Teaching Sequence to Develop Skills for Critical Analysis of Short Texts - Assignment Example

Teaching Sequence Name Course Institution Instructor Date Lesson 1 Class: Year 10 (Stage 5) Objectives To introduce learners to short stories and analyse the short story Outcomes [from syllabus] Students learn to: 1. Respond to and compose increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure. 2. Effectively use and critically assess a wide range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for responding to and composing a wide range of short stories in different media and technologies. Students learn about: Materials 1. Copies of the story ‘The Bet’. 2. Whiteboard 3. Whiteboard marker 4. A3 paper 5. Teacher’s copy of: Anton, Chekhov. The Bet. 6. PowerPoint presentation Procedures Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities 5 mins Oral instructions Individual/ pair Whole Class Pre-reading of short text. W/board –title “The Bet” Ask learners to give their understanding of the term ‘bet’ by writing down on paper. Ask students to think of 2 different things they would bet Pair-share 15 mins Teacher to distribute copies of short story Learners to read the short story loudly in turns up to the 2nd last page.....pause Prediction- Ask them what they think will happen to the lawyer/ banker at the end of the story? 15 mins Whole Class Discussion Class discussion How hard/easy to read did the students find the short story? Was there any vocabulary or grammar that they found hard to comprehend? What is the short story talking about? Who are the characters in the short story “The Bet”? Describe their characters? Use PowerPoint presentation that describes the characters. 20 mins Students work individually on their play. Students in groups of three to create a play including the conversations featured on the short story. Each group to present their short play. 5 mins Oral Instructions Conclusion Make a general summary of the day’s lesson Introduce learners to the next day’s topic Homework Re-write the story ‘The Bet’ giving it a different ending. Evaluation/ Extension Learners are required to identify more character traits of the characters. Learners are encouraged to make inquiries about character traits in doubt In retrospect Were the learners active and cooperative during the lesson? In particular, what kind of activities engaged them more? If not, what kind of activities can be used as a substitute? Were the lesson objectives achieved? Analysis The main objective of the lesson was to develop skills for critical analysis of short texts. By asking the learners to give their individual understanding of the term ‘bet’ allows them to understand the general theme of the story. Activities such as reading the story loudly in turns help them to develop reading skills and at the same time making sense of it (Myers & Burnett, 2004: 52). Prediction as part of directed activity related to texts was meant to help the learners to reflect on its content by focusing on important parts of the story (Wellington & Ireson, 2002: 181). Asking the learners to recreate a play from the short story is a DART activity (Sawyer, Gannon & Howie, 2009: 124) and it helped them to use a different strategy for responding to it. Lesson 2 Class: Year 10 (Stage 5) Time: 60 mins Objectives: To think in imaginative, creative, interpretive and critical ways, and appreciate the diversity and aesthetics of language through short stories. Outcomes [from Syllabus]: Students learn to: Creatively adapt texts into different forms, structures, modes and media for different purposes, audiences and contexts. Analyse ideas, information, perspectives, contexts and ideologies and the ways they are presented in increasingly demanding sustained imaginative, informative and persuasive texts. Materials: Copies of the story, white board, white board markers Procedures Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities 5 mins Individual/ pair Whole class Pre-reading W/board –title “The Bet” Ask students to think of 2 different things they would bet their lives on/ hold dear.....list them Pair-share Discuss the different things that the learners list. 20 mins Group work Teacher to monitor progress and encourage creativity Students in groups of three to create and illustrate picture books depicting scenes from the short story on A3 paper. 20 mins Group work- share Learners to present their picture-book creations in their respective groups. 10 mins Discussion Teacher to discuss emerging issues from the presentations. 5 mins Oral instructions Conclusion Summarize the days lesson Homework Learners to continue with creating their picture-books. Evaluation/ Extension Learners to explore prose form of constructing short texts. In retrospect What challenges did the learners face in creating new mediums? Was the objective of the lesson achieved? Analysis The lesson was a continuation of the previous one and the same short story ‘The Bet’ was used in teaching. It involved representation of the short story in a different medium. Learners were required to represent the short story using picture books. Picture books incorporate entertainment in learning language (Myers & Burnett, 2004: 57). At the same time, such activities will help in getting to know their individual understanding of the story. Learners can identify different character traits from their pictures. Lesson 3 Class: Year 10 (Stage 5) Time: 60 mins Objectives: To analyse the poem ‘A dream Within A Dream’ Outcomes [from Syllabus]: Students learn to: 1. Create literary texts that reflect an emerging sense of personal style and evaluate the effectiveness of these texts. 2. Understand and confidently integrate their own processes of responding to and composing a wide range of different types of texts. 