Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso Facultad de Filosofía y Educación Instituto de Literatura y Ciencias del Lenguaje

Fire against The Word A Literature Workshop for 8th grade Students based on Ray

Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Trabajo de Titulación para optar al Título de Profesor de Inglés y al Grado de Licenciado en Educación

Profesor Guía Pablo Villa Moreno

Alumno Felipe Guerra Escalante

Viña del Mar, Diciembre 2016

Acknowledgements:

First and most important, I want to dedicate this graduation project to my parents Rosario and Roberto whose infinite love constitutes the brightest beacon to my life.

I also want to thank Sandra and Carlos; Roberto and Janine; Rodrigo, Andrea and Mila; my siblings and their families, without all your advices none of this would have been possible.

To all the Escalante Clan: for accepting me without hesitations.

To my beloved Trashumantes and crew: Tito, Alejo, Manrox, Base, Gianella and Diego.

To them and their families: Leonardo and Mami Susana my faithful companions of life.

To the poor soul that has put up with my bad writing night after night, my friend and colleague Matias.

To those I wish I could have here, Yussett and Zalma.

To the eternal inspiration of music.

To those who have felt left behind but are always on my mind: Choko, Chico, Javo, Compadre, Sasa and Cami, German, Oso and Javi

To my furry friends: Sole, Luna, Dulce, Mara and Orejas

Last but not least, I dedicate this huge enterprise To you!

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Epigraph:

“[...]Do you know why books such as this are so important?

Because the have quality. And what does the word quality mean?

To me it means texture.This book has . It has features. This

book can go under the microscope. You’d find life under the the

glass, streaming past in infinite profusion.”

(Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 1962 P.86)

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Graduation Project Table of Contents

Aknowledgements 1

Epigraph 2

I. Introduction 5

II. Theoretical Framework 7

1. The concept of Literature 7

2. Young Adult Literature 11

3. Science Fiction: a not so distant reality 13

4. Utopia vs Dystopia 15

5. Ray Bradbury’s Voice and 17

6. Fahrenheit 451: a personal experience 20

III. Needs Analysis 22

1. The Survey 22

2. Description of the Institution 22

3. Main Results 22

4. Data Analysis 25

IV. Rationale 26

V Syllabus Design 28

1. Course Description 28

2. 5.2 Objective and Learning Outcomes 30

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a. 5.2.1 Main Objective 30

b. 5.2.2 Learning Outcome 30

3. Course Frame 31

4. Assessment and Grading 32

VI Lesson Planning 33

1. Macro Planning 33

2. Micro Planning 33

3. Sample Lesson 36

VII Cited Bibliography 39

VII Appendix 41

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I. Introduction

“Fire against the word: A Literature Workshop for 8th grade Students based on Ray Bradbury’s

Fahrenheit 451” in the name chosen for this Graduation Project, which is a proposal for an

extracurricular literature course for 8th grader students from Colegio Particular Korc School de

Concon. The choice of Ray Bradbury’s novel was made after a careful examination of

“Programa nacional de Lectura para 8 Básico 2015-16” document (MINEDUC, 2015) that

suggests science fiction (i.e.: dystopia) as a favored genre to be covered throughout the closing

of the second cycle in elementary education.

By the end of this course students are expected to develop critical thinking skills through the

personal analysis of key parts of the novel Fahrenheit 451. By doing so, students would have to

create a formulate their own ideas and reflections about Bradbury’s work, and be able to express

those ideas in contrast to what they will be learning about science fiction, dystopia and literature

in general. A central point is that students understand science fiction is a very political genre and

that a reflection springing from it directly connect to their own world. The methodology chosen

for this course is Task-Based Learning. This decision was reinforced after the application of a

Needs Analysis.

According to UNESCO, Chile is the country with the lowest reading rates in Latin America.

Furthermore, although figures are debatable, there is a 51% of the population that claims reading

at all and studies show that only a 7% reads with the purpose of pleasure (CERLALC, Hábitos

de lectura y consumo de libros en Iberoamérica, 2006). This immediately calls for focusing on a

major challenge to be faced in the classroom reality: reading comprehensively.

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The Chilean ministry of education estimates the only a 3% of the population in Chile has

comprehensive reading skills. In the introduction of Plan Nacional para el Fomento de la

Lectura Lee Chile Lee (MINEDUC, 2010) points out that reading is a key factor to develop

critical thinking skills. Then it is fair to say that Chilean policies as well as schools are either

failing in addressing or solving this issue successfully. The importance and relevance of this

graduation project radicates in the urgency to develop effective plans and courses that manage to

encourage students to read so as to become independent learners.

This graduation project contains three parts: the first part is comprised of an exploration of the

most important concepts that allow an informed reading of Fahrenheit 451: with that aim,

concepts related to literature will be discussed by using Terry Eagleton's ideas. Later, in the same

section, the concepts of Science Fiction, and Dystopia will be introduced and discussed. The

second part of the graduation project is the presentation of a Needs Analysis that leads to a

Rationale showing some of the decisions made in order to put this workshop to work. The third

part consists on the proposal of a Syllabus. Finally, this graduation project will support the

proposal with 3 sample lesson plans that will help as guidance to the implementation of the

workshop.

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II. Theoretical Framework

2.1 Concept of Literature

To give a conceptual definition to literature means to take part in a discussion that has as many

voices as writers or works may exist. In addition to, scholars have claimed that the discussion

about Literature includes explanations from other disciplines such as political theory,

psychology, history and linguistics; hence the complication to define a single phenomenon called

“literature” (Culler, 18). Nonetheless, this graduation project makes it necessary to try at least

the articulation of elements of its discussion and open ground for more complex analysis than

mere reading comprehension. Only by encouraging students’ advance towards abstraction

teachers will provide tools necessary to both critical thinking and full understanding of written

texts. In the following section a definition of literature will be attempted by probing ideas stated

by Eagleton, who provides a Marxist reading of Literature, and connects it to the concept as

social change.

