Effective use of IT to Explore Literary Texts in the Junior Secondary English Classroom
Richard Davis
EDB PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FOR TEACHERS 2015-16
Icebreaker
1. Do you use stories or poems or songs with junior forms? Why?
2. What kind of support do your students need to appreciate them?
3. Have you used any e-resources or aspects of IT with the
above texts?
Housekeeping
Aims
(1) To introduce some e-resources which can be used with literary texts.
(2) To take part in demonstrations and activities which illustrate how to engage students with literary texts including analysis, problem solving and creativity.
(3) To consider how to design activities and tasks to engage students with literary texts.
(4) To reflect on the effective use of IT in the teaching and learning of literary texts.
Introduction
What are literary texts?
Texts that have aesthetic value and are primarily for entertainment.
Introduction
Why use literary texts?
Literature can make positive contributions to the language class in that:
• It can be motivating and thought-provoking.
• It provides meaningful (and memorable) contexts for new vocabulary and structures, thus encouraging language acquisition and expanding students’
language awareness.
• It provides access to new socio-cultural meanings, offering opportunities for the development of cultural awareness.
• It stimulates the imagination, as well as critical and personal response, thus contributing to the major aim of educating the whole person.
Ferradas http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/britlit-using-literature-efl-classrooms
Introduction
Example
Ballads – Year 3
1. (Non – Authentic) Ballad – form, rhythm 2. Write own
3. Background Information 4. Traditional Ballad – Analysis 5. Traditional Ballad – Listen 6. Sing
Introduction
How can literary texts be used?
Classroom work with literary works may involve pre-reading tasks, interactive work on the text and follow up activities.
Introduction
Effective Staging
Pre-reading and prediction
Introduction
Effective Staging
Pre-reading.
Reading
.
• Opportunities to use the language.
• Follow up.
• Further analysis?
Colour the first line of each section of the story to break the text into accessible sections and provide easy reference for the teacher.
Students read the text section by section and answer selected questions about the characters in the story.
Guided Reading with a recording/CD.
Introduction
Effective Staging
Introduction
Effective Staging
Pre-reading.
Reading.
Post-reading.
• Students explore the characters to understand them more fully.
• Grammar practice.
• Work on rhythm (poetry and songs).
• Students read and perform a narrative play/recite/sing.
• Students create posters about the text, choosing their favourite characters, chunks of text and writing/discussing their response.
Exploring Resources
Resources you can download and use in class Aims
•
To explore some resources•
To consider models of using e-resources/use of IT in the classroom•
To reflect on the uses of literary texts combined with technologyExploring Resources
Resources you can download and/or use in class Storybird
Film English
Teaching English
Have a look at the resources online and complete the worksheet
Exploring Resources
Models of using e-resources/using IT with literary texts
•
No authoring – ready made resources.•
Authoring – students can add or create content.•
Lesson procedures – staging.Exploring Resources
Selection criteria:
• topics and themes
• interests of students
• age
• maturity
• appropriacy
• language
• text length
Demonstration 1
Stories (Key Features – openings, plot, dialogue and character)
Aims
• To exploit a text and engage students to read, analyse and respond to texts.
• To consider ways for students to notice key features of
stories.
Opening Techniques
How do stories
start?
Opening Techniques
A shock statement.
In the middle of dramatic action.
Starts in the future and then jumps back in time.
Dialogue.
A statement you can not understand.
Terminology How do
stories start?
Harry Chen looked like a middle- aged teacher.
He always wore a tie and an old cotton jacket, even in the hot sun.
His hair was going thin and he did not stand up straight.
He was fifty years old and for the past twenty years had been a
lecturer in archaeology at a
university in Singapore.
Harry Chen looked like *** ***-
*** teacher.
He always wore a tie and *** ***
*** ***, even in the hot sun.
His hair *** *** *** and he did not
*** *** ***.
He was *** years old and for the past twenty years had been ***
*** in *** at a university in Singapore.
What
can you
remember?
Do you like this man?
Why / why
not?
Harry Chen looked like a middle-aged teacher.
He always wore a tie and an old cotton jacket, even in the hot sun.
His hair was going thin and he did not stand up straight.
He was fifty years old and for the past twenty years had been a lecturer in
archaeology at a university in Singapore.
He was also a
thief.
What
does he steal
in
this story?
Cash?
Computer
secrets? Smart Phones?
Jewellery?
If he’s a lecturer in archaeology, he
might steal…
In the intro, did we read/hear (about):-
• his family?
• his name?
• his clothes?
• his shoes?
• his hair?
• his job?
• his salary?
• his age?
• his eyes?
• where he lives?
We read/heard (about):-
• his name
• his clothes
• his hair
• his job
• his age
• where he lives
In 5 sentences, we learn about him,
trust him, are even bored by him
and then in the 6 th sentence … a
shock: we learn he’s also a thief!
