'Blade Runner' and Film Education: Didactic Possibilities of Teaching Film Literacy in the TEFL Classroom

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2008 , 53 Pages , Grade: 1,0

Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies

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Film education is already practiced in some European countries, for instance in Eng-land, France and in Scandinavia. (cf. Wharton & Grant 2005: 7; Krüger 2005: 7; Willig 2006: 132ff) German curricula also allow for films, but mostly as part of media education, which is embedded in several subjects and aims at providing students with media competence. This competence should enable them to orient themselves in a world dominated by audio-visual media. It wants to support a conscious and critical handling of media, as well as a creative and self-determined one. By understanding and questioning media contents and aesthetics stu-dents should be protected from being controlled by the media. (cf. Surkamp 2004: 2; Willig 2006: 131f, 137; Roller 2006: 73; Holighaus 2005a: 9) Film education in a narrower sense, aiming at film competence or film literacy, still has to be promoted in schools, though. (cf. Krüger 2005: 7)
The intention of the paper at hand is to show possible applications of Ridley Scott’s science-fiction thriller Blade Runner, which foster film literacy within the context of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). First, it will explain the didactic value of films as TEFL devices, define film literacy as a learning target, and present an overview on ap-proaches and methods of teaching film. In doing so, a special focus will be set on film adapta-tions of literary texts. Then, the paper will turn to Scott’s science-fiction masterpiece and pro-vide a summary of its plot as well as a survey on prominent topics and interpretations. After-wards it will likewise deal with its literary basis, Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? As an example how to bridge the gap between theory and practice, the last section will finally present sample exercises for the use of the movie in the TEFL classroom. It will cover an analysis of film language as well as intertextual tasks.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• INTRODUCTION
• MAIN PART
  • Film Education in the TEFL Classroom
    • Didactic Value of Films as a TEFL Device
    • Film Education and Film Literacy as TEFL Learning Targets
    • Approaches of Film Education
      • The Cognitive or Analytic Approach
      • The Aesthetic Approach
      • The Process- and Product-Oriented Approach
      • Conclusion
    • Practical Aspects of Teaching Film – Film Selection, Screening Modes and Phases
    • Filmic Adaptations of Literary Texts
  • The Didactic Value of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner for TEFL Film Education
  • Methodological Considerations
  • Ridley Scott's Blade Runner
    • A Milestone in Cinematic Science Fiction
    • Summary of Plot (Original Theatrical Version 1982)
    • Topics and Interpretations
      • Artificial Life, Racism and Humanity
      • Memory, Reality and Identity - A Critique on Cartesian Philosophy
      • Los Angeles 2019 – Retrofitted Dystopian Megalopolis
      • Allusions to the Christian Bible
  • Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
    • Summary of Plot
    • Topics and Interpretations
  • Sample Exercises for Blade Runner
    • Analysis of Film Language in Blade Runner
      • Film Poster Analysis
      • Macro Analysis – Hybrid Genre “Future Noir"
      • Macro Analysis - Examination of Narrative Elements
      • Micro Analysis of Scenes
    • Intertextual Approaches
      • Comparison of Different Cut Versions
      • Analysis of Motion Picture and Novel
      • Film Posters and Book Covers
      • Film Scripts and Audio Adaptations
      • Other Novels by Philip K. Dick and Their Filmic Adaptations
• CONCLUSION
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• APPENDIX
  • Appendix 1: Film Noir Elements in Blade Runner
  • Appendix 2: Is Deckard a Replicant Himself?
  • Appendix 3: Similarities and Differences in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to explore the didactic possibilities of teaching film literacy in the TEFL classroom using Ridley Scott's science-fiction thriller Blade Runner. It examines the value of films as TEFL devices, defines film literacy as a learning target, and presents an overview of approaches and methods for teaching film, with a particular focus on film adaptations of literary texts. The paper then delves into Blade Runner, providing a summary of its plot and an analysis of its prominent themes and interpretations. It also explores the film's literary basis, Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Finally, the paper presents sample exercises for using the movie in the TEFL classroom, covering film language analysis and intertextual tasks.

• The didactic value of films as TEFL devices
• Film literacy as a learning target in TEFL
• Approaches and methods of teaching film
• The analysis of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner
• The relationship between film and literature

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction highlights the importance of film as a cultural and educational asset, emphasizing its role in socialization and shaping the zeitgeist. It also addresses the neglect of film education in schools and the need for promoting film literacy. The paper then outlines its objective to demonstrate the didactic value of Blade Runner for teaching film literacy in the TEFL classroom.

The main part begins by exploring the didactic value of films as TEFL devices, highlighting their motivational potential, familiarity to learners, and ability to facilitate various language skills. It then defines film literacy as a learning target and presents an overview of different approaches to teaching film, including cognitive, aesthetic, and process-oriented methods. The section also discusses the practical aspects of teaching film, including film selection, screening modes, and phases. Finally, it examines the significance of filmic adaptations of literary texts.

The paper then focuses on the didactic value of Blade Runner for TEFL film education. It provides a detailed summary of the film's plot, highlighting its themes and interpretations, including artificial life, racism, memory, reality, identity, and dystopian settings. The section also explores the film's relationship to its literary basis, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The final section presents sample exercises for using Blade Runner in the TEFL classroom. These exercises cover film language analysis, including film poster analysis, macro and micro analysis of scenes, and intertextual tasks, such as comparing different cut versions of the film, analyzing the film and novel, and exploring other works by Philip K. Dick.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of this text include film education, film literacy, TEFL, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, science fiction, dystopian fiction, artificial intelligence, identity, memory, reality, film language analysis, intertextuality, and film adaptation.

• College: University of Hannover (Englisches Seminar / Lehrgebiet Didaktik des Englischen)
• Course: Hauptseminar Teaching Film (englische Fachdidaktik)
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Dipl.Jurist Marco Sievers (Author)
• Publication Year: 2008
• Pages: 53
• Catalog Number: V115008
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640163038
• ISBN (Book): 9783640164455
• Language: English
• Tags: Blade, Runner, Film, Education, Didactic, Possibilities, Teaching, Film, Literacy, TEFL, Classroom, Hauptseminar, Teaching, Film, Fachdidaktik)