Using film to reach all pupils

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h andFilm Films can inspire us, scare us, make us laugh and teachma make us grimace, but how can they help us teach pu pupils with SEND, and which films a able tore suitable to useuse as educationaldu tools?too The Nationalational Lottery-Lot funded charity, Into Film, outlines what practitioners need to know, and speaks to two schools about their experiences using film in the curriculum.

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nto Film is a film education charityt that seeks to give every child and young person aged 5-19 in the UK the chance to experience film creatively. The charityt ’s programme includes the Into Film+ streaming platform, extra-curricular Into Film Clubs, resources for use in clubs or the classroom, faceto-face and online training opportunities, an annual cinema-based film festival and the prestigious Into Film Awards. The programme has been designed to meet the needs of all four nations in the UK. Find out more about all this at intofilm.org

Into Film aims to support teachers in achieving a range of effective learning outcomes in their use of film, and chief amongst those beneficiaries are SEND educators. The multisensory nature of film can be incredibly effective in levelling the playing field for students with SEND who might struggle with the traditional curriculum, most significantly when studying text. Filmmaking, film reviewing and discussion with peers can also provide a creative outlet and the chance to thrive in social situations.

We recommend the following films, available on Into Film+ for students with SEND. Animation is particularly

42 / FEATURE ➜ SPOTLIGHT

effective as both a practical activity and for communicating new ideas to learners with SEND of any age, which is why three of the titles are animated. We also house several relevant short films on Into Film+ that are between two and eight minutes, so are perfect for when there isn’t enough time to watch a full-length feature.

Two of the films – Home and A Monster Calls – include new film guides that have specifically been made for students with SEND with the input of experts.

FILMS FOR PRIMARY PUPILS

Home – One of Into Film’s most popular and accessible titles, Home is a brightly coloured film that nevertheless does not overwhelm pupils with sensory issues. This film finds the lead character coming to understand that being different and making mistakes is part of being human.

The Polar Express – An animation that uses motion capture technology to tell a unique Christmas story. Into Film has put on screenings with audiences with SEND before that love this film due to its distinctive style and narrative.

SECONDARY

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – This film comes with instant character and franchise recognition. It is currently Into Film’s most popular secondary title on Into Film+.

A Monster Calls – This film focuses on a young person who is struggling to cope with his mother’s illness and being bullied in school. It highlights the importance of fantasy as escapism and does not talk down to its audience but rather invites them to share the protagonist’s feelings in an appropriate way.

Head to intofilm.org/SEND to discover more films and resources that we offer for pupils of all ages with SEND.

Yasmin John

Digital therapist, The Hollies school for autistic children, Wales

As a special school for autistic children, we welcome every opportunity to enrich our pupils’ educational journey and our children are passionate about learning through film.

With the support of Into Film, I have been running an Into Film Club over the last 12 years that includes all children in my school, from reception through to Year 6. Our film club is embedded in the curriculum and has helped our children access realworld opportunities that otherwise would have felt overwhelming. After winning £1,000 in a photographic competition, I purchased a DSLR camera and laptop for the school, and started teaching photography for my students, which led to animation and filmmaking.

Film’s impact all starts in reception where one student, for example, started saying a few words while animating. Building on these progression steps helps them prepare for their transition to feeder schools, which have visited us for best practice and advice.

Every day brings something new to excite myself and the students, especially film reviews where they can share the unique things they see, such as characters in the background and their role in the film. Whereas you and I would probably only remember the main characters, they remember characters in the background and their specific roles - they blow me away!

Visiting the cinema is a huge barrier for many of our students so we created our own immersive cinema experience, screening films from the Into Film+ catalogue for pupils to access in a safe, accepting environment. Posters are presented the week before and students ‘buy’ their ticket using two pieces of work relating to the film. Afterwards, they create film reviews, storyboards and short animations. The positive feedback we have had from parents has been incredible, with many now able to enjoy regular visits to the cinema as a family.

Tracy Rossborough

Into Film Ambassador and SENCO, Moving Images Arts secondary school, Ashfield Girls High School, in Northern Ireland

We established our first Into Film Club 10 years ago, and the introduction of film to pupils with SEND has been a phenomenal success. Club members work collaboratively with pupils across the academic divide. This could include pupils who have literacy difficulties, those deemed ‘gifted and talented’, those whose first language is not English and many who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Particularly throughout lockdowns, watching, discussing, reviewing and creating films provided a welcomed respite.

Many club members were at risk of becoming disengaged with school and socially excluded but being part of a film club has offered them the opportunity to interact socially. Pupils with SEND can often have low aspirations but incorporating film into teaching can give them a real sense of worth and a desire to achieve despite adversity. One GCSE class has pupils with ASD, Tourette’s syndrome and cognition/learning difficulties, but they still collaboratively assigned every person an individual role and created their own film.

Into Film+ has enabled us to use film as a teaching tool across all departments and curricular areas as well as ages and abilities. The wealth of films available has been incredibly useful, particularly the recent mental wellbeing programme.

Aside from Into Film+, we have also triumphed at the Into Film Awards and seen several film review competition winners. Most recently, one of our ASD pupils who just transferred to us from a special school was announced as a review winner and the joy she experienced will remain with me for a lifetime.

Events Diary

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and UK Trauma Council Traumatic Bereavement: Supporting Children and Young People at School or College 26 January 2023, online via Zoom 9.30am – 3.30pm This course is for SENCOs, mental health or pastoral leads. Cost: £165 To book: https://bit.ly/3Bi758u

nasen webinars For the full programme and for details of the Webinar Pass, please visit https://bit.ly/3zImMSA

TES SEN Show

TES SEND Show 2022: 7 October, 9am – 5pm 8 October, 10am – 4pm Business Design Centre Islington, N1 0QH Register free and book seminars at £17 each: https://bit.ly/3xiFD6G

NAHT – SEND Conference 2022: Intersectionality – Reforming the SEND System: accountability, funding and inter-agency working

19 October 2022, Manchester 8.30am – 3.30pm This conference is for school leaders working in all settings who wish to be inspired and energised by SEND reform. Cost: Members: £149 Non-members: £199 To book: www.naht.org.uk/SEND

British Dyslexia Association

Practical Solutions Plus – Reading 23 November 2022, online and e-learning 9.30am – 3.30pm Whilst aimed specifically at those working with and supporting dyslexic individuals with learning to read the content of this programme will assist anyone who is involved in teaching reading to improve their skills and knowledge. Cost: £120 To book: https://bit. ly/3PGpLmN

ndcs: Healthy Minds – CPD accredited

February 2023, online via Zoom 1pm – 4pm Healthy Minds online workshops will help you learn how to run activities to help support the emotional health and well-being of deaf children and young people. Cost: £90 You will need to attend both sessions to gain access to the post-event materials and certificate. To book: https://bit.ly/3NVU5Z2

British Dyslexia Association

Practical Solutions Plus – Spelling 26 October 2022, online and e-learning 9.30am – 3.30pm Although aimed specifically at those working with and supporting dyslexic individuals, the content of this programme will assist anyone who is involved in teaching literacy to improve their skills and knowledge. Cost: £120 To book: https://bit.ly/3zEciGj