KOTESOL: Short Stories and L2 Learners
Written By Tyson Vieira
In English conversation courses, instructors would likely never consider teaching literature. However, a literature project can be used as a student-centered, interactive experience if teachers introduce the literature enthusiastically and systematically. As language instructors, our role is to guide students toward a path of autonomous learning and self-discovery. Literature can be a tool for finding such a path.
Technique
I credit my success in using English literature in the classroom to Professor Linda Gajdusek and her article, “Toward Wider Use of Literature in ESL: Why and How.” In this article, Gajdusek (1988) explains a technique that divides the classroom literature experience into four steps: pre-reading activities, in-class work, analysis, and extending activities.
Choosing a Text
It is important to choose a text that provides a challenge but is not so overwhelming that it discourages students from future explorations in English literature. The story should also be relatable. For example, I used the text “Too Small Paul” with my 3rd grade elementary school students. My students expressed interest in this story because it included appealing visuals, sports, and the feeling of being small and young in a world of taller and older siblings and adults.
1st Step: Pre-Reading Preparation
After choosing a text, it is important to provide background information to help the students approach the text successfully and prevent misunderstandings. However, if the students have too much information, it could dampen their excitement and the pleasure of discovery during the initial read. Vocabulary work is an efficient way to prepare the students without revealing too much of the story. Assigning thematic essay topics is also a beneficial pre-reading activity. In my adult classes, for example, I used Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home” and had the students discuss questions related to themes of the text beforehand. I often use this “discuss before reading” approach before the initial reading to prompt students with vocabulary from the reading and encourage them to “guess and explore” the material. Without questions and discussion before reading, there is a chance that the students could misread the cultural attitudes of the text, which might hinder the goal of teaching culture.
2nd Step: In-Class Work
The in-class work could take less time depending on the text’s difficulty, class proficiency and familiarity with the story. However, establishing the text’s observational facts is crucial because it gives each student an opportunity to test out assumptions and impressions regarding the text during the class process of discovery and interaction. Plus, the lower level students are being supported indirectly, giving them enough time to process and participate with the rest of the class (Gajdusek, 1988).
3rd Step: Analysis
Now that the facts have been established, the students can begin to dive into the whys, and “to develop their own attitudes toward the characters, values and situations of the story . . . to move beyond information to involvement and experience” (Gajdusek, 1988, p. 245). My activity of choice is journaling, which allows for individual exploration of the text. The prompts can be basic, such as “What happened in the story and why?” or more complex, such as questions about the writer’s style or underlying message.
4th Step: Extending Activities
This final step introduces creative writing and in-class group work. Such extension activities “must be structured so that the students will succeed only if they have understood (or are motivated by the activity to understand) the writer’s assumptions about character, conflict or values in the piece” (Gajdusek, 1988, p. 252). I usually ask students to create scenes for the story that are not revealed in the text. This activity requires students to create a scene openly and freely without contradicting the story. In addition, I ask the groups for textual evidence to support their scenes.
Conclusion
I have found Gajdusek’s four-step technique to be consistently successful when introducing students to English literature. Through a variety of activities, teachers can help guide their students to a path of autonomous learning and self-discovery. If teachers introduce English literature enthusiastically and systematically, our students will be able to take a written story and create a new interactive experience in the classroom.
References
Gajdusek, L. (1988). Toward wider use of literature in ESL: Why and how. TESOL Quarterly, 22(2), 227–257.
Hedgcock, J. S., & Ferris, D. R. (2009). Teaching readers of English: Students, texts, and contexts. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Monthly Chapter Meeting & Year-End Dinner
Date & Time: December 12 (Saturday), 1:45 pm, Place: Gwangju National University of Education
Presentation: Short Stories for L2 Learning (Tyson Vieira), Collaborative Workshop: Making Effective EFL Activities
Swap-shop Session: Present your ideas, activities, tips, advice, Morning (11:00) Reflective Practice Session
No Admission Charge
Year-End Dinner: TBA
For more details: Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju
Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL, Email: gwangju@koreatesol.org
The Author: Tyson Vieira works at Kyungnam University as an English assistant professor. For three years, he worked for the Jeollanamdo Language Program (JLP) under the Provincial Office of Education. Prior to this position as a teacher at Muan Englishtown, Tyson taught for two years at five different elementary schools in Haenam, Jeollanamdo. He earned his MA in TESOL from Azusa Pacific University in California. He is an active member of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter, served as the co-facilitator of the local Reflective Practice Special Interest Group and is a chapter officer. He has written articles for JLP’s Bibimbap blog and the Gwangju News magazine.