Google Drive Folder HERE
[This is an old CELTA lesson that I found on an old USB. I remember it working fairly well at the time, so I'll post it here. The assignment was to design a lesson to introduce an authentic piece of literature to an upper Intermediate class. It wasn't a flawless lesson, but worked relatively well, and I've re-used it since for advanced reading classes. Below is the lesson plan, in classic CELTA style (google: drive, docs, pub). Followed by the reading text (google: drive, docs, pub), the vocabulary sheet (google: drive, docs, pub), and the question sheet (google: drive, docs, pub) and answer sheet (for the last section only google: drive, docs, pub). The pictures I used for this lesson are also uploaded below. The line numbering didn't copy and paste to the blog, so see google docs version for that.]
Listening Video HERE
Lesson plan
Time (minutes)
___60____ Level _____Upper Intermediate________
Aims
For students to gain confidence in English reading ability by working
through an authentic text from a well known author
--Secondary
aims—practice reading for gist and for specific information from a text
Materials
and aids
Hemingway
book (in form of handout), flip board, whiteboard and markers, visuals
pictures, realia (map, pencil) book, Stopwatch
to time gist reading
Assumptions
about students’ knowledge/ abilities
Students
will probably have heard of Hemingway, but will probably not have read his
books, at least not in the original English.
European students will already be familiar with the history of the
Spanish Civil War, but Asian students may not be.
Anticipated
problems
1).
There is a fair amount of military vocabulary in this reading. Much of it is not blocking vocabulary, but
some of it is (blow, reinforcement, sentries, and aerial bombardment.)
2).
European students might have an advantage over Asian students because they’ll
be more familiar with the historical context.
Also some of the more technical military language might have cognates in
European languages.
Solutions
to the problems
1).
Turn the pre-teaching of vocabulary into an activity. Have students scan the reading for military
vocabulary, and discuss the possible meanings with their partner. Then collect examples from students and put
on board. Make sure blocking vocabulary
is covered. Other military vocabulary
address only as the student’s highlight it.
2).
Ideally European students would be paired up with Asian students so that that
the expertise is not all on one side of the room, and students can teach each
other. (Or would it be better to keep
the partners balanced so that one does not dominate the other?)
I
also want to avoid the appearance of racial profiling by assigning pairs on
skin colour, so instead of intentionally pairing up Asians to Europeans, simply
tell students to partner with someone from a different country, and hope that
this will end up mixing up the Asians and Europeans naturally.
(Perhaps
at the beginning of class tell students to stand up and find someone from a
different country? But would this
violate the principle that the teacher should nominate pairs?)
Meaning (and concept
checking questions)
There is lots of vocab that students potentially might not
know, but hopefully will not block understanding. (Be prepared to explain the words if they
come up, but don’t pre-teach anything that’s not blocking vocab.)
Potential problematic vocab includes: reinforcements,
aerial, sentries, scarred, bombardment, deaf, blow, undertake, annulled, tank,
command, division, guerrilla, hawking, hearsay, croaked, sullenly
Blocking military vocab: blow, general, aerial bombardment,
guerrilla, reinforcements
Form
Mostly nouns (especially military vocabulary)
Blow: verb
Pronunciation
Aerial /ˈeə.ri.əl/
Bombardment /ˌbɒmˈbɑːd.mənt/
Blow /bloʊ/
General /ˈdʒen.ər.əl/
Guerrilla /gəˈrɪl.ə/
Reinforcements /ˌriː.ɪnˈfɔː.smənt/
These vocabulary
words are necessary for understanding the reading and answering the questions,
but they are not useful in daily life.
Therefore do not spend time drilling pronunciation with these vocab
words. Make sure students understand
meaning, and then move on.
Please rule a line after each stage Aim of stage: Introduce novels
time: 5 min
interaction: T---Ss
Procedural steps: “Today, we’re going to talk about novels. (Show book). What are some different types of novels?” (Try and elicit as many genres as possible and write them on the board. If necessary prod students by providing a couple of examples. Try and get at least 7 on the board before moving on.)
