Secondary ELA | Making Films and Performing Dramas: The Secret to Students’ Rapid English Improvement!

At CIS, our education focuses not only on academic achievement but also on holistic student development, especially in nurturing confidence, communication, leadership, and teamwork.

This week, we spoke with Mr. Kennedy, a middle school ELA teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience, and stepped into the Grade 7 and 8 ELA classrooms to gain deeper insight into the unique teaching strengths of CIS Middle School.

Mr. Kennedy mentioned that, in addition to the Alberta curriculum, the ELA class also uses project-based learning to comprehensively enhance students' abilities in English language and literature.

This month, students took part in a project called “Empathy Film.”Mr. Kennedy shared that students were fully involved in every stage — from scriptwriting and filming to editing short films — collaboratively exploring how to express emotions and empathy through filmmaking.

The challenge of this project goes beyond writing scripts in English — it lies in students’ ability to express genuine emotions and collaborate as a team. After completing their films, students also deliver presentations to explain the meaning of empathy and share how they can show care for others when faced with real-life situations.

Christine, an 8th-grade student, mentioned that although the project faced several challenges, it also provided the opportunity to communicate with others, build deeper connections, and ultimately resulted in a great video.

G8 students -Christine

Wasiq, a 7th-grade student, mentioned that the project helped him gain a deeper understanding of the true meaning of "empathy," especially in offering help when others are in need. He believes that this skill will not only be helpful for his current studies, but will also play an important role when he enters university in the future.

G7 students-Wasiq

Mr. Kennedy said:“Allowing time for the creative process keeps students genuinely engaged, giving each one a meaningful role that matches their strengths and encourages both collaboration and personal growth.”

Through this process, students learn how to transform their academic knowledge into meaningful social impact, while also laying the foundation for future leadership and innovation skills.

Mr. Kennedy also serves as the Secondary School Drama Instructor. He strongly encourages students to explore classic English literature through various forms of expression, enabling them to achieve a deeper level of language learning and appreciation.

Recently, he guided students in a drama rehearsal of Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet. As he said:

"We’ve begun work on scenes from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, blending the original language with movement, dance, and performance."

This approach not only helps students gain a deeper understanding of the essence of literary works but also enhances their English comprehension and expression skills through performance and artistic expression, creating a more holistic learning experience.

Academically, accumulating knowledge is important, but inspiring a love of learning is a timeless challenge for every teacher. According to Mr. Kennedy, his educational philosophy is:

"Community is the foundation of learning."

He believes that creating a safe, supportive, and collaborative classroom environment is key to helping students develop a genuine love for learning English.

As Mr. Kennedy said: "I create a sense of community by building a classroom that is safe, supportive, and collaborative."

This sense of belonging not only helps students make academic progress but also promotes their personal growth and teamwork skills. The classroom becomes a space where students feel confident to express themselves, listen, and support one another.

Rayne, an 8th-grade student, really enjoys the English class because Mr. Kennedy is able to create deeper connections with the course content: "Mr. Kennedy was able to make a deeper connection towards our unit like from Wonder. He’s trying to make it deeper, like making a film to make the connection deeper."

G8 Student-Rayne

Albert, a 7th-grade student, also mentioned, "I think the best thing about the English class is the teacher. If we finish our tasks early, the teacher will play these little board games with us, like Connect 4 and chess." This interactive English class allows students to deepen their understanding of the material in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

G7 Student-Albert

CIS Secondary School implements leveled instruction, with class divisions starting in Grade 7 to truly achieve teaching tailored to each student’s needs. Mr. Kennedy mentioned:"At CIS, class sizes allow for more individualized instruction, and an optimized student-teacher ratio."

Mr. Kennedy believes that in the ELA classroom, the three key factors for student progress are:

At CIS, every student receives enhanced support in the classroom, helping them achieve their personal learning goals and stimulating innovative thinking through deep learning.

At CIS, the ELA classroom uses project-based learning and personalized support to help students gradually develop into future citizens with strong communication skills, global awareness, and leadership abilities.

Mr. Kennedy hopes that students will:

“Think critically, express themselves confidently, and appreciate the power of empathy and creativity.”

Through its characteristic of "Academic Excellence, Caring Community " CIS continually motivates students to express themselves confidently on the global stage and create change. We look forward to welcoming more middle school students to CIS, where they can experience a supportive and innovative learning environment and step into a future of limitless possibilities.