LISTENING AND READING TOGETHER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND

LISTENING AND READING TOGETHER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND

A module to integrate difference

and language difference

Towards Autonomous Communicative Competence

Il percorso/modulo si colloca all’interno del curricolo di una seconda classe di Liceo Scientifico per la disciplina Lingue e Civiltà Straniere (inglese) e dentro l’Area Educazione alla Cittadinanza del POF di istituto.

A tal scopo, durante il prossimo anno scolastico, alla fine del secondo quadrimestre, sarà introdotto un itinerario di apprendimento da realizzare in modalità ”blended”.

Contesto di apprendimento

Liceo scientifico di una piccola cittadina del Nord-Est, frequentato per lo più da allieve ed allievi del comprensorio limitrofo, con rare occasioni di poter fruire di eventi culturali o esposizione alla lingua inglese, con poche esperienze d’ uso e utilizzo della lingua 2, se non in ambito limitatamente scolastico. Solo alcuni hanno effettuato un breve soggiorno studio all’estero.

Motivazione didattica

L’itinerario didattico proposto, vuole offrire agli allievi occasioni per creare curiosità intorno al testo letterario e le operazioni di base che ne permettono una fruizione ragionata, sia nell’ambito del reader’s response che in quello del lettore meno ingenuo, che acquisisce consapevolezza della natura interattiva e cooperativa del ruolo del lettore nella graduale esperienza di dialogo col testo.

Contestualmente, le attività e i compiti proposti offriranno spazi per riconoscere, analizzare ed esperire competenze linguistico - argomentative, sia a livello ricettivo che produttivo

Tema/Problema

Il tema trasversale che rappresenterà il filo conduttore e, allo stesso tempo, aggregatore delle distinte fasi del percorso

(una serie di unità didattiche organizzate ai testi oggetto di studio) sarà il riconoscimento di diversi punti di vista rispetto al tema/problema oggetto di indagine e specificatamente:

- la natura della sua costruzione per una efficace persuasione del rapporto con il testo,

- del punto di vista come modalità per leggere, raccontare, interpretare e valutare le varie esperienze umane.

A tale proposito si avrà cura di utilizzare tipologie testuali diverse anche di tipo multimediale e, prerequisiti permettendo, anche di periodi diversi.

L’insegnante si sforzerà di agire da mediatore dell’apprendimento nella maggior parte delle situazioni anche se ci saranno momenti in cui dovrà agire da guida, dovendo utilizzare testi in lingua inglese che non sono sempre di facile accesso.

Tale contesto di apprendimento intende perseguire le seguenti

Finalità educativo-didattiche:

Potenziamento delle competenze comunicative in L2
Attivazione di percorsi e processi di apprendimento collaborativi e cooperativo
Potenziamento della consapevolezza nell’uso delle strategie di lettura in L2
Promozione di competenze testuali
Avviamento di percorsi di educazione alla letterarietà
Introduzione delle operazioni di analisi testuali di base
Confronto di punti di vista
Negoziazione condivisa di risposte a compiti e problemi
Produzione di testi anche in formato multimediale

Struttura

La struttura del percorso è costituita da n. 4 Unità Didattiche ognuna relativa a un testo o più testi collegati dal filo conduttore tematico, preceduta da un’analisi pre-pedagogica dei testi e delle risorse che si analizzeranno per meglio far comprendere come si intende sviluppo delle competenze comunicative in L2 in sintonia con i principi del CEFR.

Comunicazione e diversità dei punti di vista per un miglior dialogo interpersonale e interculturale sono in effetti i nodi portanti che attraversano il lavoro. Viene inoltre proposto un eventuale follow-up che è costituito da una performance che gli allievi dovranno organizzare sulla base dei testi e delle risorse che hanno studiato e prodotto che potrebbe diventare un’occasione per rendere pubblico l’agito della scuola.

Lo sforzo principale di questo percorso è quello di coniugare apprendimento linguistico in L2 e avvio di un processo/percorso di apprendimento che possa gradualmente far acquisire alle/agli allieve/i una competenza testuale ed una educazione alla letterarietà che favorisca il piacere della lettura consapevole dell’interazione tra testo, lettore e futuro cittadino (anche digitale.

Un lettore non ingenuo dunque, in grado di ripercorrere le diverse fasi del suo processo di lettura, distinguendo il momento della prima reazione emotiva (response) da quello di una più consapevole capacità di lettura critica e interpretativa.

PRE - PEDAGOGICAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS OF TEXT

Unit 1 - Shall I tell her or not?

Target Class: Biennio Secondary School

LEVEL: A2/B1 with

REFERENCE TO Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

A Synthesis in Italian

Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

LANGUAGE

TEXT FEATURES

Context

- Formal

- Informal ( Everyday conversation)

- Cross-cultural

Situation/Relationship

- Between peers

- Between friends

- Between adults

- At home

- At school

- Outdoors

Topic

- Behaviour

- Love relationship

- Friendship

- Expectations

- Embarrassment

- Disappointment

- Trust

Language Functions

- Expressing feelings

- Expressing opinions

- Expressing expectations

- Making Hypothesis

- Telling lies/the truth

Language Forms and Lexis in Use

- Have you got

- I want to

- I would like to

- To like

- I were you, I would …

- If you were me, would you …?

- My advice is …

- I would want to …

- If I had, …

- To be intimate with

- To phone somebody up

- To be upset

- To be annoyed

- To accuse somebody of …

- At least

- To get involved

- To be sorry

- I should/n’t have

- To agree

- To disagree

- Other

Idioms

- What’s the problem?

- It’s about

- He was busy kissing

- What are friends for?

- It’s none of your business

- The whole thing

- To be right

- To be wrong

- What a cheek!

- Never mind

- All about it

Grammar

- Conditionals

- If clauses (I-II-III)

- Revision of main verb tenses

- Reported Speech

- Idioms: to be right, to be wrong

TEACHING UNIT 1 Shall I tell her or not?

STRUCTURE

RATIONALE

The first Teaching Unit of the project has the aim to pave the way to the coming parts of the path creating a suitable learning environment for the forthcoming steps.

TEXT 1. “What would you do?”

Step I - LEAD IN

Brainstorming (homework activity)

Activity: Post comments

Tool: dedicated message board on class site

Task: Is it always easy to be sincere and straight forward with friends? If no, explain why; if yes explain why

Rationale: creating the correct context for the learning process to take placeð moving from the students experience and knowledge of the world to the new language input

Step II - INPUT

Listening

- First listening (audio file) books closed only picture

- Second listening (audio+ script + picture)

Step III - COMPREHENSION

1. Checking Comprehension

Activity: Answer the following questions after listening to the text?

