multicultural literature in the efl classroom_ noor al-janabi
DESCRIPTION
Multicultural Literature in the EFL ClassroomTRANSCRIPT
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 1
Table of Contents
1- Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 2
2- The Historical Context of Tales from the Arabian Nights .............................................................. 2
3- Synopsis .............................................................................................................................................. 3
4- Selecting and evaluating the Tales from the Arabian Nights .......................................................... 4
5- Multicultural Literature and Tales from the Arabian Nights ........................................................ 5
6- Teaching Project for Tales from the Arabian Nights ...................................................................... 6
6-1Three Approaches to Teaching Literature .......................................................................................... 6
6-2 The aim of project ............................................................................................................................. 7
In building on the reasons for the teaching of literature in a second language, Lazar asserts that
literature should be used with students because: ..................................................................................... 7
6-3 Teaching Materials ............................................................................................................................ 8
6-4 Time of project .................................................................................................................................. 8
6-5 Project Organization/ Didactic scheme - Lesson plans ..................................................................... 9
7- Conclusion........................................................................................................................................ 14
Works Cited ........................................................................................................................................... 15
Appendix 1: What is Wikispaces (Noor’s Wiki Site)? .......................................................................... 16
Appendix 2: List of Characters in the Frame Story ............................................................................... 17
Appendix 3: Past Perfect ....................................................................................................................... 18
Appendix 4: Group A- WorkSheet ........................................................................................................ 21
Appendix 5: Group B- Worksheet ......................................................................................................... 22
Appendix 6: Introduction Lesson of Tales from the Arabian Nights (Power Point presentation)......... 23
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 2
1- Introduction
Literature can help students to broaden their perspectives on various matters in life. There
are, of course, any number of books dealing with themes and topics that are relevant to the
students’ lives and also applicable to the goals of the syllabus. One goal of the English Subject
Curriculum in the Culture, society and literature area requires teacher and pupils to “focus on
cultural understanding in a broad sense” and to “develop knowledge about, understanding of
and respect for the lives and cultures of other people” (ENG1-03, p. 4). In addition, there is an
emphasis in the national curriculum on using authentic texts in the L2 classroom. In this
connection, Amos Paran (2008) argues that we are not machines, but humans that learn from
reading authentic texts made by authentic people in an authentic setting. Furthermore, the
reading of stories, novels, drama or poetry is important on various levels and reaches beyond
the language learning process. Hence, in this essay I will present and discuss reasons for
choosing Tales from the Arabian Nights (1993), edited by Andrew Lang as multicultural
literature that can be used in second/foreign language classrooms (L2/FL). In addition, this
essay will also introduce a teaching project (suitable for 7th-9th grade pupils) based on Tales
from the Arabian Nights. Last but not least, the aim of this project will be to provide some tools
that help teachers to enhance the students’ enjoyment of literature, as well as maintaining a
focus on language, content, and the culture of the Middle East.
2- The Historical Context of Tales from the Arabian Nights
Tales from the Arabian Nights can be viewed as both a medieval and a modern text:
while the earliest extant manuscript dates from the fourteenth century, the stories themselves
have maintained a lively existence to the present day. The work collected over many centuries
from by various authors who were Arabic, Persian, Indian and Egyptian. The first European
version was translated into French from the Arabic text by Antoine Galland about (1704/1717).
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 3
The most celebrated English edition is that published in (1885) by Sir Richard Burton,
(Carpenter & Prichard 27). Hundreds of people have illustrated the Tales from the Arabian
Nights over the centuries, making it one of the most profusely illustrated works of all time. It is
one of the few works of literature illustrated by many different illustrators, for instance, Edmund
Dulac (1882 - 1953), Charles James Folkard (1878 - 1963) and Henry Justice Ford (1860 -
1941). It had also inspired several famous musicians to compose a music piece based on pictures
from One Thousand and One Nights/Tales from the Arabian Nights, for example, Nikolai
Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1888), Giovanni Marradi (2011) and among others.
3- Synopsis
Tales from the Arabian Nights (also published as The Thousand and One Nights, or
The Thousand Nights and One Night or Arabian Nights) is a collection of tales from the Middle
East, compiled by various authors over many hundreds of years. Though each collection
features different stories, they are all centered on the frame story of the sultan Shahrayar and
his wife, Scheherazade. After finding out that his first wife is unfaithful, Shahrayar kills her and
swears to marry a different woman each night, killing each of them the following morning to
prevent further betrayal. Scheherazade, his vizier's daughter, concocts a plan to end this pattern.
