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LITERATURE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES:
HOW TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS.
Linda LanisInternational School of Florence
WHY WE NEED MOTIVATION IN READING LITERARY BOOKS?
Motivation is essential in language acquisition. Is it essential in reading Literature in the target language as well?
TARGET STUDENT
9-10 graderLevel B2 of Cefr (usually in the 3rd year of the
language) Usually motivated and interested in using the
language in various contests Able to speak, enjoying it Good interaction with the local communityMotivation usually high or easy to maintain
Motivation
READING LITERATURE IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE: THE IDEAL SCENARIO
Students use literature as a window to culture, history, life and, of course, language.
Students not interested in reading, bored to death.
READING LITERATURE IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE: THE (USUAL)SCARY SCENARIO
CLASSIC LITERARY UNIT
Raising motivationFirst readingFocused readingPut it in a contextConnections-linksCritical reading/
thinkingCreating personal linksSynthesis and reflectionAssessment
• The motivation, usually high, drops during the first reading
• Students seem to have no interest in reading
• The following activities are difficult for them to follow
• Lack of interest, frequent requests to change activity
• Lack of comprehension
motivation
Critical
point
THE PROBLEM: MY EXPERIENCE
A problem of motivation
A problem of comprehension
Lack of comprehension
Lack of attenti
on
Lack of motiva
tion
THE PROBLEM
If the problem is not in the language…
It has to be in literature!
But why?
LITERATURE
A common cultural need
Part of communicationA pleasure to learn,
not to be taken for granted
GOALS
Short term: maintaining the motivation
Long term: raising students’ love of literature
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM
I don’t get the point : this is boring and I
don’t like it!
Impossibility of using the language in their daily life What’s
the point?Calp level not reached
I can’t do that!
Structure and type of the novel/book
It’s boring!
Spoken language vs written language
Students’ relationship with literature
CLASSIC LITERARY UNIT
Raising motivationFirst readingFocused readingPut it in contextConnections-linksCritical reading/thinkingCreating personal linksSynthesis and reflectionAssessment
Critical
point
• Find a new way to approach the text
• Create something between the motivation prompt and the first reading
• Connect the text with the students’life
• Propose something new and varied
• Postpone the first reading after the work
Raising motivationFirst reading
Focused readingPut in context
Connections-links Critical reading/thinkingcreating personal linksSynthesis and reflection
Assessment
SUGGESTED LITERARY UNIT
FIRST READING
After 'internalizing’/creating personal connections
Faced in a non-traditional way
Creating a communication with the text, focusing on comprehension
Overtaking the distance between the student and the text
SO…HOW?
Work with short stories or with chapters/sequences
Always give the context
Create an expectation before the activity
Challenge the students to produce something they will find in the text
Compare and contrast students’ work with the text
After every activity, students should read the text in order to find what they have already produced
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES
SAMPLE ACTIVITIES
Seating chart
WorkText
Modality
FILLING IN THE TEXT
Text any sequence/chapterWork Individual/ pairs/ small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality
Give students the beginning and the ending of the chapter/sequence
Invite them to create the text in the middle. Create a poster with the real text in the middle, surrounded
by students’ works
COMICS
Text any sequence/chapterWork IndividualSeating chart one big deskModality
Give students a title, the basic context and three-four important sentences from the text.
Invite them to create some comic strips. Read the text allowing student to make changes. Create an exibition with the real text in the middle,
surrounded by students’ works
PLAY
Text Crucial sequences with dialoguesWork pairs/ small or big groupsSeating chart islandsModality
Divide students in pairs/small groups. Give the students the situation and invite them to write a
script. Students will have to perform before the reading. They can choose the best performance after the reading
SAMPLE: TRAGIC LOVE STORYDante, “Divina Commedia”
DESCRIPTION
Text Sequences describing real or imaginary placesWork Individual /pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality
Give students a place. Ask them to draw the place described in the sequence. They may
also search for images or take pictures It is also possible to search for the perfect place to express a feeling. Make a poster with the text in the center surrounded by the picture. Find the best image matching the description in the text
DESCRIPTIONDante “Divina Commedia”
Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vitami ritrovai per una selva oscura,ché la diritta via era smarrita. 3
Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa duraesta selva selvaggia e aspra e forteche nel pensier rinova la paura! […]Ma poi ch’i’ fui al piè d’un colle giunto,là dove terminava quella valleche m’avea di paura il cor compunto, 15
guardai in alto e vidi le sue spallevestite già de’ raggi del pianetache mena dritto altrui per ogne calle.
.
DESCRIPTIONV.Hugo “Les Miserables”
La dalle bleue y est remplacée par une traverse à laquelle s'appuient cinq ou six difformes tronçons de bois noueux et ankylosés qui ressemblent à de grands ossements. Il n'a plus ni seau, ni chaîne, ni poulie; mais il a encore la cuvette de pierre qui servait de déversoir. L'eau des pluies s'y amasse, et de temps en temps un oiseau des forêts voisines vient y boire et s'envole.Une maison dans cette ruine, la maison de la ferme, est encore habitée. La porte de cette maison donne sur la cour. À côté d'une jolie plaque de serrure gothique il y a sur cette porte une poignée de fer à trèfles, posée de biais.
