materials the lure and the ladder 9

8/12/2019 Materials the Lure and the Ladder 9

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LICENCIATURA ABIERTA EN LENGUAS MODERNAS

THE LURE AND THE LADDER 9

Day, R., & Banford, J. (1998). Extens!e Readn" n t#e $e%ond Lan"a"e'assroo. 'a*rd"e. +. 9-1/-.

The watchwords are quantity and variety , ratherthan quality, so that books are selected for theirattractiveness and relevance to the pupils' livesrather than for literary merit.

Colin Davis (1!, p. "#$

%f the ri&ht books were available, the pupils lapped them up.. ). *ri&ht and+. . -c+re&or (1/, p. #$

The purpose of this article is to:

Introuce a !ariet" of #aterials suita$le for e%tensi!e reain&'

Su&&est alternati!e reain& #aterials for $e&innin& an inter#eiate

stuents (hen lan&ua&e learner literature is not a!aila$le'

Ruth an )allie *opp #ae an interestin& isco!er" (hen the" as+e fift",si% ele#entar",school teachers in the Unite States to na#e their $est ieas for teachin& chilren to rea'Materials that #oti!ate stuents (as the nu#$er one o!erall $est iea' *opp an *oppconclue that -pro!iin& stuents (ith #oti!atin& #aterials an in!ol!in& the# in a !ariet"of interestin& acti!ities are critical to a successful reain& pro&ra#- ./00/1 p' /234'

The sa#e can $e sai for secon lan&ua&e reain& pro&ra#s' 5ithout reainaterials that are attracti!e1 interestin&1 at a ran&e of appropriate le!els1 an of anappropriate len&th1 a pro&ra# cannot e%ist1 let alone succee' More specificall"1 as Al$ert)arris an E(ar e%plain -The $asic principles that unerlie the successful e!elop#entof an interest in reain& ha!e $een a#ira$l" su##ari6e as consistin& of a 7lure an alaer7 - ./0081 p' 9;4' In e%tensi!e reain&1 the lure is the interestin& an attracti!e#aterial esi&ne to hoo+ the stuents an reel the# in' The laer is the (ie ran&e of#aterial1 fro# !er" eas" to challen&in&1 that allo(s the stuents to pro&ress up(ar ins#all steps as their reain& fluenc" e!elops'

This article is an e%a#ination of #a


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entertaine or infor#e (hen reain& it on their o(n>

In ter#s of their self,i#a&es as reaers1 (ill reain& it $e an encoura&in& or a

iscoura&in& e%perience>

Lan"a"e and Lteratre

Lan&ua&e learner literature is the !er" e#$oi#ent of the lure an the laer: !arie1attracti!e #aterial at ifferent le!els of ifficult"' It inclues $oo+s of all +ins1 as (ell as#a&a6ines an ne(spapers prouce especiall" for secon lan&ua&e learners' If it isa!aila$le in the lan&ua&e "ou teach1 lan&ua&e learner literature is the o$!ious first choice ofreain& #aterial for all $ut a!ance learners'

a) Literature adapted for language learners

One particular t"pe of lan&ua&e learner literature re=uires aitional co##ent here' This

su$cate&or" consists of classic (or+s of literature aapte fro# the ori&inals for seconlan&ua&e stuents' So#e people fa#iliar (ith the ori&inals ha!e e%presse isappoint#entan e!en horror at the aapte !ersions sol uner the sa#e na#e' This is anunerstana$le reaction1 $ut to is#iss aaptations in this (a" is to #isunerstan theirpurpose an usefulness'

Mo!ies $ase on (or+s of literature pro!ie a helpful analo&"' 5hen a #o!ie sharesthe sa#e title as a fa#ous ori&inal1 it professes to $e a !ersion of that ori&inal' But it is anaaptation for another #eiu# an another auience' The #o!ie !ersion1 for e%a#ple1#ust $e prune of #uch etail1 for onl" a certain nu#$er of characters an incients can$e inclue in the nor#al 3,hour runnin& ti#e' In other (ors1 the #a+ers of the #o!ietailor the content to suit the #eiu# an the e%pectations of the intene auience'