She marries Shahrayar, and then begins to tell him a story that night. However, she stops the
story in the middle, so that he will be eager to hear the rest the following night. The next
evening, she finishes that story and then begins another, following the same pattern for 1,001
nights, until Shahrayar has a change of heart.
Scheherazade, is a smart woman who takes care to insure her own future; not only does
she regale Shahrayar with a thousand and one tales in as many nights, she also presents him
with three children during that time, wins his heart, and they live happily ever after. Her
intelligence comes from reading books, legends and stories in the library of her father’s palace.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 4
She knows a great many poems by heart, and has studied philosophy and the arts. She is
pleasant, polite, wise, witty and a very charming and beautiful woman.
4- Selecting and evaluating the Tales from the Arabian Nights
Tales from the Arabian Nights is the most famous collection of magical stories. It
includes stories within stories, within stories and the story of Sharayar and Scherezade is the
frame story that surrounds them all. In addition, it is a loosely connected collection of stories,
this means that it is quite easy to pick and choose from the material in order to suit a longer or
shorter course. Only the frame story of Shahrazad and Shahrayar is really essential to
understanding the text, therefore we need to read it first and then we can choose any of the Tales
from the Arabian Nights stories to read.
Aidan Chambers (1996) states that choosing or selecting a literary text is very important
and it represents the first step when we want to teach literature. He states that “everything begins
with selection. Before we can talk about a book we need to have read it; before we can read a
book we need to choose a book to read (…..) so on-choosing a book is a high-value
activity”(151). In addition, Gillian Lazar (1993) states that when the teacher wants to choose a
literary text “he/she should think about three main areas. These areas are: the type of course
you are teaching, the type of students who are doing the course and certain factors connected
with the text itself” (48). If we take these considerations in mind, we can see that Tales from
the Arabian Nights is suitable for lower secondary pupils (7-9th grade) because the variation in
the tales make them suitable for any age.
Furthermore, the text is easy to read and it presents a high literary quality, including
strong plots and well-developed characterization. For example, a flying magic carpet, a Genie
who grants wishes, a flying horse, a bird that can carry off elephants or stone doors in open at
the sound of a voice, and so on. The aim of these magic and fantastic elements in Tales from
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 5
the Arabian Nights is to pull the audience from their mundane lives and immerse them in the
imaginary world of these stories. Thus, these stories will bring back teenagers’ enjoyment of
reading literature and at the same time they will develop their language skills (reading, writing,
speaking, and listening).
5- Multicultural Literature and Tales from the Arabian Nights
As mentioned above, Tales from the Arabian Nights will bring back teenagers’
enjoyment of reading literature. It is also a good example of multicultural literature to use in
the FL/L2 classroom. According to Diana Mitchell (2003) “multicultural literature has the
richness, depth, beauty, and a variety of any category of literature. It represented in every genre,
including picture books, realistic and historical fiction (...)” (199). Mitchel (2003) adds that
reading and discussing a wide range of multicultural books has several benefits for all children
and young adults (200). F.S. Dowd (1992, p. 220) also has the same view when he states that
“…from reading, hearing, and using culturally diverse materials, young people learn that
beneath surface differences of color, culture or ethnicity, all people experience universal
feelings of love, sadness, self-worth, justice and kindness” (qt. in Lu,1). In addition, Rudine
Sims Bishop (1997) states that literature can be used as a mirror for the children “it shows
children reflections of themselves” and as a window “it shows them what other people are like”
(cited in Mitchell 2003, 200).
Tales from the Arabian Nights can be used as a window to another culture, that of the
“Middle East” which differs from “Western Culture” as well as a mirror for showing young
adults reflection of themselves in another culture. Nowadays, cultural understanding is essential
and, in addition, the National Curriculum emphasizes that the main subject area of learning
English language is to “involve working with and discussing expository texts, literary texts and
cultural forms of expression from different media. This is essential to develop knowledge about,
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 6
understanding of and respect for the lives and cultures of other people” (ENG1-03, p. 4). It
encourages teachers to integrate literature and culture forms in the schools through using
different media and resources (ibid).
