Teacher Discussion Forums

I've been assigned to teach a new class in my high school this year. Totally new for my school. A group of 17 1st year students who have ranked fairly high on their standard exams and who have expressed a reasonable amount of interest in reading English lit are my students. The class is meant to teach them "reading".

This class has another foreign teacher doing a "writing" class, and a Japanese teacher for their own private grammar lessons.

Since I've never taught this before, I was wondering if anyone could provide some tips. We already have one book for assigned reading, but they are finding it difficult to make time for 10-15 pages a week.

We meet twice a week, 45 minutes each. I have a discussion group at least once a week, plus journal entries on the assigned readings (and any outside readings). I'm going to show them how to skim and how to make their own bilingual dictionaries for words that they figure they'll use often.

They have regular classes with Japanese teachers on speed reading (2nd year) and reading comprehension (2nd or 3rd year) both by Japanese teachers, plus a projects class in 3rd year by a foreign and Japanese teacher. I wouldn't want to duplicate these efforts.

I'd like some advice on what other lesson plans to provide, how to maintain their interest in the assigned readings, and anything else that people generally do. Oh, and if you could suggest some good books that they might complete in less than a year, I'd then have a second one for them to use as an assigned reading book. We're also supposed to schedule a speech contest in February, but these kids will be in the same group as two others that are much lower level. The lower level groups get stuff handed to them to memorize for recitation in the contest. Any tips on what my kids can do? Next year they will have to write their own speeches, so I don't want to duplicate this.

Thanks in advance.

http://www.onestopenglish.com/news/maga ... rature.htm

Hi there

I don't know if you ever look at the MacMillan site (you have to register for the free resources but they are free) but there are a couple of articles and some lesson plans for using lit in classes. I haven't read them particularly- I just remember getting the details in their monthly email and the above should take you to some of their information.

This site is quite good for a range of stuff. Enjoy!

Glenski,
I have taught literatutre to high-level ESL students here in the states. I don't know the restrictions that you work under, but what about using short stories instead of novels. I used a text called: World of Fiction by Sybil Marcus published by Addison Wesley. It has 20 short stories with lots of exercises for discussion and writing. It also teaches ideas about short story literary devices such as setting, character, simile, metaphor etc. My students really liked it. I also taught an 8-week novel course. One book we read was The Joyluck Club. Since this book is basically four different stories that intertwine, I gave small groups of students one of the four mother/daughter stories to read and then report back to the class about their individual parts. This book was ideally suited for this. I also used the movie in parts to back up each section that they read. This made their understanding better and also provided a good chance to discuss the differences between the book and movie. Doing this was not easy for the students, and I wouldn't worry if they don't get it all. Consider yourself the spark that will flame their interest in Literature.

John