Making a claymation video isn't just about fun and games. The Communication Studies Programme pairs English language and Art so that students can develop a rich and complementary repertoire of skills. Independent research, narrative storyboarding, oral presentation and creative writing - these are just some of the useful tools our students pick up to drive their ideas forward in a very hands-on fashion.

Getting the camera angle right is a delicate process

In fact, our Sec 1 Art curriculum has used claymation since 2006 to spark students' interest in art and give them new ways to tell stories and communicate ideas. This year, we integrated the teaching of English language into the programme, so English and Art teachers worked hand-in-hand to ensure that students were prepared at every stage to develop their claymation video.

For example, while the English teachers covered the basics of script-writing and storyboarding, Art teacher Mdm Ong Yew Lin concurrently taught basic drawing skills. Mdm Ong explained, "Drawing skills are critical in helping students design the human and animal figures for their video characters. They use these sketches for clay modeling at the next stage of the production."

Our students also learned to use some of the latest IT applications for clay modelling, computer animation and video editing, and our teachers' commitment to this project did not stop at the classroom door - they also spent many hours after school with the students, helping them with the finer details of their video.

Watching the clay models come alive on the computer screen

How did we measure students' progress, when there was no traditional "homework" to gauge how they had done? Well, students were responsible instead for an English language writing portfolio, oral presentation and, of course, the final claymation video itself. As teacher Mr Samuel Selvarajoo observed, "The integrated portfolio project was an excellent opportunity for students to be engaged as active learners. They acquired, improved and applied a wide spectrum of hard and soft skills. In addition, the project gave teachers the opportunity to conduct lively and engaging lessons!"

Despite the arduous process of capturing and editing their stories frame by frame, not to mention the intricate process of moulding three-dimensional clay figures, our students appreciated the chance to experiment with a new form of creative expression. "It could be quite difficult to just film a simple shot, maybe because the lighting was too bright, and the moulding of the character could affect the whole film," recalled Cheong Yu Zhen Clara. "But now I feel inspired to be a producer or something like that in future, and maybe create my own movie!"

Another student, Brigitte Lee Cui Yi, found the experience of presenting her project in front of an audience invaluable. "In future, for other presentations, I'll be able to speak confidently and be a confident communicator."

Perhaps the best testimony to the Programme's success comes from teacher Ms Joy Chen's observation of her class, "They enjoyed the Communication Studies project and only wished that they had more time for process writing and for filming of the clay models. They really enjoyed the opportunity to film and edit their own story."

Contributed by:
Ms Tan Wan Kheng, Head, IT Department
Mr Johnny Ang, Vice-Principal
Westwood Sec School