6- Teaching Project for Tales from the Arabian Nights
6-1Three Approaches to Teaching Literature
Gillian Lazar describes three different approaches for using literature in language classes
in Literature and Language teaching- A guide for teachers and trainers (1993). These are: the
language-based approach, literature as content, and literature for personal enrichment (Lazar
23-24).
First, the main aim of the language-based approach is to help students make meaningful
interpretations and enhance the general awareness of English by drawing on the knowledge of
familiar grammar, lexical and discourse categories. This approach is characterized by constant
reference to the relationship between linguistic form and literary meaning. The method is also
useful in providing an interesting context for exposure to, or revision of, grammar and
vocabulary. However, linguistic material should not be excessive, because it may mar the
pleasure of reading literature (Lazar 1993).
Second, the literature as content approach sees literature as a means to introduce
students to certain aspects of the target culture, such as history, literary history, theory of genres,
and the biography of the author (Lazar 24). This approach provides important elements in the
language learning classroom, also for the student who does not have a special interest in the
study of literature itself.
Third, the literature for personal enrichment approach draws on personal experience and
involvement to motivate students to participate (Lazar 24). It works through the intellectual and
emotional involvement of the students to give an opportunity to appreciate literature while using
English. This approach therefore gives great opportunities to both the teacher and the students;
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 7
the teacher is able to give a wide range of tasks at different levels and the students is able to
select a task suitable for his level of comprehension. Literature for personal enrichment enables
all student to contribute because discussions and reflections about the story are based on their
own experience, feeling, and opinions. I will therefore use Lazer’s approaches to design the
didactic scheme of Tales from the Arabian Nights.
6-2 The aim of project
In building on the reasons for the teaching of literature in a second language, Lazar
asserts that literature should be used with students because:
It is very motivating, it is authentic material, it has general educational value, it
helps students to understand another culture, it is a stimulus for language
acquisition, it develops students’ interpretative abilities, it expands students’
language awareness, and it encourages students to talk about their opinions and
feelings. (14-15)
In addition, Ronald Carter states that Brumfit (2001: 92) argues that “the teaching of literature
can thus be seen as a means of introducing learners to such a serious view of our world, of
initiating them in the process of defining themselves through contact with others’ experience”
(Carter 3). In particular, teaching\using authentic literature provides students with authentic
language. Furthermore, authentic literature engages students' interest, for instance, it provides
an ideal source for the content of discussions, through using the expressions, adjectives, and
adverbs that they read\ find it in a literary work.
Thus, this corresponds with the goals of the Norwegian Curriculum where teaching aims
to enable pupils to “identify and use different situations and learning strategies to expand one`s
English-language skills, and describe his/her own work in learning English” (ENG1-03, p. 7).
The idea behind the discussion tasks is that the students can share their thoughts and reflections
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 8
while and after reading the book, by formulating their reflective thoughts into words through
using English language. As Chambers states: "talking well about books is a high-value activity
in itself" (10). Further, he states that the discussion tasks will help the students to share their
"enthusiasm", "puzzles" and "connections" freely (Chambers 16-20).
To sum up, this project aims to introduce different tasks and activities that help pupils to
develop their language skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing skills) through using The
Tales from the Tales from the Arabian Nights. In addition, it will introduce pupils to certain
aspects of the target culture, such as history, literary history, theory of genres, and biography of
the author (Lazar 24), and give the students the opportunity to discuss and express their opinions
and personal experiences of the story. Reading any literature in general and multicultural
literature in particular is not only important for improving language learners’ vocabulary and
reading skills, but can also serve as a way of learning about another culture.
6-3 Teaching Materials
The Book of Tales from the Arabian Nights edited by Andrew Lang (1993).
PowerPoint Presentation posted on Noor’s Wiki Site.
Noor’s Wiki Site: Learning Platform that will be used as a digital learning tools in this
project (see appendix 1).
6-4 Time of project
Teaching hours in the Norwegian Curriculum for lower secondary level are specified as
follows: Years 8-10: 222 teaching hours. Teaching hours are given in 60-minute units, thus the
project will take between 8- 10 teaching hours.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 9
6-5 Project Organization/ Didactic scheme - Lesson plans
Number of
Lessons
Aim of Lesson Activities National Curriculum
Tasks Competence aims after Year 7
1 and 2
Introduction
- Teacher will introduce a culture from the “Middle East” to his/her
students (brief introduction through PowerPoint presentation).