It is rare for a #o!ie !ersion to catch the essence of the $oo+ on (hich it is $ase'

But e!en (hen it oes1 the #o!ie is still an inepenent e%perience that succees or failson its o(n ter#s1 re&arless of its relationship to the ori&inal' An so it is (ith (rittenaaptations of classics an other (or+s of literature' 5hether an aaptation is #ore or lesssuccessful at capturin& the essence of its source is $esie the point' Ulti#atel"1 anaaptation #ust $e The =uestions to as+ in consierin& (hether an aaptation has a place in ane%tensi!e reain& pro&ra#1 therefore1 are the sa#e as for an" #aterial: Does this $oo+co##unicate to its auience of lan&ua&e learners> Is it li+el" to $e en


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o!erloo+e'Boo+s in this cate&or" ran&e fro# picture $oo+s (ith no (ors .not suita$le for

reain& practice4 to si#ple stor"$oo+s (ith #an" illustrations' The #a


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an interestin& person I +no(

a funn" thin& that happene to #e

a scar" e%perience I once ha

a place I reco##en !isitin&

ho#eto(n .or1 in a #ultilin&ual class1 #" countr"4

Selecte the #ost interestin& of these1 if possi$le1 usin& one for# each stuent in the class'T"pe out each co#position1 re(ritin&1 eitin&1 an correctin& as necessar" so that thestuentFs ieas appear in natural lan&ua&e' O!er a perio of ti#e1 "ou (ill $e a$le to $uilup a rather lar&e collection of interestin& an reaa$le stories'

If stuents fin (ritin& ifficult1 or if the nu#$er of stuents in the class is s#all1 an ifthere is an a!aila$le co#puter (ith (or,processin& a$ilit"1 stuents can ini!iuall" ictatetheir stories to the teacher' The follo(in& proceure is aapte fro# one e!elope $"Nanc" Lee an uith Neal ./0034 for helpin& a #ile,school chil (ith first lan&ua&e

reain& ifficulties' A stuent ictates a stor" an the teacher t"pes it' @or stuents1(atchin& the chosen (ors appear on the co#puter screen helps the# &ain fa#iliarit" (iththe (ritten for# (ors' It is also an e%citin& e%perience' Lee an Neal tal+ of ho( theirstuent &lo(e (ith pleasure at choosin& (ors an seein& the# appear on the screenH.p'3/4'

5hile the stuent ictates1 the teacher #a+es oral su&&estions for rephrasin& orother(ise chan&in& (hat the stuent sai' If the stuent a&rees (ith these oral re!isions1the" are t"pe as the stuent (atches' At the en1 a raft is printe put an &i!en to thestuent to rea o!er' If the stuent (ishes to a or eit an"thin&1 this can $e one $eforethe final !ersion of the stor" is printe out' Stories can $e short at first1 $ut are li+el" to &etlon&er as the stuent &ets use to the proceure'

d) Ne2saer

Cheap an (iel" a!aila$le1 ne(spapers can $e a super$ resource for inter#eiate ana!ance stuents1 particularl" for reain& outsie the classroo#' The la"out1 contentcate&ories .local ne(s1 (orl ne(s1 eitorials1 cartoons1 a!ertise#ents1 an so on41 anrhetorical or&ani6ation .healines1 su##ar" para&raphs1 etail para&raphs1 a cop"1 photocaptions1 an so on4 are $roal" si#ilar across #an" cultures1 (hich #a+es reain& easier'

Ne(s paper articles ten to $e short1 (hich #eans that reaers can =uic+l" &et asense of acco#plish#ent fro# finishin& the#' Bre!it" is also a $enefit for less proficientsecon lan&ua&e reaers (ho tire =uic+l" of reain&' In aition1 $ecause people t"picall"rea onl" those parts of a paper that interest the#1 ne(spapers can =uic+l" $e -finishe'-This is #oti!atin&: Secon lan&ua&e reaers can pic+ up a ne(spaper +no(in& the" cansuccessfull" $e one (ith it in as lon& or short a ti#e as the" (ish'