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting

- Who is talking to whom?

- Where do you think they are talking?

- What are they talking about?

- Who are they talking about?

- Have they got a problem?

- Do they agree about a possible solution or have they got a different opinion?

Step IV - SUBSTANTIATING - COMPARING RESULTS - PROBLEMATIZING

Class Management: Group work: pool ideas

- Discussing answers

- Negotiating answers

- Choosing a reporter

- Reporting in Plenary

Task/s:

- Recognize different opinions in the text

- Select the language used to express the different opinions

- Select the reasons/argumentations for the different opinions

- Class reporting and comparison

- Peer correction

- Teacher provides correction where and when needed

- Teacher supports language building and revision of functions and forms (mini-dialogues, open dialogue in pairs and/or small groups both written and oral) through language organizers, class communicative activities and CALL resources.

- Give a possible explanation for the different opinions with reference to the text posting comments on a blog

Activity 1

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Note taking

Group work: Use the grid to answer the following questions:

- What are the different opinions?

- How are they expressed in language?

- Select the different reason for each opinion

Expected answers:

People involved

Opinions

Language used to express opinion

Reason/Argumentation

Peter

Not to tell Carol

No, I wouldn’t.

My advice is to stay out of it.
If you tell carol she’ll be really upset.
It’s none of your business.
If you get involved, you’ll be sorry.

Sandra

To tell Carol

I’m not sure what to do

I don’t trust Terry.
I have never liked him
If , I told her, at least she would know!
What are friends for?
If my friend did something like that, I would want about it.

Activity 2

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Note taking, Peer correction

Plenary

Students compare results between peers and eventual support of the teacher.

Activity 3

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Reflecting.

Students work on language functions and forms useful to become familiar with the language to use to discuss different points of view and opinions in a communicative context relying on text book, communicative practice in the class context and resorting to The Internet resources provided by the teacher.

Some resources for practice can be found in the text book both in text and audio format, others are provided (see some below) by the teacher who signals them on the class site but students should feel free to practice also referring to other resources:

- If clauses

- http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/conditionsum.html

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/ask_about_english/modals_conditionals.shtml

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv344.shtml)

3. Problematizing

1. Activity

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Reading, Writing

a) Teacher sums up the situation of the dialogue on OHP (Over Head Projector)

Situation

Carol is in love with Terry. Sandra, Carol’s close friend, saw Terry busy kissing Sharon Bates. She asks Peter for advice on how to behave with Carol.

Should she tell Carol or not?

Sandra’s opinion → She is not sure if she should say something to Carol

Peter’s opinion → She shouldn’t say something to Carol

b) Teacher asks students to post comments in the dedicated blog:

https://www.marilenabeltramini.it/schoolwork0708/blog/index.php off line

Blog Entries

June 22, 2008

An embarrassing situation. What would you do?

Peter and Sandra do not agree. They show different opinions and reasons about telling Carol or not. Express your point of view on your possible behaviour. Here's mine. What do you think?

I don't understand Peter : why should Carol not know? I think if I were Carol I would really want to know.

I don't like liars! Why does Peter suggests Sandra to stay out? Probably because he's a man!!! What can another possible reason be?

-----

2. Activity (individual activity)

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Reading, Writing

Students are asked to write an individual paragraph on Carol’s situation. They should be sure to include:

- Facts of the situation

- Sandra’s experience and her report to Peter

- Peter’s and Sandra’s different opinions

- A personal opinion about their possible behaviour in such a situation

- Explain the reason for their behaviour

In order for the students to better carry out their task the teacher provides them with suitable language organizers 1. 2. 3. referred to the function expressing opinions.

The support will also enhance their learning autonomy level.

3. Activity (class activity)

Skill: Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Reading, Using TIC)

Students are asked to read their paragraph aloud and try to make it as more convincing as possible (they should pay careful attention to pronunciation, intonation and rhythm).

In the end the class will generate a histogram to illustrate the different students’ possible behaviour in such situations and their individual reasons for the choice.

The fill will be later printed and glued in the class message board.

Step V – FOLLOW UP

Activity 1

Skill: Listening, Reading, Speaking, writing

Getting Awareness

The teacher asks students to listen to the conversation between Peter and Sandra after Sandra has just met Carol. After checking their listening activity with the script provided by the teacher, students are asked to discuss the results of Sandra’s decision in group and integrate the posts of their initial activity on the dedicated message board or to enter new ones.

RATIONALE

The activity wants to satisfy students’ curiosity and at the same time create awareness that any choice always implies consequences and reactions that one must be ready to accept and understand.

PRE - PEDAGOGICAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS OF TEXT

UNIT 2 About Wuthering Heights

The focus of the present teaching unit is the text and the students’ interaction with the text/s they are asked to read.

According to CERF,

‘text’ is used to cover any piece of language, whether a spoken utterance or a piece of writing, which users/learners receive, produce or exchange. There can thus be no act of communication through language without a text; language activities and processes are all analysed and classified in terms of the relation of the user/learner and any interlocutor(s) to the text”.

In addition “ every text is carried by a particular medium which affects the processes of production and reception”[1] and. as for processing a text, the different levels expected from our target (secondary school students from Biennio) may be the ones illustrated below.

Keeping in mind the target class it is worth referring to the objectives related to text processing.

PROCESSING TEXT

B2	Can summarise extracts from news items, interviews or documentaries containing opinions, argument and discussion. Can summarise the plot and sequence of events in a film or play.
B1	Can paraphrase short written passages in a simple fashion, using the original text wording and ordering.
A2	Can pick out and reproduce key words and phrases or short sentences from a short text within the learner’s limited competence and experience
A2	Can copy out short texts in printed or clearly handwritten format.
A1	Can copy out single words and short texts presented in standard printed format.