Reading Fahrenheit 451 implies for the reader immersing in the world of science fiction and

anticipation, a genre for a long time neglected by scholars and deeply linked to popular culture.

It is paramount that scholars and teacher open their eyes to the richness and possibilities of this

kind of literature which is complex, highly political and intense. Studying it –as in the analysis of

any literary text –it is imperative to go far beyond the rhetoric idea of narrowing it down to

imagination, fiction, pragmatism, texture, experience, or even poetry (Eagleton, 6).

Eagleton says that the first possible assertion is that Literature is “imaginative’ writing in the

sense of fiction” (Eagleton, 1). This definition implies the existence of a fictional and

non-fictional (or factual) writing and that non-fictional writing could not represent literature.

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Eagleton poses the question: “If literature is ‘creative’ or ‘imaginative’ writing, does this imply

that history, philosophy and natural science are uncreative and unimaginative?” (Eagleton

1989:2). This first approach demonstrates to be short.

A second approach to Literature is the proposal made by the Russian Formalists: Russian critic

Roman Jacobson, according to Eagleton, argued that Literature should intensify “ordinary

language”. In the eyes of Formalism Literature is a special kind of language; and instead of

studying literary content, we should study literary form (Eagleton 3). This approach reduced the

concept of Literature to poetry. A simple analysis of poetic language denotes that not all poetic

language necessarily implies poetry. E.g.: pun on words, newspaper headlines, among many.

Another problem is that words may be interpreted away from its pragmatic purpose, and far

away from its immediate context (Eagleton 6). Eg.: a ten year old girl who has never sat in car

without a childrens’ chair, looking for the first time at the sign next to the seatbelt “protect

yourself at all times” may result in the infant thinking that she has to wear a helmet. Most of this

“stranged language” depends on the context. The context makes writing literary (to have the

features of literature); yet if accepted this utterance as true, then all writing can be literature, or

can no longer be literature; depending on the context.

Formalists proposed another possible answer: literature is non-pragmatic discourse. It is

understood by non-pragmatic discourse as all the writings that do not serve with a pragmatic

purpose (inform, denote, enumerate, etc). But “even if we claim that it it is non-pragmatic

treatment of the language we will still not arrive at an essence of literature because this is also so

of another linguistic practices such as jokes” . A non-pragmatic approach to literature is ruled by

the the possibility of practical and non practical language. Such distinction is only possible in a

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society like today. Thus non-pragmatic is a historically specific definition. What is practical, and

thus important; now, in time, may stop be practical, hence no longer literature. Fahrenheit 451

makes sense today, possibly, in future may be irrelevant.

Perhaps Literature is belles lettres; in other words, fine writing: a value judgement approach.

Defining literature as “value-judgement” implies the existence of good and bad writing. The

problem is that such conceptions are ambiguous.

The term ‘fine writing’, or belles lettres, is in this sense ambiguous: it denotes a sort of writing

which is generally highly regarded, while not necessarily committing you to the opinion that a

particular specimen of it is ‘good’. (Eagleton, 1989:8)

Moreover, “value-judgements are notoriously variable” and therefore, arbitrary; depending on

historic time, context and or societies (Eagleton 10). This concept of literature falls into the

illusion that literature is objective. But, as already mentioned, history tells the audiences that

what is regarded as highly valued today (even yesterday) may no longer be valued in the future.

In this way of understanding literature, every act of communication can become Literature.

[Masterpieces of literature have been appraised differently and constructed] for their own

purpose, and found in these texts elements to value or devalue, though not necessarily the same

ones. All literary works, in other words, are ‘rewritten’, if only unconsciously, by the societies

which read them; indeed there is no reading of a work which is not also a ‘re-writing’. No work,

and no current evaluation of it, can simply be extended to new groups of people without being

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changed, perhaps almost unrecognizably, in this process; and this is one reason why what counts

as literature is a notably unstable affair. (Eagleton, 1989:11)

A value.judgement vision of literature divides the world into two kind of statements: solid facts

and arbitrary judgements. However, in the latter statements presume “number of questionable

judgements” (Eagleton 11). For instance, every linguistic act assumes a level of genuine interest

(no matter if the uttered statements are factual or arbitrary). Structures of interests and beliefs are

shaped by the particular society in which anyone was born. This “largely concealed structures”

that remark factual statements constitute ‘Ideology’.

By Ideology is meant:

The way in which what we say and believe connects with the power-structure and power-relations

of the society we live in...more particularly those modes of feeling, valuing, perceiving and

believing which have some kind of relation to the maintenance and reproduction of social power.

(Eagleton 1989:13)

Then literature is a complex phenomenon, and is not something that can be poked with a finger.

Literature is not imagination, nor whimsical. Literature is a set of value-judgements based on

beliefs and feelings deeply embedded in the way our society is constructed, such beliefs and

feelings may vary throughout time. Finally, value-judgements have a close relation to social

ideologies, and this judgments work over the assumption that they go beyond private taste, in

fact, they underline the struggle of power between a dominant and a non-dominant social groups.

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2.2 Young Adult Literature [YAL]

Before moving forward into Science fiction a brief discussion about Young Adult Literature must be

attempted. Psychology regards young adults as “adolescents” a time in life on which individuals are in

constant physical and emotional change. Meanwhile, some claim that adolescence includes individual

between the ages of 12 and 17, other include from 10 year olds to people in their early20´s (Jones

1988:101 and Trupe 2007:2).

YAL is a contemporary concept. YAL first appeared in 1967 and since the 60´s has thrive exponentially

(Trupe P.2). In the last two decades, with the irruption of Harry Potter, the genre of YAL gained

momentum (O'KeefP.14). Also, YAL responds to a marketing distinction: editorials have endorsed to

target audiences an industry that confronts a series of books that “may” be attractive to young adult

readers. (O'Keef P. 16). Consequently, it is more likely that YAL focus is on a vision of the audiences

rather than a “paradigmatic development of its characters”. (Seelinger, 473)

Therefore YAL may be defined as an enumeration of books that address adolescents pressing matters.

