Following the first round of A2 examinations I wonder which route teachers think has proved the more profitable-film or novel. I know the intention is to read material about the film maker and the back ground to the film in the foreign language but there is an essential underlying difference. To read a novel from start to finish is a differing experience to viewing a film, particularly if the subtitles are switched on in English. In my opinion the later experience is skating over the surface of the water whereas reading is like getting into the water.
The A level French resources I have just been creating on Un Sac de Billes by Joseph Joffo remind me just how much difference there is between novels. The word list for Un Sac de Billes is three times as long as some of the books. Is there an implication here for how much vocabulary a student could take in and inwardly digest? Certainly by the end of the 260 pages scribing down the vocabulary there was not much left that wasn't repetition of what had gone before. Looking at this scientifically would be interesting to see what the final effect was for students on depth of vocabulary and ability to understand idiom.
The other issue is the breadth of vocabulary. In the course of Un Sac de Billes every part of the body, internal and external is mentioned, every form of transport with its nuances, every type of food..the list is endless. Surely the experience gained by tackling a book like this must give greater benefit than simply watching a film..I would advocate a mixed economy. That I'm sure is what people are doing.
The summary of the book that will be on the site alongside the vocabulary list are the key elements for giving students the feeling of success they need. By having the page-numbered vocab list they can feel confident they will not get out of their depth in the novel, while staying in the target language as far as possible. Full vocabulary lists have not existed before because they have been such a pain to produce. I have put in probably 20 hours on Un Sac de Billes and I have been using two online dictionaries Collins and Reverso. This is much faster than using a paper dictionary by a factor of x10. As I touch type I guess my conclusion would be that it would unlikely that a practising teacher would have time to do this. I produced a list for un Sac de Billes ages ago but there was no way it was as comprehensive as this. Also it is so much easier to find the idioms on line-all kind of nuances became apparent. If you haven't read Un Sac de Billes prepare to be impressed-and yes there is a film of it. Cheapest version 199 euros!
The A level French resources I have just been creating on Un Sac de Billes by Joseph Joffo remind me just how much difference there is between novels. The word list for Un Sac de Billes is three times as long as some of the books. Is there an implication here for how much vocabulary a student could take in and inwardly digest? Certainly by the end of the 260 pages scribing down the vocabulary there was not much left that wasn't repetition of what had gone before. Looking at this scientifically would be interesting to see what the final effect was for students on depth of vocabulary and ability to understand idiom.
The other issue is the breadth of vocabulary. In the course of Un Sac de Billes every part of the body, internal and external is mentioned, every form of transport with its nuances, every type of food..the list is endless. Surely the experience gained by tackling a book like this must give greater benefit than simply watching a film..I would advocate a mixed economy. That I'm sure is what people are doing.
The summary of the book that will be on the site alongside the vocabulary list are the key elements for giving students the feeling of success they need. By having the page-numbered vocab list they can feel confident they will not get out of their depth in the novel, while staying in the target language as far as possible. Full vocabulary lists have not existed before because they have been such a pain to produce. I have put in probably 20 hours on Un Sac de Billes and I have been using two online dictionaries Collins and Reverso. This is much faster than using a paper dictionary by a factor of x10. As I touch type I guess my conclusion would be that it would unlikely that a practising teacher would have time to do this. I produced a list for un Sac de Billes ages ago but there was no way it was as comprehensive as this. Also it is so much easier to find the idioms on line-all kind of nuances became apparent. If you haven't read Un Sac de Billes prepare to be impressed-and yes there is a film of it. Cheapest version 199 euros!
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