-Then he/she will move on and introduce Tales from the Arabian
Nights (introducing the themes, characters, plot, etc. See PowerPoint
file of the introduction lesson Via Noor’s Wiki site click on this link:
https://noorwikisite.wikispaces.com/Tales+from+the+Arabian+Nights
Or on Fronter under Term Paper Draft Folder or see Appendix 6.
- Teacher should introduce this web site to pupils
https://noorwikisite.wikispaces.com/ and describe how it works, and
why they need to work with it.
-After the PowerPoint presentation, the teacher will hand out a list of
characters in the first frame story to the students with a brief description
of each character (see Appendix2).
Homework: reading some pages from
the Shahrazad and Shahrayar frame
story.
Hint: for weak pupils, I recommended
watching the “Story Telling” video
(see slide 9 in PowerPoint
presentation).
“Read and understand
different types of texts of
varying length from different
sources” and “use digital tools
and other aids”. (ENG1-03,
p.8)
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 10
3 - To get an understanding of Shahrayar’s character from the first
frame story.
Discussion topics: Why does
Shahrayar decide to marry a new
woman each night and kill her in the
morning? And What would happen if
all the women at that time were killed
and he could not find more women to
marry?*
* This will be an oral activity to
encourage pupils to share their
thoughts, opinions, and views about
Shahrayar’s decision.
“Understand and use a
vocabulary related to familiar
topics” and “express and give
grounds for own opinions
about familiar topics”.
(ENG1-03, p.8)
4 - To gain an understanding of the “Past Perfect Tense” in English and
compare it with the Norwegian language.
- Teacher will give students a handout on the past perfect tense that
contains some explanations, examples, and exercise. See Appendix 3.
Homework: Each pupil will write
down ten past perfect verbs from Tales
from the Arabian Nights on a word file
with his/her name and then post it on the
Wiki Site.
“Learning orthography and
developing a more extensive
repertoire of English words
and linguistic structures”
(ENG1-03, p.5). And “identify
some linguistic similarities
and differences between
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 11
English and one’s native
language” (p.8).
5 - To get an understanding of Shahrazad’s character from the first
frame story.
- To create a discussion forum (led by the teacher) on the Wiki Site
about Shahrazad’s character.
Task: When teacher finishes his/her
description of Shahrazad’s character,
he/she will post on the topic discussion:
“Describe Shahrazad’s character from
your point of view” on the Wiki
platform.
-The aim of this task is to encourage
pupils to write their opinions and to see
how they understand the description of
Shahrazad’s character.
- To improve their writing skills and
learn new vocabulary through the
reading of others’ writing.
“write coherent texts that
narrate, retell and describe
experiences and express own
opinions” and ”understand and
use a vocabulary related to
familiar topics” (ibid).
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 12
6 - Finish reading Shahrazad and Shahrayar frame story.
- To discuss some new vocabulary that can be found in the story and
translate it into the pupils’ mother tongue.
- To give some information about two famous musicians who
composed a music piece based on pictures from Tales from the Arabian
Nights story but without being given the names of these musicians.
Task/Homework: Teacher divides the
class into two equal groups, Group A
and Group B.
- Then the teacher explains that the task
will be about these two famous
musicians and each group will choose
one musician as a work group task.
-Each group will search information
and then do a power point presentation
for their task.
- Teacher will hand Group A the work
sheet on the first musician (see
Appendix 4).
- Group B will take the second
worksheet on a musician (see Appendix
5).
- These presentations will be give
during the last lesson of this project.
- “narrate about people, places
and events in English-speaking
countries”
- “express own reactions to
English literary texts, films,
internet culture, pictures and
music”
- “express oneself creatively
inspired by different types of
English literature from
various sources”
-“communicate short texts
about topics one has chosen”
and
-“use digital tools and other
aids to find relevant
information and to create
different types of texts” (ibid).
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi 13
7 - To watch a lyrical play of Scheherazade from Tales from the Arabian
Nights. It is in four parts on YouTube:
1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_TdpjeDYHU
2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjkIjjEqLmU
3- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r5u2Zvegwk
4- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXCmAgkmR0A
- Task: to write an assignment
(individual work).
