This unit will examine and introduce diverse populations through a variety of films allowing students to develop a sense of the social value of diversity, respect for and interest in its various expressions. The ultimate goal of the unit is to create socially conscientious students who are able to see via film that rich expressions can come out of restricted material circumstances. As future adults, these students are capable of desires for a better society. Through film, we will interpret the experiences of diverse populations that have suffered as a result of migration patterns. Many of the films concentrate on children and their movement from a rural environment to an urban setting, in search of work and family. They are often portrayed as victims of society's ills yet many survive this bitter episode in their life. An auxiliary aim of this course is to teach students to become more "visually literate"; to learn to see the world in a new way. Through the analysis of how visual and verbal meanings are culturally constructed, students should become better able to "read" and critically evaluate both film representations and written accounts of human behavior.
(Developed for ESL Intermediate, grades 9-12; recommended for ESL Intermediate, grades 9-12)
