Resources

Resource 1: Relating passages to students’ lives

Table R1.1 Relating the 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

Resource 2: Using role play and drama