Literature in foreign languages: how to motivate students.

Linda LanisInternational School of Florence

Why we need motivation in reading literary books?

• Motivation is essential in language acquisition.• Is it essential in reading Literature in the target language as

well?

Target student

• 9-10 grader• Level B2 of Cerf (usually in the 3rd year of the

language)• Usually motivated and interested in using the

language in various contests• Able to speak, enjoying it • Good interaction with the local community• Motivation usually high or easy to maintain

Motivation

Reading literature in the target language: the ideal

scenario • Students use literature as a window to

culture, history, life and, of course, language.

Reading literature in the target language: the (usual)scary

scenario

Students not interested in reading, bored to death.

Classic literary unit

• Raising motivation• First reading• Focused reading• Put it in a context• Connections-links• Critical reading/

thinking• Creating personal links• Synthesis and reflection• Assessment

•The motivation, usually high, drops during the first reading •Students seem to have no interest in reading•The following activities are difficult for them to follow•Lack of interest, frequent requests to change activity•Lack of comprehension

motivation

Critical point

The problem: my experience

• A problem of motivation

• A problem of comprehension

Lack of comprehensi

on

Lack of attention

Lack of motivation

The problem

• If the problem is not in the language…

• It has to be in literature!

But why?

Literature

• A common cultural need

• Part of communication• A pleasure to learn, not

to be taken for granted

Goals

• Short term: maintaining the motivation

• Long term: raising students’ love of literature

Understand the problem

I don’t get the point : this is boring and I

don’t like it!

Impossibility of using the language in their daily life What’s

the point?Calp level not reached

I can’t do that!

Structure and type of the novel/book

It’s boring!

Spoken language vs written language

Students’ relationship with literature

Classic literary unit

• Raising motivation• First reading• Focused reading• Put it in context• Connections-links• Critical reading/thinking• Creating personal links• Synthesis and reflection• Assessment

Critical point

•Find a new way to approach the text•Create something between the motivation prompt and the first reading •Connect the text with the students’life•Propose something new and varied•Postpone the first reading after the work

Suggested literary unit

• Raising motivation• First reading

• Focused reading• Put in context

• Connections-links • Critical reading/thinking

• creating personal linkscreating personal links• Synthesis and reflection

• Assessment

First reading• After

'internalizing’/creating personal connections

• Faced in a non-traditional way

• Creating a communication with the text, focusing on comprehension

• Overtaking the distance between the student and the text

So…how?

• Work with short stories or with chapters/sequences

• Always give the context

• Create an expectation before the activity

• Challenge the students to produce something they will find in the text

• Compare and contrast students’ work with the text

• After every activity, students should read the text in order to find what they have already produced

Sample activities

Filling in the text

Text any sequence/chapterWork Individual/ pairs/ small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

• Give students the beginning and the ending of the chapter/sequence

• Invite them to create the text in the middle.• Create a poster with the real text in the middle,

surrounded by students’ works

Comics

Text any sequence/chapterWork IndividualSeating chart one big deskModality

• Give students a title, the basic context and three-four important sentences from the text.

• Invite them to create some comic strips.• Read the text allowing student to make changes. • Create an exhibition with the real text in the middle,

surrounded by students’ works

Reading in colours

Text Long dialogues between 4 or more characters.Work small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

• Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards

• Use different coloured cards per character.• Give students all the cards. • Each group should try to put the dialogues in order• Read in colour!

Reading in colours

Text A long dialogues between 4 or more characters.Work small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

• Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards

• Use different coloured cards per character.• Give students all the cards. • Each group should try to put the dialogues in order• Read in colour!

Sample Buzzati, Lo sciopero dei telefoni, from Sessanta racconti

" E smettetela, pettegole! " (era una donna). " Pettegola sarà lei, se mai, che ficca il naso in casa d'altri “Io ficco il naso? Si vergogni! Io non... "  […]"Be', siamo sole?... E allora, Franchina, cosa dici chemi metta domani? ".Si udì a questo punto una voce d’uomo, nuova, bellissima, giovanilmente aperta e autoritaria, che stupiva per la sua eccezionale carica di vita: “Clara, se mi permette glielo dico io, domani si metta la gonna blu dell’anno scorso con il golf viola che ha appena dato da smacchiare…e il cappellino nero a cloche, intesi?” “Ma lei chi è?” La voce di Clara era cambiata adesso, e aveva un’incrinatura di spavento. “Mi vuol dire chi è?” L’altro tacque. Allora la franchina “Clara, Clara, come fa questo qui a sapere?” “Io molte cose so”.[…]Il Marcozzi, intimidito: “Ma lei chi è? Come si permette?” L’altro: “Non se la prenda. Piuttosto, cerchiamo di stare

