Resources
Resource 1: Relating passages to students’ lives
Passage | Potential reasons why students may not feel motivated | Ways of relating this passage to students’ lives |
---|---|---|
The Happy Prince: A fairy tale written by the Irish writer Oscar Wilde and published in 1888 | The writer Oscar Wilde may be unfamiliar Christian values may be difficult to understand for non-Christian students The fairy story may seem ‘old-fashioned’ Students may not know what a swallow is, or their migratory habits Students may not understand the lives of kings and princes, at least, not those from other countries |
Inform students about the author Connect Christian values to other religious values Connect the idea of fairy tales to Indian folk tales Discuss the migration of Indian birds Discuss the comforts rich people have, and compare that to being poor Discuss someone who is known to have sacrificed their lives to help the poor and needy Discuss what is needed to be happy – riches, kindness etc. |
The Accidental Tourist: An extract from a book by contemporary American writer, Bill Bryson | The story assumes that readers travel a lot, and are familiar with flying by air Students may not understand concepts such as ‘frequent flyer miles’ Students may not see the humour very easily |
Discuss journeys that students have made (on train) Explain the procedures of travelling by air Teach vocabulary related to air travel Discuss how people behave with co-passengers on a journey |
The Proposal: A play written by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov in 1888–9 | The writer Anton Chekov may be unfamiliar The play mocks the traditions of marriage in 19th century Russia – students are unlikely to be familiar with these traditions Students may not understand much about tensions relating to getting married |
Discuss great dramatists of India and inform the students about the author Compare marriage traditions of Russia with India Compare past and present wedding customs Discuss dowry and other customs related to the giving of gifts in marriage. |
The Hack Driver: A short story written by American writer Sinclair Lewis in 1923 | The title is difficult to understand Legal vocabulary and concepts may be difficult to understand Students may not be familiar with American towns and their way of life in the 1920s |
Connect to other stories, books or films about cheats and tricksters (such as Jolly LLB) Teach legal vocabulary Use pictures (from the textbook) to explain the title Discuss what the students know about the way of life in American towns today and compare it with the story |
4 Summary