Aim of stage: FST gain motivation for reading
time: 5-10 min
interaction: Ss---Ss
Procedural steps: *Ask students to talk to partners about their favourite book or author.
* collect some of the feedback as a class
Dialogue: “I want you to talk to your partner about your favourite book and your favourite author.”\
ICQ: “What do I want you to talk about?”
FB:
After students finish: “Okay, stop. What are some of the books and authors you mentioned?”
(After getting examples, ask, “What type of story is it?” Refer to genre words on board.)
aim of stage: Motivate students to read English
time: 5-10 min
interaction: Ss---Ss
procedural steps: Ask students if they have ever read or tried to read a book in English. Get students to talk in groups. Collect feedback as a class.
“Next, have you ever read, or tried to read any books in English? Was it difficult or easy? Talk to your partner.”
FB:
“Okay, stop. Has anyone ever tried to read any English books?”
aim of stage: Set context for book
time: 5 min
interaction: T---Ss
Procedural steps: “Well, today you’re all going to get some practice reading a real English book. I have one of my favourite books here.” (Show book, but hide title.) “It’s by a famous author. Can you guess who it is?”
If necessary, gradually give hints. “He’s an American.” “He lived from 1899 to 1961.” (Write dates on board.) “During World War I, he joined the Italian army as an ambulance driver.” “He lived in Paris, Spain, and Cuba.” If need be give title of one of his book. “He wrote ‘A Farewell to Arms’.” If at this point the answer is still not known, provide it for students.
“Has anyone read any of Hemingway’s books? What are some of the titles?” Elicit as many titles as possible. If necessary give titles. Make sure “For Whom the Bell Tolls” is put on board.
Ask students: “Have you ever read this book? Or seen the movie with Gary Cooper? What do you know about it?” Try and elicit as much student knowledge as possible
Show students picture of book cover (picture is somewhat small so make sure to bring around to the tables so that the students can see.) “What is this?” (elicit book cover). “Good, and what can you see on the book cover?” (Several possible responses. Try and direct student’s attention to the bridge.)
“What kind of story do you think it is?” (Student response. Teacher may occasionally ask “Why do you think that?” but don’t comment on correctness of guess.)
Aim of stage: FST do gist reading
time: 5-10 min
Interaction: Ss---Ss
Procedural steps: Teacher sets scene. In this part there are two men sitting at a table and talking.
(Alternative: Draw picture on flip board and ask student’s to describe it. “What can you see hear? What is this? What is that?”
One of them has a (elicit map by showing realia) and a (elicit pencil through realia).
I’m going to give you some pages from the 1st chapter. I want you to read quickly, and answer these 3 questions. (Show questions on flip board).
1). What are the names of the two men?
2). What are they talking about?
And, 3), I want you to try and think, what kind of story is this? Is this an adventure, comedy, romance, what?” (Point to examples already collected on the board.)
You only have 3 minutes, so you’ll have to do this quickly.
ICQ’s: How much time do you have? (Possibly give students one minute longer than they’re told to allow for the long reading, but still provide a sense of urgency.)
“Stop. Now, talk about the answers with your partner.”
Go over answers: What are their names? (Robert Jordan and Golz.) Good, what are they talking about? (Blowing the bridge). Aid comprehension with pictures if necessary. “Okay, so what does it mean to blow a bridge? Good you have a bridge here. And what is this man doing on the bridge here? Good, and then you have the explosion here? And what happened to the bridge?
And what kind of story is it? (Possibly differing answers: historical, adventure, et cetera. Try and elicit or highlight “War story”. Also if students have not picked up on the romance, try and highlight that as well.)
“Only war? I have the movie poster here. What kind of story does this look like? Look at lines 67—72 (write on board). What are they talking about? (girls). What kind of story could that be? (Romance). “Good, so this book is? (War and romance).
aim of stage: FST scan for vocab
time: 5-10 min
interaction: Ss---Ss
procedural steps: “A war story has a special type of vocabulary, right? What kind of words would we usually find in a war story?” (Try and elicit a couple examples from students.)