The nature of the target audience makes identity (perhaps) the most important issue to deal with YAL. .

Psychology defines identity as:

[...]"sense." an "attitude." a "resolution." and so on [...] identity [is] a self-structure - an

internal-constructed. dynamic organization of drives. abilities. beliefs, and individual history.

(Jones 1988 Handbook of Adolescent Psychology P. 100)

.Regardless, Roberta Seelinger, with the use of Harry Potter, outlines the most important features

of YAL:

a) Institutional Repression: the exploitation of a physical spaces where characters can

interact to each other serves as a frame to all representations of power over the individual

capacity to be free. To YA readers institutions repress with authority. This repression

occurs in a semi-controlled (thus acceptable) environment (Seelinger 475)

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b) Parental Authority: represents any kind of authority. In the case of Science fiction, the

authority is given by the overdevelopment of technology and its catastrophic

consequences if triggered. . But in the word of fantasy works differently. The metaphoric

or real death of the parent also remark a very important characteristic present in YAL.

Parental authority is questioned by the disappearance of the heroes. Parents used to be the

heroes of childhood, when they die, they can be questioned, and therefore replaced by

other figures of power. (Seelinger pp. 475-477)

c) Corporeal Limitations: is the connection between sex and death. This coneccion brings

up the depiction of the carnality of the human body. This point represent the most

important difference between young adult literature and Children's’ literature. The notion

of ourself from our own bodily limitations allows the reader self awareness, a process

that Children's Literature has yet failed to convey.

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2.3 Science Fiction: a not so distant reality

It is important to answer the question “what is Science-fiction (herein the term “science fiction”

will be referred as to SF)?”. But asking this questions poses a problem of genre. Mendelsohn

explains that science fiction is “less a genre, than a discussion”. (Mendleson 1). Additionally,

Mendlesohn asserts that science fiction is a way to write (Mendlesohn p. 2) and not necessarily...

A body of writing from which one can expect certain plot elements and specific tropes

(Mendelsohn in Cambridge Science Fiction Companion 2003 P. 1)

Since this project does not aim to discuss the problem of genre, genre is not of the essence.

However, in the discussion about SF being a genre, Evnine favours SF as tradition rather than

regions of conceptual space (Evnine p.5). Indeed, any Sf book can fit any other genre

(Mendlesohn, p.4)

As important as already underscored in the Literature section, what readers can bring to the

Narrative of SF is crucial. SF readers uphold the opportunity to be “amazed and astonished” by

the sense of wonder that triggers an emotional reaction from the appreciation of sublime natural

and technological settings that surrounds SF stories. (Nye as cited by Mendelsohn, P.3)

In the center of SF, Fahrenheit 451 is a masterpiece of SF and shares a common ground with

other pieces of SF. Some common features appear above the surface:

1. Mendelsohn shows how SF has changed through the years making reference to the

efforts of editors Tremaine and Campbell, which will be first shown in Schild’s Ladder to

conclude: “The thought experiment, the ‘what if’ [...], is crucial to all SF, and has led to

the most popular alternative interpretations of ‘SF’: speculative fiction. It is here that SF

most departs from contemporary literature since in SF ‘the idea’ is the hero.”

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(Mendelsohn en James and Mendelsohn, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Science

Fiction. P. 4)

2. SF, traditionally, shows aspects of power playing in contraposition assuming systematic

coordination between subjects and context (Evnine P.12). For this reason, SF is

concerned with human political problems. Undoubtedly, SF works as social realism, and

must be treated as highly political, leading to a depiction of social forces in conflict

(Trushell 2004: 143).

3. The way the events are depicted in SF rely on an augmented reality (SF differs from

fantasy, in which events rely on pure imagination) (Evnine 2015:16). The problem arises

when confronting this augmented reality to real world science. During the Cold War, the

augmented reality versus real science provoked a conflict in the role of SF writers and the

establishment of local political powers; since the level of information available to inspire

SF was very little and controlled. In the latter, a SF writer became a myth-writer of social

realism. The transformation of roles contributed to the “proper function of the SF

authors” (Blackwell companion pp. 20-22)

4. Modern SF uses two distinctive themes: Utopia and Dystopia. According to the Penguin

dictionary, Utopia is an ideal reality in which every single aspect of human life works

perfectly. The idea of a “perfect life” varies from ages, and contexts. A dystopia is a

natural response to the seemingly impossibility of a Utopia.A dystopia defines a reality

which “forecast the doom awaiting mankind” if the Utopian reality is thrown upon the

world(“Utopia” The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory,

1998).

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2.4 Utopia vs Dystopia

SF plays with the idea of”what if”. Utopias try to provide an answer to the question “What if a

perfect world existed, and how would that world be?” The Marxist theory provides several

opportunities to put such ideas into test. It has been known, then, Utopia is a closely related

concept to a Marxist theory.

Marx’s system combined a sophisticated critique of the capitalist economic system, a

conception of history as the dialectical process of human self construction, and a vision

of a universally just and democratic way of life in the future as the goal of human history.

