Aim:
thinking: to get the students to reflect on the previously devised draft of a text ENV and elaborate it;

subject specific: to develop the skills of a literary text analysis according to a selected parameter

Glossary: the text ENV  is a system of parameters, values and procedures to analyse a text; an algorithm of a text analysis;

Materials: the previously devised drafts of a text ENV; Eric Segul 'Love Story'

Tasks:(had to be done at home)

- to read the text

- to be ready to present your draft ENV text

- to apply the draft of a text ENV to the analysis of a new text (Love Story) using one of the parameters (to the students' choice)

 

 

Since this is the last but one lesson this year, I have decided to get the students to summarise the skills and knowledge in text analysis they have got and get them to reflect on the usefulness and the quality of the tool - the ENV text. For this purpose I gave them a task - both comprehensive and specific - to present their text ENV in general and to present the analysis of one of the aspects of the text according to one of the selected parameters in their ENV text.

PROCEDURES

In class:

Step 1

Draft ENV text: explain which parameters of a  text  you have selected as salient and why

I asked one of the students to present his ENV text, the others added, commented, argued, discussed.

During our discussion we have highlighted the questions we need to clarify in the future:

We need to identify specific features (values) of the following ENV text parameters:

layout, structure and organisation

message, purpose, main idea

plot and story

means of communication = dialogue/monologue how to call it so that it is understandable to everybody and where it fits

The students have expressed the following ideas for elaborating the ENV text (to deal with next year)

1)    create a bank of purposes why the authors create texts (from Sandra)
2)    New values of content to consider: fact and fiction;
3)    in ENV text about each parameter write why it is introduced, which values it contains and how it is described and how it is connected with other parameters
4)    introduce Oxana’s suggestion about the values of the ENV character: round and flat characters etc
5)    to develop the ENV text: each parameter becomes an element in its turn which has its own parameters and values: develop the character ENV; develop the  language ENV etc.
6)    consider where to put a purpose as part of Content or above the whole system
8)    Create a bank of stylistic devices and use of specific vocabulary/grammar structures: which of them are likely to create which effect e.g. personal pronouns – the text-is self-centred etc.
9)    Selective approach: approach each text specifically – select the parameters that are salient and omit irrelevant/unmarked (e.g. if there are no deviations from a normal layout  (e.g. big letters, italics etc.) – do not mention it at all; in other words, it is not the text that exists for analysis – but the analysis is done to better understand the text

The discussion outcomes: we have agreed on the following: the text ENV has to have two main parameters - content and form and each has a number of values which in their turn when become elements for description have specific parameters and parameters have values (see one of the versions in the section of Materials);

As to the format of the ENV text

The problem: we have not come to the united text ENV (one for the group) yet and I do not know if it is necessary; however, we are negotiating the meanings of the salient parameters

We also discussed the features of an ideal model (or tool) - the text ENV in our context:

AN IDEAL MODEL: functionally simple and comprehensive (it should comprise as many parameters as needed for the most complete understanding of a text

As to the format of the ENV text - we discussed it could be varied: a grid, a list,

Step 2

Analyse the text according to the parameter you have selected

Planning: forms of work
Version 1 (if all have chosen one – group them and get to learn from each other and summarise)
Version 2 (if different) – start to get them to tell what they chose and how analysed

Summarise: what you have learned about the text ; about using the model

Form of work: version 2 was chosen; I asked each student to present their analysis,  others commenting, asking, adding etc.

Analysis: e.g.Student 1

the parameter: content - POV:

values:

the first person narrator=the protagonist, a young man

occupation: a history student, a young man, from a rich family (studies in Harvard = prestigious),

likes: likes to look at beautiful women (not just to eye the cheese),

language: uses slang,

attitude: is not quite serious with studies – a typical student (last pre-exam night);

mood: not without a sense of humour;

Questions: How does this information influence our understanding of the text? What are the reasons of using

Homework:
a)    reflect on how you did the task (on text analysis) how and what you improved in your model after the discussion
b)    to make our final class memorable - think of the entertaining interactive oral task for the group on  using the text

Reflections:

Aims: thinking

I think as a a result of what we have been doing some students  have raised their awareness of the usefulness of the model (those who were forgetting about it) others - have re-viewed and will hopefully develop and use it in the future

Subject-specific:

They have analysed the text according to Content (Theme, plot, POV, characters), Form (Language, organisation, genre) and  also made some interesting discoveries in the understanding of the text (e.g. - one: Oliver had started liking Jennie even before he asked her for a coffee; most of the students liked the procedure and the outcome and

Thinking task framework: I think as to the first task - to present the draft of ENV text - the students have dealt with step 3 - during the lesson and at home they will reflect on how they used the tool (the ENV text) and how it helped them to get the most of the text; and step 1 and 2 when they applied it to the analysis.