INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
Freedom Writers
Set in Los Angeles during the years following the 1992
Rodney King riots1, Freedom Writers tells the true story of a
young English teacher and her influence in the classroom. Erin
Gruwell begins the school year as an English teacher for the
“at-risk” freshmen students at Wilson High School in Long
Beach, California. She soon realizes that her diverse group of
students is embroiled2 in the racial gang war culture of the
time. Without the positive support of family members or
teachers, these students have no expectations of academic
success. Each day is a struggle to survive on the streets.
In a daring move that counters her superiors at Wilson
High, Ms. Gruwell sacrifices her own time and money to inspire
and educate her struggling students. Using books such as Anne Frank: The Diary of a
Young Girl and Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo, Gruwell leads her class in a life-
changing journey against intolerance. As the students read these books, they begin to
recognize parallels in their own lives and record personal accounts of their experiences
and emotions in diaries. Calling themselves the “Freedom Writers,” the students gain
1
Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965 – June 17, 2012) was a taxi driver who became
internationally known after a tape was released of him being beaten on March 3, 1991,
by Los Angeles Police Department officers following a high-speed car chase. A witness,
George Holliday, videotaped much of the beating from his balcony, and sent the footage to
local news station KTLA. The footage shows four officers surrounding King, several of them
striking him repeatedly, while other officers stood by. Parts of the footage were aired around
the world, and raised public concern about police treatment of minorities in the United States.
Four officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and use of excessive force.
Three were acquitted of all charges. The jury acquitted the fourth officer of assault with a
deadly weapon but failed to reach a verdict on the use of excessive force. The jury
deadlocked at 8–4 in favor of acquittal at the state level. Within hours of the acquittals,
the 1992 Los Angeles riots started, based on outrage about the verdicts by African
Americans. It lasted six days, during which 63 people were killed and more than 2,000 were
injured; it ended only after the governor ordered in the California national guard to re-
establish control.
2
Embroiled: involved in conflict.
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
national recognition for their efforts and begin to make positive changes in their own
lives.
A Memorable Teacher
1. What makes a good teacher?
2. What is to be memorable?
3. Write about a memorable teacher you had at school or at the Institute of
Higher Education.
4. In your opinion, which are the greatest difficulties teachers in public
schools have to face every day?
5. Are teachers acknowledged the way they deserve? Why?
General questions about the movie
1. List some opposition/obstacles Ms. G faces in the beginning.
2. How do the students in 203 relate to one another at first?
3. How does Ms. G try to engage the students? (Make them interested)
4. Why do you think the students do not respect Ms. G at first? What do they
say to her when she confronts them?
5. What is Ms. G’s husband’s attitude toward her teaching career? Do you
agree with him?
6. What was the main lesson of this movie to you?
Group work
In groups of 4 students discuss the following topics and the questions bellow
each of them:
Earning respect and trust.
Overcoming adversity.
Family relationships.
Anti-violence and Anti-gangs.
Finding success.
Inequality of education.
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
INSTITUTO DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR “VILLA BERTHET”
Profesorado de Educación Secundaria en Inglés
Prof. Franco A. Yannielli
Didáctica Especial del Inglés II (Nivel Secundario)
