Concluding Reflection


When I opted to apply for Teacher's College I was advised to choose English as a minor by teachers who had previously left the hallowed walls of the division. The main reason was that the work load was overwhelming. However I chose it as a minor because my first passion is the foreign languages.

This course lived up to my expectations- it was very challenging and at times I often asked myself why I chose English. But being someone who never likes to back down from a challenge I took the course on  Teaching Adolescent  Literature head on. It forced me to enhance  my technological skills  through the online portfolio and it made me more reflective in my teaching practices. Whenever the lecturer would make a comment on a common error novice English teachers made in the classroom  when teaching Literature to adolescents I would shrivel up inside, thinking of the detrimental effect I must had  on  my students in my ignorance. No wonder they always complained about not liking the subject!

Despite its challenges, I am thankful that I did the course because it also made me more knowledgeable in my practices, and I definitely intend to make use of my new found knowledge in the classroom. Literature as is often proven in the numerous research carried out is about the human experience. it is something to be experienced, not simply read and move on. I intend to make this experience come alive in my class when I return to teaching so that my students can say 'Miss, we had a wonderful class today. We are looking forward to the next class'.

Lesson Plan

Subject: English Literature

Topic: Characterization

Strands of Language Arts to be employed : reading, writing, listening, speaking

Duration: 80 minutes

Objectives: Students should be able to:

1.     Use role-play to deduce the rules that govern all relationships/ families

2.     From the role-play students are to deduce the consequences for breaking rules

3.     Recognise the importance of effective communication by identifying the reasons for the miscommunication between Margaret and her father, Mr. Cruickshank

4.      Clearly state  possible methods for resolving conflict with family members

Lesson context:

Instructional strategies

To be employed: role-play, guided questions

Materials/media: basic props (hats, scarf etc), text: Harriet’s Daughter, journals, slips of paper in plastic bag

Introduction: Scenario: ‘you have come home late on a school night without informing your parents. Upon arrival, your parents ask for an explanation’.

Procedures:

1.     Students will form groups of three

2.     Students will be given the guidelines for developing their role-play. In the guideline students will be given the instructions to plan their role-play. Students have 5 minutes to prepare their presentations

3.     Students will dip for the order of the presentations

4.     Students will perform their role play within a three minute duration

5.     Students will be instructed to take notes during each presentations paying particular attention to the problem, the causes of the problem, how each person (parent and child) behaved and the solution to the problem

6.     As a class students will engage in a guided discussion based on the points identified in step 5, immediately after their performances

7.     Students will then be instructed to turn to the section in the novel where Margaret is confronted by her father after her late arrival from school

8.     Students will read the section aloud.

9.     The teacher  will pause at strategic points to ask students questions such as

Ÿ  What would you have done if you were Margaret?

Ÿ  Why do you think Margaret saw nothing wrong with her behaviour?

Ÿ  Why do you think Margaret’s father was upset?

Ÿ  How else do you think Margaret’s father could have dealt with the situation?

Ÿ  How do think Margaret felt after her father’s scolding?

Ÿ  If you were Margaret would you have continued her behaviour?

Ÿ  Have you ever been in a situation similar to Margaret’s?

Ÿ  What was your reaction?

Ÿ  How did you feel upsetting your parents?

Conclusion: Students will be asked to write a letter in their journals addressed to the character Margaret/ father expressing their feelings about their reactions in the situation. They must focus on the problem, how the problem was handled and the appropriateness of the strategy used to deal with the problem.

Evaluation: Students’ performances and journals will be assessed with the use of a rubric.

                        

                                               EVALUATION OF THINK PAIR SHARE

It is important that a teacher of any subject evaluate the strategy or strategies used in the classroom as to determine if they helped in achieving the objectives of the lesson. As a cooperative learning strategy, Think Pair Share was designed to provide students with ‘food for thought’ and has traits which prove beneficial to both the students and the teacher in the classroom.

In Think Pair Share there is an element of wait time, a phrase coined by Groisser (1964). With wait time, students have an opportunity to carefully think out their responses to the questions provided, which improves the quality and quantity  of their response (Rowe 1974) .In this student centered strategy students are also provided with the opportunity to think aloud their responses with another student before they make their presentations to the class. In this manner, students’ peers can help them clarify their ideas or add further input, resulting in enhanced discussions in the classroom. Students also retain concepts better when they discuss them.

In addition to this benefit, students also tend to feel more comfortable with their ideas when aware of the thoughts of their peers. Think Pair Share improves student and student interaction and further boosts their self esteem and morale.

Students engaged in the Think Pair Share strategy spend more time on task, which reduces the eventualities of classroom management problems for the teacher. Another benefit for the teacher is that Think Pair Share can easily be incorporated in the Literature lesson since there is no specific material needed.

