7.

Using texts

Aim

Objectives

Key
Learning
Points

Resources

Outline

(all timings are

approximate)

To consider
How we might engage our students interest in texts through
creative activities


By the end of the session participants will have:
experienced as learners a range of activities, focussing on the genre of
the narrative
identified what learning is to be gained from these activities
suggested how these activities might be used in a longer learning
sequence.


Texts may require both listening and/or reading skills.
Student motivation, and learning outcome variety is increased by using
more creative activities in addition to the traditional approach of setting
post-engagement comprehension questions.


Activity A
Script of letter asking for advice
List of story types on poster (this could be on white board)
A4 paper for student letters.
Activity B
Paper strips for names and story titles.
Activity C
Handout Using Texts: 01
Activity E
Optional: Handout Using Texts: 02 if it is to be read.
Handout Using Texts: 03
Activity F
Handout Using Texts: 04
(+ Possible Learning Outcomes sheet if necessary)

A.
My top three [30 minutes]
B.
Personal stories [30 minutes]
C.
The Wedding Reception [30 minutes]
D.
Yes/no [30 minutes]
E.
The Fridge [30 minutes]
F.
Activity Analysis [30 minutes]




Training Notes: Exploiting texts
This session is highly experiential. The participants engage in a series of learning
classroom activities in the student role. They keep their AAG with them and make
notes as appropriate during the activities.
They come out of student role for the final part of the session and analyse the
activities for a variety of features including most importantly their possible
learning outcomes.
More often than not, the traditional approach to using texts is to have the
students read, and then answer questions designed to test comprehension.
Although these may cover a variety of linguistic and style areas, they are
formulaic do not exploit text as fully as they might.
In this session, well be looking at the genre of the narrative, and using it to try
out a variety of text exploitation activities which might enhance the potential uses
of a text in a lesson.

Procedure

A.

My top three

The activity

1. Share your top 3 films and books with the participants as appropriate.
2. Ask the participants to work individually and to write down their top 3 films and
top 3 books.
3. Ask them to share their lists, explaining why they chose what they did.
4. Display/elicit the following story types (N.B. it is not important to reproduce the
list, but merely to have a range of story types).

A. Overcoming the monster -- defeating some force which threatens... e.g.
most Hollywood movies; Star Wars, James Bond, Braveheart
B. The Quest -- typically a group setoff in search of something and (usually) find
it. e.g. Watership Down, Lord of the Rings
C. Journey and Return -- the hero journeys away from home to
somewhere different and finally comes back having experienced something
and maybe changed for the better. e.g. Wizard of Oz, Gullivers Travels.
D. Misunderstanding - Some kind of misunderstanding or ignorance is created