MASARYKOVA UNIVERZITA V BRN

PEDAGOGICK FAKULTA
Katedra cizch jazyk

Using Stories in Teaching English

Bakalsk prce

Brno 2006

Autor prce: aneta Urbancov

Vedouc prce: Mgr. Nadda Vojtkov

Bibliografick zznam
URBANCOV, Bakalsk aneta. prce. Using Brno: Stories in Teaching English : Masarykova univerzita, Fakulta

pedagogick, Katedra anglickho jazyka a literatury, 2006. 37 list, 11 list ploh. Vedouc bakalsk prce Mgr. Nadda Vojtkov.

Anotace
Bakalsk prce Pouvn pbh ve vuce anglitiny pojednv o dleitosti poslouchn, ten a vytven pbh pi studiu cizho jazyka, v tomto ppad anglitiny. Svou prci jsem zamila na studenty druhho stupn zkladn koly, protoe pbhy jsou nezbytn pro dobr vvoj nejen malch dt, ale i dospvajcch. Uvdm dvody, meme uitel pro erpat me jsou a pout pbhy ped dleit, zde tak z jakch a po zdroj je zabvm se aktivitami, kter

zatkem,

bhem

skonen hodinch,

vyprvn pbhu. Uebn pln, kter nsleduje, obsahuje praktick vyuit aktivit ve dvou vyuovacch kter jsou zaloeny na pbhu z knky.

Annotation
The thesis Using Stories in Teaching English deals with a need of listening to, reading and creating stories in learning foreign language, in this case English. I focus my thesis on students of secondary school, because stories are necessary stories not only for a from good what development sources we of can young gain children, but adolescents as well. I state reasons why are important, stories and I also deal with activities, which a teacher can use before, while and after storytelling. A lesson plan, which follows, includes practical application of activities in two lessons, which are based on a story from a real book.

Klov slova
Pbh, vyprvn pbhu, ten, innosti, dospvajc

Keywords
A story, storytelling, reading, activities, adolescents 3

Prohlen
Prohlauji, samostatn a e jsem diplomovou jen prameny prci uveden zpracoval/a v seznamu

pouil/a

literatury a internetovch strnek. Souhlasm, aby prce byla uloena na Masarykov univerzit v Brn v knihovn Pedagogick fakulty a zpstupnna ke studijnm elm V Brn dne 7. srpna 2006 aneta Urbancov

Acknowledgements
I would like to express gratitude to my supervisor Mgr. Nadda Vojtkov for her valuable advice and help. Then I would like to thank my husband for his support, patience, love and help with our four-month-old daughter.

Motto:

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

Benjamin Franklin

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION
Stories guide us through our whole life - from the moment we were born and it does not change when we become teenagers or adults. When we are children, our parents tell us or read us stories and fairy tales. When we are older we can hear stories in radio or watch them on TV. As pupils we have to create our own stories at school from time to time. As adults we like listening to songs with strong stories in them, watch soap operas or films or read books or magazine stories. Stories are for all of us, not just for children. I chose the topic using stories in teaching English because I believe that stories are important not only in our mother tongue. Children enjoy listening to stories, they are familiar with narrative conventions, and they can make predictions about what will happen next. Stories are an ideal introduction language in a to the foreign and language memorable as they present familiar context.

Stories could help us in learning and it could be more fun. A lot of books were written about story-telling and young learners, but I would like concentrate my work on pupils at secondary school, that means teenagers, children from 12 to 15, because I have mostly worked with them. I want to use stories as a supplementary teaching aid as I have to follow national curriculum and I have always used a coursebook in lessons. In these days some coursebooks are very good, they develop all skills and they use different 7

techniques to motivate students in learning, e.g. stories, songs, cartoons. Another reason for using stories just as a part of a lesson is that adolescents have only three lessons of forty-five minute session per week. Firstly, periods of in my theses, life and I would then I like will to outline a

psychological point of view of using stories in different humans describe the adolescents as a group of students for whom is this theses focused on. Next I will state some activities to use in the beginning, during or at the end of storytelling. Lastly there will be lesson plan based on reading of extract from a real book.

1. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND STORIES

Psychologists believe that children need stories,

legends and fairy tales when they grow up. They are a part of childrens intellectual life. They provoke their fantasy and give them answers to important questions of a childs life. They are meaningful and effective item of their socialization. Myths and legends give material of which children make their concept of origin and purpose of the world and of ideals, which they may follow. Fairy tales express inner intensity of a child, which he or she unconsciously understand and which offer different possibilities of problem solving. Fairy tales

always have good end. At the end a good man is awarded for his or her good nature, persistence, courage - a bad man is affected by upright punishment. Obvious polarization between good and bad makes different situations explicit and comprehensible. Characters are not individual, unique, but typical. That is why the identification is easier. A child identifies with a young hero not because he is good, but because he titles the child, and if the hero is good character, the child wants to be good as well. (based on: Maria Frst, 1997) Classic fairy tales solve a problem important for a human in particular developmental stage. Psychologists believe that human mental development is in progress of several periods. In every period we try to cope with a problem, gain some skills and experience, which is very important for our next life. These periods tie together on themselves. precondition Successful of command of of one in period is antiquation 9 problems following

period.

(based

on:

http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-

dusi-vyvojove/ )

According

to

Erikson

we

go

through

eight

periods

during our lives. We obtain basic confidence in first year. We look for a way to our own autonomy till we are three. This is connected with locomotive faculties. In a preschool age we balance between a desire to be initiative and feel guilty when we are unsuccessful. Before puberty it is assiduousness vs. inferiority and in a period of puberty and adolescence we look for our identity - it means the conception about who we are. Intimacy, establishment of close and steady relation, is important for us in another period. In a middle age we focus on upbringing of our children, later by of our grandchildren. of integrity Old age end sense the of development stage the

satisfaction, conciliation, in another case the sense of frustration and desperation. (based on:
http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-dusi-vyvojove/ )

We develop whole life and in each period of our life we need stories with heroes who solve similar problems that we solve in a particular period. These stories usually do not give concrete advice how to cope with our problem; they give notice that situations like that may come. They prepare our soul on that. For our soul the story is real.
(based on: http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-dusivyvojove/ )

Stories are very important for our psychical health. We learn our mother tongue through stories. So, it is natural to learn foreign language through them as well. Teachers should try to teach their students about language, life and culture through stories.

10

2. ADOLESCENTS - THE AGE OF THE GROUP

Because I have been an English teacher at a secondary school for five years, I chose teenagers as a group of students I will focus my work on. It is quite difficult and sometimes hopeless to teach secondary school students. They are a group of people who are less motivated and to motivate them is a very difficult work. They are tired of school and a lot of things bored them. Teenagers present discipline problems and they are sensitive about their individual identity. Identity has to be forged among classmates and friends. They value love and friendship very much. They do not want to lose their face in front of their peers, peer approval may be considerably more important for the student than the attention of the teacher. (based on: Jeremy Harmer, 2005 and Methodology session) The work with adolescents is hard, because they are undisciplined. There are few factors like need for selfesteem and the peer approval which may provoke disruptiveness in a class. It is useful then to set up some common rules at the beginning and be consistent in keeping them. Very often teenagers feel bored, so as teachers, we have to attract their attention through new and challenging topics. (based on: Jeremy Harmer, 2005 and Methodology session) Teenagers, if they are engaged, have a great capacity to learn, a great potential for creativity, and a passionate commitment to things which interest them. There is almost nothing people more at exciting age than a class a of involved goal young with this pursuing learning

enthusiasm. Our job, therefore, must be to provoke student engagement with material which is relevant and involving. At the same time we need to do what we can to bolster our 11

students self-esteem, and be conscious, always, of their need for identity.1 not do is (Jeremy Harmer, 2005:39)

