Curriculum fit
- Art
- Music
- Theatre
- Cultural studies and creative expression
About the activity
This methodology is designed for teachers, cultural mediators, and film education providers (eg, festivals, film theatres and workshop providers). It is designed to make film education accessible to students with special needs and integrate it into special needs school curriculum. It includes findings obtained by a special education working group established by Filmhub Zuid-Holland over the course 2021-2023. This group was created to get a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in Dutch special education, raise awareness about students’ educational needs, and document ways to provide a suitable and sustainable slate of films and film education programmes for this target group.
Filmhub Zuid-Holland is a regional film education centre that provides film education to all target groups in the province of South Holland. Working with local, regional, and national partners, it connects film education providers and schools and works to incorporate accessible film education into the school curriculum. As a film education institution, we believe film education benefits all students by helping them understand the images and visual stories that surround us and gain deeper insight into the world around them.
In addition, film education offers unique benefits to children with special needs and can help reduce stigma around special education. Special education is designed for children who need additional support due to learning difficulties, physical and/or mental limitations, or behavioral issues.
In the Netherlands, there are suitable teaching programmes for children ranging from grammar schools to universities, but limited programs exist for special needs students. Due to filmmaking’s multidisciplinary nature, there are many opportunities to connect film education with art, handwork, music, drama, cultural studies, and creative expression. Special education goals extend beyond specific academic areas, providing a unique opportunity to use film for developing social-emotional skills.
What participants gain
- help in overcoming limitations and express themselves more effectively;
- a self-confidence boost;
- insight into discovering and valuing their strengths;
- access to new ways of thinking and acting;
- opportunities to participate in regular activities with peers and showcase their skills using creative outlets;
- exposure to new perspectives and worldviews – different cultures, time periods, and characters;
- improved imagination and discovery of their creative potential;
- better social skills through collaborative activities like filmmaking.
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What educators gain
- tools to foster children’s creativity and critical thinking
- learn to encourage mindful film viewing and reflection
- learn to relate film content to children’s personal experiences
- a space for guiding group discussions and children’s self-expression
- a respectful, engaging group dynamic
- a supportive learning environment for diverse groups (bilingual when possible)
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Resources
Venue requirements
- a room equipped for film screenings, with a cinema-like atmosphere (windows blackout option, etc.)
- a space for physical activities
- a space for arts & crafts (may be done on the floor)
- an adjoining room for parents (optional)
Technology
- projector (with the option to stop the movie or fast forward/backward)
- sufficient audio tech
- computer
Supplies
- crafting supplies – scissors, crayons, paper (different colours), glue, drawing pads, furry wires, etc.
- film poster for each title / (printed) stills from the movie (if available)
- colouring sheets, movie themed
Step by Step
Preparation
Ideally, a film teacher and/or provider of film education should first establish contact with the school and students and tailor the programme to fit their needs. However, this isn’t always possible. In developing a teaching module for general use, it is important to account for the diversity within special education. Special education serves a very diverse range of students with significant differences in skills and behaviour, even within the same group, class or school.
- Try to be as clear as possible in describing the activities but leave room for modifications to accommodate different skill levels.
- Programmes should comply with the physical and mental abilities of the pupils. This may result in keeping the lessons/workshops short, easily understandable and physically light.
- Programmes should include activities that allow students to move around freely.
- Consider class length, pace, and break schedule. Some disorders and disabilities negatively affect students’ focus and endurance. They may tire more quickly than peers in mainstream schools.
- If it turns out during the class that the programme isn’t working as planned, it is important to modify it to match students’ abilities. Instructors should prepare multiple teaching methods in advance. For instance, it is useful to have a simple and clear assignment ready (e.g., an image search) for students who need more guidance. This will keep them engaged and allow them to switch to more challenging tasks later.
Below is an overview of typical traits of students with special needs that will help you design accessible teaching programmes. This is not an exhaustive list and doesn’t reflect the full range of students in special education.
1. Students with Learning Disabilities
Description:
- Students with mental and/or physical disabilities or disorders that cause physical difficulties.
- May have speech difficulties, which often leads to anxiety and feelings of being misunderstood.
- May express frustration and insecurity because their bodies don’t function as expected and they cannot do everything they want.