(Csicsery-Ronay Jr in Cambridge Companion p. 113)

Nevertheless, Utopias have neglected the depiction of perfect worlds because such words are

purely rational and in most cases ideals. Meanwhile, utopian narratives have served the historical

purpose of inspiring politics, religions and social movements (Csicsery-Ronay p. 117)

Duncan (209) suggest that SF, in the role of imagination, can “open the gate” to alternative “or

alternate” History. This last concept “dramatizes the moment of divergence from the historical

record, as well as the consequences of that divergence” (Duncan 209). Some of this alternate

endings of the History ends up being very horrific. The conclusion is that no matter the historical

output, the alternative could be even worst (Duncan 213)

Likewise alternative endings, dystopias are quite grim. Dystopias became a reaction to the

realization of Utopias:

In the twentieth century, such utopian visions were attacked from two directions: by those

who argue that in reality many such utopias would turn out to be ‘dystopias’, that is,

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oppressive societies, either because of the tyranny of the ‘perfect’ system over the will of

the individual, or because of the difficulty of stopping individuals or elites from imposing

authority over the majority, or, indeed, over minorities. (James in Cambridge Companion

p, 211)

It is worth mention that the problem is not with the conception of an ideal world, in fact:

It is not just the idea of ‘perfection’ which the sf writer objects to: it is the feeling that

the utopian writer is aiming for a largely static society. There may be a gentle progression

towards even more perfect systems; but there is a denial of adventure, of risk-taking, of

the expanding of spatial or technological horizons. ‘Maybe we weren’t made for

Paradise’, Captain Kirk muses at the end of ‘This Side of Paradise’, a Star Trek episode

from 1967. (James in Cambridge Companion p, 222)

An anti-utopia then is a natural reaction to an unrealistic idea of the perfect world, but not

necessarily the antagonist of a Utopia, ever since it is understood that one does not exist without

the other.

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2.5. Ray Bradbury´s Voice:

Ray Bradbury is consider to be one of the most important Science fiction writers of all times.

Although, if someone were to ask Bradbury about this conception, he would probably dismissed

it. He did not consider himself a science fiction writer, but a plain writer using science fiction to

explain the problems he would notice in society (Bradbury in The Zen Art of Writing 1994 P.18).

As a result , science fiction for Bradbury is imagination returning to Literature (Bloom, in Bloom

2001, P1). As already treated in the Literature section, stories are more likely to rewritten version

of other stories. Therefore it is not surprising that Bradbury is consider to be a fabulist teller of

old moral tales (Bloom P3).

Bradbury brings more to the discussion about science fiction: Fahrenheit 451 is about Literature.

Bradbury found his own voice explaining what is literature in the second chapter with the

character of Faber. Faber (the character), a retired English teacher, Bradbury gives lights of his

the concept of literature. Notably, ‘Faber’ was the brand of pencils that Bradbury used for taking

notes of the first drafts of Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury, 1996:78)

“[...]Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because the have quality.

And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture.This book has pores. It

has features. This book can go under the microscope. You’d find life under the the glass,

streaming past in infinite profusion. The more pores, the more truthful the recorded

details of life per square inch you can get on a sheet of paper, the more ‘literary’ you are.

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That’s my definition, anyway. Telling details. Fresh details. The good writers touch life

often. The mediocre ones run a quick hand over her. The bad ones rape her and live her

for the flies.

So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores in the

face of life. The comfortable people want only to wax moon faces, poreless, hairless,

expressionless. We are living on a time when flowers are trying to live on flowers,

instead of growing on a good rain and black loam.” (Bradbury, p79)

The latter definition given by Bradbury, slips the core idea of the dangers and advantages of

pursuing reading over technology . Infact, Bradbury distrusts technology Yet, he seems to

understand the importance of technology in our society (Patai 50:41) The reason for this duality

is simple: Bradbury is concerned with human things:

Bradbury’s strength lies in the fact that he writes about the things that are really

important to —not the things we pretend we are interested in—science, marriage, sports,

politics, crime—but the fundamental pre rational fears and longings and desires: the rage

at being born; the will to be loved; the longing to communicate; the hatred of parents and

siblings, the fear of things that are not self. (Night in Bloom P3)

By human thing it is meant human relations, no imaginary relations. Imagination then is just the

way problems are exposed:

[...] Imagination [acts stretching]...things never before seen or dreamed of. Bradbury’s

subject is childhood and the buried child-in-man; his aim is to narrow the focus, not to

widen it; to shrink all the big frightening things to the compass of the familiar: a

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spaceship to a tin can; a Fourth of July rocket to a brass kettle; a lion to a Teddy bear.

(Night in Bloom 2001:5)

There are many elements important to discuss about Bradbury, but one of his most impressive

issues is the use of images. Bradbury uses simple language that feels thin (Night in Bloom 2001

P9) imagery. Baker The use of recognizable images make his character like life (Night in Bloom

2001 P7). Baker points out the importance of colours and the idea of fire.

Fire and the Fireman-state are metaphors for the growing conformity of American society

in the 1950s, and the domination of television, consumerism, and suburban lifestyles, a

domination expressed in cultural homogenization. To read a book, in Fahrenheit 451, is

also to assert individuality and individual moral action. (Baker in Blackwell 2005: 489)

Fire is important for this project because is a central part of the novel.

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2.6 Reading Fahrenheit 451: a personal Experience

On the basement of the University of California, At a rate of a dime per half and hour Fahrenheit

451 was written (Bradbury 1994: 69). Besides all its difficulties, Fahrenheit 451 managed to

become famously world renown “as the temperature at which book-paper catches fire and burns”

(Baker 489). Without any doubt, Fahrenheit 451 uses the act of burning books as a representation

of “high culture” to demonstrate opposition to the repression and censorship of a dystopian state

(Baker 489).

“The powerful opening paragraph of the novel emphasizes the centrality of language and

linguistic play to both Fahrenheit 451 and the dystopian form itself.” (Baker 492).

The play stars with Guy Montag. It is not whimsical the name “Guy”, because it could be any

“guy”. Guy Montag who is a Firemen (someone who lights the fire on, instead of putting fire

down) in charge of burning books.

Guy who is married to Mildred, a real homicidal thread, meets a girl named Clarisse. Clarisse is

a fair 17 years´old girl who has a fascination with understanding what is it that Montag do and

why does he do it. The exposition of elements is, again, not whimsical (Clarisse is an allusion to

“Clear”). Montag is a very respected member of the community. He is quite proficient at his job,

and has the high respect of his boss Captain Beatty. But Guy holds a secret. Over the years he

has stashed books in his house, in a society where books (in fact the act of reading) is against the

law, and Guy being an enforcer of the Law started feeling alienated from his own world.

