Dr.N.Nadaraja PillaiProfessor cum Deputy Director (Rtd.)

Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, India

Backwash

Syllabus Teaching materials Teacher

LearnersAchievementEvaluation

Teaching Methods and Techniques

Errors

Exercises

Language structure

Skills

Content

Literature and culture

Syllabus

Objectives

Content ObjectivesLanguage Objectives

Written works having excellence in:

FormExpressionIdeasWidespread and Lasting Interest

P ro se P o e try D ra m a

L ite ra tu re

‘Literacy skill’ The knowledge and skills required to understand

and use information from texts such as passages of fiction, poem and drama.

And development of a few more skills sthrough activities .

Students learn communicative competence involving interpreting discourse in all its social and cultural contexts. (Savvidou)

Students show more improved literacy practices than did students in skill-based classes. skill instruction was embedded in the context of the real-life materials. Stimulates students to

go to the library on their own time discuss books, plots, characters relate these to their own personal lives

It depends on educational objectives for primary school

for upper-primary for high school for higher secondary / PUC

for undergraduate for post graduate

Based on 1. Periods 2. Themes3. Genres4. Language style/ complexity5. Secularism, etc.

1. Message2. Content3. Selection of words4. Emotions 5. Imagination- symbol, imagery, etc6. Poetics7. Language style

Beginning End Foregrounding Remembering or flashback Telling what is going on Telling what will happen Character speaking

What and how do we want to teach? The sound patterns The words The sentence structure - Structural

approach The theme and meaning The poetics, -The style - Stylistic approach - Discourse Analysis These features vs. the language skills of the

students

Basic language Skills Listening

SpeakingReadingWriting

Higher Order skillsCohesionCoherence Translation, etc.

Story Context + theme + technique+ conclusion

Context Characters + Place + Time

Theme Incidents + Objectives

Techniques Scenes

Scenes Objectives + technique-s + conclusion

Scene-techniques incidents + causes

Objectives Author’s thought

The mountain and the squirrel Had a quarrel,

And the former called the latter “little prig”;Bun replied,“you are doubtless very big;But all sorts of things and weatherMust be taken in togetherTo make up a yearAnd a sphere

And I think it no disgraceTo occupy my place If I am not so large as you,You are not so small as I,And not half so spry;I’ll not deny you make A very pretty squirrel trackTalents differ; all is well and wisely put;If I cannot carry forests on my backNeither can you crack a nut.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Former- latter = the mountain – squirrelPrig = a narrow minded personBun = a pet name for a squirrel or a rabbitSphere = globeTo occupy my place = play my partSpry = active livelyTalents = abilities

Basically poem is a form of communication This feature is not given importance in the

syllabus It is taken as an art form only. Poem in man’s instinct feature It is considered as a difficult-complex

creation It is highly appreciated creative literature

Poems and songs help us to teach features of language

Poems and songs can reinforce the learning of levels of language

PhonologyMorphologySyntaxSemantics and Pragmatics

Poems are natural Poems express the cultural features of the

society Through poems we can teach not only the

cultural features but the following also:◦ National integration◦ Emotional integration◦ Societal features ◦ Political thoughts, etc.

It is true that insights and evaluative skills cannot be taught or transferred

SongGoe, and catche a fallings starre,Get with child a mandrake roote,Tell me, where all past years are,Or who cleft the devils foot,Teach me to heare Mermaids

singing,Or to keep off envies stinging,

And findeWhat winde ---John Donne

Sound patterns: alliteration and assonance Rhythms Phrases Symbols and imagery Attribution of new meaning Description and narration

How these are different in prose and poetry?

Poems deviate from normal linguistic rules. They may have dialectal forms Repetition of features Word order change New imagination Ambiguity and dissolving it

Its last stanza. ------------------------ -

And miles to go before I sleep.And miles to go before I sleep.

If one were to explain the last two lines saying that they indicate tiredness - the beauty of it is lost totally. If one can read in such a way as to convey the mood of tiredness - it reaches one's heart.

But the four lines will give us the clue for the meaning.

The woods are lonely, dark and deep.But I have promises to keepAnd miles to go before I sleep.And miles to go before I sleep.

As per the theme or the situation the language features may vary.

Gaps in the structure or incidents. Only a commentator can explain the whole. These express

the style, objectives and the techniques of the author.

DAYBREAK A wind came up out of the sea, And said: "O mists, make room for

me." It hailed the ships, and cried: "Sail on, Ye Mariners, the night is gone." And hurried landward far away, Crying: "Awake! It is the day." It said unto the forest: "Shout! Hang all your leafy banners out!" It touched the woodbird's folded wing, And said: "O bird, awake and sing!" And Over the farms: "O Chanticleer, Your clarion blow: the day is near." It whispered to the fields of corn: "Bow down, and hail the coming

morn." It shouted through the belfry tower!" It crossed the churchyard with a sigh, And said: "Net yet; in quite lie.

H.W. Longfellow.

It is clear that language teaching methods are not adequate for teaching poetry.

Poetry is essentially the product of one's own experiences and imaginations. This product is built up with language as its medium.

The poetic universals are exploited by the poet as foregrounding techniques in transferring the day-to-day language into a poetic language.

In order to differentiate his poetic language from the day-to-day language the poet deviates from the norm

It is the deviations which is highly appreciated by the commentators as the mark of an individual or a genre

Imagination is the very essence of poetic language. Imagination of an individual is beyond the scope of study by others.

No method of teaching has given any concrete techniques of teaching poems

Since the poems express the imagination and the experience and exposure of the author, teaching them is an art and it has no definite techniques.

