Understanding a Continent Teaching Latin America through Cinema

Understanding a Continent: Teaching Latin America through Cinema Hólmfríður Garðarsdóttir, Ph. D. University of Iceland The Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute

Teaching Latin America through Cinema •

Teaching through Cinema • The importance of motivation – – The early writings of Robert C. Gardner (1972/1985) Prof. J. Snowman – Psychology applied to teaching (2006) Prof. F. Lorenzo – Motivación y segundas lenguas (2006) … and Terry Lamb has emphasized the same – Contemporary learners capability to “decode”, capture and understand visual material

Teaching through Cinema • • Multi-talented • Multi-faceted • Multi-skilled • . . . the able and energetic youth of today. . .

Teaching through Cinema • Film studies as a part of language learning: – Second year University studies (total 60 ects credits – 10 ects credits in film studies) – How to represent the multicultural, multilingual and historically complex societies and communities of an entire continent? – How to make films become an operating tool to enhance cultural literacy and linguistic “decoding” and not be a mere “entertainment”?

Teaching through Cinema • Operation of a film club = Cine Club Hispano • Presentations every Tuesday at l 7. 00 hrs. • Obligatory attendance for student, but open to all • Screenings announced on the University intranet • “Kvikmyndaklúbburinn CINE CLUB HISPANO býður þér að sjá myndir frá Rómönsku Ameríku. Sýningar alla þriðjudaga, kl. l 7. 00 í Lögberg 101. • Aðgangur ókeypis og öllum opinn!”

Teaching through Cinema • Some of the working methods: – Hand-outs at screenings – resulting in; • targeted observation, evaluation of content and view-points, as well as the study of language use and register In class; Group activity, discussions, lecture, debate on the readings of the day –f. ex. two and two together select the main topics of an article or other material, present their results to the group, discuss and debate.

Teaching through Cinema • Machuca (Andrés Wood, Chile, 2004) • Amores perros (Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mexico, 2000)

Teaching through Cinema • Antes que anochezca [Before night falls] • (Julian Schnable, USA/Cuba, 2000) • “Reinaldos Arenas´s moving autobiography” (with Javier Bardem)

Teaching through Cinema • Throughout the semester (13 weeks) we offer only a glimpse of the continent in question. However, through. . . – Oral presentations – Film reviews / criticism – Essay writing at the end –. . . students also work with films not seen in class

Teaching through Cinema • “Að kveikja á perunni” • • • Promotion of. . . - autonomous learning - “hands on” activities - self-study - independent research projects • . . . a life long journey

Teaching through Cinema • . . . and to conclude – Films are a fantastic teaching tool and our students have gained valuable practice in “decoding” the information presented. – It is time that we as teachers step back because students have a lot to contribute, share and teach, -both each other and us.

Thank you! •