Teaching Programme:
- Give students freedom to choose how they express themselves.
- Treat every result as a success, support positive self-confidence, and use achievements as stepping stones to greater experimentation in art classes and beyond.
- Avoid pressuring students to achieve predetermined outcomes. Instead, celebrate accomplishments, that lie within the capabilities of pupils.
2. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Description:
- Good with details – can be original in surprising ways due to their ability to notice details other students miss. However, this same ability can also lead to feeling overwhelmed.
- May have difficulty seeing the bigger picture because they process information in smaller segments.
Teaching programme:
- Gradually motivate students to step outside their comfort zone to develop greater flexibility and resilience.
3. Students with Behavioral/Emotional Regulation Disorders and Mental Health Issues
Description:
- Possess the same cognitive abilities as their peers in regular schools.
- May require additional support to achieve comparable results in education.
- May have difficulty understanding their own and other people’s emotions.
- May struggle to interpret other people’s behaviour and language.
- May express their emotions in extreme verbal or physical ways.
Teaching programme:
- Discuss boundaries and intervention timing with the class teacher beforehand.
- Modification of teaching goals is not always necessary.
- A calm environment, clear instructions, and motivating feedback should provide basic structure to minimize tension.
- Speak clearly and keep your instructions brief and simple.
- Discuss boundaries and intervention timing with the class teacher beforehand.
Safe Space - Creating a safe space for all students is essential for the teaching programme to succeed.
- Students should understand that every result is valuable and that failure is impossible. It is more important to focus on the process (using new facts, materials and methods) than on the final outcome.
- A flexible teaching programme offers space for imagination to thrive.
Implementation
Using the example of Saying Goodbye to Mr Schats (see below), you can see how to prepare a film education course for students with behavioral/emotional regulation disorders and mental health issues. Due to privacy reasons the final product(film) is not publicly available.
The primary goal is the positive development of students. Make sure everyone gets to experience success. Celebrate achievements and be generous with praise.
- Don’t be overly strict in monitoring how students participate in class.
- Don’t force students to remain quiet or seated – this could have a negative impact on students who need physical or verbal outlets for their emotions.
- Discuss acceptable noise levels with the class teacher and allow breaks so that students can refocus on the programme.
SAYING GOODBYE TO MR SCHATS
Mr. Schats Zuid is a Rotterdam school for students who have experienced behavioral issues in mainstream schools. Students receive sufficient support that allows them to rediscover the joy of learning. Eighth-grade students worked with two film instructors to make a video about their school life in which they also share their interests and talk about their future dreams. This film was made at the end of their primary school education, after which some of the pupils would move on to other schools for their secondary education. Making this film was a way to end an era.
- Students completed the entire TV production process: from initial production to editing.
- Students made a variety of videos: two students made a school tour video, one conducted an interview with the principal, and other students shot interviews with two teachers. Several students created a rap video and another made a boxing tutorial.
LESSON 1 – Introduction
- Meeting the art teacher. Using a picture (e.g., a football, car, food), students share their interests and/or skills.
LESSON 2 – Technical Skills
- Technical skills – tablet use, image capture.
LESSON 3 – Social Media
- Children and youth associate video-making with social media. This lesson focused on basic introduction to safe social media use.
LESSON 4 – Production
- Preparing steps required to shoot a video for TV – location scouting, arranging interviews, and script writing.
LESSON 5 – Shooting
- Making short videos in small groups.
LESSON 6 – Editing
- Introduction to editing software, video editing.
LESSON 7 – Presentation
- The festive premiere of completed videos took place in the classroom with popcorn and soda.
Independence
It was crucial to let students do as much of the work independently, allowing them to discover they are more capable than they initially thought. Students were responsible for the entire process. They had to arrange the interview times with their teachers and the principal. Students who wanted to use the gym had to find out what time it would be open and whom to ask for permission. The completed videos are really the product of their own efforts, which boosted their self-confidence.
Tip!
Student filmmaking endeavours deserve a large audience of proud families. There’s no better way of getting parents involved in the whole process than having them attend a screening of their children’s film
Evaluation
(optional) – 1 hr
(optional) – 1 hr
After completing the teaching module, evaluate the activity with both students and teachers. Students with language and speech issues might find it difficult to verbalize their experiences; visual aids can help. For reflection, students can use emotion cards (cards with simple faces expressing a variety of emotions). Let students choose cards that best describe how they experienced a given class.