There is so#ethin& to interest al#ost e!er"one in a ne(spaper' The content is up toate' Cruciall" 1 it #a" alrea" $e fa#iliar to learners if the" ha!e rea or hear a$out thesa#e ne(s or topics in their o(n lan&ua&e' Learners #a" also $e intereste in1 an thuspossess $ac+&roun +no(le&e in1 certain areas .for e%a#ple1 international politics1 roc+#usic or A#erican foot$all4' Such +no(le&e #a+es it possi$le for secon lan&ua&ereaers to #a+e #ore sense of lin&uisticall" ifficult #aterial' rior +no(le&e an interestin a topic are particularl" necessar" for lo(er,le!el learners'

E%tensi!e reain& ieall" inclues the reain& of !arious #aterials for ifferent

TEACHING THE 4 SKILLS ;


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purposes to practice appropriate choice of reain& st"le' The !ariet" of content in ane(spaper pro!ies so#e e%cellent reain& practice of this +in1 $ecause ifferent sectionsencoura&e reain& in ifferent (a"s' TJ listin&s1 sports results1 horoscopes1 an (eather

forecasts are an incite#ent to scannin&' Bro(sin& throu&h a ne(spaper is also naturalpractice in s+i##in& an scannin&' Articles an captions1 on the other han1 in!ite closeran #ore careful reain& for as lon& as the" hol the reaer7s interest'

Ta$loi ne(spapers1 (ith their shorter articles1 #a" appear (ell suite to e%tensi!ereain&' The" are esi&ne for first lan&ua&e reaers (ho happen to share so#e of thesa#e nees as secon lan&ua&e reaers: The" o not (ant to in!est a lot of ti#e an effortin reain&1 an the" (ant their interest arouse $" healines an i#a&es' Ma


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Stuents can also $e encoura&e to $u" secon lan&ua&e #a&a6ines in their o(narea of interest an later #a+e the# a!aila$le to their class#ates' Usuall"1 the onl"necessar" encoura&e#ent for this is ha!in& a perio of sustaine silent reain& urin&

reain& class' Stuents co##onl" $rin& secon lan&ua&e #a&a6ines into this reain&perio other class#ates in!aria$l" notice these an as+ to $orro( the#' 5ith such sharin&an cooperation1 the class $e&ins to ta+e on the feelin& of a reain& co##unit" '

f) '#dren0s a"a4nes

Althou&h the precein& cate&or"1 #a&a6ines1 is &enerall" suita$le for those (ith at least aninter#eiate fluenc" in the secon lan&ua&e1 there are #a&a6ines (ritten for chilren of!arious a&es1 so#e of (hich are suita$le for less proficient secon lan&ua&e learners' The"ha!e #an" illustrations that help reain& co#prehension1 an are attracti!el" put to&ether'Chilren7s #a&a6ines also ten to inclue acti!ities an &a#es1 incluin& lan&ua&e &a#es1(hich can $e helpful for secon lan&ua&e learners'

@or aults1 chilren7s #a&a6ines #a" see# too chilish to $e of interest' Because thenature of an e%tensi!e reain& approach calls for reaer7s choice1 this is not reall" apro$le#' Those aults (ho are reluctant to rea the# o not ha!e to'

In the Unite States1 there are hunres of interestin& an infor#ati!e En&lishlan&ua&e #a&a6ines for chilren' These $e&in (ith #a&a6ines (ritten for !er" "oun&chilren1 preschoolers a&e 2 to ?1 such as Weekly Reader; Sesame Street Magazine, anthe conser!ation,oriente Your Big Backyard. The" are (ritten in lan&ua&e that is !er" eas"to unerstan an ha!e $i&1 $ri&ht pictures1 stories esi&ne to $e rea alou1 an si#plepu66les an &a#es' Because the" are intene for the !er" "oun& chil (ho has not "et ,or has