With your partner, I want you to go through this and find all the words about war. Then, talk about their meaning with your partner. If you don’t know the meaning, try to guess the meaning.”
ICQs: What do I want you to find? (war vocabulary)
What do I want you to talk about?
(the meaning)
What do you do if you don’t know the meaning? (try and guess).
Do an example with the students. “Let’s do one together. Look in the reading. Who can find a war vocabulary word? Good, and what does it mean?”
Give students a few minutes for the activity. If time is tight, don’t let students go on for two long.
“Okay, stop. Look up here. Can someone tell me a word?” And what do you think it means?
Get a few examples from students, but make sure to elicit blocking vocabulary. If blocking vocabulary is not produced in the first 5 examples, give it. Blocking vocab is: General, blow, aerial bombardment, reinforcements, and guerrilla.
Try and elicit vocab meaning. Highlight meaning if eliciting is inadequate.
(Show picture of General McArthur) “Who is this? What’s his name? What is his job? (elicit general) What is a general? (He’s a very high position in the army).
What is this? (Show pictures of bombs?) And what is this? (Show pictures of aerial bombardment.) “Aerial bombardment”. Good, aerial means what? (from the air) bombardment means? (drop bombs).
What are reinforcements?—(extra men brought in to help during a battle.)
And what is a guerrilla fighter. (Someone who fights behind enemy lines using ambush and sabotage—like blowing up a bridge.)
CCQs: Is the general in the army?
Is his position high or low?
Where do reinforcements go?
Is a guerrilla war like a regular war?
What does a guerrilla fighter do?
To ensure all students have the correct answer for the blocking vocab, hand out sheet
aim of stage: FST do detailed reading
time: 5-10 min
interaction: Ss---Ss
Procedural steps: “Next, I’m going to give you a sheet. I want you to work on this with your partner. I’m going to pass it out, and then we’ll do the first one as an example. What is Golz’s job? Good, a general. Finish the rest of these with your partner. I’ll give you a hint. You can find the answers to these in part 2.
ICQ: What do I want you to do? (Finish these with a partner)
Where can you find the answers? (In part 2).
Allow time for students to work in pairs.
After they have been working for a few minutes, assign different numbers to report back to class. “Can you guys do number 2 for the class?” et cetera.
“Okay, stop, let’s go over the answers. You guys, what did you get for number 2?”
Teacher writes answers on the board as students give them.
aim of stage: To elicit background information from students
time: 5 min
interaction: T---Ss
Procedural steps: Hopefully it will be elicited through the exercise that the book takes place during the Spanish Civil War. Otherwise try and ask students, “What’s happening in Spain at this time?” “What are they doing in Spain?”
Once topic of Spanish Civil War has been elicited, get as much information from students as possible about the war and the role that international volunteers played.
After this, direct their attention to section C and quickly read through it.
aim of stage: FST do second detailed reading [time permitting]
time: 5-10 min
interaction: Ss---Ss
procedural steps: [Time permitting] “Now, what is the plan? Look at number 11. Why does Robert Jordan need to blow the bridge? I’ll give you a hint. The answer is in part 1.”
(Try and elicit answer from students.) Good, finish the rest with your partner.
Allow students time.
“Okay, stop. Let’s go over these together.” Write answers on the board. (Or OHT?)
aim of stage: {Time permitting} FST get production practice/ exploit text for speaking practice
time: 5 min (or longer)
Interaction:Ss---Ss
procedural steps: [Time permitting]
“This book is 477 pages long? What is going to happen next? What story can you imagine? Talk to your partner about what you think will happen in this book.
ICQ: What do I want you to talk about?
Time permitting, give delayed feedback for any production mistakes picked up during monitoring.
Time permitting, collect student predictions at the end.
aim of stage: [Time permitting]
FST get writing practice/ exploit text for writing practice
time:5-10 min
interaction: Ss--Ss
procedural steps: [Extra activity if time permits]
With your partner, I want you to imagine two people are sitting at a table making a plan. (Flip back flip chart to picture of two people.) Who are they? What are they talking about? Imagine they are making a plan. What are they planning? Write down their conversation with your partner.