WATCHING TV AND FILM

B2	Can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes.
	Can understand documentaries, live interviews, talk shows, plays and the majority of films in standard dialect.
	Can understand a large part of many TV programmes on topics of personal interest such as interviews, short lectures, and news reports when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
B1	Can follow many films in which visuals and action carry much of the storyline, and which are delivered clearly in straightforward language.
	Can follow many films in which visuals and action carry much of the storyline, and which are delivered clearly in straightforward language.
	Can catch the main points in TV programmes on familiar topics when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
	Can identify the main point of TV news items reporting events, accidents etc. where the visual supports
A2	Can identify the main point of TV news items reporting events, accidents etc. where the visual supports the commentary.
	Can follow changes of topic of factual TV news items, and form an idea of the main content.
A1	No descriptor available

Texts Selected

The following module will deal with different text types:

- a clip for the promotion of Wuthering Heights by Peter Kosminsky : Opening sequence from The New York Times’ Movie Trailers Preview

- an excerpt from the film script

- a video (Trailer for the 1992 film Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights starring Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes)

- a review

- some extracts from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

Context

Historical background

- The Victorian Age

- The Present

Communicative context

- Formal

- Informal ( Everyday conversation)

Interpersonal relations [2](including relations of power and solidarity) e.g. with respect to:

- class structure of society and relations between classes;

- relations between sexes (gender, intimacy);

- family structures and relations;

- relations between generations;

- relations in work situations;

Textual competence will be tested according to levels below

THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT

B2	Can develop a clear description or narrative, expanding and supporting his/her main points with relevant supporting detail and examples.
B1	Can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward narrative or description as a linear sequence of points.
A2.	Can tell a story or describe something in a simple list of points
A1	No descriptor available

COHERENCE AND COHESION

B2	Can use a variety of linking words efficiently to mark clearly the relationships between ideas.
B2	Can use a limited number of cohesive devices to link his/her utterances into clear, coherent discourse, though there may be some ‘jumpiness’ in a long contribution.
B1	Can link a series of shorter, discrete simple elements into a connected, linear sequence of points.
A2	Can use the most frequently occurring connectors to link simple sentences in order to tell a story or describe something as a simple list of points.
A2	Can link groups of words with simple connectors like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’.
A1	Can link words or groups of words with very basic linear connectors like ‘and’ or ‘then’.

Also relevant for the learning process will be the

Heuristic skills

- the ability of the learner to come to terms with new experience (new language, new people, new ways of behaving, etc.) and to bring other competences to bear (e.g. by

observing, grasping the significance of what is observed, analysing, inferencing,

memorising, etc.) in the specific learning situation;

- the ability of the learner (particularly in using target language reference sources) to

find, understand and if necessary convey new information;

- the ability to use new technologies (e.g. by searching for information in databases,

hypertexts, etc.)[3]

Language

Topics

- Behaviour

- Love relationship

- Friendship

- Expectations

- Embarrassment

- Disappointment

- Trust

- Making choices

- Marriage

Language Functions

- Expressing opinions

- Expressing expectations

- Making Hypothesis

- Providing argumentations

- Giving Judgements

- Describing

Language Forms and Lexis in Use

- To get the impression

- To set out

- Aim

- To come up with

- To evoke

- To lack

- rewarding

- To reward

- Lead actors

- Suited to

- Technically a good performance

- To border on

- Pantomime

- Villain

- Twisted

- Single-handedly

- Rapport

- Whatever

- To play a character

- To be marred

- Miscasting

- Complacent

- Direction

- Not only does …

Idioms

- That is really all there is

- It leaves little for the spectator

- Totally out of place

- All we see is …

Grammar

- Simple aspect of verbs

- Adverbs function

- Basic verb tenses

- Modal verbs

TEACHING UNIT 2 About Wuthering Heights

STRUCTURE

RATIONALE

The Teaching Unit represents a follow up to the previous unit of which it develops theme, language competence but it also expands the students’ curiosity about related topics conveyed by different text types.

The Unit will deal with textual analysis practice and will encourage students to work in groups, read and analyse texts to become aware of the most relevant features of argumentation and the different points of view.

TEXT 1. Opening sequence from The New York Times’ Movie Trailers Preview of Peter Kosminsky’s Wuthering Heights (1992)

Step I - LEAD IN

Management (multimedia lab) Teacher a challenger and encourager

Brainstorming

Activity1

Listening Skills

The teacher invites the students to:

watch the clip
listen to the soundtrack
activate their anticipatory strategies

and make hypothesis about the possible content of the film.

Teacher: the teacher listens to the students’ immediate response but does not satisfy the learners’ probable curiosity to keep suspense

Activity 2:

Listening skills

Anticipatory Strategies

In order to elicit the students’ curiosity, keep suspense and foster a higher level of anticipatory skills.
The teacher invites students to watch the clip once more and consider:

- Atmosphere

- Setting (time and place)

- Characters

- Possible situation

- Sound effect

- Title

- Text

Activity 3: listening for hints

Listening skills

Management: individual and group work

The teacher now asks students to concentrate on a listening activity. They are also provided with a script about the clip. Their tasks will now be to:

- watch the clip again

- underline any word, expression or phrase they consider relevant to create mystery and expectations

- share their notes with peers

- discover if the clip contains a warning

Expected answers

- wondered who

- What their lives were like

-                 Something whispered

-                 a world

- that might have been

- a world of imagining

- It begins with a stranger

Warning: take care… not to simile at any part of it (the story)

Rationale: the activities of Step 1 create the right atmosphere to develop analytic and text processing skills, at the same time they keep motivation high thanks to the curiosity raised. They also create the correct context for the new language input.

Step II - Getting Started

Management: individual tasks, group work, plenary

Teacher: guide, encourager, elicitor, supporter

Text Type: review

Activity 1. Silent reading - Individual activity (5 minutes)

Students are provided a photocopy and asked to read the text silently.

Activity 2. Discussion

Management: Group activity (10 minutes)

In groups of 4, students are asked to answer the following questions and choose a reporter for the plenary report

- What is the image about?

- What kind of text is it?
How do you know?

- What are the words peculiar to text type? Make a list

- In your opinion, why has it been written?

Activity 3. Plenary report

Activity 3. Lexis

Management: pair work

In pairs use the on line dictionary or the monolingual dictionary to find out the meaning of the following words to better understand the summary of the novel made into the film:

- mansion

- moor

- gipsy

- to blossom

- to come of age = one who reaches major age (18 years of age)

Activity 3 Constructing a Mental Setting and a Picture Gallery for a Tourist Tour

Management: pair work

The teacher provides students with the following visual resources so that they can make up a mental picture of the places where the novel was set.

As homework they can also create a picture gallery that may provide a tourists’ route to visit the sites of Wuthering Heights

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/themoors.htm

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/wutheringheights.htm#inspirations

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/thrushcrossgrange.htm#inspirations

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/haworth.htm

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/halifax.htm

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/otherlocations.htm

- http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/locations/visiting.htm

Step III - THE FILM REVIEW – Comprehension

Management: Group work
Skills: Reading strategies, processing a text.

Activity 1. Find out the idea of the film conveyed by the review.

