Using Film to Teach Literacy Online and in the Classroom (FutureLearn)

Explore the inspiring ways in which film can be used to deliver literacy learning for school students. Discover how to improve literacy using film. On this online course, you’ll identify how you can use film as a key tool to deliver literacy lessons, whether online or in the classroom, with your pupils.

Enroll in course

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Enhance your pupils’ literacy learning with film

Recent research has shown film can be a powerful tool to help improve children’s reading and writing.

It can be used to develop a range of abilities – decoding, inference and analysis – as well as expanding creativity and improving vocabulary.

Explore how film is the perfect resource for blended learning

Teachers and film education experts at film education charity Into Film will help you discover what makes film so useful for learning, wherever it is taking place.

You’ll examine how to use visual storytelling to aid students’ analytical abilities and apply an understanding of sound to help pupils’ visual literacy and interpretation skills.

Create lessons that engage and excite

Discovering an array of inspiring activities and teaching frameworks, you’ll learn how to create lessons from your own homes or the classroom.

Film is a resource that’s easy to use and access, and that can hold students’ attention. You’ll come away able to create literacy lessons that will engage all.

What topics will you cover?

- How to use the 3Cs and 3Ss to educate pupils around analysis, comprehension, and narrative -writing.

- How to break down a short film into camera, colour, character, sound, story and setting.

- How each element can be used separately or together to create engaging lessons.

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Apply knowledge of visual storytelling to develop pupils’ analytical skills

- Apply knowledge of sound to aid learners' visualisation and interpretation skills

- Apply knowledge of frame composition, such as camera shots, angles and movement, to create extended writing

- Demonstrate how other creative approaches can be used to engage and encourage pupils
Who is the course for?

The course is aimed at educators who are teaching their pupils either in the classroom or from home during this difficult period and are looking for engaging, relevant, and easy to use resources.