In conclusion, Think Pair Share allows students to share their ideas in a non threatening atmosphere, where no student is made to feel that his answer is wrong or stupid. In the Literature classroom, all students should be made to feel that their contributions are important to the overall discussion.

Think Pair Share at a glance

P I G S F

Positive interdependence

The students are able to learn from each other

Individual accountability

Students are accountable to each other for sharing ideas. The student may also be required to share their partner’s ideas to another pair or whole group.

Equal participation

Each student within the group has an equal opportunity to share. It is possible that one student may try to dominate. The teacher can check this does not happen.

Simultaneous interaction

High degree of interaction. At any one moment all of the students will be actively engaged in purposeful speaking and listening.

References

http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/think/ (retrieved 18^th April 2011)

http://www.eazhull.org.uk/nlc/think,_pair,_share.htm (retrieved 18^th April 2011)

 Using THINK PAIR SHARE to Teach a Concept in Adolescent Literature (edited version)

Adolescents usually find themselves in the fourth stage of literary appreciation where they find themselves in the story. It is therefore pertinent that we choose novels with themes which are relevant to their lives. This is why I chose to teach the idea of responsibility  to a Grade 9 class (ages 14 -15) in the novel Green Days by the River written by Michael Anthony using the THINK PAIR SHARE strategy with some modifications.

Why responsibility? Responsibility is an issue which all persons have to deal with heedless of age. However, the adolescent is constantly faced with new responsibilities as he develops both physically and cognitively.

In the novel Green Days by the River, which is often termed a ‘coming of age’ novel, the protagonist Shell, who is also an adolescent is faced with responsibilities he did not have previously. By teaching the idea of responsibility to students it is hoped that they will get a better understanding of the character and by extension themselves.

Students’ background knowledge  would first be activated by asking them some questions.

·         What does the words or phrases come to your mind when you hear responsibility?

·         What responsibilities do you have at home?

·         When someone says to you that you are a responsible person what do you take it to mean?

I would encourage a discussion on the following questions then slowly narrow it to the novel just read. I would write some questions on the blackboard and give the students some time to think of their responses. Some of the possible questions are

·         What responsibilities did Shell have to take on after his father was no longer able to care for the family?

·         Do you think he acted responsibly by engaging in sexual intercourse with Rosalie Gidharee?

·         Overall, would you consider Shell to be a responsible teenager? Use evidence in the novel to support your answer.

Students would then write down their responses in their journals and afterwards pair off with a classmate to discuss their beliefs or ideas. After the paired discussion, students would return to their seats where a whole class discussion would ensue on the questions posed.

READING STRATEGIES
Reading is a cognitive skill which requires persons to decode, make meaning or interpretations from texts or symbols. The Literature teacher is therefore responsible for equipping his students with the necessary strategies to approach varied forms of literary pieces in order to engage students in critical thinking. Reading strategies can be categorized as pre reading, during reading and after reading.

Pre Reading Strategy

One pre reading strategy is titled The Pre Reading Plan or PReP. This strategy was founded by Langer (1981) and it aids teachers in activating students’ prior knowledge. It takes place in 3 phases. The first phase is called Initial association. This is where students make associations with the concept to be taught, by brainstorming ideas. The teacher poses the question ‘What comes to mind when you hear …?’ and writes down students’ responses on the blackboard.
The second phase called Secondary reflections is where students are required to reflect on what made them think of the responses they gave. The teacher asks, ‘ What made you think of…?’
and once more notes students’ responses.
In the final phase, called Refining knowledge the teacher encourages to think of new ideas, reformulate their ideas or elaborate on what was said. The teacher asks ‘Do you have any new ideas or thoughts after hearing your classmates?’

During Reading Strategy
‘If I can’t picture it, I can’t understand it.’ Albert Einstein

Visualization is a strategy which can be used for during reading. It encourages students to create a mental picture of the events in the novel or text. Visualization is similar to making a movie in your head, using the sensory images like sounds, smells, touch and emotions as a guide. It also aids students in better language comprehension, expression and critical thinking.



After Reading Strategy

Think Pair Share is a cooperative learning strategy developed by Lyman (1981). Students think alone for a response to a question posed by the teacher for a specified amount of time then pair off with another student to discuss their ideas. After the paired discussion students then share their responses with the entire class.

