Black Cat English Language Teaching Seminar

Readers – just for reading? Reading for comprehension Enjoyment, interpretation and evaluation Skills of listening, speaking and writing Grammar Vocabulary CLIL or CBI Culture Intertextuality Internet projects Certification practice See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 9-11)

Reading for comprehension

Enjoyment, interpretation and evaluation

Skills of listening, speaking and writing

Grammar

Vocabulary

CLIL or CBI

Culture

Intertextuality

Internet projects

Certification practice

See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 9-11)

Readers can be used effectively in many ways (1): As several complete lessons in a week As one complete lesson a week As a part of a lesson (from 10 minutes upwards) As holiday reading See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 13-15)

As several complete lessons in a week

As one complete lesson a week

As a part of a lesson (from 10 minutes upwards)

As holiday reading

See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 13-15)

Readers can be used effectively in many ways (2): Before reading activities done in class, the rest done at home Before reading activities and reading the text done in class, the activities done at home Before reading activities, reading the text and some activities done in class, the rest at home Just do some of the activities See the Black Cat Guide to Graded Readers

Before reading activities done in class, the rest done at home

Before reading activities and reading the text done in class, the activities done at home

Before reading activities, reading the text and some activities done in class, the rest at home

Just do some of the activities

See the Black Cat Guide to Graded Readers

How are Black Cat Readers graded? Structures and syntax that correspond to lists in publications of the Council of Europe and Cambridge ESOL & trinity syllabuses Structures and syntax that correspond to commonly used modern coursebooks Reading skills and texts at each level reflect the Common European Framework of Reference Vocabulary checked against KET, PET and FCE wordlists In any case, visual & audio support is provided See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 6-8)

Structures and syntax that correspond to lists in publications of the Council of Europe and Cambridge ESOL & trinity syllabuses

Structures and syntax that correspond to commonly used modern coursebooks

Reading skills and texts at each level reflect the Common European Framework of Reference

Vocabulary checked against KET, PET and FCE wordlists

In any case, visual & audio support is provided

See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 6-8)

VISUAL ‘SCAFFOLDING’ … is attention getting. Provides support to help comprehension Is motivating Some examples of scaffolding through visual support (glossing, illustrations next to text, etc.)

… is attention getting.

Provides support to help comprehension

Is motivating

Some examples of scaffolding through visual support (glossing, illustrations next to text, etc.)

VISUALS IN TASKS to increase validity to enhance the setting and atmosphere to provide something to talk about to excite interest and motivation – to get the students’ attention

to increase validity

to enhance the setting and atmosphere

to provide something to talk about

to excite interest and motivation – to get the students’ attention

TRANSCODIFICATION Transferring the contents of one kind of text to another Common examples are filling in tables Making a ‘graphic story’ is a kind of transcodification See the Black Cat Guide to Graded Readers

Transferring the contents of one kind of text to another

Common examples are filling in tables

Making a ‘graphic story’ is a kind of transcodification

See the Black Cat Guide to Graded Readers

Visual support also used… As just seen, to introduce students to different cultures, ….. … ..cultures located in place and in time

As just seen, to introduce students to different cultures, …..

… ..cultures located in place and in time

Can you memorise this? CIATVCNNFCEUSAUKFBI And if it is ‘chunked’? CIA TV CNN FCE USA UK FBI

And if it is ‘chunked’?

CIA TV CNN FCE USA UK FBI

DIFFICULT SYNTAX AT FIRST SIGHT… Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo. The beginning of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man , James Joyce

Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo.

The beginning of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man , James Joyce

AUDIO SUPPORT THROUGH ‘CHUNKING’ Once upon a time / and a very good time it was / there was a moocow / coming down along the road / and this moocow ( that was coming down along the road ) met a nicens little boy / named / baby tuckoo.

Once upon a time /

and a very good time it was /

there was a moocow / coming down along the road /

and this moocow ( that was coming down along the road )

met a nicens little boy /

named / baby tuckoo.

Headlines that are ambiguous Policeman Helps Dog Bite Victim Police Refuse To Work After Death

Policeman Helps Dog Bite Victim

Police Refuse To Work After Death

Apart from scaffolding through chunking, audio support provides Dramatised performances, supporting meaning by showing tone and emotion Different voices (age, gender, character, speech community … … Exposure to varieties of English (British and American) Opportunities for self-study, e.g. ‘shadowing’, acquisition through listening.

Dramatised performances, supporting meaning by showing tone and emotion

Different voices (age, gender, character, speech community …

… Exposure to varieties of English (British and American)

Opportunities for self-study, e.g. ‘shadowing’, acquisition through listening.

New trends from Europe…

CROSS-CURRICULARITY (1) CLIL (Content and language Integrated Learning) or CBI (Content Based Instruction) or Cross-Curricular teaching. Importance of CLIL stressed in the English Next report by British Council. Links to history and geography are always naturally present in texts.

CLIL (Content and language Integrated Learning) or

CBI (Content Based Instruction) or Cross-Curricular teaching.