To get to a correct answer consider the guidelines below:

first impression you get if you watch the film?

images and setting of the film

link film – novel kept

effectiveness/non effectiveness of the link novel-film

preference: reading the novel or watching the film. Give reasons

judgement on actors and actresses

performance evaluation

effect on the audience?

protagonists of the movie (Juliette Binoche and Ralp Fiennes )

general feedback on performance

Activity 1. Quote from the text to support your answers

Ex:.

The first impression you get is the film provides a realistic version of the novel since it looks a “faithful, authentic-looking adaptation” of e. Bronte’s novel.

2. …

3. …

Activity 2.

Language in context. TIC tools

Using the PC make a language organizer collecting:

- the micro- language connected to movies/cinema

- the micro- language connected to fiction

- the language of emotions and feelings

- all adverbs you come across in the text and explain their function

The Point of View on the Film

Management: group work

Skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, Interacting, Processing, Taking notes

Activity 3. Review. An Evaluation

Students are asked to work in groups and provide the information given by the review according to request

Director’s main aim:

(Answer: to come up with the most faithful, authentic-looking adaptation of the novel)

Director’s choices:

(Answers:

- the film adheres religiously to the novel

- the film quotes passages from the text

- cinematography and period vividly evoke the kind of images you imaginewhen reading the book)

Activity 4.

Filling in a grid about the different aspects in the film

PROS (++)	CONS (--)
- Authentic-looking adaptation to the novel	- Lacks soul
- Religious adherence to the novel	- Lacks imagination
- Quotations recall text	- Leaves little for the spectator to do than get bored
- Vivid evocation of period and scene
Þ Synthesis	Þ Synthesis
That is really all there : visual images	Reading the novel is an infinitely more rewarding experience

Rationale: the activities gradually lead students to a higher level of awareness of the writer’s opinion and of the way the interaction text-reader has been organized

Step IV - REFLECTION AND METACOGNITION

Activity 1. The structure of argumentation in the review

Management: Group work and sharing

Teacher: guide, encourager, mediator

Students are now asked to organize into groups, consider the way the reviewer’s opinion has been made up and to map the structure of the argumentation. They should also choose a reporter between their peers who will later illustrate the map to other groups in a plenary session

Expected map: See Possible map

Activity 2. Reflection on argumentation structure

Management: Group work and sharing

Teacher: guide, encourager, mediator

The students are invited to refer to the activities they carried out and are asked to CREATE A STUDY ORGANIZER to be used in future activities where they will be asked to create the review for a performance they make watch or listen to.

Some guidelines are provided

When you prepare your organizer keep in mind that for each entry you have to consider text organization and effect on the reader

- Reason for writing: ðobjective I want to reach with my writing

- Topic:ð

- Introductionð what’s its function, what its effect supposed to be

- Supporting Paragraphs ð what their functions. Explain. What language is necessary

- Summary Paragraph ð what’s its function

Activity 3. Recap and shared reflection

Management: Plenary class section

Teacher: guide

After considering all of the students organizers and discussing features of a text that wants to provide an evaluation (review), as a conclusion to the reflection stage.

The teacher projects a transparency with some tips for writing an essay and also one meant to provide an evaluation.

Activity 4. Recap and shared reflection

Management: Plenary class section

Teacher: supporter, guide, encourager

Students are now asked to listen to two different versions of Wuthering Heights in Mp3 format:

- Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush

- Losing my Religion by Tori Amos

and watch and listen two You Tube videos of the songs

- Wuthering Heights

- Wuthering Heights (Catherine & Heathcliff)

Activity 5. Recap and shared reflection

Management: Plenary class section

Activity 6. Homework – Production

Management: Individual Activity

Consider class reflection, the study organizers you produces as well as the teacher’s tips and write a review for

- one of the two songs you listened

- one of the two video version of the same song you watched

Lyrics for the two versions provided:

- Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush

- Losing my Religion by Tori Amos

Activity 7. Sharing Reviews

Skills: listening, writing

Management: Plenary class section

The Teacher asks the students to read their reviews.

The unit ends providing a couple of example from the net. After reading the review aloud she/he invites the students to discuss similarities and differences between the reviews read and their productions. Students are later invited to enter their reviews on the net.

Follow up

It is now time to get into contact with the original novel. Therefore the teachers provides the students with an extracts from the novel and invites them to read it at home.

PRE - PEDAGOGICAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS OF TEXT

Unit 3 - Love and Marriage in Wuthering Heights

The focus of the present teaching unit is the text and the students’ interaction with the extracts from the original novel they are asked to read.

According to CERF,

In visual reception (reading) activities the user as reader receives and processes as input written texts produced by one or more writers.

Examples of reading activities include:

• reading for general orientation;

• reading for information, e.g. using reference works;

• reading and following instructions;

• reading for pleasure.

The language user may read:

• for gist;

• for specific information;

• for detailed understanding;

• for implications, etc.

Keeping in mind the target class it is worth referring to the

OVERALL READING COMPREHENSION

B2	Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low frequency idioms.
B1	Can read straightforward factual texts on subjects related to his/her field and interest with a satisfactory level of comprehension.
B1	Can understand short, simple texts on familiar matters of a concrete type which consist of high frequency everyday or job-related language.
A2	Can understand short, simple texts containing the highest frequency vocabulary, including a proportion of shared international vocabulary items.
A1	Can understand very short, simple texts a single phrase at a time, picking up familiar names, words and basic phrases and rereading as required.

READING FOR INFORMATION AND ARGUMENT

B2	Can understand specialised articles outside his/her field, provided he/she can use a dictionary occasionally to confirm his/her interpretation of terminology.
B2	Can understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints
B1	Can identify the main conclusions in clearly signalled argumentative texts.
	Can recognise the line of argument in the treatment of the issue presented, though not necessarily in detail.
	Can recognise significant points in straightforward newspaper articles on familiar subjects.
A2	Can identify specific information in simpler written material he/she encounters such as letters, brochures and short newspaper articles describing events.
A1	Can get an idea of the content of simpler informational material and short simple descriptions, especially if there is visual support.

PROCESSING TEXT

B2	Can summarise extracts from news items, interviews or documentaries containing opinions, argument and discussion. Can summarise the plot and sequence of events in a film or play.
B1	Can paraphrase short written passages in a simple fashion, using the original text wording and ordering.
A2	Can pick out and reproduce key words and phrases or short sentences from a short text within the learner’s limited competence and experience
A2	Can copy out short texts in printed or clearly handwritten format.
A1	Can get an idea of the content of simpler informational material and short simple descriptions

Texts Selected

The following module will deal with an extracts from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

- Text 1

Characters

Main characters

- Heathcliff - an orphaned foundling raised by the Earnshaw family

- Ellen (Nelly) Dean - the housekeeper of both Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights

- Catherine Earnshaw - Heathcliff's adoptive sister.