- The assignment is about writing a
book review of Tales from the Arabian
Nights.
- From 300 to 400 words.
-This assignment will be graded as a
written assignment.
“Use reading and writing
strategies” and “understand
and use a vocabulary related to
familiar topics” (ibid).
8 - To introduce the power point presentations of each group.
- To raise discussions topics about these presentations (an oral activity).
-This task will be graded as an oral
performance.
-“express and give grounds for
own opinions about familiar
topics”
- “introduce, maintain and
terminate conversations
related to familiar situations”
and - “use basic patterns for
pronunciation, intonation,
word inflection and different
types of sentences in
communication. (ibid).
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
14
7- Conclusion
In this essay I have presented a didactical scheme based on Tales from the Arabian
Nights. Furthermore, this essay has discussed the benefits of teaching literature in the L2/FL
classroom in general and multicultural literature in particular. I have also provided some useful
ideas, tasks, ICT tools, and activities that can help pupils to improve their language skills
(reading, writing, listening, and speaking) as well as bring back teenagers’ enjoyment of reading
literature. Last but not least, I have integrate aspects of the obligatory theoretical course
materials as well as aspects from several non-obligatory sources. Furthermore, my didactic
scheme is related to the competence aims of the English Subject Curriculum for Norwegian
schools.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
15
Works Cited
Chambers, Aidan. Tell me: children, reading, and talk. Stenhouse Publishers, 1996. Print.
Carpenter, Humphrey, and Prichard, Mari. The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984. Print.
Carter, Ronald. Literature and language teaching 1986–2006: a review. International Journal
of Applied Linguistics. 17.1 (2007): 3-13. Print.
ENG1-03.The Norwegian subject curriculum for English. Web.30 November 2014.from
http://www.udir.no/kl06/ENG1-02/Hele/Kompetansemaal/Etter-10-
arstrinn/?lplang=eng
Lang, Andrew. Tales from the Arabian Nights. London: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1993.
Lazar, Gillian. Literature and language teaching: a guide for teachers and trainers. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1993. Print.
Lu, Mei-Yu. “Multicultural Children’s Literature in the Elementary Classroom.” In ERIC
Digest. (1998). Accessed on http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2literature.htm
24.09.08.
Mitchell, Diana. "Multicultural and International Literature." Children's Literature: An
Invitation to the World. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2003. 198-225. Print.
Paran, Amos. 2008. "The role of literature in instructed foreign language learning and teaching:
An evidence-based survey". Language teaching: the international abstracting
journal for language teachers and applied linguists 41:4.
Noor’s Wiki Site https://noorwikisite.wikispaces.com/Tales+from+the+Arabian+Nights.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
16
Appendix 1: What is Wikispaces (Noor’s Wiki Site)?
Introduction
Wikispaces Classroom is a social writing platform for education. They make it incredibly easy to
create a classroom workspace where you and your students can communicate and work on writing
projects alone or in teams. Rich assessment tools give you the power to measure student contribution
and engagement in real-time. Wikispaces Classroom works great on modern browsers, tablets, and
phones.
Wikispaces Classroom is free for teachers and students. We have over 10 million registered teachers
and students on the platform. http://www.wikispaces.com/content/classroom/about
* I have created Noor’s Wiki Site Classroom (on 20 Nov. 2014) for using it as a digital tool in my
teaching project on Tales from the Arabian Nights.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
17
Appendix 2: List of Characters in the Frame Story
The main characters:
Shahrazad- protagonist, is the daughter of the kingdom's vizier (vizier means minister) and
sister of Dunyazad and she is the narrator of Tales from the Arabian Nights/One Thousand and
One Nights. Shahrazed has a unique personality and she is the legendary Persian queen.
Shahrayar- antagonist, is the king of the Persian Empire and also of many other lands at that
time. He is shocked to discover the betrayal of his wife with one of his slaves. Then he decides
to marry a virgin every night and kill her in the morning.
Shahzaman, is the younger brother of Shahrayar and he is the king of Samarkand. He has a
sad story like his brother. He also discover the betrayal of his wife with a cook.
Dunyazad, is the younger sister of Shahrazad and she marries Shahzaman, Shahryar's brother.
Scheherazade’s father, is the vizier/minister of King Shahrayar.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
18
Appendix 3: Past Perfect
See the highlighted text for an explanation of the past perfect tense in use.
