Developing a Progression Framework for Children's Reading of Film

This longitudinal case study explores children’s reading of film and identifies a progression, which was demonstrated by a group of Key Stage 2 children over a period of three years.
I have been working in the field of visual literacy and film for many years and have recognised the potential of the inclusion of film in the primary curriculum through research and my role as a Senior Teaching and Learning Consultant for CfBT (Centre for British Teachers) in Lincolnshire. Within this role, I took part in the ‘Reframing Literacy’ project (Bearne and Bazalgette, 2010) which was the starting point for this research, through which I aim to empirically test their findings. One of my main intentions for the outcomes of this research is to provide an accessible study for primary teachers, in order to support them in their consideration of film as a text within the curriculum.
This case study uses a range of methods, such as observation, semi-structured interviews, analysis of children’s responses to tasks such as storyboarding, and innovative methods developed through the identification of questions. A cohort of nine year 3 children (of mixed ability within Literacy) were identified and their responses to film were tracked over the research period. It was felt that saturation point was reached at the end of the second year, therefore I wrote a series of intervention sessions to explore a greater depth of analysis in order to extend the progression in the third year. All visits were filmed and the data analysis was structured around Braun and Clarke’s (2006, p.16) phases of thematic analysis.
This study also examines how the skills and understanding required to read film can support the reading of print, and vice versa, in an ‘asset model’ approach (Tyner, 1998). I consider the place of film, both in school and out of school contexts and also offer a series of steps of progression, which teachers could use as a benchmark to track progress and inform next steps in learning.
In conclusion, my findings illustrate the importance and relevance of the inclusion of film (as a text in its own right) in the primary curriculum, which is appropriate to the needs of a learner in the 21st century.