INTEGRATING LITERATURE IN THE CURRICULUM
The ultimate aim of the Language Arts teacher is to get his students to become lifelong readers. By integrating literature in the curriculum, it is hoped that students will gain an understanding of and an appreciation for literature.
One of the ways in which this can be done is by using specific genres in the teaching of literature. Restrepol (1988) declares that books should not be considered in isolation, but as part of a larger section of literature, and that students should be exposed to one genre of literature at a time.
Literature in the form of drama can also be integrated in the curriculum, as drama opens students to discover what it means to be human. (Karabas and Leinwein 1985). They also postulate that drama activates students’ imagination , insight and self knowledge.
Another way of integrating literature in the curriculum is by using a thematic approach; this includes short stories, poems and non fiction of different genres of young adult literature. Why use young adult literature? Hipple (1981) cited in an article by Marshall George declared that ‘ literature for young adults is fine literature , about themes that are universal, with quality that is stunning. Such literature merits- and rewards-attention.’
The thematic approach to literature enables students to see the ‘big picture’ or idea of a topic they work on. Thus, when using this approach, students learn not only about literature, but from literature. The teacher may have students use the literary works in literature circles, book clubs or jigsaw.
In all of this integration of literature in the curriculum, can grammar be considered an asset in the teaching of literature? In his article Language Matters: Grammar as a Tool in the teaching of Literature, Paul Doniger worries at the question whether grammar can be considered an invaluable tool in the teaching of reading, discussion of literature or to develop critical thinking skills. There is no conclusive evidence as minimal research has been done on the impact of grammar instruction on the study of literature.
However, Richard Ohmannn’s article cited in Language Matters declared that ‘each writer tends to exploit deep linguistic resources in characteristic ways- that his style, in other words, rests on syntactic options within sentences.’ An understanding of grammar is therefore needed if the students are to correctly interpret literary works. Paul Doniger also maintained that as teachers, we can use analysis of grammatical points to deflect students’ complaints about difficult literature
.

References
Davis, S. & Johns, J. (1990). Integrating Literature in Middle School Reading Clasrooms. Eric Digest . Eric Clearinghouse on Reading and Communications Skills. Bloomington IN
Doniger, P. (2003). Language Matters: Grammar as a Tool in the Teaching of Literature. English Journal. 92, (3)
George, M. (2001). What’s the Big Idea? Intregrating Young Adult Literature in the Middle School. English Journal.

           INTEGRATING LITERATURE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

Literacy, especially the skill of reading is invaluable in all subject areas. Fictional as well as non fictional texts provide a plethora of information on all subject areas. Students’ learning has often been labeled as ‘compartmentalized’ in nature. However, connecting literature to other subject areas enriches both subject areas, as well as reinforcing students’ knowledge in both. Also too, approaching literature from a different angle using literature can increase students’ motivation to learn. (Lake 1993 cited on website www.freepatentsonline.com)

Literature in Mathematics

Using literature in Mathematics reinforces the idea that Mathematics is everywhere. Draper (2002) cited in the above website remarked that Mathematics and literacy are inseparable in the constructivist classroom. Mathematics teacher who integrate literature in the classroom concur that the key to understanding Mathematics is reading and writing. Moyer (2000) cited on the same website concluded that ‘Mathematical reasoning and problem solving can be found in authentic reading and writing materials.’

One of the strategies used for integrating Literature in the classroom is by selecting books which explore Mathematical concepts and having students compare these books to other pieces of literature, (Aysha Khemakhem, Qatar Academy Primary). Another strategy is to pose questions which allow students to use a higher level of thinking.

Literature in Science

The integration of Literature in Science enables students to link ‘Science content with literary standards.’ (Wallace 2004 ). It also gives students a context for concepts they are learning in class. (Ansberry and Morgan 2005) .By integrating Literature in Science, students are able to develop a Science based vocabulary. Furthermore, with constant exposure to Literature students are able to engage in critical thinking, write and read like actual scientists, as they develop a sense of familiarity with the writing process. The teacher can have students perform the experiments proposed in the literature to see if they come up with the same results. Students can also be placed in groups to go through the literature and decide which of the concepts are facts as opposed to made up theories.

Literature in Social Studies

Social Studies is often deemed boring or dull by students. By integrating Literature in the subject, abstract concepts such as government and society can be made comprehensible to students. Literature in Social Studies affords students the opportunity to reflect on their roles in society, as well as the effects of possible human actions locally and globally. It broadens their perception of the world, enabling them to reflect on their lives.

In conclusion, Literature should not be viewed as an isolated subject as research has shown that it can be applied in all language areas. If teachers agreed to integrate Literature in their subject area learning would prove to be more meaningful and satisfying to both teacher and student.

References

Marquette, E. Bringing Children’s Literature together with Social Studies. Retrieved from http://www.chatham.edu/pti/curriculum/units/2006/Evans.pdf

Integrating literature in mathematics: a teaching technique for mathematics teachers. Retrieved from  http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/School-Science-Mathematics/227078104.html (9th April 2011)

Integrating Mathematics and Literature. Retrieved from http://qapmath.qataracademy.wikispaces.net/file/view/Integrating+Math+and+Literature.pdf

(10^th April 2011)

Teaching Across the Curriculum with Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_darigan_childrens_1/4/1149/294214.cw/index.html (9th April 2011)

Titles That Advocate the Strengths of Using Literature Across the Curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.uleth.ca/edu/currlab/handoutsnew/litlinkshandouts/integratingliteraturesummaries.html (10th April 2011)