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Guy, having no idea what to do with the books, remembered an interesting character from an old

procedure of: Professor Faber. Faber was a former English Teacher, to whom the days of chasing

books were long forgotten. Guy decides to pay a visit to Professor Faber, to see if he could help

Guy with this huge dilemma: what should guy do with so many books?.

Guy, feeling desperate, started reading books, this action triggered Mildred´s reaction that it was

to give Guy´s in. Guy is forced to burn his own house. In the fire Guy escapes to the woods,

Captain Beatty dies, and Guy is presumably killed in the fire. When Gu escapes to the woods, he

found Clarisse and an entire community of books-holders. It is curious, the books that Guy

manage to save from fire are two Bibles. Scholars have argued that this interpretation

demonstrate a Catholic lecture of the novel (Baker 490).

In the end a nuclear bomb falls in the city and everybody living there dies. The only people left

alive were the people living in the woods surrounded by books. The ending of this novel is an

open ending. Nobody knows who threw the bomb: there is little information to conclude that it

was an A-bomb, nobody really knows where did exactly the boom dropped.

Definitely, reading this masterpiece poses more questions than the ones it anywhere. Fahrenheit

451 is a dystopian novel that invites its readers to reflect over the course of technology and how

are we being affected by the irruption of mass media and vague-empty ways of life in terms of:

which city?, which country?.

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III. Needs Analysis

For the design of the following Syllabus a needs analysis [NA] was needed (see Appendix 1).

3.1 The Survey

This needs analysis was conducted throughout a questionnaire, performed in 8th graders from Colegio

Particular Korc School de Concon, in their English Class. The questionnaire was handed to the students

on a printed version in Spanish. The NA questionnaire is comprised of 3 sections with a total of 22

multiple choice statements. In each statement students had to manifest, accordingly, their level of

agreement within. The first section of the NA aimed to understand what are the expectation of the

students if undergo this workshop. The second section of this questionnaire main objective is to envision

how do students learn and study. Finally the third section of the NA questionnaire enquires about how

much do students know about the subject. This NA had only 16 out of 17 entries since there was one

student absent the day this questionnaire was undertaken.

3.2. Description of the Institution

This NA was conducted on 8th grade students from a private mixed gender School from Concon name

Colegio Particular Korc School de Concon. The school is a small primary school, hence the short number

of students, with no more than 90 students in total. This institution is located in a big house in the middle

of a residential area. The school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities such as music, dancing

and sports. The school program also envisions a non-religious education. Students attending this school

are mostly from Concon and their families belong to the upper working class.

3.3. Main Findings

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The following section casts the the three most important and representative charts of all the results of the

questionnaire. The first chart represents in general terms the expectations of the students. The second

chart portrays the students’ attitude towards learning. The last chart represent how much do the students

know about the topic of the book at hand.

What are the Student's expectations? This are the results from question 3 (Q3) from the needs analysis

questionnaire. .

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“How do Students learn?” This chart outlines the results of question 16 (Q16) from the intrument used for

the needs analysis.

“What do the students know about the topic?” This last chart focuses on the question 18 of the

questionnaire.

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3.4 Data Analysis

1. In general terms students seem to be interested in the workshop. They mostly expect to

learn how to get a better understanding of what they may read.

2. Students have a clear idea of how they learn. They feel that learning vocabulary es key to

the development of their process of becoming critical thinkers. Nevertheless,they all

seem to have different kinds of learning. There is a 70% percent of the class that prefers

vocabulary over grammar.

3. Students can identify some features of the genre. At least they have some clues. However

they were not able to recognize the novel or its author. Perhaps due to misconceptions of

the SF genre students tempt to feel confused about what is SF and what is not. A further

study is recommended to find out specifically which are the aspects of Sci-fi that they can

describe.

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4. The majority of (15 out of 17) students have manifest to read at least one book per term

i.e.: 2 books yearly. Reading still represent an imposure from the school's curriculum.

This is an issue that must be addressed later on the following rationale.

5. Most students believe that literature is interesting but they express no clear idea of what

is literature. Such dichotomy appears when there is no clear tendency in questions from

15 to 20

IV. Rationale

In the light of the evidence from the Needs Analysis, a successful exploitation of the Bradbury’s

novel in a elementary class context can be achieved keeping in mind the following

the book Fahrenheit 451 can be achieved through:

● Reading the book through personal and collaborative reading. An essential outcome upon

the students is to encourage themselves to read. Evidence show that students do not read

for pleasure. It is essential for the develop of this workshop that students feel moved to

read. To achieve higher levels of self-motored regarding, this project claims collaborative

reading. Collaborative reading will be address in the basis of Task Based by pair reading,

jigsaw reading among others. Furthermore, reading provides opportunities for exposure

to vocabulary; students are expecting to learn more vocabulary from this workshop.

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● Based on the collection of data from the needs analysis, approachable tasks are needed

to be devised in the application of this project. Role-play activities shows to be effective

methods to convey learning. Moreover, students are encouraged to debate and

create opinions step by step.

● Discussion activities (e.g.: think/pair/share, impromptu) provides a great chance to

assimilate concepts of dystopia, science fiction or vocabulary related gaps.

As explained above, Fahrenheit 451 showcases aspects of both Children’s literature and YAL

–namely the former’s cautionary nature and the latter’s sense of conflict between the individual

and its environment –which need to be unveiled and explored by students in the classroom.

Exploiting this book using several visual aids (e.g.: videos, flashcards, pictures) will help the

students identify contexts, understand the novel's complexities and provide a critical reading of

it. The possibilities of introducing other methods compatible with children's Literature

methodologies (for example: Mimicry, jazz chants, etc) could also serve the main purpose, that

is to promote critical thinking among students. However, promotion of different techniques and

methods must be performed under the scope of the classes at hand, this graduation project does

not rule out the possibility that, if necessary, apply this methods.

