Final task – writing a scene from a movie 1.Learning features of a screenplay 2.Watching and evaluating a student movie 3.Writing a scene from a movie in the format of a screenplay 4.Recording the scene (optional) ObjectivesActivities

20. sample screenplay students’ work With thanks to staff and students at NLSI Lui Kwok Pat Fong College assessment rubric The Metalmen School Hero

21. Assessment – Portfolio Contents 1A paragraph about popular culture in Hong Kong 2Letter to Mary Jane 3Movie discussion evaluation 4Movie review (with evaluation rubric) 5 A biography of a famous person (with evaluation rubric) 6Presentation about a famous person evaluation 7Movie trailer voice over (with evaluation rubric) 8Movie screenplay (with evaluation rubric) 9400 word essay 10My reflections an this module

22. Do you remember that Harry’s father said bad things about you. Harry didn’t speak up for you. That shows that he was cowardly and weak. A good boyfriend shouldn’t do it Letter to Mary Jane

23. Extract from movie review

24. Assessment The marks for the portfolio relate to students term marks for English: -Two pieces of writing (Letter to Mary Jane and a movie review) -Movie Clip -SBA (Group Discussion) Examination -Writing Paper Write one long essay in about 400 words

25. Responses from students and teachers Teachers Watching the sample group discussion is particularly useful Students learn many useful phrases and expressions from the movie reviews Too much focus on movies, may include issues like social networking Students need more help in writing a persuasive letter and a voice-over Students Love to make a movie clip Find the topics interesting Particularly interested in analyzing the technical aspects e.g. camera angles Advertising skills like use of humor can attract students’ attention Writing a voice-over for a movie trailer is too difficult for them

26. Improvements for the future Provide a wider variety of text types and media for students to study (eg social networking media, etc) Need to introduce new elements each time – after all, this is popular culture…… Include an exam-type writing task at the end of the module

27. Thank you! Any questions? http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/languagesupport /resource/english/88S/index.htm For downloading worksheets etc:

28. Sharing resources Refer to the form and material you brought with you Share your texts with the group Check out the recommend- ations on the NSS Network E-group!

29. Useful websites (from e-group)

30. Thank you! Please don’t forget the evaluation form