1. Identifying Linguistic features◦ Expose to new vocabulary◦ Expose to difficult syntax◦ Expose to challenging literary features

2. Identifying similarities and differences◦ Classification, Categorization

3. Summarizing/Notes taking

4. Insisting cooperative learning

5. Graphic organizers 6. Making the text a drama

7. Providing appropriate practice (Guided & Independent)

8. Setting objectives and providing Meaningful feedback

9. Reinforcing effort and providing recognition

There may be a lot of dimensions which are formulated by experts in the field as per the objectives, and the level of learning

We may classify the educational system into seven levels as

1. Primary2. upper-primary3. secondary

4. Higher secondary 5. Under-graduation

6. Post-graduation and 7. Research

Foregrounding Content Message Genre Aesthetic technique Language use Characterization Cultural features

Drama

Origins of DramaThe word drama comes from the Greek verb dran, which means “to do.”

Drama can bring in feelings, emotions, conversational skills, etcCan test the language useWord meanings in context.

Like the plot of a story, the plot of a play involves characters who face a problem or conflict.

Climaxpoint of highest tension;

action determines how the conflict will be resolved

Resolutionconflict is resolved;play ends

Complicationstension builds

Expositioncharacters and conflicts are introduced

Conflict is a struggle or clash between opposing characters or forces. A conflict may develop . . .

* between characters who want different things or the same thing

* between a character and his or her circumstances

* within a character who is torn by competing desires

comedy is a play that ends happily.

The plot usually centers on a romantic conflict.

The protagonist of most classical tragedies is a tragic hero.

This hero is noble and in many ways admirable has a tragic flaw, a personal failing that leads to a tragic end

“Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Wherefore means “Why”

This means that we must know the meaning of such archaic words

Symbol/Symbol/

ImaginatiImaginationon

Aesthetic Aesthetic techniquetechniquess

Cultural Cultural featuresfeatures EmotionsEmotions

Word Meaning and Word Meaning and language uselanguage use

CharacterizatioCharacterizationn

MassageMassage

The theme / purpose The theme / purpose expressedexpressed

Read Read /foregrounding/foregrounding

Structure / GenreStructure / GenreLiteratureLiterature

Some classroom activities suggested here lend themselves to project works. Projects are thematic in nature, meaningful, learner-centered, cooperative

and can incorporate elaborate, complex tasks which will motivate and learn the literature with ease.

An outline for planning and implementing projects in 10 steps.

1. Select a theme.2. Determine outcomes.3. Structure the project.4. Gather information.5. Prepare learners for language they will need. 6. Choose aesthetic techniques.7. Analyze information.8. Prepare learners to compile.9. Present final project report.10. Evaluate.

What is going on in the field? 1. Examination/ test on Structures- mostly objective type 2. General/ textual mostly Subjective types 3. Oral test for speaking and

comprehension

Are our dimensions sufficient for teaching and testing ?

8 dimensions and 7 levels If not, What else? dimensions and levels ?

◦ Assessing the purpose◦ Paraphrasing important information◦ Identifying the main idea and details◦ Making comparisons◦ Connecting themes or ideas◦ Drawing conclusions◦ Summarizing◦ Analyzing

◦ Establishing the purpose for each part of the reading as expressed in the text

◦ Self-Monitoring to find out the truth◦ Visualizing◦ Confirming, rejecting predictions◦ Identifying and clarifying key ideas

Word choice and language use New phrases The genre or form of the text Symbols, idioms, imagery, imagination Content Characters and their roles Describing the climax - end

Language teaching and testing programmes need to be restructured and rejuvenated

Courses must have the option/flexibility to have innovative ideas

Testing is the engine that drives forward the whole Language Teaching process

Multimedia in language teaching

It is a combination of text, graphic art, sound, animation and video delivered to us by computer.

It may or may not have interactivity component. The combination of all these components electrify the thought and reactions.

◦ Pronunciation◦ Speaking◦ Dictation◦ Reading models◦ Poetry and songs◦ Words in contexts◦ Language games◦ Model speeches◦ Intonation, stress, accent, etc.◦ Dialectal conversations◦ Drama and the emotion expressed

Can you forgo this equipment? It is the world of

communication.

We can make use of this for teaching.

Form Structure Boundary Meaning Usage Function Variety Relation

Can you addsome more featureswhile teaching a language?

LiteratureLiterature

Characterization Characterization

Aesthetic techniquesAesthetic techniques

Cultural features Cultural features

LearnerLearner

MessageMessage

Teacher Teacher

A Development Model for teaching literature

A Development Model for teaching literature

Content

GenreGenreLanguage UseLanguage Use

We have to suggest techniques which can

1. Transform testing procedure 2. Task-types 3. Specifications into opportunities for

teaching - learning 4. Provide opportunities for furthering teacher development and 5. Enhancing Language teaching and testing methodology

E-mail: nadarajapillai@rediffmail.com

Mobile: 9448576300

Peter Loader @ TLT2 of 2

You can sharpen itor break the point,trap it in the door;fasten it behind your earor tap it on the floor;use it as a walking stick(if you’re very small).

dig a hole to plant a seed,tap it on a wall;use it as a handy splintfor rabbit’s broken legs;stir your coffeestir your tea –stir up all the dregs!

Drop it from a table top, pop it in a case; use it as a lollystick, send it up in space! Two will give you chopsticks, one could pick a lock; bore a hole and thread one to darn a hole-y sock

These are just a few ideas,there must be hundreds more –but meantime, trap it, snap it, flap it,TAP IT ON THE FLOOR!