TEACHING LITERATURE: A poem A NLP AND MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES APPROACH

Introduction

This lesson proposal has been elaborated according to multiple intelligences, neuro linguistic programming theories and the communicative approach. My concern is that all the students involve in the lesson can practise different skills and abilities under the frame of the Academic English. As educator we should offer challenging experiences to all learners in order to reduce the negative consequences that result when the lesson do not cover interesting and at the same time enjoyable activities. This proposal offers multiple forms of assessment, and a wide variety of evidence of learning. Therefore, considering that choice and variety is the key for motivation and learning I pre-selected different types of exercises to be combined and/or integrated. A set of exercises providing different tasks was elaborated, insuring in this way that a great percentage of the learners` latent abilities will be developed in the classroom. There are difficult and easy exercises in order to cover different levels of maturation in the class. Five fundamental aspects have been considered: 1) Positive learning atmosphere which is reached from the very beginning of the lesson using music, images, at the same time that reading, pronunciation and intonation input is provided (see the cassette instructions and the teachers guidelines) 2) Group and individual work is included to stimulate social interaction. 3) Relaxing environment, supplying music and silence according to students needs. 4) Self-awareness and self-correction. To prioritise feedback some activities are designed, e.i. the vocabulary task. To prioritise self-awareness the web search activity is included in a writing section. 5) Phonetics and intonation activities are thought to be listening section. included in the

As teachers we know that learners work better when they are connected each other, feeling that they are part of a whole. A relaxed and collaborative working environment gives them the opportunity of developing positive behaviour during their learning experiences.

The

poem: Break, Break, Break

Break, break, break, On thy cold grey stones, O sea! And I would that my tongue could utter The thoughts that arise in me. O well for the fishermans boy, That he shouts with his sister at play! O well for the sailor lad, That he sings in his boat on the bay! And the stately ships go on To their haven under the hill; But O for the touch of a vanishd hand, And the sound of a voice that is still! Break, break, break, At the foot of thy crags, O sea! But the tender grace of a day that is dead Will never come back to me

The poem and the activities are presented framed by some attractive drawings, pictures and photographs that recreate the poem and motivate the students to visualise the atmosphere presented by Tennyson.
PRE-READING ACTIVITIES: (Speaking) Group activities: 1)Look at some photographs and discuss about the relation between the images and the title of the poem. Debate your ideas among groups. 2) Listen to a recorded tape of sea sounds. What is the poem about?

Cassette characteristics: A recorded copy of sea sounds.

READING ACTIVITY:

Vocabulary
Below you have a list of word extracted from the poem in column A, and the possible synonyms of each word in column B. Match a word of column A with the correct synonym of column B. Use your dictionaries if necessary.
A SAY EXPRESS ABSOLUTE SPEAK HAPPEN OCCUR RISE START YOUNG CHILD YOUNGSTER SCHOOLBOY COVE INLET YELP BARK B

UTTER

ARISE

LAD

BAY

STATELY

STILL

TENDER

DEAD

SPLENDID IMPERIAL ELEGANT AUGUST SILENT IMMOBILE NOTWITHSTANDING TRANQUIL IMPRESSIONABLE LOVING KIND WARM DULL FINISHED LIFELESS QUIET

AFTER READING ACTIVITIES: The author:

( extracted from http://www.bookrags.com/biography/lord-alfredtennyson/)

Name: Alfred Tennyson Birth Date: August 6, 1809 Death Date: October 6, 1892 Place of Birth: Somersby, England Gender: Male Occupations: poet

Find more information about the author and write a short biography. You can the internert using the site suggested

1. Age range: Adolescents and Adults. 1. English Level: Higher Intermediate to Advanced. 2. Language Focus: Discovering English Poetry 3. Educational ideas: 1. Social focus: Presenting our opinions and ideas about the different interpretations of the poem. Negotiating and accepting

others' ideas during the presentation. (Oral production, Speaking) 2. Conceptual focus: Understanding, analysing and interpreting a poem. (Reading and Interpreting) 3. Writing a review (Writing) 4. Listening to a cassette, reproducing, correcting, adjusting and finally pronouncing as accurately as possible English pronunciation and intonation. 4. Theme: The theme can be developed considering two different aspects: a) The sea and its environment. b) Memories and feeling.

For the teachers: I present some general instructions that could be included in the teachers book

Story telling procedures: 1. Before telling. Read the poem aloud once or twice a day for a week. Feel comfortable while practising. Tape the poem and listen to your own reading of the poem carefully. Make the necessary adjustments. How does it sound to you? Analyse the stile of the poem. What words are essential to the flavour of the story? Go on practising until you feel that you are so immerse in the poem that you are part of it. When you think that it is the correct moment to tell the story have all the necessary material prepared before the students assembled. 2. During telling. Be relaxed, listen to the music flowing and make eye contact (moving your eyes around the audience) while you tell or read the poem. The sounds of the sea will help to reduce the stress and anxiety and will add another sensory dimension to the poem. 3. After telling. Allow three or four minutes of reflection time after telling the poem. It is suggested to reduce the volume of the music during this period of reflection to think more creatively. Establishing an atmosphere of rapport ask the students to work in groups of three or four. The students share and discuss their personal interpretation of the poem. If you observe that the students are really motivated a debate can be suggested at the end of the analyses of the poem. Remember that this activity is suitable for upper-intermediate and advanced classes. I personally consider that in this part of the development of the class the music can be used or not. To conclude, after the teacher has distributed crayons and/or colour pencils, the students - listening to the sounds of music - draw an image that represents the poem.