What we should not laugh or

ridicule

or

humiliate

them,

criticise them or their friends. We always have to respect them. We should not press them to express their opinions or push them into activities if they do not want to. (based on:
Methodology session)

Teenagers have got the biggest potential to learn the language, because they have time, good memory and they are able to discuss abstract issues. But students world of thought and experience is different from adults. So, teachers must link language teaching far more closely to the students everyday interests, they must be encouraged to respond to texts and situations with their own thoughts and experience, abstract rather than by answering questions and doing learning activities. Teenagers address

learning issues directly in a way. They need constructive feedback on whatever they do. (based on: Jeremy Harmer, 2005) To teach teenagers is not easy as I said, that is why teachers have to permanently develop their skills, they have to absorb and new educational to ideas, have the to be of open all minded flexible accommodate needs

students in each class, because classes often consist of mixed levels of using foreign language. It must to lead to the fact that every lesson will be important for their students. achieved On the other level, hand they students, tend to when they have certain fossilise there.

Another problem is that if they are classified as good or bad students, they do not try to change it.

12

3. REASONS FOR USING STORIES

Stories are very important for children in learning their mother tongue, and they are important in learning any foreign language as well. That is why it is good to start using stories in teaching English as soon as possible. Primary school children enjoy listening to stories over and over again. This frequent repetition allows certain language overtly items to be acquired Many while others contain are being reinforced. stories natural

repetition of key vocabulary and structures. This helps children to remember every detail, so they can gradually learn to anticipate what is about to happen next in the story. Repetition also encourages participation in the narrative.2 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) Stories are very motivating, challenging and great fun for children. They can help develop positive attitudes towards the in the foreign to language, or culture new and language and will own learning.3 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:1) Using stories allows teacher varied, introduce and revise vocabulary which their sentence structures by exposing the children to language memorable familiar contexts, enter enrich their thinking and gradually

speech.4 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) Listening to stories helps children become aware of the rhythm, intonation and pronunciation Stories also of language.5
(Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2)

provide

opportunities

for

developing

continuity in childrens learning. They can link English with other subject areas across the curriculum. When children listen to stories in class they share social experience, it provokes 13 a shared response of

laughter, sadness, excitement and anticipation which is not only enjoyable but can help to build up the childs confidence development.6 and
(Ellis

encourage
and

social
2002:1)

and

emotional are a

Brewster,

Stories

useful tool in linking fantasy and the imagination with the childs real world. They provide a way of enabling children to make sense of their everyday life and forge links between home and school.7 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:1) Children exercise their imagination through stories. They can become personally involved in a story as they identify with the characters and try to interpret the narrative and illustrations. This imaginative experience helps8 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:1) students develop their own creative potential. Stories also that develop the to different language types of

intelligences

contribute

learning,

including emotional intelligence.9 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) Stories develop childrens learning strategies such as listening meaning for and general meaning, predicting,
and

guessing
2002:2)

hypothesizing.10

(Ellis

Brewster,

Stories can develop all childrens skills. Stories address universal themes which go beyond the useful level of basic dialogues and daily activities. They allow children to play with ideas and feelings and to think about issues which are important and relevant to them.11 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) They also provide ideal opportunities
2002:2)

for

presenting

cultural

information

and

encouraging cross-cultural comparison.12 (Ellis and Brewster,

For teachers stories allow to use an acquisitionbased methodology by providing optimal input.13 (Ellis and
Brewster, 2002:2)

It is great to use real storybooks because 14

they add variety and provide a springboard for creating complete units of work that constitute mini-syllabuses and involve pupils personally, creatively and actively in an all-round whole curriculum approach. They thereby provide a novel alternative to the coursebook.14 (Ellis and Brewster,
2002:2)

Secondary

school

students

like

stories

as

well

as

primary school pupils. They want them, maybe not all the time, but basically they all need them. Stories are largely based on words. through school They in give terms meaning lay of to the words. basic Learning for language English secondary stories can foundations

learning

functions and structures, vocabulary and language learning skills.15 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) It is obvious that we should choose different types of stories and different topics for secondary school students. Also the sources of stories are different. Students are able to create their own stories if they have the right input.