- Hareton Earnshaw - the son of Hindley Earnshaw

- Hindley Earnshaw - Catherine's brother and Heathcliff's other rival

- Edgar Linton - a childhood friend of Catherine Earnshaw's, who later marries her.

CONTEXT

Setting

- Wuthering Heights, a gothic mansion set on the bleak moors in the north of England West Yorkshire

- The Earnshaw family

Historical Background

- The Victorian Age

Communicative context

- Formal

- Informal ( Everyday conversation)

Interpersonal relations (including relations of power and solidarity) e.g. with respect to:

- class structure of society and relations between classes;

- relations between sexes (gender, intimacy);

- family structures and relations;

- relations between generations;

- relations in work situations;

Textual competence will be tested according to levels below

THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT

B2	Can develop a clear description or narrative, expanding and supporting his/her main points with relevant supporting detail and examples.
B1	Can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward narrative or description as a linear sequence of points.
A2.	Can tell a story or describe something in a simple list of points
A1	No descriptor available

COHERENCE AND COHESION

B2	Can use a variety of linking words efficiently to mark clearly the relationships between ideas.
B2	Can use a limited number of cohesive devices to link his/her utterances into clear, coherent discourse, though there may be some ‘jumpiness’ in a long contribution.
B1	Can link a series of shorter, discrete simple elements into a connected, linear sequence of points.
A2	Can use the most frequently occurring connectors to link simple sentences in order to tell a story or describe something as a simple list of points.
A2	Can link groups of words with simple connectors like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’.
A1	Can link words or groups of words with very basic linear connectors like ‘and’ or ‘then’.

HEURISTIC SKILLS

For the present learning process

the ability of the learner to come to terms with new experience (new language, new people, new ways of behaving, etc.) and to bring other competences to bear (e.g. by observing, grasping the significance of what is observed, analysing, inferencing, memorising, etc.) in the specific learning situation

the ability of the learner (particularly in using target language reference sources) to find, understand and if necessary convey new information

the ability to use new technologies (e.g. by searching for information in databases, hypertexts, etc.)

LANGUAGE

Topics

- Behaviour

- Love relationship

- Friendship

- Expectations

- Embarrassment

- Disappointment

- Rage

- Trust

- Making choices

- Marriage

Language Functions

- Expressing opinions

- Asking for opinions

- Asking for favours

- Expressing expectations

- Expressing feelings

- Making hypothesis

- Making predictions

- Providing argumentations

- Giving Judgements

- Describing

Language Forms and Lexis in Use

- Bad temper

- To be hard to please

- To keep a secret

- Peevishly

- Denial

- Consent

- Winsome

- To turn off

- To indulge

- Look

- To pursue

- Sulkily

Idioms

- Oh, dear

- A pity!

- I must let it out!

- Hopelessly stupid

- Venturesome fool

Grammar

- Adverbs function

- Basic verb tenses

- Modal verbs (ought to have been)

- What I should do

- If clauses

- Will you?

- Whether … or

- First or foremost

Refer to grids in Step II and III of Unit

TEACHING UNIT 3 Love and Marriage in Wuthering Heights

STRUCTURE

RATIONALE

The Teaching Unit represents the natural follow-up to the previous unit. It will now introduce one extract from the novel adapted to the film version. Therefore it develops theme, language competence but it also lends itself to introduce the students to the language of fiction and, last but not least to the language used in oral communication to express and ask for opinions.

The two previous units can therefore be considered pre-requisites for the coming learning process, both from the point of view of theme and communicative competence.

The Unit will focus on textual analysis practice only since the students are not familiar with the conventions of fiction and therefore most of the time will be devoted to acquire familiarity with analysis skills in fiction. The teacher will encourage students to work in groups, to read, analyse and reflect on the process of communication in progress. As a result, they will become aware of the most relevant features with which opinions, argumentation and the different points of view may be expressed in communication.

The present unit privileges oral reflection on oral communication since it provides dialogue as a language model.

TEXT 1. Love and Marriage

Step I - Comprehension

Management Teacher as a mediator and a guide

Group work

Information sharing

Activity1

Reading Skills

The teacher asks the students to organize into small groups. She asks them if they have read Text 1 at home and invites them to pool with their peers to find out the information below

1. Who is speaking to whom

2. What the speakers are speaking about?

3. The kind of relationship between the speakers

4. Where the conversation takes place

5. The reason for the conversation

Expected answers

1. Nelly is talking to Catherine

2. Nelly’s choice of a future husband

3. Nelly is the housekeeper but very close to Catherine

4. The conversation takes place at Catherine’s house

5. Nelly wants to know Nelly’s opinion about Catherine’s possible choice for a husband

Step II - Processing the text

Management Teacher as an encourager mediator and a guide

Group work – Gathering and sharing information

Looking for specific information

Activity2

Reading for specific information - Identifying reactions, opinions and feelings

The teacher checks results of previous activity and invites the students to a note-taking activity to fill in the grids below. They have to consider the dialogue between Nelly and Cathy can either take notes or quote from the text.

They are also expected to choose a reporter who will later communicate the group’s answers to the class in a plenary section.

Situation

Cathy wants Nelly to …	The secret is about …	What Edgar has just done …	Cathy’s feelings and reaction
keep a secret	The man Catherine will choose to get married	asked her to marry him	If you talk so, I won’t tell you any more
Tell her what she should do			She wants to know whether she should have done so
tell her what the answer ought to have been			You’re silly, Nelly
tell her whether she was wrong			"I don't want your permission for that - I shall marry him; and yet, you have not told me whether I'm right."