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#) 5on" adt teratre

There is nothin& =uite li+e "oun& ault literature for fa#iliari6in& teena&e stuents (ithanother culture' As Lilian Rnn=!ist an Ro&er sell point out1 -A teena&e no!el canra#ati6e life in unfa#iliar en!iron#ents as e%perience $" characters of the learner7s o(na&e- ./00;1 p1 /304' @iction (ritten for "oun& aults can $e particularl" suita$le fore%tensi!e reain&1 as the $oo+s are relati!el" short an ha!e strai&htfor(ar plots' Thecontent is usuall" fa#iliar1 particularl" in the co##on thriller an slice,of teena&e,lifestories' The lan&ua&e1 (hich tens to(ar the collo=uial1 can $e a pro$le#1 $ut at thesa#e ti#e has its a!anta&es' Rnn=!ist an Sell repeatel" #a+e the point that -teena&epupils positi!el" li+e an (ant to unerstan these $oo+s1 not least $ecause the" &i!eaccess to the collo=uial lan&ua&e use $" nati!e,spea+er teena&ers- .p' /3?4'

Teena&e an "oun& ault literature is a &enre that prouces aicti!e series anauthors' En&lish lan&ua&e series such as Hardy Boys, "ear Street, an the S#eet $alley

!#ins an S#eet $alley High $oo+s that Stephen rashen has #ae fa#ous in the ELT(orl so#eti#es run to #ore than hunre ifferent titles each' Thus1 if a stuent &etshoo+e on a series1 "ou,the teacher,#a"1 as Da!i Es+e" ./00?4 once sai1 retire for a#artini: *our


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A final1 often o!erloo+e1 $ut e%cellent source of e%tensi!e reain& #aterial is literature thathas $een translate fro# the stuentsP first lan&ua&e into the secon lan&ua&e' A &ooe%a#ple of this1 for @rench spea+ers stu"in& En&lish as a secon lan&ua&e1 is 'e (etit

(rince translate into En&lish as The 'ittle (rince. The a!anta&es of usin& such translate#aterials are se!eral' Stuents ha!e the necessar" $ac+&roun an cultural +no(le&e tounerstan the stor"' An En&lish,spea+in& collea&ue stu"in& apanese1 for e%a#ple1 sa"sthat she reas apanese translations of Harle)uin Romance no!els an Ro$ert ar+eretecti!e stories $ecause the" are relati!el" eas" for her to unerstan' Another a!anta&eof translate $oo+s is that the characters1 the plot1 an #uch of the !oca$ular" (ill $efa#iliar to the stuents if the" ha!e rea the ori&inal'

'on%son

Lan&ua&e learner literature is the first choice of reain& #aterial for stuents at the$e&innin& an inter#eiate sta&es of their reain& e!elop#ent $ecause it is interestin&

an attracti!e an is esi&ne to facilitate laerin& up' urists (ho co#plain a$outaaptations fro# literature for lan&ua&e learners pro$a$l" shoul not' If the lan&ua&e "outeach oes not ha!e lan&ua&e learner literature1 chilren7s first lan&ua&e $oo+s an#a&a6ines coul $e an accepta$le su$stitute' Teachers can also help stuents (rite theiro(n #aterial for their class#ates to rea'

Inter#eiate stuents can rea1 in aition to lan&ua&e learner literature1 such#aterials as ne(spapers1 #a&a6ines1 carefull" selecte popular an si#ple literature1"oun& ault literature1 co#ics1 an translations of $oo+s fro# their first lan&ua&e'

@a#iliarit" (ith the t"pes an sources of #aterials for e%tensi!e reain& #a+espossi$le the plannin& of a li$rar"1 (hich is the ne%t step in reali6in& an e%tensi!e reain&pro&ra#'

TEACHING THE 4 SKILLS


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materials the lure and the ladder 9

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