15

4. SOURCES OF STORIES
We can use many sources when we look for stories to be used in lessons. Firstly, we are all storytellers and all the time we tell someone about missing a train or losing our watch, about our family life - we are telling a story. We cannot tell all the facts, we must select. We have to decide what to say first and then next - we sequence for effect and understanding, we decide what words to choose and how to move our body and use our voice for expression. (based on:
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/stories_andrew.htm)

So, the best source is our everyday life, our experiences. We, teachers, are real people and we can choose to share some or many of our experiences with the students. Telling stories from our life can give something personal to our students. It needs not be only listening comprehension but it helps to establish a special rapport with the class. The students are more likely to really use English in order to communicate than just mechanically practise it. They will probably do this because they begin to see us as people and not just teachers. And they realise that we think of them as people and not only students of English. Personal stories can help to bring about this shift of perception. (based on:
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/stories_andrew.htm)

The main skills we teach here are speaking and listening. Storytelling encourages empathy and a respect for different points of view as well. Secondly, there is a lot of English childrens fiction or original texts (like newspapers articles, anecdotes, folktales, etc.). Real books 16 give us the feeling of

accomplishment and satisfaction, such richness and magic of language no coursebook can ever offer (based on: (Brumfit, Moon
and Tongue, 1991).

Using real books helps children to become They are also exposed to such

better readers, writers and users of language.16 (Brumfit,

Moon and Tongue, 1991: 187)

issues as loss, death, friendship, responsibility, power and domination which can heighten their sensitivity and help them in the task and of pave growing the up. Furthermore the text, the in and varied illustrations, which provide clues to the story, stimulate themselves interest develop way for childrens artistic perception

imagination.17 (Brumfit, Moon and Tongue, 1991: 78) Students can listen to or read folktales from other times and places. They can evaluate a folktale from its historical context. Listening to or reading about ancient times and places, about different customs. Folktales usually have a moral too, which could be important for students. Next, we can bring pictures or we can use a short video extract to illustrate the topic we want to work. Pictures provoke students imagination and video may be used to show an authentic language. Songs listening are to other and alternative. using real Adolescents songs can love

songs

encourage

children in other learning of English. For example The Beatles is a group which is a part of British culture and which use strong stories in their songs. Unfortunately for some students they are old fashioned. But we can use other pop-songs or we can use folk ballads. Usual activity is gap filling. Another activity is retelling the story in the song in students own words.

17

5. ACTIVITIES BASED ON STORIES

When we create a story-based lesson plan or syllabus, we need to know what aim we want to achieve and think about activities that will be used not only during the students work with the story but also about activities that begin and activities that end the work with the story. These activities are known as pre-reading or before reading activities, while- or during reading and post- or after reading activities. It is good to change several activities during the lesson and keep students in constant interest. Of course stories need not to be only read but also heard or created. Good language activities have no age limits, an idea which works with in five-year-olds and will, with some minor work adaptations content presentation, probably

equally well with much older learners.18 (Brumfit, Moon and

Tongue, 1991: 187)

Children may need to try each type of

activity several times before they begin to exploit fully its learning potential. Activities must be varied, so that the learning environment is stimulating, exciting and unpredictable, and to stay motivated, they need goals and rewards. A teacher must plan each activity beforehand. It is also important to give clear instructions and to communicate to the children what is expected of them. (based
on: Brumfit, Moon and Tongue, 1991)

This will often involve a by the teacher with the

demonstration

of

the

activity

whole class watching, discussing and participating. When the children know exactly what to do, and how to go about the task, they have completed the activity; a brief report-back session provides children with some feedback on their success.19 (Brumfit, Moon and Tongue, 1991: 189)

18

5.1 PRE - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

Pre-storytelling activities are important because they introduce the topic, they motivate the students to read or listen to a story, they provoke initial interest in the topic, students start to think about it, they prepare their minds and show what they know about it. These activities help teacher anticipate problems in terms of language and concepts and give space to pre-teach complicated language
(based on: http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/mod/resource/view.php?id=12940).

