Here are three of my favorite suggestions in the website that could be implemented in the literature classroom; they not only aid in triggering student interest and sustaining engagement but more importantly, also allow relatively easy implementation in the literature classroom:
- Design a talk show with the novel’s protagonists starring as guests. The host interviews the guests; questions pertain to their actions as well as the events in the book. Film the talk show for students’ viewing and critical analysis.
- Compose a movie script that is based on the original novel but with its spatio-temporal location modified. For example, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer could be set in 2035, on other planets or simply in outer space.
- Using Publisher or Adobe, design a newspaper in such a way that mirrors the setting of the novel. It could also feature short news and feature stories about the novel’s characters, themes and events. Visual elements such as appropriate advertisements and relevant photos also trigger student interest and allow greater engagement with the text. A question-and-answer column could also be included.
Thanks,
Serene
Hi Serene,
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of designing a newspaper set in the period of the text seems a good way of encouraging students to better visualise the setting. This could be particularly useful for dystopic/ utopian novels in which the expressed paranoia or hidden meanings may be more thoroughly explored through the tool of journalism.
Many of the lesson ideas on the website are similarly constructivist in approach. While potentially more engaging, time constraints will have to be a consideration, especially with some of the more time-consuming activities, such as designing a board game featuring characters in the novel.
Jina
Hi Serene,
ReplyDeleteThank you for recommending the website. It does provide a list of very interesting and constructive ideas to be applied to the teaching of literature in class and I must say that I believe it will not only engage the students in a fun manner that captures their attention but also facilitating understanding and learning at the same time. The talk show suggested on the website, as brought up by Serene is one idea that particularly strikes me and I would very much like to apply it in future. First of all, the talk show provides a platform for students to move away from the boring “lecturing” mode of teaching but also encouraging students creativity to be appreciated in the classroom. When students take on the role of the character and asked to answer questions about the character from the book, the content knowledge of the particular character will increase tremendously. In addition to that, this facilitates cooperative learning as the entire class will benefit from this fun activity through content mastering. It also allows from multiplicity in terms of perspectives to be viewed in the confines of the classroom itself. Since students take on the role of the characters, they will be able to voice out their inner thoughts and emotions and this can be shared and debated as a class. I had the privilege of witness a literature class implementing this. It was not to the extent of creating a talkshow, rather a simpler version of just playing the “pyramid game”. Students were given categories to pick from and this text and increase the knowledge of the text in the students. It was such a pleasure seeing the students having so much fun taking part in such an activity but gaining a whole lot more knowledge from it.
I think the idea of a talkshow is good as it allows students to put themselves in the shoes of the characters and encourages them to familiarise themselves with the way the characters think and behave. This helps them to develop a better understanding of the lives of the characters, which certainly helps them in the area of character analysis. I think designing a newspaper based on the happenings in a novel is a great way of giving students the opportunity to engage with the text better, and to hone their critical writing skills too.
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