Point of view and behaviour

Cathy’s decision	Nelly’s reaction	Nelly’s opinion about Edgar	Nelly’s considerations for a possible choice	Cathy’s reasons for her choice
She accepted Edgar	There is no point in asking if Cathy has already made her choice	hopelessly stupid	She wants to know if Cathy loves Edgar	Of course I do
Cathy says nobody can help love Edgar	What good is it discussing the matter	venturesome fool	She wants to know why Cathy loves Edgar	Nonsense, I do - that’s sufficient
"He is now; and I have only to do with the present -- I wish you would speak rationally	You have pledged your word , and cannot react		She insists she wants to know why	He is handsome, and pleasant to be with
I've seen none like Edgar	She considers Cathy’s behaviour non judicious		She wants to know how Cathy loves him loves	He is young and cheerful
	Bad. Bad still		"you love Mr Edgar, because he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich, and loves you. The last, however, goes for nothing - You would love him without that, probably, and with it, you wouldn't unless he possessed the four former attractions."	Because he loves me
	Indifferent coming there		"But, there are several other handsome, rich young men in the world; handsomer, possibly, and richer than he is- What should hinder you from loving them?"	And he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman in the neighbourhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband
	Worst of all		he won't always be handsome, and young, and may not always be rich."	As everybody loves him
	Not at all - Answer			Of course I do
	And why			As everybody loves
	Nelly complains Cathy is joking with a very important matter			"I love the ground under his feet, and the air over his love all his looks, and all his actions, and him entirely, and altogether. There now!"
	if you have only to do with the present, marry Mr Linton			Cathy underlines she is not joking at all
	"Perfectly right; if people be right to marry only for the present.			Cathy says she would hate Edgar if he had not all the attractions she has just mentioned
	Your brother will be pleased... I think -- you will escape from a disorderly, comfortless home into a wealthy you. All seems smooth and easy - where is the obstacle?"

Step III - Unveiling argumentation/s

Management Teacher as an encourager mediator and a guide

Group work

Drawing conclusions

Activity 3

Comparing Points of View in Conversation

After the students have discussed the results of their work, the teacher re - organizes data so that a recap of the activity may be provided.

She/He now invites students to work in their groups to better illustrate:

- the different points of view expressed by the two characters

- the language used to ask and express opinions and to give reasons for one’s opinion

- the way language has been used to better support one’s point of view

To reach the goal an organizer is provided for them to complete. It includes both information gathering and selection of language used during the conversation.

Besides having the aim to fix some language forms and better focus on comprehension of the text read, the activity wants to focus on the language used to express opinions in oral communication

Characters

Reasons to marry

Language used to ask/express opinions

Giving reasons/explanations

Linkers

Language to create effectiveness

Catherine

She loves Edgard because:

- ( nobody can help love Edgar)

- (He is handsome, and pleasant to be with)

- (He is young and cheerful)

- (he loves her)

- (he will be rich, and she will like to be the greatest woman in the neighbourhood)

- (she will be proud of having such a husband)

- (everybody loves him)

- (she loves the ground under his feet, and the air over his love all his looks, and all his actions, and him entirely, and altogether)

Asking for opinions:

I want to know what I should do

Tell me which it ought to have been

Say whether I was wrong

Say whether I should have done so

And why

Say , how you love him

Expressing opinions:

Who can help it? Of course I do

I do that’s sufficient

Not at all –

You are silly, Nelly

You are making a jest

Because he …

( is handsome, and pleasant to be with)

Because he … (is young and cheerful)

Because he …

(will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman in the neighbourhood)

Because I …

(shall be proud of having such a husband)

And because he is young …

I love him as everybody loves him

I love the ground under his feet, …

I should only pity him

If there be any, they are out of my way

I have seen none like Edgar

He is now

I have only to do with the present

I don’t want your permission

I shall marry him

I’m convinced I’m wrong

If there be any, they are out of my way

He is now and I have

even, when

and

now, before I tell you whether

then

before

And he will be rich

And yet you have not told me

No, to be sure not

Perhaps

Unhappy

But say,…

Do!

Irritated tone

Peevishly

Of course, I do

Nonsense

Well

There now

Exceedingly ill-natured

It’s no jest to me!

Here!, and here!

Nelly

Nelly thinks Cathy should think:

1. If you marry Edgar, …

( you should love him)

2. If you marry Edgar, you should Know the …

(reasons why you do it)

3. If you want to marry Edgar, you …

(should know how you love him)

4. If you marry Edgar you shouldn’t…

(only consider his present attractions)

5. If you marry Edgar only because of those attractions of his, what …

(hinders you from loving other men richer than him)

6. If you marry Edgar, you should consider,…

(also the future)

Asking for opinions:

Is it worth keeping?

Why do you love him, Miss Cathy?

You must say why

What should hinder you from loving them?

And now, let us hear what you are unhappy about.

And now, say how you love him

And why

Expressing opinions:

you're hard to please

how can I know?

You may see some

I’m very far from jesting, Miss

Catherine

If you have only to do with the present, marry Mr. Linton

If people be right to marry only for the present

Well, that settles it, …

Your brother will be pleased

The old lady and the gentleman will not object

I think – you will escape from

Considering … I might say it would be …

There are many things to consider … before that question can be answered

Then, …what good is it?

First and foremost , do you love …

But, there are several other

And now, say

You love Edgar because he is …

The last, however, goes for nothing

Unless he possessed …

A pity

Really, Miss Catherine

How can I?

To be sure …

Properly

Sententiously

Not injudicious

It would be wise to …

Hoplessly stupid

Venturesome fool

By no means

Bad

Bad still

Indifferent, coming here

Worst of all!

The last goes for nothing

Probably

Perfectly right, ..

All seems perfectly right

Where’s the obstacle .

Not at all - Answer.

Nay

Where is the obstacle?

Rationale: the activity might prove rather demanding in concentration for Biennio learners. Therefore it will be the teacher’s assessment of the process that will make him/her decide whether to carry on the activity in a single phase or if it might be better to divide Activity 3 into two subsequent phases that could be alternated by the vision of the film scene the students have just processed. The choice might add motivation to the coming phase and could also make learners aware of the different components that make up the literary overall result of a scene.

Recap

At the end of the activity/s the teacher will draw the students’ attention on the way the different points of view have been expressed both in the literary text and in the film scene.

He/she will therefore focus the students’ attention on the features of the conversation that have better contributed to make Nelly’s and Catherine’s argumentation effective referring back to their textual analysis.

Management

Teacher as an encourager, mediator and guide

Plenary and Pair-work

Drawing conclusions

Activity 3

The teacher will later asks the students to carry out a pair work activity in which they have to express their opinion on the considerations to be made before choosing a husband.

To support the students in their oral practice the teacher will provide the students with a language organizer as well as invite them to refer to the notes they have taken to complete the grid.

PRE - PEDAGOGICAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS OF TEXT

Unit 4 - Love Demands Expression

The present unit is meant to focus the attention on the different ways texts may communicate feelings and emotions. Since it develops theme and situation s of the previous unit that was rather demanding on the level of textual analysis for learners of Biennio, it has got the aim to make students interact with text types they are more familiar with (SMS, clichés about love) first, to later move to consider how fictions has also provided examples in this direction.