Warming up activities relax students. For example an informal chat can build up and maintain good relation between a teacher and students. Questions that introduce the topic are good to use, but not too many. Or students can guess the title of the topic of the lesson. We can show students a picture or watch a video extract to provoke they interest. A newspaper article or just a newspaper title as well as a song may lead on to a brief discussion about students related personal experiences. (based on: Ellis and
Brewster, 2002, and on
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/stories_andrew.htm)

5.1.1 CONCRETE PRE - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

HANGMAN - students may guess the topic by saying alphabet, every wrong letter is making a part of a hangman. WARMING UP - DISCUSSION - brief discussion about students own personal experiences. ANSWER AND PASS ON - each student has a piece of paper and must answer a question and pass it on, another student will answer second question and pass it on, etc. Example of questions are - who, where, when, what is he/she doing.

19

BRAINSTORMING - we can ask students to think about a topic and lot, motivate write down all their ideas. but a good question must be probing and ASKING QUESTIONS - is a good activity and we can use it a thought so that it encourages children to justify

their responses, it must focus their attention and encourage observation, invite enquiry and stimulate because it is open-ended, it should be productive and seek a response and generate more questions.20 (Ellis
and Brewster, 2002: 20)

5.2 WHILE STORY-TELLING ACTIVITIES

When we have involved our students in the lesson by prestorytelling activities, we can start reading or hearing the story. The way we choose to present and tell a story affects the content and the style of telling. We should offer activities to all our students. There are three types of learners: a) V - visual learners - learn by seeing, they need real items, pictures, colours, etc. in learning, - like reading books, - create an orderly environment, - watch the teachers face, - are appearance orientated, - are good spellers, remember what was seen, and understand directions, use colours, shapes and physical position as memory aids. b) A - auditory learners - learn through listening, like dialogues, plays, they move lips when reading, 20

- like songs, sounds, sound effects, chants, rhymes, etc. - they are usually class clowns, chattering, whispering, - speak in rhythmic patterns, - remember what was heard, they have short concentration span, - can retell a story or message with high accuracy. c) K - kinaesthetic learners - learn through doing, they like a moving plot, reflect action in story with body movement, - they gesture when speaking and like to be active, - move around a lot, like to do things with hands, they are good at taking things apart, - remember overall impression, want to start the activity immediately, impatient, learn best with quiet periods followed by active ones, they gesture when speaking and like to be active.
(based on: http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/mod/resource/view.php?id=13663)

5.2.1 CONCRETE WHILE - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

During the story the teacher might like to see if the learners understand the language of the story and might ask them to mime what is going on or use other activities. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT - we can stop the reading and ask questions to provoke students think about what they have been reading. YES/NO QUESTIONS - e.g. a teacher think about a character or a place mentioned in the story and students have to find out who or what it is by asking only yes/no questions.

21

HOT SEAT - a teacher is one character from the story, and students have to ask questions to find out, what has happened, or why, etc. PANTOMIME - a teacher act as some character and students have to guess who is it, other variation - one student act and the rest guess. COUNTING - in this activity we may ask students to count how many times they hear a particular word or how many characters are there - it is good when a teacher tell the story or when we use a story on video. A PART OF A STORY - students have one part of a story first, last, or middle and they are asked to complete it or continue it. A CAREFUL LISTENER - while students listen to a story, they may answer easy factual questions like - who (name characters), what (describe one action that when (make a linear timeline of the the main story)
(based on:

a character in the story did), where (setting of the or sequence of events).

http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/newstandard/index.html)