The shock
sentence
technique
‘Finders Keepers’ from The Fruitcake Special and other stories by Frank Brennan (Cambridge English Readers)
Harry Chen, a lecturer in archaeology at a university in Singapore, is also a thief, who has a private
collection of artefacts he has stolen.
He is frustrated that he cannot afford the choice items on display in the antique shops.
One day, his superior, Professor Teo, asks Harry to check through a collection of goods found in a nearby grave. There appears to be little of interest
until Harry accidentally smashes a sealed pot. Inside is a whistle with the inscription BE STILL. He decides to keep it.
For example:-
Media:
Journalist
Finance:
Bank clerk Art/Design:
Cartoonist
Science:
Biologist Medicine:
Nurse
1
Choose a
job
For example:-
Clothes Stature / stance Age Speech
Eyes
2
Build a
character
She was also …
3
Add the
shock
sentence
Harry Chen looked like a middle- aged teacher.
He always wore a tie and an old cotton jacket, even in the hot sun.
His hair was going thin and he did not stand up straight.
He was fifty years old and for the past twenty years had been a
lecturer in archaeology at a
university in Singapore.
Demonstration 1 - Stories
Toondo version of Finders Keepers
http://www.toondoo.com//ViewBook.toon?bookid=611471
Demonstration 1- Stories
Toondo – interface
Demonstration 1- Stories
Toondo – a means of re-purposing
Examples of work with junior secondary students
Demonstration 1- Stories
Toondo – a means of re-purposing
Examples of work with junior secondary students
http://ywjsg2.pbworks.com/w/page/99273138/Max Stage 1: Introducing the task and ToonDoo
Stage 2: Creating the comic strip online
Stage 3: Commenting on each other's work
Demonstration 1- Stories
Toondo – a means of re-purposing
1.
Why is Toondo a useful tool?2.
How does it help students to notice key features?3.
What issues might you have with classroom management?4.
How much time do students need to complete a toondo?5.
How would you assess or give feedback on a toondo?6.
Are there any other issues you can think of?Demonstration 1- Stories
Toondo – can be used….
•
To enable the students to interpret the text visually.•
To check understanding of the story.•
To enable close analysis in order to select ‘key’ features.•
To share interpretations.•
For peer and self-assessment.•
For formative assessment.Demonstration 1- Stories
Break – 15 minutes
Aims
•
To encourage intensive reading.•
To dramatise a text.•
To provide a way to practise speaking from written texts.Demonstration 2
Reading Texts – creating a soundtrack
Are your junior forms creative?
Do they like to read?
Do you read to them?
How do they respond to texts that are read to them?
Demonstration 2
Let’s create a soundtrack!
Look at the pictures.
What sound effect or background music would you add to the image?
Demonstration 2
Demonstration 2
Add your sound effect to the poem.
Listen to my poem.
When I point to your table. Make your sound effect!
1.
Is there anybody there?2.
Knocking3.
A horse eating grass4.
A bird flying5.
Knocking6.
Is there anybody there?Let’s look at ‘Booktrack Classroom’
https://www.booktrackclassroom.com/content/intro
https://www.booktrackclassroom.com/content/intro?bp50555=1
Demonstration 2
Booktrack Classroom
1.
Why is Booktrack Classroom (BC) a useful tool?2.
What do the students need to do?3.
What would you need to do in terms of preparation?4.
What kind of student would benefit from BC?5.
How would you evaluate or assess the students work?6.
Are there any other issues to consider?Demonstration 2
Aims
•
To look at some resources to practise listening•
To look at resources that introduce some poetic featuresOther Resources for songs and poems
Do you use poetry?
How do use poems and or songs?
Do your students like poems and songs?
Have you used any IT or e-resources to with poems and songs? What?
Other Resources for songs and poems
Lyrics Training
http://lyricstraining.com/
Look at the site and make notes on:
1.
Song selection2.
Language level3.
What you have to do4.
What kind of feedback you get5.
Other things you can doOther Resources for songs and poems
Lyrics Training
What kind of issues does this resource raise?
Other Resources for songs and poems
Magnetic poetry
http://magneticpoetry.com/pages/play-online
Look at the play online poetry kits.
Use the worksheet provided and try to write a haiku poem.
How could you use this resource with your students?
Other Resources for songs and poems
Magnetic poetry
http://magneticpoetry.com/pages/play-online
Other Resources for songs and poems
Magnetic Poetry
•
Themes•
Use it to teach word order/word class•
Scaffolding/structureOther Resources for songs and poems
Introduction
Exploring Resources
Demonstration 1 Stories – key features
Demonstration 2 Reading – creating soundtracks Resources for poems and songs
Round up
Feedback
Please complete the feedback forms.
