Film offers the opportunity for learners to experience what it is like to produce mathematics. Well-crafted films can open up whole areas of mathematics, offering a sense of the “whole” of a topic, which can then be worked on more systematically in subsequent lessons. Film can offer a sense of purpose and need for mathematics.

What seems important is to structure activity so that students do the work of re-creating film images in their minds. This can be done by first showing the film and then getting students to try to re-create, together, what they saw. You might choose to show the whole film first and then focus on a smaller section, to begin the work of re-creation. You might do this work as a whole group, or with students in pairs.

Films offer access to key awarenesses and so these can be predicted, in relation to what students will notice and see. Some key questions can be planned in advance. These key questions are given in the descriptions underneath each film. And, the slower work of systematically drawing out the implications of the awarenesses of the film can also be planned - while allowing for the contingency of what any class will notice.

One of the first proponents of using film for learning mathematics was Jean Nicolet. Two of his original films are available on this website. They are both published here with kind permission from Educational Solutions (UK) Ltd. A full DVD of Nicolet films is available here: https://cuisenaire.co.uk/product-category/films/

Caleb Gattegno developed the use of mathematical film and made several of his own animations for classroom use. He advocated for the way of working describe above, of dwelling the details of the film, before moving to accounting for what took place. Further details about the history of mathematical film and its potential can be found here: https://hal.science/hal-04422565/document