Assessment Task: an action plan for implementing language arts components in a language curriculum.


 


Part I: Initiatives of Planning



  • School Environment


Details: a co – education average banding school that doesn’t have a rich English environment.



  • Needs and Purpose:


Details: students have no prior knowledge to language arts or literature especially on the context of poetry, wherein there is a need to introduce poetry with the S.1 student due to the fact that the incoming S.1 students need to study poetry when they get to S.4.



  • Rationale of initiatives


Details: The aim of this paper is to teach language arts to these students at an early age to equip them with the basics before introducing the complex nature of it, this would broaden their knowledge at a slow pace yet rest assured everything is well taught and easily understood. One thing must be considered; lessons should always accommodate the insights of the students as a motivation for learning. Hence, compromising with the school environment is an individualistic approach stimulating the mind at their level of understanding rather imposing of the ideas instead of an exchange of ideas between the teacher and students. It is organized comprehensively to help one to tie together the study of literature, listening, speaking, writing and possibly research, and language. Through this, one will be able to study and learn to appreciate the beauty of literature as one think and listen critically then form own opinion, makes own decision and express them politely but firmly wither orally or in writing in grammatically correct language.



  • Relevant literature review


Details: figures of speech as defined by, A mode of expression in which words are used out of their literal meaning or out of their ordinary use in order to add beauty or emotional intensity or to transfer the poet’s sense impressions by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning familiar to the reader. Some important figures of speech are: simile, metaphor, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole and symbol.


The classification of the figure of speech is of two types:


1. Schemes – are figures of speech in which there is a deviation from the ordinary or expected pattern of words. For example, the phrase, “John, my best friend” uses the scheme known as apposition (which two elements are placed side by side, with the second element serving to define or modify the first). Examples of which; are the following: (1) Alliteration: A series of words that begin with the same letter. (2) Anaphora: The repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses. (3) Anticlimax: the arrangement of words in order of decreasing importance. (4) Antistrophe: The repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses. (5) Antithesis: The juxtaposition of opposing or contrasting ideas. (6) Aposiopesis: Breaking off or pausing speech for dramatic or emotional effect. (7) Apostrophe: Directing the attention away from the audience and to a personified abstraction, either present or not. (8) Apposition: The placing of two elements side by side, in which the second defines the first. (9) Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds, most commonly within a short passage of verse. (10) Cacophony: The juxtaposition of words producing a harsh sound. (11) Chiasmus: Reversal of grammatical structures in successive clauses. (12) Climax: The arrangement of words in order of increasing importance. (13) Enthymeme: Informal method of presenting a syllogism. (14) Hendiadys: Use of two nouns to express an idea when the normal structure would be a noun and a modifier. (15) Hendiatris: Use of three nouns to express one idea. (16) Internal rhyme: Using two or more rhyming words in the same sentence. (17) Parallelism: The use of similar structures in two or more clauses.


2. Tropes – involve changing or modifying the general meaning of a term. An example of a trope is the use of irony, which is the use of word in a way that conveys a meaning opposite to its usual meaning (“For Brutus is an honorable man; / so, are they all, honorable men”). Example of which are the following: (1) Allegory: An extended metaphor in which a story is told to illustrate an important attribute of the subject. (2) Allusion: An indirect reference to another work of literature or art. (3) Anacoenosis: Posing a question to an audience, often with the implication that it shares a common interest with the speaker. (4) Archaism: Use of an obsolete, archaic, word. (5) Epanorthosis: Immediate and emphatic self-correction, often following a slip of the tongue.  (6) Hyperbole: Use of exaggerated terms for emphasis. (7) Innuendo: Having a hidden meaning in a sentence that makes sense whether it is detected or not. (8) Irony: Use of word in a way that conveys a meaning opposite to its usual meaning. (9) Litotes: Emphasizing the magnitude of a statement by denying its opposite. (10) Metaphor: An implied comparison of two things. (11) Onomatopoeia: Words that sound like their meaning. (12) Oxymoron: Using two terms together that normally contradicts each other. (13) Parable: An extended metaphor told as an anecdote to illustrate or teach a moral lesson. (14) Paradox: Use of apparently contradictory ideas to point out some underlying truth. (15) Personification / prosopopoeia / anthropomorphism: Attributing a personality to some impersonal object. (16) Rhetorical question: asking a question not for the sake of getting an answer but for asserting something (or as for in a poem for creating a poetic effect). (17) Simile: An explicit comparison between two things. (18) Zoomorphism: applying animal characteristics to humans or gods.