Language in context
Over the last twenty years, the average size of households has fallen dramatically. The number of one
person households has grown, due largely to the ageing of the population, as has the number of one
parent families. Couples having smaller families have also contributed to the fall in household size.
In 1976, 60% of families were couples with children. By 1996, this [1] had fallen to 51%. Part of this
change can be attributed to the increase in one parent families with dependent children, but most of
the change is due to the increase in the proportion of couple-only families. People are now having
children later in life, and are living longer. Therefore, they are spending more time living in couple-only
families, both before they have families and after their children have left home.
However, children are leaving home later. In 1981, 34% of children aged 20-24 lived with their parents.
By 1991, this [2] had increased to 40%. This increase has to some extent countered, the fall in the
couples with non-dependent children only.
(Source: ABS Yearbook Australia 1997, Number 79, Australian Government Publishing Service, ACT, p.81)
Copyright in ABS data resides with the Commonwealth of Australia.
Used with permission ABS <www.abs.gov.au>
[1]This is a past perfect verb. It describes an activity which was completed by 1996. The past perfect
may be used to describe the earlier of two points in the past. The year 1996 is in the past. The time
before and up to 1996 is in the earlier past.
[2]This is a past perfect verb. It describes an activity which was completed by 1991. The past perfect
may be used to describe the earlier of two points in the past. The year 1991 is in the past. The time
before and up to 1991 is in the earlier past.
Past perfect exercise
Language in context
Over the last twenty years, the average size of households has fallen dramatically. The number of one
person households has grown, due largely to the ageing of the population, as has the number of one
parent families. Couples having smaller families have also contributed to the fall in household size.
In 1976, 60% of families were couples with children. By 1996, this had fallen to 51%. Part of this
change can be attributed to the increase in one parent families with dependent children, but most of
the change is due to the increase in the proportion of couple only families. People are now having
children later in life, and are living longer. Therefore, they are spending more time living in couple-only
families, both before they have families and after their children have left home.
However, children are leaving home later. In 1981, 34% of children aged 20-24 lived with their parents.
By 1991, this had increased to 40%. This increase has, to some extent, countered the fall in the
couples with non-dependent children only.
(Source: ABS Yearbook Australia 1997, Number 79 p. 81)
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
19
There are two past perfect verbs in the 'Language in context' passage above.
Type these verbs into the first two boxes below. Check your answers as you go.
1. First past perfect verb:
2. Second past perfect verb:
Identify and type in the past perfect verb in each sentence below. These examples are
not from the 'Language in context' passage.
3. It was announced that he had resigned from his position at the bank for personal reasons.
4. Several senior employees had left the company by the time the new manager arrived.
5. Until the new software was purchased, the staff had struggled to keep the accounts records
up to date.
Notes on past perfect tenses
A past perfect verb always includes:
had (for singular or plural) + a past participle
Examples
They announced that he had resigned for personal reasons.
He reported that productivity had declined.
A past perfect continuous verb includes:
had (for singular or plural) + been + an -ing verb
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
20
Example
When he took over, productivity had been declining for two years.
A past perfect passive verb includes:
had (for singular or plural) + been + a past participle
Example
The new software had been purchased before his arrival.
Note:
The past simple tense is used when events are described in the order in which they occurred.
Example
In March 2005 she started a management course at Monash University. Three months later
she found a part-time job.
Note:
The past perfect tense is used when, in describing the past, we briefly refer to an even earlier
event
Example
When she began her part-time job in June 2005 she had already started a management
course at Monash University.
Reference of Appendix 3: http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/grammar/tense/index.xml.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
21
Appendix 4: Group A- WorkSheet
1- Make a Power Point presentation about the musician in this picture:
2- The power point should contain the following:
Name
Date of birth.
Date of death (if he isn’t alive).
His personal life and education.
His musical works.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
22
Appendix 5: Group B- Worksheet
1- Make a Power Point presentation about the musician in the picture below:
2- The power point should contain the following:
Name
Date of birth.
Date of death (if he isn’t alive).
His personal life and education.
His musical works.
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
23
Appendix 6: Introduction Lesson of Tales from the Arabian Nights
(Power Point presentation)
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
24
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
25
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
26
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
27
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
28
Final Project Multicultural Literature in the EFL Classroom Al-Janabi
29