Play

Text Crucial sequences with dialoguesWork pairs/ small or big groupsSeating chart islandsModality

• Divide students in pairs/small groups.• Give the students the situation and invite them to write

a script.• Students will have to perform before the reading.• They can choose the best performance after the reading

Sample: tragic love storyDante, “Divina Commedia”

Description

Text Sequences describing real or imaginary placesWork Individual /pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality

• Give students a place.• Ask them to draw the place described in the sequence. They may

also search for images or take pictures• It is also possible to search for the perfect place to express a

feeling. • Make a poster with the text in the center surrounded by the

picture.• Find the best image matching the description in the text

SampleDante “Divina Commedia”

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vitami ritrovai per una selva oscura,ché la diritta via era smarrita. 3

Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa duraesta selva selvaggia e aspra e forteche nel pensier rinova la paura! […]Ma poi ch’i’ fui al piè d’un colle giunto,là dove terminava quella valleche m’avea di paura il cor compunto, 15

guardai in alto e vidi le sue spallevestite già de’ raggi del pianetache mena dritto altrui per ogne calle. 

.

SampleV.Hugo “Les Miserables”

La dalle bleue y est remplacée par une traverse à laquelle s'appuient cinq ou six difformes tronçons de bois noueux et ankylosés qui ressemblent à de grands ossements. Il n'a plus ni seau, ni chaîne, ni poulie; mais il a encore la cuvette de pierre qui servait de déversoir. L'eau des pluies s'y amasse, et de temps en temps un oiseau des forêts voisines vient y boire et s'envole.Une maison dans cette ruine, la maison de la ferme, est encore habitée. La porte de cette maison donne sur la cour. À côté d'une jolie plaque de serrure gothique il y a sur cette porte une poignée de fer à trèfles, posée de biais.

.

Using colours

Text complex sentences or sequencesWork collective + pairs/ small groupsSeating chart small islandsModality

• Students have a discussion on what is difficult or important in the text.

• They choose a colour for each phrase.• Form small groups, giving each group one or two colours.• Tell the students to colour the text according to the

colour-meaning.

Using coloursCharacters

Descriptions

Good sentences

Sequences

Quotes

Sentences I cannot understand

Important sentences

Vocabulary-words

Different

colours for

SamplePratolini, “Le ragazze di San Frediano”

A love letter

Text A love letter written by a characterWork Individual/pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality

• Mind maps: write the set for a love letter, exploring parts, places and feelings.

• Give students some tips if they do not know the characters• Ask students to reflect on what the character may be writing. • Ask them to write the letter. • Put all the letters in a box. Randomly, each student reads a letter.• Compare the letters with the original one

A love letterBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti

Love letter

purpose who whatRomantic sentences

words

Other relevant info

wherewhen

A love letterBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti

• Phisical places • Mental placesPhysical places•Mall•Waiting room

Mental places•Dream•Imaginary setting

A love letterBuzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti

Feelings

Love•lost

stress•Passion

determination•jealousy

discourage•determination

Diary entry

Text Sequences on main character’s reflectionWork Individual/pairsSeating chart horseshoeModality

• Give students the situation. • Ask students to reflect on what the character may feel in

that context• Students have to write a diary entry.• Find out what the character feels. Is it so different?

Some more tips

Raise consciousness in students’

• Raising students’ consciousness of the situation, both before and during the process

• Ask for cooperation

• Have your students be part of the academic process

Tools

• Mind maps• Questionaires• Interview• Diary• Field notes• Observation form• Reviewing grids• Class discussion• Personal reflection• Peer coaching• Graphs

Diary

“I liked it when we tried reading in different

colours. It made the

lesson more alive. We

should always do so.”

Mind mapItalianItalian

Reading is useful

when

Reading is useful

when

Reading is boring

when

Reading is boring

when

When I read it is difficult

When I read it is difficult

The teacher should...

The teacher should...

What I read in

other language

s

Reading is fun when

I need/I would like

What I read in my 1st

language

Desks

• Try to modify your seating chart regularly.According to the activity you can arrange the desks in small islands, one big table, a horseshoe.

Raising students’ love of literature• Literature is a pleasure to learn• Have an open window to literature• Work with the first language teacher

Conclusion

“Dietro una lingua ci sta una letteratura, e dietro una letteratura c'è un gusto, una civiltà.”

“Beyond a language there is a literature, beyond a literature there is a taste, a culture.”

Luigi Russo (1892 – 1961), Italian literary critic

Images from:

http://saroltagraphicworks.blogspot.com

http://www.thenews.com.pk /

http://bcsslanguages.weebly.com/

joerapisarda.com

For any questions/suggestions:

l.lanis@isfitaly.org

Thanks