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sunrader · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 101

I've been assigned to teach these two books at two different US intensive English programs. There will be Korean students at one with TKAM, and Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Middle Eastern (haven't been told where) at the other with 451.

When I've taught outside intensive English programs in universities, we've been instructed not to cause any kind of discomfort or conflict for students of other cultures, so these issues seem problematic to me.

Has anyone taught these books? How did you talk about racism and censorship with these populations? What kinds of prompts would you use for classroom discussion if you're trying to avoid conflict between the groups? For instance, do you mention Salman Rushdie if you have Muslim students? Do you avoid conversations about internet use in China? All the students are pretty advanced and close to entering the universities themselves, but I doubt the administrators think we should use the same critical studies approach we might use with American college freshmen.

Both programs are good, so I'm sure the schools will have some instructions. I'd just like the opinions of experienced teachers, particularly those involved with these populations.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Isn't only the Mockingbird book about racism? I thought 451 was about book burning and censorship.

Someone made an attempt to teach Mockingbird in a high school class of Japanese first year students when I was there. Pretty high level students, but nonetheless, it was pretty lame. Moreover, it detracted from their overall English studies, but I digress.

How old are your students?

For Mockingbird, you may want to focus a lot more on crime and discrimination than on discrimination as a whole. Compare the Mockingbird story with Rodney King, for example. Still stays within the bounds of the USA (even thought the topic itself is very emotionally charged). Or you could get students onto studying the Deep South, past and present.

Both books come with movies, so you could use those at times for listening practice and comprehension. The usual stuff with video and book material apply. That is, have them read a chapter, write or talk about a description of a character or scene, then compare to what they see in a clip from the movie. Discussion ensues.

Just what is the purpose of teaching these 2 books, anyway? And, what is the length of this intensive course (daily and overall)?

sunrader · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 101

fancynan · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject:

I found it interesting that you touched on the theme of innocence lost in TKAM. When I was in college (26 years ago), I wrote a paper on the loss of innocence in America, using this book to draw comparisons between Jem and Scout and American society as a whole.

mondrian · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 11:52 pm Post subject:

Two thoughts:
Teaching controversial topics: in China to mention media censorship is a risky business. It can get you fired, if there is a young cadre in your class taking notes. You certainly don't criticise the CCP, but that is more because we don't have the knowledge or experience to do so. (How do you govern 1.4bn people?!).
So I would introduce the nature of the controversial topics at the beginning of the session and get your students to discuss with you what their existing views are. Then put it to them that there is Western literature dealing with such topics from perhaps different viewpoints to their own (e.g. why did these authors write what they wrote?).
An example: I have taught my students "not to reinvent the wheel" and to seek existing sources before considering they have fully grasped their assignment. Wikpedia is such a source.
http://en.wikipedia.org/ (and type in TKAMB or F451).
Unfortunately in China this site is blocked so we have to use a proxy.
I make no big deal about Chinese censorship. I just tell them to look the information up for discussion and to come to me privately if they want to know how to use a proxy (which they never do!).
I hope that they have given you enough preparation time as well as class time to be able to give what could be very interesting classes.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

subtle language?
allusion?

Listen, unless those international students have TOEFL scores through the roof, you aren't going to be doing a heckuva lot of "discussions" on those two things.

Best to just throw some short reading material at them (5-10 pages a day), make some comprehension quizzes (T/F, cloze, fill in the blank, etc.), and hope for the best. Unless you have done a fair amount of reading skills teaching, I wouldn't hope for much more.

If you want to get brave, do more. Have students look up certain related things on the Internet. Have discussion groups about planned topics, then have the groups make reports. Do Reading Circles (Google it). Teach massive amounts of vocabulary (taking care not to make them understand that some of it is inflammatory or just plain old).

FIRST THING, though, is to go to the administration and ask for the PURPOSE of the darned course. Without that, you are just shooting in the dark. And, will this be a mandatory course for them, or an elective. (Helps you know their motivation.)

SECOND THING, is to get a handle on the level of the students. What exactly ARE their TOEFL scores?

What you saw on the Internet about people using these books... was it for native English students, or HIGH LEVEL ESL students? Big difference compared to what you are probably going to get.

eslstudies · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 1061 Location: East of Aden

Mockingbird is a complex novel. It will be out of the realm of the students you describe socially, historically and linguistically.
I think its more about wisdom than racism. The children observe, and are victims of, hatred, but come to appreciate the wisdom and strength of Atticus and Calpurnia. Its a tale of lessons learned, eg Jem and Mrs Dubois, and of course Boo Radley.
You'd have as much success teaching Grapes of Wrath, another great American novel!
I wish you luck. A study of the film may be a better bet.

jr1965 · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 175

Deicide · Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 2:56 pm Post subject:

Teaching novels to benighted EFL students...sounds like stand up comedy to me...or English lit....

sunrader · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 101

These are some really great suggestions. Thank you all so much. Today I'm watching To Kill a Mockingbird and comparing it to the book. I start tomorrow and will let you all know how it goes.

sunrader · Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 101

Just wanted to let everyone know how it went this week. This week I started at the school where we are doing F451. It turns out this school takes a much more, what I would call "American" point of view than the last one I taught at. The school had no problem talking about censorship with students whose countries practice it pretty strongly. I was told to have the students do impromptu speeches on censorship and given four prompts to let them choose from, including "Tell something about censorship in your country." Ok, all well and good.

Not a single student recognized the word censorship. Smile

That was a little funny, given that it's the theme for all the classes in the whole session.

But after twenty minutes of us talking about what it was, they understood and were able to tell some really interesting things about it. So, we're off. Seven weeks to go.