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LITERATURE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES:

HOW TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS.

Linda LanisInternational School of Florence

WHY WE NEED MOTIVATION IN READING LITERARY BOOKS?

Motivation is essential in language acquisition. Is it essential in reading Literature in the target language as well?

TARGET STUDENT

9-10 graderLevel B2 of Cefr (usually in the 3rd year of the

language) Usually motivated and interested in using the

language in various contests Able to speak, enjoying it Good interaction with the local communityMotivation usually high or easy to maintain

Motivation

READING LITERATURE IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE: THE IDEAL SCENARIO

Students use literature as a window to culture, history, life and, of course, language.

Students not interested in reading, bored to death.

READING LITERATURE IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE: THE (USUAL)SCARY SCENARIO

CLASSIC LITERARY UNIT

Raising motivationFirst readingFocused readingPut it in a contextConnections-linksCritical reading/

thinkingCreating personal linksSynthesis and reflectionAssessment

• The motivation, usually high, drops during the first reading

• Students seem to have no interest in reading

• The following activities are difficult for them to follow

• Lack of interest, frequent requests to change activity

• Lack of comprehension

motivation

Critical

point

THE PROBLEM: MY EXPERIENCE

A problem of motivation

A problem of comprehension

Lack of comprehension

Lack of attenti

on

Lack of motiva

tion

THE PROBLEM

If the problem is not in the language…

It has to be in literature!

But why?

LITERATURE

A common cultural need

Part of communicationA pleasure to learn,

not to be taken for granted

GOALS

Short term: maintaining the motivation

Long term: raising students’ love of literature

UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM

I don’t get the point : this is boring and I

don’t like it!

Impossibility of using the language in their daily life What’s

the point?Calp level not reached

I can’t do that!

Structure and type of the novel/book

It’s boring!

Spoken language vs written language

Students’ relationship with literature

CLASSIC LITERARY UNIT

Raising motivationFirst readingFocused readingPut it in contextConnections-linksCritical reading/thinkingCreating personal linksSynthesis and reflectionAssessment

Critical

point

• Find a new way to approach the text

• Create something between the motivation prompt and the first reading

• Connect the text with the students’life

• Propose something new and varied

• Postpone the first reading after the work

Raising motivationFirst reading

Focused readingPut in context

Connections-links Critical reading/thinkingcreating personal linksSynthesis and reflection

Assessment

SUGGESTED LITERARY UNIT

FIRST READING

After 'internalizing’/creating personal connections

Faced in a non-traditional way

Creating a communication with the text, focusing on comprehension

Overtaking the distance between the student and the text

SO…HOW?

Work with short stories or with chapters/sequences

Always give the context

Create an expectation before the activity

Challenge the students to produce something they will find in the text

Compare and contrast students’ work with the text

After every activity, students should read the text in order to find what they have already produced

SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

Seating chart

WorkText

Modality

FILLING IN THE TEXT

Text any sequence/chapterWork Individual/ pairs/ small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

Give students the beginning and the ending of the chapter/sequence

Invite them to create the text in the middle. Create a poster with the real text in the middle, surrounded

by students’ works

COMICS

Text any sequence/chapterWork IndividualSeating chart one big deskModality

Give students a title, the basic context and three-four important sentences from the text.

Invite them to create some comic strips. Read the text allowing student to make changes. Create an exibition with the real text in the middle,

surrounded by students’ works

PLAY

Text Crucial sequences with dialoguesWork pairs/ small or big groupsSeating chart islandsModality

Divide students in pairs/small groups. Give the students the situation and invite them to write a

script. Students will have to perform before the reading. They can choose the best performance after the reading

SAMPLE: TRAGIC LOVE STORYDante, “Divina Commedia”

DESCRIPTION

Text Sequences describing real or imaginary placesWork Individual /pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality

Give students a place. Ask them to draw the place described in the sequence. They may

also search for images or take pictures It is also possible to search for the perfect place to express a feeling. Make a poster with the text in the center surrounded by the picture. Find the best image matching the description in the text

DESCRIPTIONDante “Divina Commedia”

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vitami ritrovai per una selva oscura,ché la diritta via era smarrita. 3

Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa duraesta selva selvaggia e aspra e forteche nel pensier rinova la paura! […]Ma poi ch’i’ fui al piè d’un colle giunto,là dove terminava quella valleche m’avea di paura il cor compunto, 15

guardai in alto e vidi le sue spallevestite già de’ raggi del pianetache mena dritto altrui per ogne calle. 

.

DESCRIPTIONV.Hugo “Les Miserables”

La dalle bleue y est remplacée par une traverse à laquelle s'appuient cinq ou six difformes tronçons de bois noueux et ankylosés qui ressemblent à de grands ossements. Il n'a plus ni seau, ni chaîne, ni poulie; mais il a encore la cuvette de pierre qui servait de déversoir. L'eau des pluies s'y amasse, et de temps en temps un oiseau des forêts voisines vient y boire et s'envole.Une maison dans cette ruine, la maison de la ferme, est encore habitée. La porte de cette maison donne sur la cour. À côté d'une jolie plaque de serrure gothique il y a sur cette porte une poignée de fer à trèfles, posée de biais.

