• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

site logo
The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language
search
  • Home
  • About TESL-EJ
  • Vols. 1-15 (1994-2012)
    • Volume 1
      • Volume 1, Number 1
      • Volume 1, Number 2
      • Volume 1, Number 3
      • Volume 1, Number 4
    • Volume 2
      • Volume 2, Number 1 — March 1996
      • Volume 2, Number 2 — September 1996
      • Volume 2, Number 3 — January 1997
      • Volume 2, Number 4 — June 1997
    • Volume 3
      • Volume 3, Number 1 — November 1997
      • Volume 3, Number 2 — March 1998
      • Volume 3, Number 3 — September 1998
      • Volume 3, Number 4 — January 1999
    • Volume 4
      • Volume 4, Number 1 — July 1999
      • Volume 4, Number 2 — November 1999
      • Volume 4, Number 3 — May 2000
      • Volume 4, Number 4 — December 2000
    • Volume 5
      • Volume 5, Number 1 — April 2001
      • Volume 5, Number 2 — September 2001
      • Volume 5, Number 3 — December 2001
      • Volume 5, Number 4 — March 2002
    • Volume 6
      • Volume 6, Number 1 — June 2002
      • Volume 6, Number 2 — September 2002
      • Volume 6, Number 3 — December 2002
      • Volume 6, Number 4 — March 2003
    • Volume 7
      • Volume 7, Number 1 — June 2003
      • Volume 7, Number 2 — September 2003
      • Volume 7, Number 3 — December 2003
      • Volume 7, Number 4 — March 2004
    • Volume 8
      • Volume 8, Number 1 — June 2004
      • Volume 8, Number 2 — September 2004
      • Volume 8, Number 3 — December 2004
      • Volume 8, Number 4 — March 2005
    • Volume 9
      • Volume 9, Number 1 — June 2005
      • Volume 9, Number 2 — September 2005
      • Volume 9, Number 3 — December 2005
      • Volume 9, Number 4 — March 2006
    • Volume 10
      • Volume 10, Number 1 — June 2006
      • Volume 10, Number 2 — September 2006
      • Volume 10, Number 3 — December 2006
      • Volume 10, Number 4 — March 2007
    • Volume 11
      • Volume 11, Number 1 — June 2007
      • Volume 11, Number 2 — September 2007
      • Volume 11, Number 3 — December 2007
      • Volume 11, Number 4 — March 2008
    • Volume 12
      • Volume 12, Number 1 — June 2008
      • Volume 12, Number 2 — September 2008
      • Volume 12, Number 3 — December 2008
      • Volume 12, Number 4 — March 2009
    • Volume 13
      • Volume 13, Number 1 — June 2009
      • Volume 13, Number 2 — September 2009
      • Volume 13, Number 3 — December 2009
      • Volume 13, Number 4 — March 2010
    • Volume 14
      • Volume 14, Number 1 — June 2010
      • Volume 14, Number 2 – September 2010
      • Volume 14, Number 3 – December 2010
      • Volume 14, Number 4 – March 2011
    • Volume 15
      • Volume 15, Number 1 — June 2011
      • Volume 15, Number 2 — September 2011
      • Volume 15, Number 3 — December 2011
      • Volume 15, Number 4 — March 2012
  • Vols. 16-Current
    • Volume 16
      • Volume 16, Number 1 — June 2012
      • Volume 16, Number 2 — September 2012
      • Volume 16, Number 3 — December 2012
      • Volume 16, Number 4 – March 2013
    • Volume 17
      • Volume 17, Number 1 – May 2013
      • Volume 17, Number 2 – August 2013
      • Volume 17, Number 3 – November 2013
      • Volume 17, Number 4 – February 2014
    • Volume 18
      • Volume 18, Number 1 – May 2014
      • Volume 18, Number 2 – August 2014
      • Volume 18, Number 3 – November 2014
      • Volume 18, Number 4 – February 2015
    • Volume 19
      • Volume 19, Number 1 – May 2015
      • Volume 19, Number 2 – August 2015
      • Volume 19, Number 3 – November 2015
      • Volume 19, Number 4 – February 2016
    • Volume 20
      • Volume 20, Number 1 – May 2016
      • Volume 20, Number 2 – August 2016
      • Volume 20, Number 3 – November 2016
      • Volume 20, Number 4 – February 2017
    • Volume 21
      • Volume 21, Number 1 – May 2017
      • Volume 21, Number 2 – August 2017
      • Volume 21, Number 3 – November 2017
      • Volume 21, Number 4 – February 2018
    • Volume 22
      • Volume 22, Number 1 – May 2018
      • Volume 22, Number 2 – August 2018
      • Volume 22, Number 3 – November 2018
      • Volume 22, Number 4 – February 2019
    • Volume 23
      • Volume 23, Number 1 – May 2019
      • Volume 23, Number 2 – August 2019
      • Volume 23, Number 3 – November 2019
      • Volume 23, Number 4 – February 2020
    • Volume 24
      • Volume 24, Number 1 – May 2020
      • Volume 24, Number 2 – August 2020
      • Volume 24, Number 3 – November 2020
      • Volume 24, Number 4 – February 2021
    • Volume 25
      • Volume 25, Number 1 – May 2021
      • Volume 25, Number 2 – August 2021
      • Volume 25, Number 3 – November 2021
      • Volume 25, Number 4 – February 2022
    • Volume 26
      • Volume 26, Number 1 – May 2022
      • Volume 26, Number 2 – August 2022
      • Volume 26, Number 3 – November 2022
      • Volume 26, Number 4 – February 2023
    • Volume 27
      • Volume 27, Number 1 – May 2023
      • Volume 27, Number 2 – August 2023
      • Volume 27, Number 3 – November 2023
      • Volume 27, Number 4 – February 2024
    • Volume 28
      • Volume 28, Number 1 – May 2024
      • Volume 28, Number 2 – August 2024
      • Volume 28, Number 3 – November 2024
      • Volume 28, Number 4 – February 2025
    • Volume 29
      • Volume 29, Number 1 – May 2025
  • Books
  • How to Submit
    • Submission Info
    • Ethical Standards for Authors and Reviewers
    • TESL-EJ Style Sheet for Authors
    • TESL-EJ Tips for Authors
    • Book Review Policy
    • Media Review Policy
    • APA Style Guide
  • Editorial Board
  • Support