The process to be implemented will again keep in mind that, according to CERF:

in visual reception (reading) activities the user as reader receives and processes as input written texts produced by one or more writers.

Examples of reading activities include:

• reading for general orientation;

• reading for information, e.g. using reference works;

• reading and following instructions;

• reading for pleasure.

The language user may read:

• for gist;

• for specific information;

• for detailed understanding;

• for implications, etc.

Keeping in mind the target class it is worth referring to the

OVERALL READING COMPREHENSION

B2	Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low frequency idioms.
B1	Can read straightforward factual texts on subjects related to his/her field and interest with a satisfactory level of comprehension.
B1	Can understand short, simple texts on familiar matters of a concrete type which consist of high frequency everyday or job-related language.
A2	Can understand short, simple texts containing the highest frequency vocabulary, including a proportion of shared international vocabulary items.
A1	Can understand very short, simple texts a single phrase at a time, picking up familiar names, words and basic phrases and rereading as required.

READING FOR INFORMATION AND ARGUMENT

B2	Can understand specialised articles outside his/her field, provided he/she can use a dictionary occasionally to confirm his/her interpretation of terminology.
B2	Can understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints
B1	Can identify the main conclusions in clearly signalled argumentative texts.
	Can recognise the line of argument in the treatment of the issue presented, though not necessarily in detail.
	Can recognise significant points in straightforward newspaper articles on familiar subjects.
A2	Can identify specific information in simpler written material he/she encounters such as letters, brochures and short newspaper articles describing events.
A1	Can get an idea of the content of simpler informational material and short simple descriptions, especially if there is visual support.

PROCESSING TEXT

B2	Can summarise extracts from news items, interviews or documentaries containing opinions, argument and discussion. Can summarise the plot and sequence of events in a film or play.
B1	Can paraphrase short written passages in a simple fashion, using the original text wording and ordering.
A2	Can pick out and reproduce key words and phrases or short sentences from a short text within the learner’s limited competence and experience
A2	Can copy out short texts in printed or clearly handwritten format.
A1	Can get an idea of the content of simpler informational material and short simple descriptions

Texts Selected

The following module will deal with different text types

one extract from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

an extract from the English Forum The Sentence I love U

a page with love expressions from the net

an extract from Jeanette Winterson’s Written on the Body

an extract from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

Characters

Main characters

- Heathcliff - an orphaned foundling raised by the Earnshaw family

- Ellen (Nelly) Dean - the housekeeper of both Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights

- Catherine Earnshaw - Heathcliff's adoptive sister.

- Hareton Earnshaw - the son of Hindley Earnshaw

- Hindley Earnshaw - Catherine's brother and Heathcliff's other rival

- Edgar Linton - a childhood friend of Catherine Earnshaw's, who later marries her.

CONTEXT

Setting

- The Earnshaw family

- Indoors

Historical Background

- The Victorian Age

Communicative context

- Formal

- Informal ( Everyday conversation)

Interpersonal relations (including relations of power and solidarity) e.g. with respect to:

- class structure of society and relations between classes;

- relations between sexes (gender, intimacy);

- family structures and relations;

- relations between generations;

- relations in work situations;

Textual competence will be tested according to levels below

THEMATIC DEVELOPMENT

B2	Can develop a clear description or narrative, expanding and supporting his/her main points with relevant supporting detail and examples.
B1	Can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward narrative or description as a linear sequence of points.
A2.	Can tell a story or describe something in a simple list of points
A1	No descriptor available

COHERENCE AND COHESION

B2	Can use a variety of linking words efficiently to mark clearly the relationships between ideas.
B2	Can use a limited number of cohesive devices to link his/her utterances into clear, coherent discourse, though there may be some ‘jumpiness’ in a long contribution.
B1	Can link a series of shorter, discrete simple elements into a connected, linear sequence of points.
A2	Can use the most frequently occurring connectors to link simple sentences in order to tell a story or describe something as a simple list of points.
A2	Can link groups of words with simple connectors like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘because’.
A1	Can link words or groups of words with very basic linear connectors like ‘and’ or ‘then’.

HEURISTIC SKILLS

For the present learning process

the ability of the learner (particularly in using target language reference sources) to find, understand and if necessary convey new information

the ability to use new technologies (e.g. by searching for information in databases, hypertexts, etc.)

Language

Topics

- The Language of Love

- Behaviour

- Love relationship

- Friendship

- Feelings

- Rage

- Trust

- Making choices

- Dreams and Imagination

Language Functions

- Expressing opinions

- Asking for opinions

- Expressing feelings

- Making hypothesis

- Making predictions

- Providing argumentations

- Giving Judgements

- Describing

Language Forms and Lexis in Use

To vex

To be fit to

To fling somebody out of

To degrade

Soul

To be made of

Moonbeam

Lightning,

Frost

Bench

To steal out

Settle

To hearken

To weep

To remark

cart-wheel

To overhear

To be deserted

To bear

To melt

To consent

To deny

Beggar

pliable

To calculate upon

Beyond

To annihilate

Mighty

Stranger

Foliage

Beneath

To pause

Delight

Folds

Gown

To jerk

Idioms

Love expressions

I love you in many languages

I see no reason

Not as long as I

a selfish wretch

to be hardly a judge

Grammar

- Adverbs function

- Verb tenses

- Modal verbs

- Conditionals

- If clauses

Linker (whereas, …)

TEACHING UNIT 4 Love Demands Expression

Structure

Rationale

The focus of the present teaching unit is making the students understand how expression works in the sentimental sphere in different text types ranging from blog comments to contemporary as well as Victorian fiction.

In addition students will be asked to write a letter in which they have to make their feelings explicit with reference to a specific situation.

The unit may be considered also a follow up to unit three since it refers back to a different extract from Wuthering Heights where Catherine’s feelings for Heathcliff come clearly to surface.

Step I - Telling somebody’s one love

Management Teacher as an encourager, mediator and a guide

Plenary and Group work

Activity 1.

Brainstorming

With the help of a OHP, the teacher focuses the learners’ attention on the collection of love expressions on the net and invites the students to contribute possible explanations about the situations when the expressions shown are generally used.

She does not provide any answer but simply listens.

As homework the teacher asks students to organize into groups and generate a poster collecting all the expressions to tell somebody one’s love grouping them under different labels:

- SMS

- Attachments to Email

- Diary Entries

- Other

In the group they have to be ready to explain to the class the reasons of their grouping.