.

USING COLOURS

Text complex sentences or sequencesWork collective + pairs/ small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

Students have a discussion on what is difficult or important in the text.

They choose a colour for each phrase. Form small groups, giving each group one or two colours. Tell the students to colour the text according to the colour-

meaning.

USING COLOURS

Characters

Descriptions

Good sentences

Sequences

Quotes

Sentences I cannot understand

Important sentences

Vocabulary-words

Different colours

for

USING COLOURSPratolini, “Le ragazze di San Frediano”

A LOVE LETTER

Text A love letter written by a characterWork Individual/pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality

Mind maps: write the set for a love letter, exploring parts, places and feelings.

Give students some tips if they do not know the characters Ask students to reflect on what the character may be writing. Ask them to write the letter. Put all the letters in a box. Randomly, each student reads a letter. Compare the letters with the original one

A LOVE LETTERBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti

Love lette

r

purpose

who

what

Romantic

sentences

words

Other relevant info

wherewhe

n

A LOVE LETTERBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti

Phisical places Mental places• Mall• Waiting room

Physical

places• Dream• Imaginary

setting

Mental

places

Feelings

• lost• Pass

ion

• jealousy

• determination

Love stress

attempting

discourage

A LOVE LETTERBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti

BOX READING

UNA LETTERA D’AMORE

DIARY ENTRY

Text Sequences on main character’s reflectionWork Individual/pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality

Give students the situation. Ask students to reflect on what the character may feel in

that context Students have to write a diary entry. Find out what the character feels. Is it so different?

READING IN COLOURS

Text Long dialogues between 4 or more characters.Work small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards

Use different coloured cards per character. Give students all the cards. Each group should try to put the dialogues in order Read in colour!

READING IN COLOURS

Text A long dialogues between 4 or more characters.Work small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards

Use different coloured cards per character. Give students all the cards. Each group should try to put the dialogues in order Read in colour!

READING IN COLOURS Buzzati, Lo sciopero dei telefoni, from Sessanta racconti

" E smettetela, pettegole! " (era una donna). " Pettegola sarà lei, se mai, che ficca il naso in casa d'altri “Io ficco il naso? Si vergogni! Io non... "  […]"Be', siamo sole?... E allora, Franchina, cosa dici chemi metta domani? ".Si udì a questo punto una voce d’uomo, nuova, bellissima, giovanilmente aperta e autoritaria, che stupiva per la sua eccezionale carica di vita: “Clara, se mi permette glielo dico io, domani si metta la gonna blu dell’anno scorso con il golf viola che ha appena dato da smacchiare…e il cappellino nero a cloche, intesi?” “Ma lei chi è?” La voce di Clara era cambiata adesso, e aveva un’incrinatura di spavento. “Mi vuol dire chi è?” L’altro tacque. Allora la franchina “Clara, Clara, come fa questo qui a sapere?” “Io molte cose so”.[…]Il Marcozzi, intimidito: “Ma lei chi è? Come si permette?” L’altro: “Non se la prenda. Piuttosto, cerchiamo di stare

Some more tips

More tips

RAISE CONSCIOUSNESS IN STUDENTS

Raising students’ consciousness of the situation, both before and during the process

Ask for cooperationHave your students

be part of the academic process

Incourage them in comparing

TOOLS

Mind mapsQuestionairesInterviewDiaryField notesObservation formReviewing gridsClass discussionPersonal reflectionPeer coachingGraphs

Diary

“I liked it when we tried

reading in different

colours. It made the

lesson more alive. We

should always do so.”

Mind map

Italian

Reading is usefull

when

Reading is boring

when

When I read it is difficult

The teacher should...

What I read

in other languag

es

Reading is fun

when

I need/

I would like

What I read in my 1st

language

DESKS

Try to modify your seating chart regularly.According to the activity you can arrange the desks in small islands, one big table, a horseshoe.

Raising students’ love of literature

Literature is a pleasure to learn

Have an open window to literature

Work with the first language teacher

Conclusion

“Dietro una lingua ci sta una letteratura, e dietro una letteratura c'è un gusto, una civiltà.”

“Beyond a language there is a literature, beyond a literature there is a taste, a culture.”

Luigi Russo (1892 – 1961), Italian literary critic

H T T P : / / S A R O LTA G R A P H I C W O R K S . B L O G S P O T. C O MH T T P : / / W W W. T H E N E W S . C O M . P K /

H T T P : / / B C S S L A N G U A G E S . W E E B LY. C O M /H T T P : / / J O E R A P I S A R D A . C O M

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