Choice of Text
For my reading lesson plan, again I used the John Henry legend as the source, this time in ballad form. My target students are intermediate-advanced adult learners of English in Mexico.
Underlying my choice to work with folklore is my belief that it may be a powerful vehicle for English-language learning, because: the storyline tends to be engaging and rooted in human experience; plots concern themes that are relevant across culture and time, so readers can associate them with their own lives; and folktales, fables and legends are layered with symbolic meaning, allowing for exploration of the text on multiple levels, from syntax to semantics and beyond. Also, I’m fascinated by folklore, and I think passion for one’s subject matter can translate into inspired teaching. Folktale (and ballad) structure is often linear and therefore easy for readers to follow, with strong characters and clear action. Self-contained and richly assorted, I’m guessing that folktales can spark creative thinking as well as analytical problem-solving.
While the narrative of the John Henry legend and others is not authentic, it does reflect socio-cultural and socio-economic realities that may pertain to the lives of my students. In fact, I chose this story not only because I love it and know it well, but because its theme does have relevance to many Mexicans, and a key goal of the lesson plan is for students to generate a connection with their own lives.
Pre-Reading
In this phase my aim is to spark the students’ interest in the story by helping them visualize the context: location, time and character. I printed a variety of color photos depicting aspects of the story. As I began to present this phase of my lesson plan to my peers, I was surprised at how animated and enthusiastic they became. For schema-activation I encouraged them to sort through images of an 1890s steam drill, and the tunnel in West Virginia where the race is said to have taken place, etc., and to discuss how the images might relate to one other as a single story. Once their curiosity was piqued, I introduced a set of nine keywords that have two purposes: to explain definitions the students might not know; and to build the first layer for the coming activity about symbolism. That is, many of the chosen keywords (captain, John Henry, steam drill) have a dual meaning: literal and (as they will discover) symbolic.
The last pre-reading step is to provide a brief introduction to the setting and main character of the reading.
During-Reading
Students begin by reading of the lyrics of five stanzas of the ballad. (Since ballads have practically infinite variations, I was able to condense several into a single version that tells the story concisely, and without dialect that could be unnecessarily problematic for students.)
I think that keeping the text short and succinct helps make it more accessible, which is important for a lesson such as this, which places intellectual demands on the students beyond simple comprehension of the text. This first pass through, built on the foundation of context schema, is designed to help students read for gist. First, students will identify the type of text they’ve just read. Then they will discuss the meaning of the story in groups of two or three; peer scaffolding will build individual understanding and will, I hope, keep the students’ affective filter low.
Once I’ve been able to ascertain that all students understand the general plot, the next step is to take them further into the story. I think of these next steps as similar to opening a collection of nested presents. As each wrapping is removed, students get to see the next surprise, and the next. In SLA and Approaches classes, we’ve discussed the concept of layers of an onion, which is another apt analogy. Here in the lesson, we move from surface meaning toward symbolic meaning by exposing a new layer of context — the historical background in which the John Henry story is set — and exploring the story with that new knowledge. In the process we move from reading for gist to reading intensively to critical thinking, at each step giving students opportunities to relate to the story on a personal level. This is consistent with the genre of the text, which requires “peeling” to understand fully. I’m hopeful that the students will experience what Elsa Auerbach and Diane Paxton[1] describe: “the ability to feel when they read in English.”
Post-Reading
With an in-depth comprehension of the story both on surface and deeper levels, students are now ready to do overtly what they has been subtly suggested all along: relate to the story. I will play an excerpt of the ballad two times so students can have a chance to do top-down and bottom-up listening to the lyrics. Or I may play versions by two different artists.
Then students will think about an episode in their life or culture that has a similar theme: when they or someone else has stood up to entity more powerful than they. What was the situation? Why was it important to take a stand? What happened? After discussion, students will write their story, finishing it for homework if they don’t complete it in class.
Summary
Though the core of this lesson plan is reading, the other three skills come into play: listening and speaking through our discussion and hearing the ballad, and writing for the final exercise designed to personalize and deepen their reading experience.
What I like about the plan is that the subject matter excites me and I hope that it will my students as well. I enjoy the interactive, creative and personal nature of the activities. As mentioned above, my peers were as excited as I about the lesson. In fact, the two people with whom I’m going to Mexico wanted to “steal” my lesson plan, which I encourage! I incorporated their suggestions (for example, to be sure to spend sufficient time exploring the keywords before moving to the text) and hope that we can help each other by fine-tuning and sharing plans.
After the outline of this lesson plan had taken shape in my mind, we learned in class about the Language Experience Approach. Unintentionally, my lesson plan reflects some of the foundational ideas (though not the process) of LEA. My plan is not student-generated, but its goal is to lead students toward personalizing a story by finding parallels in their own experience. Elsa Auerbach[2] writes, “Since LEA is designed to reinforce the connection between print and meaning, content is key: students have something to say!” LEA begins its instructional process with that premise; in my exercise, it is the guiding light toward which we move. I find it interesting — and validating — that what I thought was a solitary instinctive, free-floating idea is in fact an element of a researched and practiced method — though I have accidentally turned it on its head: student experience is the destination rather than the origin of the lesson plan.
What Is Problematic About the Lesson Plan, a.k.a. Questions for Elizabeth
- I am somewhat concerned that it may be too ambitious or abstract an exercise. And I wonder if it’s manageable in a 90-minute lesson with the advanced-intermediate/advanced students. What is your opinion?
- In my initial lesson plan, as one facet of the schema building in the pre-reading phase, I wanted students to recall and discuss a memory of challenging an authority, and then circle back to the topic for the writing exercise at the end. But when I rewrote the lesson plan, the pre-reading seemed too dense and long, and it also seemed to break the flow from surface to deeper exploration. That is, it “gave away” the theme at the beginning. I like it better only at the end. With your experience, what do you think?
- Neil Anderson[3] suggests putting an exploration of the text genre in pre-reading, but I felt it was unnecessary there in this case. Also, it seems to clutter that phase which I want to keep more sensory and imaginative than cognitive. Your thoughts?
Elizabeth answers:
1. As you note in your “possible problems” section, the topic may be unfamiliar to your students; will you have to do too much schema building? Field’s article on listening mentions that the PRE part (and it goes for reading too) should not be too long (of course my sample lessons spend a lot of time on pre-list/reading…). My question would be where is your focus: on the John Henry legend or on developing reading strategies for that can be used for any text (you have both listed)? You may find out that you need to sp end so much time helping your students understand the legend of John Henry and the historical period that you won’t have the time you want for developing the reading strategies. As much as you may like the topic (and I think it’s an appealing topic for certain students), check out the interests of your Mexican students and perhaps choose a reading/song that won’t need so much schema building.
2. [location?] I like this activity/discussion at the end since it seems to be a good summary. BUT is it too abstract? or too difficult for students to discuss? I find the symbolism of the song a little difficult for me as a native speaker…
One of the challenges in developing lessons is choosing appropriate material. Once you meet your students, you’ll know whether John Henry is something they can relate to and are interested in discussing (or whether instead they want to discuss the latest fashions or what happened to Michael Jackson). —Elizabeth
[1]Auerbach, Elsa and Paxton, Diane (1997). “It’s Not the English Thing”: Bringing Reading Research Into the ESL Classroom. TESOL Quarterly 31(2), 252.
[2]Auerbach, Elsa (1990). Making Meaning, Making Change. Boston: University of Massachusetts.
[3]Anderson, Neil (1990). Exploring Second Language Reading: Issues and Strategies. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.