Class activity

This week we did an activity using the Critical Literacy approach. We had to analyze the song "The Boxer" (Simon and Garfunkel), with questions that made us reflect and think about the elements of the text.
This activity requires concentration and effort of students to really understand the text and not only translate and answer obvious questions. Over time it will be easier and natural for students to do this kind of reading.
As teachers we have a big challenge, ‘how to incorporate this method in the classroom’. First, because there are no materials with this approach and second, there are very few schools where teachers can freely use this method.
No doubt this is a sad irony. Having a method in many ways effective, but often not used by numerous obstacles.
But with this awareness, we need to think of alternatives to these problems. Always trying to transform the class into something really significant.

Critical Literacy

Critical literacy involves the analysis and critique of the relationships among texts, language, power, social groups and social practices. It shows us ways of looking at written, visual, spoken, multimedia and performance texts to question and challenge the attitudes, values and beliefs that lie beneath the surface.

Critical literacy includes:

• examining meaning within texts;
• considering the purpose for the text and the composer’s motives
• understanding that texts are not neutral, that they represent particular views, silence other points of view and influence people’s ideas
• questioning and challenging the ways in which texts have been constructed
• emphasising multiple readings of texts. (Because people interpret texts in the light of their own beliefs and values, texts will have different meanings to different people.)
• providing students with opportunities to consider and clarify their own attitudes and values.
  

Critical literacy according to Wendy Morgan (1996) attempts to develop three kinds of understanding:

• the way texts and their discourses work to represent reality and define what is necessary for us
• a sympathetic understanding of the people who are affected (shaped) by those discourses
• ways we can engage with those texts and their debates

Features of a critical literacy approach

We deconstruct the structures and features of texts. We ask questions of the text. We consider the structure and style of the text and ask: For what purpose has the text been constructed in this way?
We no longer consider texts to be timeless, universal or unbiased. Texts are social constructs that reflect some of the ideas and beliefs held by some groups of people at the time of their creation. As we examine the underlying values and consider the ways in which we, as readers and viewers, are positioned to view the world, we are able to develop opposing interpretations.
We explore alternative readings. We consider what has been included and what has been left out.

By: http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/english/critlit.htm

Teaching with Video (by Jeremy Harmer)

About teaching with video the author Jeremy Harmer shows us why use the video (A1) about many reasons why can add a special dimension of the experience. For example, the seeing language- in- use, cross- culture awareness, the power of creation and the motivation ( the level of interested when the students have a chance to see language- in- use as well as heard).
The video problems topic tell us the need to be aware of a number of a potential problems like the poor quality of tapes and disks, the problem of just switching on the monitor in the classroom that is not specially exciting for television/ internet viewing population the "stop and start" trouble, that means, the problem of some students become frustrated when teachers constantly pauses and start the video, only showing little bits at a time.
The danger of language learning videos, however, is that they fail quality test either because the production is poor, the situations and the language are inauthentic, or the content is too usual.
Our choice, therefore, has to be limited to those sequences which our students will accept and enjoy.
Jeremy Harmer attaches the topic (A5, video as part of a lesson) that we can use a short video extract as one component in a longer lesson sequence in different ways.
He presents five techniques to teaching with videos and some of them we disagree, and it might not be interesting to use in a class, for example, silent viewing for music, teachers show a sequence without sound and ask students to say what kind of music they would put behind it and why.
In the other hand, we in fact agree that the picture or speech can be motivating for the students because this technique forces them to explain to the other students what is going on in the video.

Discussion (Harmer)

Last week we discussed about videos, autonomy and speaking.
Thus, we conclude that:

Video

Working with videos in the classroom can be very rewarding in many ways, however, the teacher needs a good planning from the choice of video to the proposed activities( See the next post!).

Autonomy

It is not easy to find a definition for autonomy. In the discussion, we understand that autonomy is a process that develops over a lifetime, it is social and do not need a teacher all the time.
To be autonomous does not mean just go in search of what we like. And the teacher has an important role in the development of pupils' autonomy. After all, it is part of the work of the teacher lead students to seek their intellectual autonomy.
I believe that I have autonomy, because I always try to get more information of what I saw in the classroom, where time is short. Thus, I build my own knowledge without relying solely on teachers.

