Curriculum Links

English - Key Stage 3

En1 Speaking about ghosts, discussing and analysing the content of the films and the stories

1a-g Personal accounts of ghostly events; ghost story telling; analysis of film clips or stories;

2a-f Listening to ghost stories and identifying the elements that make up an effective telling of a ghost story or anecdote;

3a-e Group presentations on the theme of ghosts; presenting ideas and analysis of spooky films;

4a-d Ghosts as a theme for drama - see the chapter 'Haunted House' in Drama Structures by Cecily O'Neill and Alan Lambert.

En2 Reading

1a Extracting meaning beyond the literal;

1c Exploring ideas, values and emotions - the sub-text of ghost stories;

1d Social perspectives - the context of ghost stories;

1e How meanings are changed when texts are adapted to suit different media.

5a How meaning is conveyed in texts that include images and sound;

5b/c How choice of form and presentation (conventions) and the nature and purpose of a text influence content and meaning;

5d How audiences choose and respond to media - the popularity of the ghost story genre.

9c Media and moving image texts.

En3 Writing

1a-d Writing to imagine, explore and entertain - spooky stories;

1e-h Writing to inform, explain and describe - do ghosts exist?

1i-k Writing to persuade, argue and advise - a review.

National Literacy Strategy

Year 8

Reading

14 Recognising conventions of a genre (the Gothic);

15-16 Exploring the social and cultural context of literary and media works.

Writing

7 Writing to imply - creating a tone.

Year 9

Reading

8 Reading for meaning - the relationship between media and audiences;

15 Literary texts - context.

Writing

5-8 Imagine, explore, entertain.

English - Key Stage 4

En1 Speaking and listening

Opportunities for group and whole class discussions are integral to most activities.

Plenary session at the end of the activities could help students prepare for written work.

En2 Reading

Students are invited to reflect on their understanding of how meaning is conveyed in texts containing moving images and sound.

In particular these notes will support the development of students'skills in:

  • extracting meaning beyond the literal;
  • analysing and discussing ambiguities and alternative interpretations;
  • considering how meanings alter when texts are adapted for different media;
  • reading and appreciating complex dramatic texts;
  • comparing texts - written and film;
  • judging the values and assumptions that underlie texts.

En3 Writing

The emphasis throughout is on the analysis of complex literary and visual texts.

Students are invited to experiment with writing to review, explain and comment.

Media Studies - GCSE

The activities described in these notes will help boost students' understanding of film.

The film grammar exercises will develop or revise students' knowledge of the following elements of media language:

  • image analysis
  • film grammar
  • camera movement
  • editing
  • lighting
  • sound
  • combining all these in the deconstruction of a scene.

English - Standard Grade (Scotland)

The activities described in these notes can be used to address the coursework requirement for an extended piece of written work on a media text or to contribute to a coursework assignment on a literary text.

In particular they will meet the needs of pupils in the following core areas:

Reading

Students will develop skills in

  • forming both overall and specific impressions of texts;
  • grasping feelings and ideas expressed in texts;
  • evaluating the possible attitudes and arguments contained in texts;
  • appreciating the writer, scriptwriter and film director's art;
  • enjoying and gaining enrichment of a text by studying it in a variety of forms.

Writing

Students will develop skills in

  • information;
  • deploying ideas, expounding, arguing and evaluating.

Talking

Students will develop skills in

  • conveying information;
  • deploying ideas, expounding, arguing and evaluating.