- What did the group learn?
- What emotions did they feel?
- What was successful and what improvements could be made next time?
Films to watch
Make it accessible for all
In general, no physical task should be considered universally easy. Some students may struggle with holding a pen or a pair of scissors. Students in wheelchairs will have difficulty moving around while filming at the same time. Have alternative materials, aids or methods ready so all students can participate.
Programmes at School
- Find out specific accessibility needs for each school using an application form, for instance.
- Provide materials ahead of time to avoid overwhelming students with new information and impressions. Schools can prepare students with simple assignments to get familiar with a selected topic or to try out an activity they will be doing later.
- Be precise in programme descriptions so schools have a clear idea of all requirements for implementation and whether modifications are needed for their students.
Programmes Outside School (e.g., cinemas)
- It is important that the location meets accessibility requirements.
- Public places are required to provide equipment that allows access to people with physical disabilities but some venues are more advanced than others.
- Specify all available equipment and potential issues to avoid a situation where the class finds out that the building is not accessible to some students only upon arrival.
Transport and Parking - Classes with students with physical disabilities often use their own specialized means of transport rather than public transit, so that students can be dropped off directly at the venue.
- Preferably, venues should have parking available for larger vehicles, such as wheelchair-accessible buses.
Venue
- Screen available space for wheelchair users ahead of time or arrange flexible seating options.
- Some cultural or community venues offer low-stimulation spaces for visitors who tend to get overwhelmed by their environment, sounds or new experiences. These are minimally furnished rooms that block surrounding noise. Visitors can retreat to this space to avoid overwhelm. In venues without such space, stimuli can be reduced by dimming theatre lights or turning the volume down. Share this information with students who are easily overwhelmed.
- Pupils may benefit from seeing photographs or a walk-through tour of the venue, to be able to prepare for an outing outside of the school.
Pictograms
- For groups with limited language skills, use supplementary pictograms or photo cards to explain new or abstract concepts.
- Teachers can also benefit from video guides, especially in film education classes.
- Using pictograms may also be beneficial to pupils on the Autistic spectrum.
Skill Differences
- Instructors should have multiple teaching options to accommodate skill disparities in class. Provide different materials or aids for students with limited physical abilities and consider how to make activities easier or more challenging for students who differ from the rest of the class.
- Consider leaving out certain parts of the lesson plan. Each student has their own learning process and that’s perfectly fine.
Suitable Films for Screening
- Films (for children) with minimal or no dialogue due to the often limited language skills of special needs students.
- filmeducatie.nl – a database of films suitable classroom use, including films without dialogue.
Thoughts & Experience
FOR ORGANIZATIONS
What organisations gain
- expand your early-childhood care programmes
- new young audiences who participate on a regular basis
- earn reputation as a family-friendly institution (plus, the participants can learn about your other programmes)
- a connection to the film industry and events, with the possibility to host the workshop at festivals, cinemas, etc., boosting visibility
- connections to local kindergartens and the early childhood care community
Team requirements
- 1–2 tutors with early-childhood care background and/or film education expertise. For bilingual workshops, two tutors are required. In the case of only one tutor, you should have extra tech support (see below).
- a workshop coordinator responsible for registration (if held outside school) and promotion
- a technician
Funding tips
- workshop fees (partial funding)
- grants by the Ministry of Culture or Education (NPO: Podpora projektů kreativního učení | mkcr.cz)
- calls from cities and regions, which often support cultural and educational projects
- grant calls of national film funds
- support from social services-related funds (employment offices)
- sponsoring & crowdfunding
- The European Social Fund (ESF)
- Erasmus+
Promotion tips
- in-person communication about the programme (events, in-person meetings with parents/kindergarten teachers)
- social media posts – looking back at past workshops, invitations for upcoming ones
- newsletter campaigns (especially good for registration)
- event platforms (to promote your programme and registration)
Find your audience
- point out all the benefits your activity offers
- map the scene (local teachers, audiences at your institution)
- introduce your workshop at a bigger event
- offer workshop to film festivals, kids’ events, online parents’ groups, expat communities
- always communicate in both languages if running a bilingual programme
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