ICQ: What do I want you to do?
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
From
Chapter 1
"To blow the bridge is
nothing," Golz had said, the lamplight on his scarred, shaved head,
pointing with a pencil on the big map. "You understand?"
"Yes, I understand."
"Absolutely nothing. Merely
to blow the bridge is a failure."
"Yes, Comrade
General."
"To blow the bridge at a
stated hour based on the time set for the attack is how it should be done. You
see that naturally. That is your right and how it should be done."
Golz looked at the pencil,
then tapped his teeth with it.
Robert Jordan had said
nothing.
"You understand that is
your right and how it should be done," Golz went on, looking at him and
nodding his head. He tapped on the map now with the pencil. "That is how I
should do it. That is what we cannot have."
"Why, Comrade
General?"
"Why?" Golz said,
angrily. "How many attacks have you seen and you ask me why? What is to
guarantee that my orders are not changed? What is to guarantee that the attack
is not annulled? What is to guarantee that the attack is not postponed? What is
to guarantee that it starts within six hours of when it should start? Has any
attack ever been as it should?"
"It will start on time if
it is your attack," Robert Jordan said.
"They are never my
attacks," Golz said. "I make them. But they are not mine. The
artillery is not mine. I must put in for it. I have never been given what I ask
for even when they have it to give. That is the least of it. There are other
things. You know how those people are. It is not necessary to go into all of
it. Always there is something. Always some one will interfere. So now be sure
you understand."
"So when is the bridge to
be blown?" Robert Jordan had asked.
"After the attack starts.
As soon as the attack has started and not before. So that no reinforcements
will come up over that road." He pointed with his pencil. "I must
know that nothing will come up over that road."
"And when is the
attack?"
"I will tell you. But you
are to use the date and hour only as an indication of a probability. You must
be ready for that time. You will blow the bridge after the attack has started.
You see?" he indicated with the pencil. "That is the only road on
which they can bring up reinforcements. That is the only road on which they can
get up tanks, or artillery, or even move a truck toward the pass which I
attack. I must know that bridge is gone. Not before, so it can be repaired if
the attack is postponed. No. It must go when the attack starts and I must know
it is gone. There are only two sentries. The man who will go with you has just
come from there. He is a very reliable man, they say. You will see. He has
people in the mountains. Get as many men as you need. Use as few as possible,
but use enough. I do not have to tell you these things."
"And how do I determine
that the attack has started?"
"It is to be made with a
full division. There will be an aerial bombardment as preparation. You are not
deaf, are you?"
"Then I may take it that
when the planes unload, the attack has started?"
"You could not always
take it like that," Golz said and shook his head. "But in this case,
you may. It is my attack."
"I understand it,"
Robert Jordan had said. "I do not say I like it very much."
"Neither do I like it
very much. If you do not want to undertake it, say so now. If you think you
cannot do it, say so now."
"I will do it,"
Robert Jordan had said. "I will do it all right."
"That is all I have to
know," Golz said. "That nothing comes up over that bridge. That is
absolute."
"I understand."
Part 2
“Let us now have a drink. So
much talking makes me very thirsty, Comrade Hordan. You have a funny name in
Spanish, Comrade Hordown."
"How do you say Golz in
Spanish, Comrade General?"
"Hotze," said Golz
grinning, making the sound deep in his throat as though hawking with a bad
cold. "Hotze," he croaked. "Comrade Heneral Khotze. If I had
known how they pronounced Golz in Spanish I would pick me out a better name
before I come to war here. When I think I come to command a division and I can
pick out any name I want and I pick out Hotze. Heneral Hotze. Now it is too
late to change. How do you like partizan
work?" It was the Russian term for guerrilla work behind the lines.
"Very much," Robert
Jordan said. He grinned. "It is very healthy in the open air."
"I liked it very much
when I was your age, too," Golz said. "They tell me you blow bridges
very well. Very scientific. It is only hearsay. I have never seen you do
anything myself. Maybe nothing ever happens really. You really blow them?"
he was teasing now. "Drink this," he handed the glass of Spanish
brandy to Robert Jordan. "You really blow them?"