Film is Content: A Study Guide for the Advanced ESL Classroom

September 1998 — Volume 3, Number 3

Film is Content: A Study Guide for the Advanced ESL Classroom

Julia A. Williamson and Jill C. Vincent (1996)
Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press
Pp. viii + 215
ISBN 0-472-08330-9 (paper)
US $16.95

Purpose

The movies–especially “Hollywood-style”–are ubiquitous; small American towns have their downtown one-screen movie houses, and large cities their “multi-plexes” with up to a dozen blockbusters showing at the same time. In other westernized countries around the world, American films are readily available at movie theaters, on television, or on video. In many neighborhoods, video rental outlets are as common as the corner grocery store. In some smaller towns, the corner store or gas station is the video store. New technology, such as the home satellite dish or pay-per-view movies, promises to make movie watching even more frequent. In short, it is the rare student who has never had the experience of the movies in some form.

With this in mind, it is no surprise that teachers often turn to the subject of film for discussion in the ESL classroom. From their usually vast experience of filmgoing, students can describe their favorite (or least favorite) film, narrate the plot, and compare or contrast two films of the same genre or with the same theme. While most teachers are competent to lead such discussions or generate activities based on film, it is not every teacher who has a theoretical background in film analysis. After all, film is a medium which, like literature, can be analyzed according to a number of theoretical approaches. Film Is Content: A Study Guide for the Advanced ESL Classroom provides a guide for teachers who have seen a large number of movies, as most people have, but who may not have the critical vocabulary to describe them. Its purpose is to give both the teacher and the students a framework within which to discuss various aspects of American films.

