A Visual Manifesto

Language level: Upper Intermediate (B2)-

Advanced (C1)
Learner type: Teens and adults
Time: 90 minutes
Activity: Describing an images, watching
a short film and writing a voice over,
and speaking about images
Topic: Images and visual literacy
Language: Vocabulary related to images
Materials: Short film, narrative and
discussion questions
Overview

This EFL lesson plan is designed around a short

film produced by Anna Whitcher and myself, and the
themes of images and visual literacy. Students
choose an image they like, describe it to another
students, watch a short film with the sound off,
write a voiceover for the film, and talk about
images and visual literacy.

Step 1

In the previous class for homework ask your

students to choose an image (it can be of any
type: a photo, a photo on a mobile, a painting, an
illustration, a cartoon etc.) which is important
to them, and to bring it to the following class.

Step 2

Pair your students, and ask them to describe their

photos and explain why they are important to them
to their partner.

Step 3

Get feedback from the whole class on their images

A Visual Manifesto

and why they are important to them.

Step 4

Write the different type of images the students

have brought to class on the board. Some types
which may come are:

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Photographs, Instagram photos, selfies, paintings,
illustrations, cartoons etc. Go through the words.

Step 5

Tell the learners they are going to watch, but not

hear, a short film about images. As they watch
their task is to consider what the film is about,
how it makes them feel and what different types of
images they see.

Show the film starting at 00:05 and finishing at

02:05 with no sound.

Link: https://vimeo.com/113420504

Step 6

Get feedback from the students on what they think

the film is about, how it makes them feel and the
different types of images they see.

Step 7

Show your students this word cloud. A Visual Manifesto

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Elicit or explain the meaning of the words which
appear in the cloud.

Step 8

Tell your students that there is a voiceover for

the film, and that you want them to write a
narrative to go with the images they see using the
vocabulary which appears in the word cloud. In
small groups the students write their narratives.
Show the film as many times as necessary.

Step 9

Give them ten minutes to write their narratives,

walk around the class and help with any vocabulary
your students may need.

Step 10

When they have finished their voiceovers ask your

students to practise reading them aloud.

Step 11
A Visual Manifesto

Ask a strong group to come to the front of the

class. Tell them you are going to show the film
again with no sound. Their task is to read out
their voiceover as they watch the film.

Step 12

Ask the other groups to follow the same procedure.

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Step 13

Give the groups feedback on their voiceovers and

their pronunciation.

Step 14

Tell your students they are now going to watch the

film with sound. As they watch and listen their
task is to compare their voiceovers with the
films.

Step 15

Ask your students what they think the film’s

message is.

Step 16

Now give your students the narrative for the film.

Ask them to read it and help with vocabulary as
necessary.

Step 17
A Visual Manifesto

Show the film again and ask your students to

reflect on the film’s message.

Step 18

Pair your students, give them the discussion

questions handout and ask them to discuss the
questions.

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Step 19

Hold a plenary session based on the questions.

I hope you enjoy the lesson.

Film English is a labour of love, it takes

hundreds of hours and thousands of euros a year to
sustain and provide free English language lesson
plans. Keeping it a free, clean, ad-free
experience — which is important to me and, I hope,
to you — means it’s subsidised by the generous
support of readers like you through donations. So
if you find any inspiration, joy and stimulation
in these English language lessons or if they help
you teaching English, please consider a modest
donation — however much you can afford.

A Visual Manifesto

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