Importance of CLIL stressed in the English Next report by British Council.

Links to history and geography are always naturally present in texts.

The judges in the advanced category would like to append a note on a problem with almost all the books nominated this year and last. We regret the lack of support given to learners in understanding the background and purpose of a book . Do editors suppose learners of all cultures are equally familiar with varieties of background, place and time , and literary techniques found in fiction of their culture, let alone of all other cultures? […] We urge series editors to see their task as that of ensuring that learners understand as much as possible and enjoy all aspects of a story as they read it. Extensive Reading Foundation Language Learner Literature Awards 2005 award for books published in 2004

CROSS-CURRICULARITY (2) History and geography are always naturally present in the setting of a text. Can other links can be made? Of course, if the content of the book suggests it explicitly, or by ‘links following links’ – hypertextual reading.

History and geography are always naturally present in the setting of a text.

Can other links can be made?

Of course, if the content of the book suggests it explicitly, or by ‘links following links’ – hypertextual reading.

Internet projects involve skills like: Skimming / scanning Consulting / comparing more than one text (& maybe specialised texts) Summarising / synthesising Oral production / presentation The above skills are not well catered for in standard, traditional materials

Skimming / scanning

Consulting / comparing more than one text (& maybe specialised texts)

Summarising / synthesising

Oral production / presentation

The above skills are not well catered for in standard, traditional materials

from Howard Gardner’s Five Minds for the Future (April 2007) The ‘disciplined mind’ The ‘creating mind’ The ‘respectful mind’ The ‘ethical mind’ The ‘synthesising mind’

The ‘disciplined mind’

The ‘creating mind’

The ‘respectful mind’

The ‘ethical mind’

The ‘synthesising mind’

Non-techno method 1: “word box” The teacher - or student(s) – can: ask for explanations/synonyms of the word ask for a synonym or antonym of the word ask for a translation of the word ask for a sentence using the word ask when and where the word occurred take out several words, & ask for a sentence(s) or paragraph(s) to be made up using the words See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 18-19)

ask for explanations/synonyms of the word

ask for a synonym or antonym of the word

ask for a translation of the word

ask for a sentence using the word

ask when and where the word occurred

take out several words, & ask for a sentence(s) or paragraph(s) to be made up using the words

See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 18-19)

Non-techno method 2: “picture hangman” One or more speech balloon or thought bubbles given to one or more characters. The words are blanked out. Learners cooperate to guess the missing words. Other ideas with visuals: creating cartoons, posters, ‘trailers’, … See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 16 6 21)

One or more speech balloon or thought bubbles given to one or more characters.

The words are blanked out.

Learners cooperate to guess the missing words.

Other ideas with visuals: creating

cartoons, posters, ‘trailers’, …

See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 16 6 21)

(1)_______ (2)_______ (3)_______ , (4)_______ (5)_______ (6)_______ (7)_______ (8)_______ (9)_______ !

Non-technological methods (3): “hot seating” Oral questioning and answering ‘in role’ Lower levels – just comprehension Higher levels – inference (from the text) and interpretation (extra-textual) Minor characters often have much to say! Cumulative work (e.g. press conference) Writing ‘in role’ See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 18 & 20)

Oral questioning and answering ‘in role’

Lower levels – just comprehension

Higher levels – inference (from the text) and interpretation (extra-textual)

Minor characters often have much to say!

Cumulative work (e.g. press conference)

Writing ‘in role’

See Guide to Black Cat Readers (pages 18 & 20)

These three activities… Can be used with any book and at any level. See the Black Cat Guide to Graded Readers for more explanation of them.

Can be used with any book and at any level.

See the Black Cat Guide to Graded Readers for more explanation of them.

Text-To-… connections Text-to-Self Connection: readers make personal connections with events or characters in the text; people they know, things they have done, places they have been, experiences they have had, etc. Text-to-Text Connection: readers connect events, characters or plot in the text with other texts: fiction, and other genres such as films, musicals, poetry, songs, drama, artworks, etc. Text-to-World Connection: readers connect events, characters or themes in the text with real-life events, people or issues.

Text-to-Self Connection: readers make personal connections with events or characters in the text; people they know, things they have done, places they have been, experiences they have had, etc.

Text-to-Text Connection: readers connect events, characters or plot in the text with other texts: fiction, and other genres such as films, musicals, poetry, songs, drama, artworks, etc.

Text-to-World Connection: readers connect events, characters or themes in the text with real-life events, people or issues.

h. Most of the lovers’ meetings take place by night. g. The woman declares her love first. f. One of the lovers has had a previous, unsatisfactory experience of love. e. The lovers have a very short period of happiness before catastrophe strikes. d. The lovers are very young and good looking. c. Their love is ‘impossible’: it must be kept secret. b. One or both of the lovers falls in love at first sight, or in a very short time. a. The story ends with the death of one or both of the lovers. 3. 2. 1. Romeo and Juliet

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“ Literature is news that stays news.” Ezra Pound (1885-1972), ABC of Reading , chapter 8