Discussion about film and emotions
Examples of questions to ask when talking to pupils about what they’ve seen and felt:
Working with film and emotions in special education
Would you like to explore emotions in a new and meaningful way as a special education teacher? Discover how to harness the power of film with these movie tips, sample questions, and assignments. Also available as a printable PDF.
© Rutger Vos
Why explore emotions using film
Film is a fantastic medium for exploring and discussing emotions, whether it's recognizing emotions in film characters or in oneself. Films also offer students the opportunity to see the world from new perspectives and step outside their familiar experiences. Moreover, film can be used in a fun way to develop language and communication skills.
- What did you think of the film? Can you describe the film in one word?
- What was nice/funny/stupid/sad/surprising in this film?
- What feelings do you have after seeing the film, and why?
- What did you see and hear that gave you that feeling?
- Who was the main character, what did they experience and how did they feel about it?
- What would you have done in that situation?
- Have you ever experienced anything like that?
“Get pupils to draw their emotions, for example an emoji that represents how they feel.”
Remco Efdé - film teacher
Film yoga
- Switch on your senses with film yoga
- Massage your ears to listen better
- Close your eyes to open up them even better
Watching with your eyes closed
- What music can you hear?
- Did the music make you feel happy or sad?
- What picture would suit this music?
Do some acting
- Act out emotions from the film
- How do you look when you are happy? And angry?
- Re-enact scenes using facial expressions, your voice and posture
Tested with cluster 2, 3 & 4
Watch these films for free in classes
Marina
The teenager Marina is a blind girl. Even though she can't see, she doesn't let that stop her. She runs, bikes, rides horses, and vlogs!
Scrambled
19-year-old Esra misses her train and plays a quick game on her smartphone. Then a vintage Rubik's Cube catches her eye – it has to be solved.
Hair Love
A heartwarming short story about a father-daughter relationship and the representation of hair within African culture.
Still from Vriend Jaap haalt suiker (director unknown, FR 1911)
Vriend Jaap haalt suiker
A slapstick classic where chaos erupts from something simple, like getting a packet of sugar.
In a heartbeat
A shy boy falls in love with another boy. In this dialogue-free film, his heart follows a universal love story.
Le Premier Pas
Bambi and Anaïs meet in a parking lot. From the car, they go on the wildest adventures together.
Hors Piste
Two top rescue workers set out on another mission. They're pros—until everything hilariously goes off track.