Part II. Implementation


·         The Plan – this will be a 12 weeks program with one lesson per week. Each lesson would last for about 40 minutes focusing on poetic devices such as the similes, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification and hyperbole with description of assessment task after the 12 weeks program.


·         Lesson Plan


Lesson Plan Subject: Language Arts on Poetic Devices on grade level __.


Class: Enriching the Vocabulary using Similes


Introduction: Students often lack a fundamental understanding of figurative languages. This often hinder with their ability to read and comprehend selections that integrate various types of figurative language. This lesson will help students appreciate and understand how writers use similes and metaphors to enrich their writing, whether fiction or nonfictions in nature.


Materials: plain white paper for each student for the upcoming exercises and colored pens specifically red pen for checking the results.


General Objectives: After 12 weeks of teacher and student interaction, the students will be able to gain adequate knowledge, positive attitude and good skills in poetic devices such as the use of similes, metaphors, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, and personification in real  life, writing or in reading selections.


Specific Objectives:


Teacher – Centered Objectives: After 40 minutes of teacher – student interaction, the teacher will be able to:


1.      discuss briefly the definition of simile with corresponding samples to explain further the concept.


2.      give exercises regarding the topic discussed.


3.      cater questions and suggestions noting further enrichment on the subject.


4.      inform the students for the next meeting as to time, place and date.


Student – Centered Objectives: After 40 minutes of student – teacher interaction, the student will be able to:


1.      define simile on own level of understanding.


2.      participate on the given exercises as taught or discussed in the classroom.


3.      voice out indifferences, if there is any.


4.      agree with the teacher on the set time, place and date.


Lesson 1: Identifying Similes


Main Activity:  Write the term, simile on the board.


Ask: Do you know what simile means? Have students provide definitions. Write their response on the board.


Say the Definition: SIMILE is a figure of speech in which an explicit comparison is made between two essentially unlike things, usually using like, such, than or as, as in Burns’, “O, my love’s like A Red, Red Rose” or Shelley’s “As still as a brooding dove,” in The Cloud.


Examples: 


·   He was as strong as a lion.


·   It shot out like a bullet


·   “ music is such a sweet thunder”


·   Larger than life


Note: the unlike objects compared and the quality they have in common. Similes are often used in imaginative writing such as fiction and poetry to clarify and enhance an image.


Ask: Can u think of an example of a simile? Write the Student’s response on the board.


Exercises:


A. Think of a quality common to each pair of objects, and then compare them through the use of similes.


1.      hair – night


2.      teeth – pearls


3.      eyes – pebbles


4.      feet – paddles


5.      legs – rake handle


6.      hair – broom made of coconut midrib


7.      complexion – petals


8.      face – newly – opened bud


9.      hands – sands


10. waistline – wasps


11. nose – tunnel


12. breath – cologne


13. jeans – sky


14. cheeks – rose


15. heart – gold


B. Choose the correct word from the boxes to complete these similes.


1.      The paper was as _______ as a pancake.          (rose, cunning, flat)


2.      O my love is like a red, red ___________.          (rose, socks, eel)


3.      She was as bright as a ______________.          (rose, sun,  shoes)


4.      He is as ___________________ as a fox.          (cunning, fat, happy)          


5.      He was slippery as an ______________.           (eel, fox, flat, rose)


6.      The sky is black as ________________.            (ink, ant, clouds)


7.      Smoky wisps curl up like ____________.           (genies, pigs, snakes)


8.      His temper was as ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______as a volcano.             (explosive, muddy, tall)


9.      I really like Bharat. His Heart is as ____  as a pillow.    (soft, hard,  rough)


10.  Don’t tell Mother that her cookies taste like_______.   (lumps of sand, mud, cotton candy.


11.  Suzie’s smile is as ________as a bone.                        (wet, dump, dry)


12.  Lisette dances gracefully like a ______.                        (ballerina, clown, police)


13.  JP’s kite is as high as the___________.                        (mountain, cliff, shadow)


14.  The cat was bigger than ___________.             (chicken, mice, cow)


15.  BK runs as fast as a_______________.                        (lightning, car, bicycle)


 


 


C. Make your own similes by supplying what is missing.


C.1. Example: old as the hills


1.      Young as _______________.


2.      Rich as ________________.


3.      Poor as ________________.


4.      Smooth as ______________.


5.      Tall as _________________.


C. 2. Example: sounds like a cannon


1.      Smells like ______________.


2.      Feels like _______________.


3.      Ears like ________________.


4.      Looks like _______________.


5.      Tastes like _______________.


C. 3. Describe a pirate using similes:


Example: manners like a savage


1.      Clothing like __________.


2.      Jewelry like ___________.


3.      Language like _________.


4.      Eyes like _____________.


5.      Hair like ______________.


D. Matching Similes: Match Column A with Column B


                        Column A                                                      Column B


1. L The girl never tells the truth.


A. It’s as smooth as silk.


2. Y Please water that plant.


B. I’m as busy as a beaver.


3. e Those two children don’t like each other.