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V. Syllabus Design

By the end of this graduation project eighth grade students will be able to enhance their capacity

to read text in a critical way by reading Fahrenheit 451 from Ray Bradbury. In order to meet this

objective a Syllabus has been designed. Based on the data gathered after the needs analysis, the

methodology chosen for this workshop is task based learning.

5.1 Course description

This workshop is divided into three Main Units, being those units the Chapters of the book

Fahrenheit 451. Each unit has at least one task to be completed. Each Unit includes 4 Lessons.

Each lesson is comprised of at least one main task. Each class has allotted one specific hands-on

reading activity. Also, each lesson contains rehearsal tasks which serve as a preparation for the

main task. Students will be encouraged to create a portfolio of activities and reading journals,

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accordingly to the class by class readings. The workshop will use four kinds of tasks: main tasks,

communication activities and rehearsal/activation tasks (Nunan, p 4).

● Main task (pedagogical tasks): consist on the main task (real life) that students will

need to perform by the end of each unit or class. Students, at least twice per unit, will

have to perform a task that involves a real (existent in the real world) product.

● Communication activities: it is referred as all the activities aiming to overlook one

specific aspect of a task but still based on “a genuine exchange of meaning.”

Communication activities can be performed between tasks. A correct performance in this

kind of activities may result in the completion of the main task.

● Rehearsal/activation tasks: this are all those activities that will take place as part of the

main task, and its main objectives is to provide enough information to complete a part of

the main task. All task regarding instructional language will be considered activation

tasks.

● Fictional task: it is regarded as fictional task those activities that may contain proper

elements of fiction in order to be completed. The main purpose of this task is to enhance

innovation and creativity in the students. Throughout the workshop students will be asked

to imagine, envision anr/or create materials from the basis of other prior information.

Classes will be collaborative. Students will be encouraged, class by class to participate, provide

opinions and expose their reflections. It is suggested that students have special sitting

arrangements. For instance, students may sit in U-shape, or in islands according to every class

needs. Students will also engage in guided collaborative reading. Part of each class, students will

have the opportunity to read parts of the book

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5.2 Objective and Learning Outcomes

The following section contains the objectives and learning outcomes expected for this project.

5.2.1 Main Objective

By the end of the course, eighth grade students will be able to exploit the need for the

development their critical thinking skills by appraising and evaluating the genre of Science

fiction, especifically Ray Bradbury's masterpiece Fahrenheit 451.

5.2.2 Specific objectives

● To identify the most important issues regarding Science Fiction and Literature theory .

● To describe Facts and relate these facts to fictional elements of Fahrenheit 451.

● To develop reading skills that allow students go deeper in the levels of abstraction.

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● To identify current political affair problems and how do these problems affect our normal

life.

● To understand the impact books and it importance in our life.

5.2.2 Learning Outcome

It is expected that:

● Students analyse current political affairs.

● Students compare fictional events to real events.

● Students provide well-funded opinions.

● Students work collaboratively.

● Students predict possible future scenarios.

● Students organize ideas to provide and support arguments.

5.3. Course Frame

The following chart shows the basic framing of the project.

Title of the Project Fire against the Word

SubTitle

A Literature Workshop for 8th grade Students based on Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Students 8th Graders from a private school in Concon

Students per class 9-15 Students per class

Duration 13 Lessons, twice a week, 90 minutes per lesson

Methodology

● Collaborative work. ● Task-based

Name and number of units:

● Unit 1: The Hearth of the Salamander ● Unit 2: The Sieve and the Sand ● Unit 3: Burning Bright

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Classrooms A normal classroom with a whiteboard, access to Internet and a projector. Enough space to make different sitting arrangements.

Class materials

● A class by class students’ log (folder, notebook, etc) ● A summarized version of the book. ● White board ● Markers ● Data Show Projector ● Laptop or computer with access to Internet ● Speakers ● Pen and paper (1 per student/each class) ● Handouts (depending on the lesson) ● Flashcards ● Special props (depending on the lesson)

Requirements ● Students must possess at least one copy of the book Fahrenheit 451. ● Level b1 of English proficiency. ● 80 % of minimum attendance to class with the exception of classes 4,

8, 12 and 13; for attendance to this classes is compulsory. ● To have a minimum of 9 students per class.

5.4. Assessment and Grading

At the end of each class students will have to fill in a yes/no questionnaire (see Sample Lesson

#1) that will help and guide the students assess their own learning.

1. Grades:Grading will be from one (1.0) to seven (7.0). Passing grade is 4.0 at a t 60% of

accomplishment. Test are tasks that have to be accomplished at the end of each unit in

the following periods of time: Class 4, Class 8, Class 12 and Class 13. Also, students will

be evaluated with In-class work every other class. At the of unit 2 and unit 3, students

will undergo Self evaluation and coevaluation processes.

2. Not accomplishing the task may result with the minimum grading of one (1.0). If in case

of late submission due to lack of time, the assessment will proceed at the beginning of

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the next class. Not submitting a co-evaluation or a self evaluation will result in the

minimum grading of one (1.0).

3. Grades grids: the following chat show the four kind of evaluations, the percentage of the

overall grade, and the frequency of occurrence during the time allotted to the project.

Evaluation % Frequency

Average of Tests 60 4 times per term

Average In-class evaluation 20 8 times per term

Average Self Evaluation 10 Twice per term

Average Co-evaluation 10 Twice per term

VI Lesson Planning

6.1. Macro Planning

Unit Task/reading Core Activities Learning Outcome

I The Hearth of The Salamander

Task: Write a review of a book.

Reading: The Episode with the lady and Guy´s encounters with Clarise.

Compare book covers and take decisions based on information given by context.

● To be able to provide well-funded opinions about books.

II The Sieve and The Sand

Task: Debate

Reading: The conversation with Faber

Construct arguments

● To be able to organize ideas. ● To be able to question

statements.