"Sometimes."
"You better not have any
sometimes on this bridge. No, let us not talk any more about this bridge. You
understand enough now about that bridge. We are very serious so we can make
very strong jokes. Look, do you have many girls on the other side of the
lines?"
"No, there is no time for
girls."
"I do not agree. The more
irregular the service, the more irregular the life. You have very irregular
service. Also you need a haircut."
"I have my hair cut as it
needs it," Robert Jordan said. He would be damned if he would have his
head shaved like Golz. "I have enough to think about without girls,"
he said sullenly.
Key military Vocabulary
Aerial /ˈeə.ri.əl/ (adjective
before noun)
In
of or from the air.
Bombardment /ˌbɒmˈbɑːd.mənt/ (noun-action)
The act of using bombs
Aerial Bombardment (adjective noun
combination)
Example: There will be an aerial bombardment (line 41).
The act of
dropping bombs from airplanes.
Blow /bloʊ/ (verb)
Example: “To blow the
bridge is nothing” (line 1).
It means to cause
something to be destroyed by an explosion.
Sometimes we say “blow up,” but Hemingway only writes it as “blow.”
General /ˈdʒen.ər.əl/ (noun--person)
Example: “Yes, Comrade Genera.” (line 5)
A general is a position
in the army. It is one of the highest
positions.
Guerrilla /gəˈrɪl.ə/ (adjective)
Example: It was the Russian term for guerrilla work behind
the lines (line 61)
Guerrilla war
is a conflict between an organized army on one side, and irregular groups on
the other. Guerrilla fighters usually
use sabotage and ambush against the army.
Reinforcements /ˌriː.ɪnˈfɔː.smənt/ (noun-plural)
Example: “That is the only road on
which they can bring up reinforcements.”
(lines 32 and 33)
Reinforcements
are extra men brought in to help during a battle.
A. Characters: Robert Jordan and Golz
Hint: Look at
part 2 (lines 53-78)
1. What is
Golz’s job?______________
2. What is
Robert Jordan’s job?________________
3. What does Golz
look like?___________
4 What does
Robert Jordan look like? _____________
5. Who is
older, Golz or Robert Jordan?___________
How
do you know?__________________________________
6. Does Robert
Jordan have a girlfriend?_______________________
7. Where do you
think Golz is from? (Try to guess.) Why do you think this?
___________________________________________________________
8. Where do you
think Robert Jordan is from? (Try to
guess.) Why do you think this?
___________________________________________________________
B. Setting
9. What country
do you think they are in now? (Try to
guess.) Why do you think this?
___________________________________________________________
10. What year
do you think it is now? (Try to
guess.) Why do you think this?
___________________________________________________________
C. Background
The Spanish Civil War was from 1936 to 1939. The Spanish Republicans fought against the
Spanish Fascists. Many international
volunteers, like Robert Jordan and General Golz, came from all over Europe, America, and Russia to defend the Spanish
republic.
The
book “For Whom the Bell
Tolls” takes place in June, 1937, the second year of the Spanish Civil War.
D. The
Plan
(Hint: Look at Part 1)
11. Why does Robert Jordan need to blow the
bridge?
_______________________________________________________
12. When should Robert Jordan blow the bridge?
_______________________________________________________
13. How will Robert Jordan know that the attack
has started?
_______________________________________________________
14. What will happen if he blows the bridge too
early?
_______________________________________________________
E. Predictions
“For Whom the Bell Tolls” is 477
pages long. What do you think will
happen from here? Will they blow the
bridge? Will they win the war? Will Robert Jordan find a girlfriend? Will Robert Jordan get a haircut? What else do you think might happen? Talk to your partner.
11. Why does Robert Jordan need to blow the
bridge?
To stop
the reinforcements from coming.
12. When should Robert Jordan blow the bridge?
Once the
attack has started.
13. How will Robert Jordan know that the attack
has started?
He will
hear the aerial bombardment.
14. What will happen if he blows the bridge too
early?
It will
be repaired before the attack.
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