The overall topic of this teaching unit is the Civil Rights Movement of America, which will be taught in the 12th grade of an advanced course.
The students will have acquired a deepened intercultural understanding before leaving school and encountering the real world, possibly visiting foreign countries after their abitur. The topic will be used to teach the cultural studies of America and expand their intercultural competences with this historical and political background knowledge. The teaching unit comprises eight lessons; two of them are discussed in more detail regarding the subject matter, didactic and methodological analysis. The used material and teacher's expectations for two of the lessons can be found in the appendix.
In a globalized world characterized by international private and professional relationships, above all in Europe, acquiring communicative and intercultural competences, crucially in the lingua franca English, is ever more important. These competences are also anchored in the scholastic standard for the subject of English and implicate the necessity to teach students skills, which enable them to communicate in a sensitive and differentiated way. They will then be prepared to take on international jobs, to be prevented from falling foul of misunderstandings, to question their own behavior, to be tolerant and to treat others respectfully.
One good method of teaching these competences in an English lesson is the use of films. The widespread assumption that films only function as entertainment has to be revised, because films offer an important insight into the culture of English speaking countries and contribute a lot to communicative competences such as writing and listening. In comparison to other media, films contain an interaction with visual and acoustic features which opens new ways for interpretation and creative methods.
Furthermore, films offer the possibility to practice intercultural understanding, introduce dialects and native-speaker tempo. The earlier students are confronted with such a tempo, the better they will tolerate the reality that not every word needs to be understood. Also, the fact that nowadays students are surrounded by new media every day justifies the usage of films. Their film reception starts already in childhood through watching TV; hence they should be taught how to analyze what they see so that they do not become mere passive consumers, but critical ones.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Third Lesson
2.1. Analysis of the Subject Matter: Slavery
2.1.1. Views on Slavery by John C. Calhoun Slavery a Positive Good and William Lloyd Garrison No Compromise with Slavery
2.2.1. The Three Discrimination-Scenes of The Butler
2.3. Didactic Analysis
2.4. Methodological Analysis
2.5. Lesson Plan
3. The Fifth Lesson
3.1. Analysis of the Subject Matter
3.1.1. Martin Luther King and his Speech I have a Dream
3.2. Didactic Analysis
3.3. Methodological Analysis
3.4. Lesson Plan
4. Appendix
4.1 The Teacher’s Expectations
4.2.1 On the Third Lesson
4.2.2 On the Fifth Lesson
5. Teaching Unit Plan
Objectives and Topics
This bachelor thesis aims to develop a structured teaching unit plan for the 12th grade, focusing on the Civil Rights Movement in the United States through the film "The Butler". The primary research interest lies in promoting intercultural and communicative competences by engaging students with historical and political background knowledge, thereby preparing them for respectful interaction in a globalized society.
- Integration of film as a medium for intercultural learning and media literacy.
- Comparative analysis of pro- and anti-slavery discourse through primary historical texts.
- Examination of systemic discrimination and its representation in cinematographic scenes.
- Consolidation of knowledge regarding civil rights through the speeches of Martin Luther King.
- Practical application of social and communicative skills via student-centered teaching methods.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
In a globalized world characterized by international private and professional relationships, above all in Europe, acquiring communicative and intercultural competences, crucially in the lingua franca English, is ever more important. These competences are also anchored in the scholastic standard for the subject of English and implicate the necessity to teach students skills, which enable them to communicate in a sensitive and differentiated way. They will then be prepared to take on international jobs, to be prevented from falling foul of misunderstandings, to question their own behavior, to be tolerant and to treat others respectfully.
One good method of teaching these competences in an English lesson is the use of films. The widespread assumption that films only function as entertainment has to be revised, because films offer an important insight into the culture of English speaking countries and contribute a lot to communicative competences such as writing and listening. In comparison to other media, films contain an interaction with visual and acoustic features which opens new ways for interpretation and creative methods. Furthermore, films offer the possibility to practice intercultural understanding, introduce dialects and native-speaker tempo.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Highlights the necessity of acquiring communicative and intercultural competences through modern media, specifically introducing the film "The Butler" as a didactic tool.
2. The Third Lesson: Focuses on the history of slavery and discrimination through contemporary texts by Calhoun and Garrison and analyzes discrimination-related scenes in the film.
3. The Fifth Lesson: Examines the Civil Rights Movement through the lens of Martin Luther King’s "I have a Dream" speech, emphasizing the importance of rhetoric and active student participation.
4. Appendix: Provides the teacher's expectations, including sample solutions for blackboard management, worksheets, and class feedback methods.
5. Teaching Unit Plan: Outlines a comprehensive schedule of eight lessons, detailing methods, tasks, and learning objectives for each session.
Keywords
Civil Rights Movement, Slavery, Discrimination, The Butler, Intercultural Competence, Media Literacy, Martin Luther King, I have a Dream, Didactic Analysis, Teaching Unit, Secondary Education, Language Acquisition, Social Competence, Historical Context, Rhetoric.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this teaching unit?
The unit focuses on the American Civil Rights Movement and the history of slavery and discrimination, utilizing the film "The Butler" and primary source texts to foster intercultural understanding in students.
What central themes are explored in the work?
Key themes include the historical development of civil rights, the analysis of systemic racism, the function of non-violent protest, and the role of leadership in advocating for social equality.
What is the primary educational goal?
The primary goal is to equip students with intercultural and communicative competences that allow them to reflect critically on past injustices and apply this awareness to contemporary societal issues.
Which didactic methods are employed?
The author emphasizes student-centered approaches such as "Think, Pair, Share", "Group Puzzle", "Placemat", and "Round Robin" to encourage active participation and critical thinking.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body provides detailed didactic and methodological analyses of two specific lessons: one centered on slavery and discrimination, and another centered on Martin Luther King's advocacy for civil rights.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is defined by terms such as Civil Rights Movement, intercultural competence, media literacy, and historical education within the English secondary school curriculum.
How is the film "The Butler" used in the classroom?
The film is utilized as a multi-sensory medium to provide students with authentic insight into different eras of American history, using short, guided sequences to train media analysis without overtaxing the students.
Why are the speeches by John C. Calhoun and William Lloyd Garrison compared?
They are compared to present students with contrasting historical perspectives on slavery, training them to identify discriminatory arguments versus those advocating for human liberty.
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- Sarah Antonia Gallegos García (Autor), 2015, The Butler. A Teaching Unit, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/499439