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II Burning Bright

Task: Create a script of a play

Reading: The “TV” passing

away of Montag and the death of the city.

Create alternative endings

● To be able to complete unfinished situations

● To be able to predict future

events.

6.2. Micro Planning: Class to class Grid The following chart shows the distribution of topics and the description of every class of the

entire workshop. Each class is followed by a comprehensive reading of a selected piece of the

Fahrenheit 451. The reading of the book will be guided collaborative reading.

UNIT 1: THE HEARTH AND THE SALAMANDER

N Name Description Content Objective

1 Introduction

Introduction to the workshop ● Rules of the course ● Grading criteria ● Dates

By the end of the class students will be able to identify the core objectives and the the curricular information of the course

2 Key elements

Explaining the elements of Science fiction and Dystopia.

● Literature. ● Science Fiction,

politics, technology, context.

● Dystopia and Utopia. ● Ray Bradbury ● Fahrenheit 451

By the end of the class students will be able to enumerate the most important concepts of the course.

3 Key motifs

Describing the concepts of brunig books, mass media and technology as part of book.

● Anticipation of facts. ● Possible realities

By the end of the class students will be able to predict facts related to technology.

4 Core Task

Task: Write a review of a book. Fictional task:Imagine you are a “fireman” from a list of books, decide which book to burn.

● Givings opinions ● Basic Argumentation ● Fire ● Fireman

By the end of the class Students will be able to express opinions.

UNIT 2: THE SIEVE AND THE SAND

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N Name Description Content Objective

5 Characters

Noticing the development of characters.

● Identification with characters.

● The importance of technology

By the end of the class students will be able to determine how important is technology and its possible consequences arose from the overdevelopment of technology.

6 History Providing examples of Utopias and Dystopias throughout history.

● The importance of politics

● The invisibility values.

● The “what if” notion.

By the end of the class students will be able to assess the state of politics

7 Real Dystopias

Discovering of Real life dystopias and its consequences,

● Ideology ● Ideologization in

history ● Process

Ideologization

By the end of the class students will be able to evaluate the level of ideologization of their own utterances.

8 Core task

Debate: How does the election of Donald Trump affects Chile?

Putting the process of idealization, into practice

By the end of the class students will be able to engage in a persuasive conversation, providing arguments to defend their personal stand.

UNIT 3: BURNING BRIGHT

N Name Description Content Objective

9 Mass Media

Talking about the power of communications and the role of media.

● Power and relations of power.

● Social power.

By the end of the class students will be able to elicit elements from social construction and it power driven relations.

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Technology

Discussing about technology, social network, and globalization.

● The role of mass media

● The role of social networks

By the end of the class students will be able to extract the most relevant aspects of their own life regarding the consequences of the overexposure to mass media and social network.

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Comparison

Comparing the book´s key concept and characters to real life situations by contrasting with Donald Trump´s promises for campaign.

● Real Life Dystopias. ● Venezuela. ● USA ● Chile ● Local and external

political affairs

By the end of the class students will be able to propose policies to address external affairs in different countries.

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Core Task

Constructing a script, based on the most relevant concepts from the workshop, for a play.

Summarize elements from past classes.

By the end of the class, students will be able to create a script that summarizes the contents treated throughout the course.

FINAL CLASS:

N Name Description

13 The play Performing on a play in which the character of Donald Trump, Guy Montag, Ray Bradbury and Captain Beatty are entangled in a conversation about the future of the planet.

SAMPLE LESSON #1 General Information

Unit / Class Objective Themes Materials

1 / number 2 By the end of the class the students are expected to identify the core elements of the course.

● Reading books

● Literature ● Science

fiction ● Ray

Bradbury

● Whiteboard ● Whiteboard markers ● Data Show projector ● Speakers ● Pen and paper (one per

student) ● Flashcards ● Green cards and red

cards (enough for one per student)

● The book Fahrenheit 451 ● The checkbox handout

Class development

N° Activity

Allotted time (min)

Objective Teacher´s description Student´s description

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1 2 3 4

10 5 15 Divided into: 2/5/8 15

To set the tone of the course. To organize the layout of the class. To identify the previous knowledge of the course To clarify concepts.

The teacher organizes the Layout of the class. The ideal setting is students separated in groups of 4 and sitting in groups in different parts of the classroom. According to space availability. Students are permitted to sit in pairs if necessary. The teacher writes in the board the following questions:

a) What is Science Fiction [SF]?

b) Who is Ray Bradbury? The teacher gives two minutes to think about these questions. Then the teacher asks the students to discuss in pairs the questions with a partner sitting next to he or she. For this part of the activity the teacher gives five minutes. Meanwhile, the teacher handles a green card and a red card for each student. Once the time has past, the teacher gives eight minutes for sharing their discussion. The teacher shows the flashcards to the class and asks the students to vote: Do you think this is SF?. The flashcards are covers of famous books that have been brought to motion pictures: Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Twilight, The golden Compass, The Adventures of Narnia, Sherlock Holmes, The Avengers, X-men. If necessary, the teacher may choose to put the flashcards in the PPT presentation. The teacher writes in the board the preferences for each picture. The teacher shows the video: Fiction books Genre; What is Science Fiction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plsJJhsMEj8 After showing the video, the teacher asks if the students understood the video. The teacher solves questions about Vocabulary in the Video. Then the teacher asks questions with the flashcards again. The teacher elicits the new responses and puts them in the board next to the old responses. The teacher asks the students if there was any differences between both responses. The teacher ask the students to provide opinions about

The students organize their space and the way how to work for the rest of the term. The students think about the questions on the board The students actively engage in a conversation with a partner. The students in group choose one spokesman to share their opinions. The spokesman shares the opinions of the group. Each group takes turns to provide their opinions. Each student votes: using the green card to express “yes” and the red card to express “no”. All the students must vote in each flashcard. The students pay attention to the video. The students ask vocabulary questions. The students respond to the flashcards again. The students provide their opinions about the differences- about what is science fiction The students take notes about the Video.