Speaking

As teachers we must be alert to problems that hinder students to practice speaking. Some problems are: shyness, fear of failure, students who talk a lot (and prevent others from speaking) and others. Each student has different characteristics, so the teacher needs to know their students well and think about strategies that can reduce these problems.
We need to encourage students to speak, promoting activities and games (with the interaction of students) so that they can face the speaking as something normal.

Reading

Efficient readers not only read faster, but they also read with better comprehension. They read text in much the same way that most of us learn to identify objects in the world around us.

With efficient skills, we can absorb more material in less time, increasing our productivity and effectiveness in all aspects of our lives.

Most people read ineffectively due to the following three factors:

Subvocalization – This is the act of pronouncing the words in your mind and/or even whispering the words to yourself as you go, It is not important to totally eliminate subvocalization, but you do want to minimize it.

Regression - This is where you let your eyes wander back to re-read text you previously read. This is a very common problem and is a major cause for inefficient reading.

Eye Span - This has to do with your "eye fixation time" and "eye fixation zone." In short, you want to learn to "increase your eye fixation timing" and "widen your eye fixation zone" so that you will have the ability to move your eyes faster and read multiple words or even lines at a time.

By: http//www.lessonplanspage.com/articles/AceReader.html

A little more about parody...

Last class, we produced a parody of the song ‘Another Brick in the wall’ (look ‘We don’t know who is the fault’). This activity was interesting, fun and a little difficult. Besides working with music, usually much appreciated by the people, for this activity is necessary to work with the vocabulary, phonetics, rhythm / rhyme and, of course, choose a theme.

At first it may be a bit difficult, think about all these issues, but with a little concentration and effort everything goes right. It is important to remember that an activity carried out in a group can become much more interesting for students.
As a student, I can say that I felt interested and motivated to perform the activity, trying to overcome the difficulties. As an example, think of the rhymes and in the context of the lyric. (Everything must be in agreement).
As a teacher, I believe the activity is appropriate for students. Besides working with many skills and improve their English, students need to think and reflect on what they are doing.
After the task finished, I think interesting to create a blog for the classroom, where everyone could publish their work. And each class can see the work of another.

Parody activity (Another brick in the wall)

We don’t know who is the fault…
Daniele Guedes and Sara Carriel

We just need to pay attention
We just need have control
And this problem can be solve soon
And this problem certainly gone
Hey! People! You should stay alone!
The only friend you have is alcohol
Unfortunately we don’t know who is the fault…

We don’t need complication
We just need have control
The swine flu will pass soon
The swine flu certainly gone
Hey! People! You must put the masks on!
You can find it in the shopping mall!
Or everybody is going to the hospital…

Music

Another Brick In The Wall (Pt. 2)
Pink Floyd
Composição: Roger Waters

We don't need no education

We don't need no thought control

No dark sarcasm in the classroom

Teachers leave them kids alone

Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!

All in all it's just another brick in the wall.

All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

We don't need no education

We don't need no thought control

No dark sarcasm in the classroom

Teachers leave them kids alone

Hey! Teachers! Leave those kids alone!

All in all it's just another brick in the wall.

All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

Funny Video

What is a parody?

A parody imitates a work of art, literature, or music for the purpose of making playful fun or a joke of the original work. A parody may take anironic or cynical approach to the work it is imitating or may just be for comedic relief. Most times, a parody involves a serious work that has been changed to make it seem absurd by mocking or pointing out shortcomings in the original work. A parody is similar to and may also be referred to as burlesque, lampoon or a spoof.

The word parody comes from the Greek paroidia meaning a song sung alongside another. In modern culture, a parody can involve print, audio and visual media.

Source:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-parody.htm

Parody...

In the first class we worked with parody...

It is a work or performance that imitates another work/ performance using irony with the objective to be critical.

In class we work with parodies of songs (My way, Another brick in the wall and others). And this type of activity is very interesting for a collaborative work between students and teacher.

When I was in high school, I studied about parody, but we didn’t work with music, just literature! And it is really important to work with students using different types of texts.

Working with parody in an English class is completely new to me. And I realized that many activities can be performed in the classroom, developing the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

With this method of study, the class will not be restricted in grammar or reading, by contrast, teachers and students can discuss the context of texts, social problems and more.

I really liked the class!

In the next class, we will produce a parody by the music ‘Another brick in the wall’ (Pink Floyd)…