Rationale

The activity will call for plenty simple argumentative texts, besides asking for reflection and explanations, keeping in mind the pragmatic functions of communication. Students may be provided a language organizer as the one below

- considered that the effect/objective we wanted to get was to express an intimate feeling we put the expression love U under SMS

- since we wanted to create a sort of a written blog ….. we entered the paragraph into a diary

- in view of …. we ….

- …

The activity is a way to create a suitable atmosphere to draw the attention on the next step of the unit.

STEP II - LOVE CLICHES

Skills: reading (skimming and scanning)

Management: individual and group activity

Teacher: guide, mediator, encourager

Activity II

The teacher provide the students with the hand out of the extract from J. Winterson’ novel Written on the Body which deals with the problem of the use of clichés to express love.

Phase A: students are asked to read the short text individually.

The teacher wants to be sure they understand the general meaning of the text.

Phase B: students organize into groups and are expected to complete the following sentences:

- ‘I love you’ is always a quotation because ….

- People generally like to hear ‘the most unoriginal thing’ because …

- People worship the three words because they express …

- Love demands expression since …

- Love in not conservationist (“someone who works to protect the environment from destruction or pollution”) because …

- The narrator will call herself Alice because ….

- Love is Wonderland because …

After the students have carried out the task the teacher recaps the topic asking some of the different members of the groups to read the sentences that should now be completed and eventually adds the necessary information.

Phase C: students are now asked to remain in their groups and find out all the clichés about love present in the text in order to create a .gif image (possible product example) including them all.

Phase D:

After the activity the students will show their images to the class and the teacher will open a class discussion on the way the media choose to express love messages. She/he invites students to make hypothesis about the possible reasons why the clichés they singled out in Winterson’s text were born and proved successful in time.

The activities are meant to draw the students’ attention on the language of love and emotions In the end the teacher will ask them to post entries in a class blog related to the need to express love.

Activity III

Follow up

Homework Activity

Skill: reading for Multilingualism Education

Student are asked to surf the net at the following URL and find out the different ways the different languages use to say ‘I love you’ (off line option).

The activity surely encounters the attension of teenagers and paves the way for the last step of the unit

STEP III - Catherine’s love

Skills: reading (skimming and scanning)

Management: individual and group activity. Plenary session for sharing results

Teacher: guide, mediator, encourager

Activity IV

Students are now asked to read the extract from Wuthering Heights where Cathy expresses her most inner feelings about Heathcliff.

Again the students will be engaged in textual analysis. The activity will include different phases:

a. Comprehension phase

Individual activity → Reading for Gist

Students are asked to carry on a silent reading activity. Silent reading favours concentration-

The information students should be sure about should be:

- The characters taking part in the conversation

- The place the conversation takes place

- The relationship between the speakers

- The characters quoted. If they do not understand the teacher projects the following file with OHP.

b. Group Activity → Coherence and Cohesion

Each group is provided a sheet of paper with the text sequences in random order. They are asked to rearrange them according to the textual organization of the extract they have just read.

c. Group Activity → Reading for information - Summary writing - Recap

Students are now asked to process the text in detail and in order to support their activity the teacher provides them with the questionnaire below.

Students are expected to individually find out answers to the questions and be ready to support their answers with reference to the text.

Why does Cathy speak about her dream?
In her dream why did Cathy not want to remain in Heaven?
What does Cathy not realize while talking to Nelly?
What does Cathy do while Nelly is preparing supper?
What explanation does Cathy provide for her future marriage?
What is the real reason why she is not ready to marry Heathcliff?
How does Heathcliff react to her saying “it would degrade her to marry him”?
What does she think of a possible separation from Heathcliff?
What does Nelly think about Catherine’s idea her future husband will accept her relationship to Heathcliff?
What are Cathy ‘s feelings for Heathcliff
According to Nelly, how will Heathcliff feel when he comes to know Cathy will marry Edgar?

Each summary will later be read in the class and comments on the different effects of eventual text different organization will be discussed in plenary.

The students have analysed the extract and will now share opinions

They will later produce a summary in the form of a collaborative writing WIKI: the summary may either follow the sequence of the prompts or be freely organized, provided all the points are considered. The teacher will correct eventual mistakes, provide support, elicit further reflection if needed.

Later she will recap the content of the extract starting from the re-organization of the extract sequences.

STEP IV - Expressing Love

Management

Skill: Reading (scanning) – Letter Writing

Group and individual work

Activity V

The teacher will invite students to consider the ways Cathy expresses her love for Heathcliff and fill in the table below

Catherine	Sequence I	Sequence II	Sequence III	Sequence IV	Sequence V
How she expresses her feelings	I have no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in Heaven	x	Who is to separate us pray?	x	I cannot express it ; but …
	He shall never know how I love him	x	Not as long as I live, Ellen – for no mortal creature	x	My greatest miseries and in this world have been Heathcliff’s miseries
	He’s more myself than I am	x	… before I could consent to forsake Heathcliff!	x	My great thought in living is himself
	His and mine (souls) are the same	x	He’ll be as much to me to me as he has been all his lifetime.	x	If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be
		x	My true feelings towards him	x	…, and he were annihilated, the Universe would turn into a mighty stranger
					My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath – a source of little visible delight , but necessary.
					Nelly, I am Heathcliff – he’s always, always in my mind - not as a pleasure … but, as my own being

When the activity is over the teacher checks students answers and draws their attention on the strong emotional feature of Cathy’s words, signalling punctuation, word choice, similes and comparison as well as emphatic word order.

Activity V

Story Line

The teacher explains to the students Heathcliff left the house immediately after he heard Cathy say she would feel degraded to marry him . Unfortunately he could not listen to the final part of her conversation to Nelly and this meant the beginning of a torture for Catherine.

Now, the teacher asks the students to carry out an individual activity: each student should pretend to be Cathy and write a letter to Heathcliff.

The letter should be written in order to:

- convince/persuade Heathcliff of her love for him

- explain why she has made up her mind to marry Mr. Linton

- consider the pros and cons of her decision

- use an informal register suitable to contemporary communication

- use at least some of the idiomatic expressions learnt through the module

Letters should be read aloud in a class plenary session and students will vote the letter they consider the one that best provides a persuasive explanation that is also able to convey Cathy’s strongest feelings.

Some support may be provided. (off line option)

MODULE EVENTUAL FOLLOW-UP

The students could get organized and under the supervision of the teacher could prepare a performance during which in the style of a poetry reading they could play the role of the different characters in the last extract from Wuthering Heights, after having re-written the conversation in today’s standard English.

The performance should also include the best love letter voted by the class and be played in front of peers and parents.