Content

The book opens with a teacher’s guide which is designed to help the teacher and the students “read” the film. The authors describe previewing tasks (discussions about title, characters, plot, and so forth) and postviewing activities (such as role-playing, journal writing, acting out a scene, reading film reviews). They also carefully explain elements of film structure–plot, character, setting, theme–in terms students can easily understand. Approaches to film terminology are briefly explained, and wherever a difficult or unfamiliar word appears, the authors provide a synonym to [-1-] facilitate students’ comprehension, as in this example: “Medium shot. Shows only the upper body of the actor. It is useful for making expository <introductory> scenes” (p. 8). The authors also introduce a number of approaches to film criticism, and the teacher or student who wishes to learn more is invited to consult the extensive bibliography. Six thematic chapters with four films each make up the main part of the textbook: classic films, feminism and the feminist film, discrimination in film, aspects of the romantic comedy, Hitchcock films, and suspense films. Additional units for consideration suggest examining remakes (Father of the Bride 1950/1991, The Postman Always Rings Twice 1946/1981); parodies of the Blazing Saddles or Airplane type; or fairy tales. The authors also include a lengthy list of novels, plays and short stories which have been made into film adaptations. At the end of the book, the reader can find quizzes on each of the films studied.

Organization

All of the chapters begin with an introduction explaining the various aspects of the genre(s) discussed. Chapter 2, “Classic Films,” studies the horror film (King Kong), film noir(Laura ), and the western (High Noon). The chapters which follow (with the exception of chapter 6, “Hitchcock Films”) each concentrate on one particular theme or genre in films. For example, chapter 3, “Feminism and the Feminist Film,” looks at the following four films: Pat and Mike (1952); 9 to 5 (1980); Working Girl (1988); and Thelma and Louise (1991). A brief outline of the rise of feminism in the United States helps the students situate these films in their socio-historical context. As they do throughout the book, the authors are careful to provide synonyms for difficult vocabulary items, as in the following example: “For a while prior to and during World War Two droves <thousands> of women entered the work force” (pp. 40-41). The various representations of women in film are explained, along with historical reasons for the roles women have played in certain films.

Each of the four films is presented separately. Previewing questions, both general and specific, precede more detailed descriptions of the film, such as the film’s stars, length, director, and date of release. The authors introduce the characters and provide a summary of the plot. The section on each film ends with notes about things such as other films by the same director, or more detailed explanations about the characters or themes. In a number of cases, students are asked to draw parallels between two of the films in the same unit, for example 9 to 5 and Working Girl, two films which deal with the role of women in the business world. The quizzes for each of the films are included together at the back of the book on tear-away sheets printed on one side only; in this way, the teacher can collect and evaluate them individually if he or she desires. [-2-]

Evaluation

There are many positive aspects to this book which would make it both a useful classroom tool as well as a valuable addition to a teacher’s personal library. For those teachers and students who love film but haven’t had the opportunity to study film criticism, it provides a brief introduction to the field written in highly accessible, but never condescending, language. The book also serves as an introduction to American popular culture, in that it induces students to think about the cultural products which a society creates. It helps students to think critically, using skills of both analysis and synthesis, in which they make the leap from the specific (studying a number of related films) to the general (understanding common themes and concepts). Finally, the use of the whole language approach works well for an advanced class, in which students’ problems of grammar or vocabulary can be dealt with by the teacher as the need arises.

The teacher who decides to adopt this textbook could also expand the repertoire of films suggested by including a number of foreign-made films, either with subtitles or dubbed into English. Students from various parts of the world could also be asked to present to their classmates some of the films from their own countries, using the terminology of analysis provided by the textbook. All told, Film Is Content: A Study Guide for the Advanced ESL Classroom lives up to the comments found on its back cover. It is, indeed, “a unique guide to the study of English as a second language.”

Sorel Friedman
Université de Montréal
<friedmas@ere.umontreal.ca>

© Copyright rests with authors. Please cite TESL-EJ appropriately.

Editor’s Note: Dashed numbers in square brackets indicate the end of each page for purposes of citation.

[-3-]

© 1994–2025 TESL-EJ, ISSN 1072-4303
Copyright of articles rests with the authors.