Into Film Clubs
Find out everything you need to know about starting an Into Film Club.
The Into Film Club at Ysgol Y Graig, in Llangefni, Wales, is run by year 6 teacher Miss Elain Wyn Jones. Below, Elain kindly talks to us about how she's used a range of Into Film resources to help students of all abilities in her Into Film Club.
What inspired you to start your Into Film Club?
I received training on how to run an Into Film Club on two occasions during the 2017-2018 academic year from Hywel Roberts of Into Film Cymru. I was also accepted as an Into Film Ambassador leader for the Isle of Anglesey. Without doubt, I gained a huge amount of confidence from these days about the opportunities provided by Into Film and the use of film in the classroom in general.
I started an Into Film Club, and since then film has been a regular feature of lessons, in addition to the lunchtime club (run by the school council). A number of the film club members have specific roles, such as ushers - just like in a real cinema. They love it!
Lower ability pupils are able to express their emotions through Into Film activities... There's definitely something for all ages and abilities.
Elain Wyn Jones, Into Film Club leader and Year 6 Teacher
What's the most enjoyable part of Into Film Club?
In my ambassadorial role, I was asked to take part in sharing my experiences with others in training sessions working alongside Into Film's Glenys Edwards.
It's wonderful to see learners watching films and complete so many follow-on tasks in the classroom. Lower ability pupils are able to express their emotions through Into Film activities - the Film in a Fortnight resource in particular. There's definitely something for all ages and abilities. They also enjoy producing their own films, which they had the opportunity to do last year. My class had a workshop on review writing which was incredibly useful, which allowed us to send a number of entries for the annual Urdd competition. Fingers crossed for more luck next year.
What advice would you give other teachers looking to start an Into Film Club?
Just go for it! There are so many resources available with Into Film that are really useful across a broad range of themes and age ranges. The school council has taken responsibility for the film club themselves, and through this they have developed their confidence and communication skills.
What has been the most popular film?
Hairspray was incredibly popular last year when we were studying the 1960s as a topic. I have to say, I was blown away about the range of resources available to support this film. I've also used clips from Pirates of the Caribbean when discussing the sea, which has proven very effective.
Do the pupils enjoy expressing their views about films?
Yes. The workshop I mentioned arranged by our regional Into Film contact was really useful. Reviewing films is an excellent skillset to develop in Key Stage 2 pupils, and certainly expands their vocabulary.
What are your plans for the future? How do you see your film club developing?
The plan is to continue to test out different resources from the website, and ensure the whole school gets involved. I'm also keen to trial using more and more elements of the Film in a Fortnight resource over the course of the academic year.
