Sunday 5 February 2017

LEARNING IS FUN

USING  ICT, CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND LINKING LEARNING TO LIFE.


These are the activities done by students that assist and promote critical thinking. We fused English Language, Literature and Cinema and used Blogging, Interactive powerpoint presentation, Regular PPT and Character charts as mediums and mind maps and brainstorming as tools.For the ones who walked their talk- the results bear witness to the process. 



1] BLOGGING

 We began with Blogging .
The objective was to build confidence and improve language skills and vocabulary.

The results are present for all to see. To improve one's vocabulary and writing skills, reflections are necessary as they convert our thoughts into words.It is the best way of learning how to express oneself.
Exchanges and conversations based on outputs enlighten and enhance critical thinking as well as expression of these thoughts.



2] INTERACTIVE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

The Interactive powerpoint presentation focused on the 7 elements of story writing.
The animated Walt Disney movie 'The Little Mermaid ' became the base of this activity.The game of 'Who wants to be a millionaire 'was used to analyze and deduce character and plot while the blank screen was used for critical thinking and analysis as well as dealing with descriptive adjectives which form an essential requirement in writing short stories.


The reconstruction of plot was done in two ways:
1]The Think-Pair -Share Activity not only enhanced brainstorming and team work but also encouraged confidence to speak aloud.
2] Individual Worksheets





Thereafter the students applied the rules they had learnt and created a mindmap of a short story from their ICSE textbook.They have now learnt the art of learning the important parts of each short story and preparing the mindmaps which will embed these stories- the plot and character as well as function as revision notes for them.






And in this very blog the students have reflected on their activity. Thus the students have not only learned the seven important elements required in a short story which they can apply in their Language paper but have also applied it to their Literature short story text book for their short stories.



Finally, we looked at how fairy tales have changed. From a Cinderella who waited for her prince to save her, we now saw the modern form of her in Rella, the renegade hunter.Write of the world and for the present world.Life changes and so do roles and people change. This small clip on the modern version of Cinderella encouraged them to think out of the box and look at the role of women from the perspective of independent warriors who could fight their own battles in life and face their own trials rather than victims waiting to be rescued.


3]CHARACTER CHARTS : THE MERCHANT OF VENICE-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE-PORTIA



Link between Literature and Language:
Literature- Character Sketch of Portia
Language: Use of adjectives and adjective phrases
This will be a continuous activity and conclude with a complete analysis of the characters by the end of the play.Students have selected their characters and this time picked chits with the names of their classmates. In this way they will work with a partner for the remaining charts.The remaining characters were selected by the students themselves 
 Objectives : 
To describe Portia according to information provided in the text.
To understand the difference between physical appearance and character
To comprehend the difference between physical appearance and character
To acreate a character chart of Portia
To apply the same process to deduce the same for the other characters in the play..


Character done in class as an example : Portia

Stage 1 : Difference between Appearance and character

Student contribution based on Act 1 and 2 : All deductions had to be  justified with examples from the text.]








Stage 2: In Process : Worksheets prepared to be filled by students.






The students are made aware of adjectives essential to describe both the physical appearance and the nature of the character.
The same exercise will be executed for the other important characters once we have completed Portia's character sketch Act 1 and Act 2.

4] REGULAR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION:

LANGUAGE: ARGUMENTATIVE DISCUSSION
LITERATURE: LOOKS FORWARD TO AN ANALYSIS OF THE ARGUMENTS PRESENTED BY THE PRINCE OF MOROCCO AND THE PRINCE OF ARRAGON WHILE MAKING THEIR CHOICES AND THE FINAL BATTLE IN THE COURT OF VENICE.
Objectives: 
To know the dynamics involved in an argumentative discussion
To know, understand and comprehend the elements involved in an effective argumentative discussion.
To use the right parts of speech to make their argumentative discussions effective.
To apply their knowledge, understanding and comprehension by answering critical thinking questions and then creating a mind map that will assist them in writing an argumentative discussion on a given topic in 250-300 words. 
STAGE 1:
EXCERPTS FROM THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION:






STAGE 2:

DEDUCING THE ELEMENTS OF ARGUMENTATIVE DISCUSSION THROUGH AN ONLINE GAME 


STAGE 3:

REVISION OF PARTS OF SPEECH ESSENTIAL FOR AN EFFECTIVE ONLINE DISCUSSION:

ADJECTIVES





THINKING VERBS








STAGE 3 : 

STUDENTS WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS AND LINKS TO RESEARCH








STAGE 4 :

STUDENTS WERE GIVEN 15 CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS TO RESPOND TO ON THE BASIS OF THEIR INTELLECTUAL, ANALYTICAL AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO THE RESEARCH MATERIAL.










STAGE 5 :
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PRESENT  IN THE SLIDE GIVEN BELOW : IN PROCESS




While we are in process of completing the last project, we have already begun training for peer evaluation and started using filmmaking and animation as a medium to study the poem, ' The Professor ' by Nissim Ezekiel.





Sunday 4 December 2016



REFLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Dear Students,
We have begun a new way of looking at our subject. We have started with interlinking three aspects of English- English Language, English movies and English Literature.


Image result for pictures of disney's the little mermaid

Reflect on :
What have you learned this week?Was it beneficial?How?
How were language , literature and the movie interlinked together?
What were your feelings during this journey in your English classes?


Monday 28 November 2016

Dear Students,

What does this video make you feel? 

Saturday 26 November 2016