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5 6 7

15 20 5

To convey deeper learning. To identify the author of the course book and the the main idea of the book To check learning

what they understood about Science fiction. Teacher gives instruction Personal Reading: the teacher briefly explains who is Ray Bradbury and the book they are going to be reading for the rest of the course. The teacher gives the students a handout named the checkbox in which students have to answer putting a tick in the corresponding box according to their level of agreement with the statements

Students have been presented with a video containing many Dystopian Movies. Students have to choose their most favourite movie and provide an explanation of context missing. The students read the first 4 pages of the book. The students asks the teacher about vocabulary problems they may found. Students answer the handout.

Activity 7: Put a tick ( ) in the corresponding box according to your preferences in each statement:

Statement Yes No

I know the main topic of the course.

I can identify some aspects of dystopia.

I am able to demonstrate who is Ray Bradbury.

I can explain the key concepts of the course.

I can identify a Science Fiction novel.

I have successfully completed the readings for the day.

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Cited Bibliography Abrams, M., H., A Glossary of Literary Terms Seventh Edition, Heinle and Heinle, USA 1999 Bloom, H,. Modern Critical Views: Ray Bradbury: Edited by Harold Bloom, Yale University, Chelsea House Publishers, New York 2001 Bradbury, R. , Fahrenheit 451, Simon and Schuster Paperbacks 1954, New York 2012 Bradbury, R. , The Zen Art of Writing, Joshua Odell Editions, Santa Barbara, California 1994 Culler, J., Literary Theory: a Very Short Introduction Oxford University Press, Oxford 1997 Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes, IIª Encuesta de participación y consumo cultural, Santiago, 2009. Evnine, S. But is it Science Fiction?: Science Fiction and Theory of Genre, Midwest Studies in Philosophy XXXIX, Wiley Periodicals, 2015 Eagleton Terry, Literary Theory, an Introduction, Blackwell 1989 James, E., Mendlesohn, F., The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction: edited by Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn Cambridge University Press, Edinburgh, UK 2003

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O’Keefe, D., Readers in Wonderland, The Liberating Worlds of Fantasy Fiction: From Dorothy to Harry Potter The Continuum International Publishing Groups, United States of America 2004 Patai, D. Ray Bradbury and The Assault on Free Thought, University of Massachusetts, December 2012. Seed, D,. A Companion to Science Fiction Blackwell Publishing, USA 2005 Seelinger, R., The Harry Potter Novels as a Taste Case of Adolescent Literature Illinois State University, Vol 35, N°3 Fall 2001 Trushell. J, M. American Dreams of Mutants: The X-Men--”Pulp” Fiction, Science Fiction and Superheroes. The Journal of Popular Culture, Vol. 38, No1, Malden MA, 2004 Trupe, A., Thematic Guide to Young Adult Literature, Greenwood Press, London 2006 “Utopia” The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, 1998 http://www.cultura.gob.cl/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/planfomentolectura1.pdf http://www.mindingthecampus.org/author/dpatai/ https://www.salto-youth.net/rc/inclusion/inclusionfornas/shapinginclusionindetail/NeedsAnalysisWhat/ Widdowson, P., Literature Routledge, London 1999

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APPENDIX 1: NEEDS ANALYSIS INSTRUMENT: QUESTIONNAIRE PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE VALPARAISO PROYECTO DE TITULACIÓN 2016 FIRE AGAINST THE WORDS OBJETIVO: El siguiente cuestionario apunta a conocer datos relevantes para el diseño y la implementación de un curso/taller que utilice la obra prima de Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451, como herramienta para crear una dialógica literaria en segunda lengua a través de la enseñanza de esta misma. Instrucciones Generales

∙ Lee atentamente las instrucciones. ∙ No te saltes ninguna respuesta a excepción de aquellas preguntas que aparecen con un

asterisco. ∙ Recuerda que no hay respuestas correctas o incorrecta. · La información entregada es solo para usos investigativos y no representa ningún tipo de

evaluación. Marque con una “X” en la casilla que más se acomode a sus preferencias considerando las especificaciones de cada pregunta considerando la siguiente escala de valores: 0=No estoy de acuerdo, 1=Parcialmente en desacuerdo, 2=Parcialmente de acuerdo, 4=de acuerdo I ¿Que espero lograr de este taller? 0 1 2 3

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1.- Al tomar este taller, espero adquirir mejores técnicas y estrategias para leer.

2.- Al tomar este taller, lo haría con la intención de mejorar mi nivel de Inglés.

3.- Me interesa tomar este taller porque está relacionado con temas de mi gusto personal.

4.- No me interesa tomar este taller, ni me interesa la literatura.

5.- Con este taller espero escribir mejor en Inglés.

6.- Con este taller espero entender mejor textos orales en Inglés.

7.- Con este taller espero entender mejor textos escritos en Inglés. II ¿Cómo aprendo Inglés?, ¿como he tenido mejores resultados? 0 1 2 3

8.- Cuando estudio, entiendo lo que leo.

9.- Cuando estudio, prefiero estudiar en grupo.

10.- Me acomoda estudiar con música.

11.- Me gusta estudiar solo.

12.- Leo en voz alta para mejorar mi pronunciación.

13.- Para estudiar hago esquemas y resúmenes

14.- Me siento cómodo hablando Inglés.

15.- Prefiero estudiar con textos relacionados a mis áreas de estudio escolar.

16.- Prefiero estudiar con textos relacionados a mis gustos personales.

17- Me gusta aprender vocabulario en Inglés. III ¿Cuánto sé del tema? 0 1 2 3

18.- Conozco o se de qué se trata la obra Fahrenheit 451

19.- Reconozco otras obras del género de Ciencia Ficción

20.- Conozco, sé o he visto Star Wars

21.- Conozco, sé o he visto El Hombre Bicentenario

22.- Conozco, sé o he visto Yo Robot

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