5.3 POST - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

Stories may bridge the gap between language study and language use and also to link classroom learning with the world outside. Some of the activities do not always have a very large language element but are nevertheless important learning in creating a feeling fun, among the pupils that and English means activity, creativity

enjoyment.21 (Ellis and Brewster 2002: 17) Students will be much more involved and motivated to the teaching process when they see that their hard work in lessons has been leading somewhere. That is why follow-up activities are so important for students. 22

Follow-up activities include rounding up, reviewing and summarizing the lesson. They may be done in a lesson or used as homework. They should provide opportunities to extend and consolidate language or topics introduced through a story.22 (Ellis and Brewster 2002: 17) Students can make a poster, a book, a collage, a greetings card or other things based on story, they can organize an event or play a part of the story. Follow-up activities develop students skills especially their productive ones such as writing (e.g. writing letters and postcards, note-taking, etc.) and speaking (e.g. interviewing, role-play, questionnaires, etc.). In these activities students can work individually or in groups or they can work on a project as a whole class
(based on: (Ellis and Brewster, 2002).

Follow-up

activities

provide

enjoyment

and

satisfaction as they allow students to complete a piece of work in English. They can also gain self-confidence which, in turn, can create a more positive attitude to learning English.23 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002: 17) Students may express their own ideas in follow up activities that means that students creativity is encouraged. Some arts and crafts activities may help dyslectic and dysgraphic children and further more it is always very motivated when end-products decorate the classroom.

5.3.1 CONCRETE POST - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

SUMMARIZATION - students can summarize the story in their own words. WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRES - we can ask students questions belong to or come out from stories. Students answers may lead to discussion. 23

RE - WRITING THE STORY - we can encourage students to rewrite the story from different position, e.g. from position of a particular protagonists point of view, placing it in a different time and setting. Students also may re-tell the story. WRITING A LETTER - students can write exchanging letters between protagonists. ROLE-PLAY OR SIMULATION - can be used to encourage general oral fluency, or train students for specific situations based on the story. MAKE A VIDEO - this activity based on the read or heard story take much time, on the other hand it may be very motivated for students to make their own video, and they can use a wide variety of language in the process and the product of video-making. For mistakes they have CREATING STUDENTS OWN students the product will be helpful, because they can see what made and they can find them and STORIES when we create an learnt from them. (based on: Harmer, 2005) atmosphere in which stories are valued in human terms much more than in 'learning English' terms, we will encourage students to create their own stories. Main technique to help them is to ask questions. The principle is the same for young learners as well as for adolescents (based on:
http://www.teachertraining.hu/04_andrew_copies.html).

'Tell me more!' 'But what do you mean?' 'Tell me how he walks when he is going to work.' 'Tell me how he walked on that particular morning.'.24 write, design and
(http://www.teachertraining.hu/04_andrew_copies.html)

MAKE A BOOK - we can let students

illustrate a book which is then exhibited in the school and then put in the school library. It will be great experience of using English. We wont have to 24

say, 'Get the English right!' They will be desperate to do that because their dignity as a whole person is at stake.

25

6. LESSON PLAN
I have based this lesson plan on an extract from a real book Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. The reasons for it were to introduce lessons the old to English part history, of to follow history up last a devoted English from

coursebook. I will add a rationale after each activity.

Class: 9 th year Length of lesson: 45 minutes (first lesson) Materials: Pictures - App. 1, copies of App. 2, App. 3,
App. 4 and App. 5

Topic: Ivanhoe by Walter Scott - part one - the 12th

century

Aims:
- to focus on the life in the 12th century as an important part of Englands history, this lesson plan may be used as a link of English with History or Literature - to get familiar with a knights stuff - to read an extract from a real book

Assumptions:
Ss know some information from History about 12th century, Ss know some information from Literature about Walter Scott, Ss know how to work with a text and how to use a Czech English dictionary, Ss read the text.

