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Understanding and Teaching Short Stories at Secondary Level

Understanding and Teaching Short Stories at Secondary Level. Language Learning Support Section 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm October 25th 2007. What is a short story? Why use short stories in class?. A girl was asked to write a short story in as few words as possible for her college class.

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Understanding and Teaching Short Stories at Secondary Level

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  1. Understanding and Teaching Short Stories at Secondary Level Language Learning Support Section 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm October 25th 2007

  2. What is a short story? Why use short stories in class?

  3. A girl was asked to write a short story in as few words as possible for her college class. The instructions were that it had to discuss Religion, Sexuality and Mystery. She was the only one who received an A+ and this is what she wrote: ?

  4. For sale: baby shoes, never worn. - Ernest Hemingway Corpse parts missing. Doctor buys yacht.- Margaret Atwood Extremely short stories wired.com Internet magazine. Issue 14.11

  5. Some definitions: A short story…….. • can be read in one sitting (Edgar Allan Poe “The Philosophy of Composition” 1846) • is 1,000 – 20,000 words long • has a limited set of characters, a single setting, and a simple plot

  6. Why teach short stories? NSS SBA • Responding to texts • Giving opinions • Justifying opinions • Knowledge of text features • Applying knowledge to their writing • Reading skills • Making inferences • Getting the main idea • Predicting events • Responding to characters • Responding to plot • Responding to themes • (writing, oral, performance) Experience Strand TSA

  7. Fairy tale • Fairy tales tend to be about royalty, fairies, wicked stepmothers, giants and talking animals. • Settings often include castles, forests, cottages and the time is often “long ago” • Events are magical and supernatural. The good live happily ever after at the end and the bad are punished in some way. • Formulaic language, including rhyme and repetition, is common.

  8. Parable • Usually refers to the stories told by Jesus in the New Testament • They are used to explain difficult theological concepts in terms which people can easily understand

  9. Fable • Characters are usually animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are given human qualities. • They illustrate a moral lesson which is often expressed explicitly at the end Slow and steady wins the race!

  10. Myth • Myths tend to be about gods or supernatural beings. • Often tell about events from the distant past • Sometimes creation stories or explain natural phenomena • Legends are similar, but usually about heroes rather than gods.

  11. Folk tale • Folktales are similar to fairy tales, except that they usually concern ordinary people rather than royalty • Values such as thrift, kindness, honesty and diligence are usually rewarded • As with fairy tales, formulaic language is common

  12. Crime story • Also called “mystery” genre or “whodunnits” • Mystery plots always involve characters trying to discover a vital piece of information which is kept hidden until the climax. Solving crimes by the use of clues is common in this genre. • Characters usually include detectives, criminals, or the police.

  13. Science Fiction • Science fiction plots commonly explore ideas like space travel, cloning, time travel, or aliens. Fantastical things happen but all have a scientific explanation.  No use of magic. • Settings often include other planets, space ships, or futuristic cities. These may be described in detail • Characters will often include robots, aliens, astronauts, or scientists

  14. Ghost / Horror Story • The plot is always a horror experience and it usually involves the intrusion of a supernatural element into everyday human experience. • Characters are often ordinary but vulnerable people, such as children and women. • Settings vary but they are usually secluded and isolated places. • Atmosphere is often created by description of the setting.

  15. Love Story (Romance) • Plots of romance revolve around two people as they develop romantic love for each other and work to build a relationship together. • Both the conflict and the climax of the story should be directly related to that core theme of developing a romantic relationship. • There is often a happy ending.

  16. Realistic story • Realistic fiction is usually set in modern times. • It can also have a historical setting - events usually have something to do with an important historical event • Characters will be ordinary, believable people. • Stories may be funny or serious • Dialogue will be realistic

  17. Traditional stories “flat” characters unspecified settings simple and fast moving plot ending is clear and usually happy formulaic language simple past tense third person narration Modern stories “round” characters setting may be described in detail may not be much background at beginning ending may be inconclusive present tenses may be used first person narration can be used

  18. Style Writing techniques Setting Location & time Characters The people & their relationships Theme Main or recurrent idea (could also be a lesson to learn) Plot/ story line Actions and events Elements of a story 5 Elements

  19. Complete the story map Characters Settings Little Red Riding Hood Themes and lessons Opening Plot Ending Complication The Wolf eats Grandma and lies in her bed. Crisis

  20. Theme / Plot Gradual increase in tension during the questioning process Twist ending Ex poser – special features Characters • David reveals himself through his thoughts and attitudes to others • David himself cannot interpret these, but the reader can Language Features • First person narration • Simple present tense

  21. Lesson Procedures for “Ex Poser” Building up knowledge of the topic Pre-reading • Teaching or reinforcing vocabulary • Background knowledge • important for the story • Bringing out the theme of the story • Predicting events

  22. Understanding the details While-reading Inferring meaning of words from context (reading skill) Teaching students to understand and respond to character descriptions Predicting the continuation of the story (reading skill)

  23. Integrating and applying While / Post-reading Teaching students to understand and respond to character descriptions Teaching students to understand and respond to plot development Understanding and responding to characters (point of view) Teaching or reinforcing language patterns (tenses)

  24. Approach to teaching a short story • Understand the features of the text type • Understand the features of the genre • Analyse the text • Decide teaching objectives • Plan lessons and materials

  25. Language Theme Characters Plot Stages in working with the text Integrating and applying Understanding the details Building up knowledge of the topic Extension activities While-reading / Post-reading Pre- reading

  26. Building up knowledge of the topic Pre-reading stage • When? • In class --- Teacher-guided • How? • Recall previous knowledge and experience • Make predictions about the setting of the story • Pre-teaching / Providing background information • What activities? • Brainstorming • Predicting from titles, pictures etc

  27. Understanding the details While-reading /Post-reading stage When? • In class, under teacher’s guidance • How? • applying reading strategies • connecting the story to reader’s mind and experience • responding to the writer • What activities? • Engaging in discussions • Identifying story elements using story organiser • Summarising events

  28. Integrating and applying Extension activities • When? • After teaching the story Purposes: • Integrative use of skills to show interpretation and appreciation • Consolidating understanding of the story • Applying the language skills learnt What activities? • Performing e.g. readers’ theatre • Writing stories • Extended tasks and projects

  29. Workshop instructions • Part A Instructions • Briefly analyse the story of “The Hairy Toe” and consider how you can use it with your students. • Put your group’s ideas in Part A of the handout. • Part B Instructions • Choose ONE teaching point your group put in Part A and think of ONE teaching and learning activity for it.

  30. Edgar Allan Poe Roald Dahl M. R. James Oscar Wilde Agatha Christie H. H. Munro (Saki) Katherine Mansfield Isaac Asimov

  31. Useful resources • East of the Web: Short Stories Teaching Resources: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/teacher.html • BBC/British Council Teaching English: British Literature: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/download/britlit/britlit.shtml • Merlyn’s Pen: http://www.merlynspen.org/ • American Folklore: http://www.americanfolklore.net/index.html • Story Arts: Storytelling Activities and Lesson Ideas: http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/lessonideas/index.html • Language Learning Support Section http://cd1.edb.hkedcity.net/cd/languagesupport/article/index_e.htm

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