3. Evaluate their own processes of composition and reflect on ways of developing their strengths, addressing their weaknesses and consolidating and broadening their preferences as composers and responders of texts. Materials: Copies of the poem, overhead projector, index note cards Procedures Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities 5 mins Teacher facilitation Whole class W/board –title “A Dream Within A Dream” Learners to close their eyes and visualise a dream. Prompt learners to think about the sensory details that come to mind when they visualize a dream within a dream. 20 mins Individual Discussion Teacher facilitation Learners to read the poem closely, noting lines that prompt images or provoke a sensory response in them. Learners to articulate the reason behind the image or response. Read the first stanza aloud. Model how you would identify images and a sensory response. Reveal the last stanza on the overhead projector. Ask learners to read these lines and select one that is easy to visualize or provokes sensory response in them. 20 mins Pair-share In groups of four, ask learners to select lines from first stanza and jot them in their index note cards. In pairs, the second learner gives a personal response to the choice of the first learner and ditto for the same line chosen. Learner who chose the line explains their rationale of choice and how they think the poet uses the power of the line. Process is repeated for different lines and different group members. 10 mins Discussion The learners to discuss what they think are the gist of each stanza. What message is the poet trying to convey? 5 mins Oral instructions Conclusion Summarize the day’s lesson Introduce what the learners will be covering in the next lesson Relating the short story and the poem Homework Learners to re-write the poem in prose form. Evaluation/ Extension The learners should be able to identify on their own how poetic conventions contribute to the interest, imagery and memorable impact on the reader. In retrospect Did the lesson plan fit within the time constraints? If not, how should it be amended? Was the objective of the lesson achieved? Analysis In this lesson, the most outstanding activity is group work which is used for a considerable period of time. Group work provides a valuable experience to students and gives them an opportunity to practically experience them and strengthen their learning (Raja, N. (2012). Use of overhead projector helps in ensuring that all learners are gathered for. Overhead was used to present summarized points and it assisted greatly in saving time that could have been used in writing on the board. Index note cards were used in this lesson as part of directed activities related to short texts. Lesson 4 Class: Year 10 (Stage 5) Time: 60 mins Objectives: To establish relationships between different forms of short texts Outcomes [from Syllabus]: Students learn to: 1. Compose and respond to a wide range of visual texts, for example picture books, graphic novels and films, using a range of appropriate techniques and metalanguage. 2. Explore and appreciate the similarities and differences between and among different forms of short texts. 3. Adapt knowledge of language forms and features for new learning concepts. Materials: Copies of the poem and short story, overhead projector, A3 papers Procedures Time Organisation Teaching/ learning activities 10 mins Whole class Teacher facilitation Select two learners to present their re-written short story and prose composition. Review the re-written short story and the prose from previous lessons Power point presentation. 15 mins Discussion Individual Learners to brainstorm on similarities and differences of the two short texts arising from the presentations. Learners to relate the messages conveyed in the two short texts as they understand 20 mins Individual- pair Learners to use the re-written short story ‘The Bet’ and the prose constructed from the poem ‘A Dream Within A Dream’ to create film trailers that relate closely or links the two short texts. 10 mins Discussion Learners to discuss the rationale for choices used in their creations. 5 mins Oral instructions Conclusion Summarize the day’s lesson Homework Learners to continue creating their film trailers. Evaluation/ Extension Learners are encouraged to read contemporary poems. Relevant sites such as: http://www.poemhunter.com/poems/?gclid=CKetwamckrYCFYFxQgodig0AaA In retrospect Did the lesson plan fit within the time constraints? If not, how should it be amended? Were the learners able to establish the relationship between the two different forms of short texts? Analysis The use of film trailers is an important method of evaluating learner’s interpretation of the poem and short story. In addition to this, use of film trailers in relating the two short texts helps in instilling creativity among the learners. Group work also forms a major learning activity for this lesson and it is important in enhancing learning process. References Chekhov, A. (1995). The Bet. Sydney: HarperCollins Publishers Australia. Myers, J. & Burnett, C. (2004). Teaching English 3-11: The Essential Guide for Teachers. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group. Poe, A., E. A Dream Within A Dream. Retrieved on 23/03/2013 Raja, N. (2012). The effectiveness of Group work and pair work for students of English at Undergraduate Level in public and Private Sector Colleges. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business. 4(5): 155- 163. Sawyer, W., Gannon, S. & Howie, M. (2009). Charged with Meaning: Reviewing English. London: Phoenix Education. Wellington, J. & Ireson, G. (2002). Science Learning, Science Teaching. New York: Routledge. Read More