.
USING COLOURS
Text complex sentences or sequencesWork collective + pairs/ small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality
Students have a discussion on what is difficult or important in the text.
They choose a colour for each phrase. Form small groups, giving each group one or two colours. Tell the students to colour the text according to the colour-
meaning.
USING COLOURS
Characters
Descriptions
Good sentences
Sequences
Quotes
Sentences I cannot understand
Important sentences
Vocabulary-words
Different colours
for
USING COLOURSPratolini, “Le ragazze di San Frediano”
A LOVE LETTER
Text A love letter written by a characterWork Individual/pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality
Mind maps: write the set for a love letter, exploring parts, places and feelings.
Give students some tips if they do not know the characters Ask students to reflect on what the character may be writing. Ask them to write the letter. Put all the letters in a box. Randomly, each student reads a letter. Compare the letters with the original one
A LOVE LETTERBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti
Love lette
r
purpose
who
what
Romantic
sentences
words
Other relevant info
wherewhe
n
A LOVE LETTERBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti
Phisical places Mental places• Mall• Waiting room
Physical
places• Dream• Imaginary
setting
Mental
places
Feelings
• lost• Pass
ion
• jealousy
• determination
Love stress
attempting
discourage
A LOVE LETTERBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti
BOX READING
UNA LETTERA D’AMORE
DIARY ENTRY
Text Sequences on main character’s reflectionWork Individual/pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality
Give students the situation. Ask students to reflect on what the character may feel in
that context Students have to write a diary entry. Find out what the character feels. Is it so different?
READING IN COLOURS
Text Long dialogues between 4 or more characters.Work small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality
Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards
Use different coloured cards per character. Give students all the cards. Each group should try to put the dialogues in order Read in colour!
READING IN COLOURS
Text A long dialogues between 4 or more characters.Work small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality
Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards
Use different coloured cards per character. Give students all the cards. Each group should try to put the dialogues in order Read in colour!
READING IN COLOURS Buzzati, Lo sciopero dei telefoni, from Sessanta racconti
" E smettetela, pettegole! " (era una donna). " Pettegola sarà lei, se mai, che ficca il naso in casa d'altri “Io ficco il naso? Si vergogni! Io non... " […]"Be', siamo sole?... E allora, Franchina, cosa dici chemi metta domani? ".Si udì a questo punto una voce d’uomo, nuova, bellissima, giovanilmente aperta e autoritaria, che stupiva per la sua eccezionale carica di vita: “Clara, se mi permette glielo dico io, domani si metta la gonna blu dell’anno scorso con il golf viola che ha appena dato da smacchiare…e il cappellino nero a cloche, intesi?” “Ma lei chi è?” La voce di Clara era cambiata adesso, e aveva un’incrinatura di spavento. “Mi vuol dire chi è?” L’altro tacque. Allora la franchina “Clara, Clara, come fa questo qui a sapere?” “Io molte cose so”.[…]Il Marcozzi, intimidito: “Ma lei chi è? Come si permette?” L’altro: “Non se la prenda. Piuttosto, cerchiamo di stare
Some more tips
More tips
RAISE CONSCIOUSNESS IN STUDENTS
Raising students’ consciousness of the situation, both before and during the process
Ask for cooperationHave your students
be part of the academic process
Incourage them in comparing
TOOLS
Mind mapsQuestionairesInterviewDiaryField notesObservation formReviewing gridsClass discussionPersonal reflectionPeer coachingGraphs
Diary
“I liked it when we tried
reading in different
colours. It made the
lesson more alive. We
should always do so.”
Mind map
Italian
Reading is usefull
when
Reading is boring
when
When I read it is difficult
The teacher should...
What I read
in other languag
es
Reading is fun
when
I need/
I would like
What I read in my 1st
language
DESKS
Try to modify your seating chart regularly.According to the activity you can arrange the desks in small islands, one big table, a horseshoe.
Raising students’ love of literature
Literature is a pleasure to learn
Have an open window to literature
Work with the first language teacher
Conclusion
“Dietro una lingua ci sta una letteratura, e dietro una letteratura c'è un gusto, una civiltà.”
“Beyond a language there is a literature, beyond a literature there is a taste, a culture.”
Luigi Russo (1892 – 1961), Italian literary critic
H T T P : / / S A R O LTA G R A P H I C W O R K S . B L O G S P O T. C O MH T T P : / / W W W. T H E N E W S . C O M . P K /
H T T P : / / B C S S L A N G U A G E S . W E E B LY. C O M /H T T P : / / J O E R A P I S A R D A . C O M
Images from: