I really enjoyed this! I agree with what he is saying. I think film should be used more in the classroom. My class goes to a film series and watches documentaries and then discusses the themes and issues from the films with two classes from different communities. These discussions have enriched my learning experience and I have learned about current events, the government, health care, different countries, cultures, and customs, etc. Film is very effective and you can use it to build off of other academic assignments or to start excellent thought provoking discussions.

I teach English and Film Arts at a high school in San Diego. For Film Arts, I use the book "The Art of Watching Films." For English, I use that book as well as the media literacy sections in the McDougal-Littell textbooks. Many high school ELA standards lend themselves to the teaching of visual literacy, and Film Arts employs a combination of those ELA standards, VAPA/Visual Arts standards, VAPA/Theatre standards, and CCTE Arts, Media and Entertainment Industry Sector standards.

I produced an 8-part public television series about visual literacy titled "The Language of Photography". It has aired as a college level telecourse in many markets. You can find it at http://films.com/search.aspx?q=%22language+of+photography%22. Dante Betteo.

Loved this footage, didn't catch it all, something at the end corupted but loved what I got to hear! When film touches you deeply you understand the power and the beauty of it, you hold close the language of film...

I am using video for the first time with children this summer and am excited about how and what the children are learning about themselves and how their actual personalities are developing due to the exposure of this form of art and story telling. The children are engaged, entertained and are very willing to participate in all the projects.

The children are too new to this art form to understand much about the cameras role just yet (I am letting them shoot all of the video) but are still rather immersed in how they are feeling in front of the camera, what emotions they are revealing in the acting, the stories we are using and what they are thinking abd feeling as they watch footage of themselves and their friends...

Yes, I agree with M.S., but I too love film, using it as a legitamate teaching method is exquisite.

Moral and social lessons through film were important to me growing up. The happy, healthy structure of human beings is important to me. The furthering of good lessons and healthful emotions in film making is crucial. Whatever and however we can share this with our children is welcomed from an artistic POV and as a teaching tool for the possible structure of their lives...

Using Visual Literacy alongside literature is also very exciting. Reading a classic, say and then ultimately watching as film, even if not a good film, offers hours of analysis and discussion. I treasured my Film and Lit classes, and wish I could take more of them!

Links to Visual Literacy resources can be found on Shambles at
http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/artdesign/visuallit/