26

Procedures:
Time: 5 Activity: introduction of todays topic, brainstorming Brainstorming is a very good activity Interaction: T - wh.class Aids: a board, a notice 12th century in the Greetings, brief

beginning of the lesson, because students start to think about the topic, everything what they say is right and their own ideas about the 12th century will provoke their interest in the following activities. 5 talking about this century - about life in it, about peoples character, clothes, buildings In this pre-reading activity students can show what they know about the topic. Pictures help them in talking and they present some cultural information about the topic. A teacher can help with vocabulary. 5 try to name knights stuff in pairs the picture App. 2, a dictionary Students will learn words important for reading in an entertaining way in this pre-reading activity. The picture will stimulate their interest and pave the way for the text. T - wh.class pictures App. 1

27

introducing a book

individually

the crossword App. 3

Students will find out the title of the book, from which they will read an extract in an entertaining way. This activity will be done before reading and it can be done as a competition, because only 5 minutes is planed for it. 5 talking about author and about this novel T - wh.class individually the picture of WS - App. 4

Students will learn some details of Walter Scott they will be asked to fill the gaps individually. Students have already known something about him from Literature. There will be small discussion after this activity. 5 short extract of video showing knights tournament whole class video (e.g. A Knights Tale)

Students watch a short extract of video, before they read the extract, so they can better imagine the atmosphere of knights tournament. It can motivate them to read the following text. 15 read the extract individually copies App. 5 Students are asked to read the copy of the extract. This activity is placed at the end of the first lesson, because students do not read in the same speed and they can read it for the second time or finish the reading at home, if they need it. 28

Length of lesson: 45 minutes (second lesson) Materials: App. 1, App. 5, a veil, a leather cap, a
sword, paper, crayons, copies of App. 6

Topic: Ivanhoe by Walter Scott - part two - work with text

from real book

Aims:
- to make questions - it depends on a teacher, if he or she wants to practise Yes/No questions or Wh- questions - to use information from text to summarize it in students own words - to write an informal letter

Assumptions:
Ss can speak about the topic, Ss know how to find out information by asking questions, Ss know how to summarize a text Ss are familiar in writing an informal letter.

Procedures:
Time: 5 Activity: Interaction: T - wh. class Aids: pictures App. 1 Greetings, brief repetition of last and todays topic Brief repetition based on pictures students have

already known will bring them back to the topic about the 12th century. There maybe also repetition of new words from the last lesson.

29

talking about the extract in own words

T - wh. class

App. 5

Students summarize the story in their own words. This activity will consolidate the topic and they have to think about what they were reading at the end of the last lesson. A teacher will find out who is familiar with the story. Although I have count this activity as post-reading in the theory part, I have used it here as while-reading activity. That is because students read the extract at the end of the last lesson, but I want to use the extract in following while-reading activities. 5 who are probably those people(Rowena, Cedric, Disinherited Knight) what relationship do they have This activity is similar as the following one, but this It is one is done to in pairs. Students can show their are no imagination and empathy, they can express their opinions. similar brainstorming, because there incorrect answers. 5 who are probably those people(Rowena, Cedric, Disinherited Knight) what relationship do they have Similar activity to the previous one, but whole class is involved. Speaking - answering questions, statements, arguing, agreeing, disagreeing - is developed as a skill. Students will teach to respect different point of view. T - wh. class in pairs

30

10

hot seat - a different person - teacher (Rowena,

T - wh. class

a veil,
a leather

Cedric, Disinherited Knight) ask any questions to complete information - students Students will develop speaking

cap, a sword

through

asking

questions to find out who really are those people (Rowena, Cedric, Disinherited Knight), what is their relationship. It depends on a teacher if this activity will focus on Yes/No questions or Wh- questions. 10 write a letter to Rowena from Ivanhoe write a letter to Ivanhoe from Rowena make his or her seal This post-reading activity provides opportunity to groups paper, a pen, crayons, a seal

express students own ideas, they may identify with those characters, because they solve love problems in their life as well, so their own experience may be useful here. They develop their writing skill of informal letter and they will show how creative they are when they make seals. As they will work in small groups, they have to cooperate together. When we have no time for making a seal we can ask an Art teacher to do it in an Art lesson. 5 an exhibition of letters and seals wh. class a notice board

Students were motivated in the previous activity to make some creative activities such as letters and seals, so, we have some final products now, which can decorate 31

the classroom and students will see that their hard work in lessons has been leading to a small exhibition.