C. She has been as quiet as a church mouse.


4. c That girl won’t harm anyone.


D. Then I can fly like an eagle.


5. B I have many things to do today.


E. It’s as flat as a pancake.


6. b Be careful of the broken glass.


F. He’s as strong as a bull.


7. M The water has frozen.


G. She’s as slow as molasses in January.


8. A This material is very soft.


H. It’s as fresh as a daisy.


9. a Did you scrub the floor?


I. He eats like a pig.


10. V Put on some warm gloves.


J. He eats like a bird.


11. P This cake is soft and fluffy.


K. She can sing like an angel.


12. D I want to do well on my tests.


L. She lies like a rug.


13. H This bed sheet is very clean and smells good.


M. It’s as hard as a rock.


14. S I can’t understand this question.


N. They’re as black as coal.


15. Z He will get lung cancer if he’s not careful.


O. She looks as white as a ghost.


16. d My father taught me many things.


P. It’s as light as a feather.


17. G Why is she taking so much time?


Q. It’s as sweet as honey.


18. f I have heard that story many times before.


R. Time flies like an arrow.


19. I He’s such a sloppy eater.


S. It’s as clear as mud.


20. W He doesn’t listen to anyone.


T. She is flying as high as a kite.


21. O The patient looks very ill.


U. She’s as blind as a bat.


22. J He doesn’t eat very much.


V. Your hands are as cold as ice.


23. K She sings with much feeling.


W. He’s as stubborn as a mule.


24. F The man can lift this heavy box.


X. He sits there like a bump on a log.


25. R We shouldn’t waste time worrying.


Y. It’s as dry as a bone.


26. N Go to the bathroom to clean your hands.


Z. He smokes like a chimney.


27. X The boy is very lazy.


a. It’s as clean as a whistle.


28. Q The pudding tastes delicious.


b. It’s as sharp as a knife.


29. U She has very poor eyesight.


c. She’s as gentle as a lamb.


30. E Did you step on this?


d. He’s as wise as an owl.


31. T She is very excited about getting her driver’s license.


e. They always fight like cats and dogs.


32. C I will go check on the baby.


f. It’s as old as the hills.


Figure 1: Similes in the ESL Classroom


Author:


E. Extension Activity: Have students pick a song they like and search for similes in the lyrics. Have the students share the lyrics with the rest of the class.


Study Helps for ESL Accommodations:


1.      Pair students who need help with another student who will help them.


2.      Provide a dictionary if needed possibly thesaurus.


3.      Provide a peer helper for those students who need help.


Debriefing / Evaluation Activity: Review the structure of the simile and assess their learning by asking them for further clarifications on what part what they have not fully understood. They will be evaluated based on observation in the classroom and successful completion of the activities or worksheets presented.


 


Part III: Predicted Outcomes


·                     Predicted Students’ literacy:


Details: After a 12 week period of language arts on poetic devices the students will be able to apply the knowledge learned for future innovations either in writing or reading.  They will be able to recognize the importance of enriching vocabulary skills by interpreting figurative language in more ways as possible.  It will be easier for S.1 students to comprehend complex matters when they reach S.4 regarding figurative literature. Future lessons will motivate them to acquire more insights and share them as well for the benefit to wipe out doubts and clarify other concerns.


·                                 Staff Development


Details: Learning is a two way process therefore, not only the students learn from the activities, teachers would be able to do the same. Teachers can start their lesson plans by simple subject such as simile where in it is so common that students would be able to jive in the activity presented. The resourcefulness and creativity of the said plan would depend on how well the teacher is well – informed of the subject matter. One can encourage students to share their language’s (native tongue) simile. In that way, both parties will gain much insight into each other’s culture.


 


·                                 Possible problems and Solutions


Details: There will be a possibility that students will not be able to meet the expectation of the teacher on few activities. The solution would be: extend patience until they meet what is expected, introduce familiar terms and that is on students’ level of understanding before beginning with difficult task.


Part IV. Personal reflection on such curriculum in a school


Details: Introducing figurative speeches in different ways as possible enhances learning, not only that it increases student’s motivation in recognizing different poetic devices, it enhances their speech or communication skills that they may be able to integrate it while speaking or through writing or they may be able to recognize it as they read through with different literary materials.


Reference:



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