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7. CONCLUSION
Stories are an ideal tool in learning language as they guide us through our whole life. So, not only learning our mother tongue, but also other foreign languages through stories can make our effort more interesting, amusing and memorable. language Students have an are amazing familiar ability and to absorb to when activities enjoyable

them. Teaching foreign language on the base of storytelling is exactly the activity which is both familiar and it is fun. Stories are for all of us, not just for children, that is why using them in teaching adolescents is as important as using them in teaching young children. because Stories can attract students attention, they provide

challenging topics based on their everyday interests such as love and friendship. They also provide a huge space for fantasy and creativity. Stories may link English with other subjects across the curriculum, which I demonstrate in my theses. They teach students may to be think. taught All by skills, functions and structures stories. Vocabulary,

pronunciation and creativity may be developed. In my theses I have tried to make a lesson plan based on an extract from a real book, and even thou I had no opportunity to try it with a class I believe that students will like it and they will be motivated to read a whole book.

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8. RESUM
Using of stories in learning a language is an important teaching technique. Stories guide a human for his or her whole life and use them when the human learn his or her mother tongue. Consequently it is natural learn a foreign language with the help of stories. An essential part of this thesis is devoted to some activities, which we may use, when we create a lesson plan based on a story. Activities are divided into pre-, whileand post-storytelling activities. Activities may of course penetrate.

RESUM
Vyuvn pbh pi studiu jazyka je dleitou vyuovac technikou. Pbhy toti lovka provz po cel jeho ivot a vyuv je tak pi poznvn sv matetiny. Tud je pirozen poznvat a uit s ciz jazyk pomoc pbh. Podstatn alespo vytvme v prbhu pln a na st tto bakalsk kter hodiny prce meme zaloen je na vnovna kdy pbhu. vytven nkterm aktivitm, vyuovac konci pout,

Aktivity jsou rozdleny na aktivity pouvan na zatku, ten, vyprvn nebo pbhu. Aktivity se tak samozejm mohou rzn prolnat.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
WRIGHT, Andrew: Storytelling With Children, OUP 1995, ISBN: 0-19-437202-2 WRIGHT, Andrew: Creating Stories With Children, OUP 1997, ISBN: 0-19-437204-9 HARMER, Jeremy: The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman, 2005, ISBN 0-582-40385-5 ELLIS, Gail and BREWSTER, Jean, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002, ISBN: 0-582-44777-1 BRUMFIT, Christopher; MOON, Jayne and TONGUE, Ray, Teaching English to Children from Practice to Principle, Longman 1991, ISBN 0-17-556889-8. FRST, Maria: Psychologie, Votobia, 1997, ISBN 80-7198-199-0 KULHNEK, Jan. Pohdky v na dui 1 - vvojov pohdky [online]. accessible from WWW: <http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-dusivyvojove/> VOJTKOV, Naa. Using authentic literature in the classroom [online]. accessible from WWW: <http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=638> VOJTKOV, Naa. Didaktika 2A [online]. accessible from WWW: <http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=438> WRIGHT, Andrew. YOU are a story absorber and a story teller. A web site for the developing language teacher [online]. 2005, accessible from WWW: <http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtrainin g/stories_andrew.htm> FOREST, Heather. Storytelling Lesson Plans and Activities. Story arts [online]. 2000, accessible from WWW: <http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/newstandard/inde x.html> 35

REFERENCES

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Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman, 2005 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002 http://www.teachertraining.hu/04_andrew_copies.html Principle, Principle, Principle, Principle,

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