Get strong together in times of crisis. Дискуссии по книге Little Women. Часть 5

В статье представлены 5 дискуссионных блоков и 2 диалога Prove You Right для обсуждения пятой главы Little Women. Преподаватель может следовать нашим рекомендациям или «собрать» готовый план урока в зависимости от возрастной категории и персональных предпочтений студента.  

Для подростков рекомендуется следующий план урока:

— обсуждение сюжета;

— блок 1 — My position in my family;

— блок 2 — My peers;

— блок 4 — In front of my parents или блок 5 — Mother knows best (на выбор);

— диалог Prove You Right, тема Mother knows best;

— выводы, обсуждение домашнего задания.

Для взрослых  рекомендуется следующий план урока:

— обсуждение сюжета;

— блок 4 — In front of my parents;

— блок 3 — Should I keep others emotionally safe;

— блок 5 — Mother knows best;

— диалог Prove You Right, тема Keeping others emotionally safe;

— выводы, обсуждение домашнего задания.

Обсуждение сюжета

Попросите студента кратко пересказать сюжет. 5 мин. 

Блоки для дискуссии

Блок 1. My position in my family

Покажите подростку диалог. 

— What in the world are you going to do now… (Meg)

— Going out for exercise… (Jo)

— It’s cold and dull out, and I advise you to stay warm and dry by the fire, as I do… (Meg)

Попросите подростка вспомнить и кратко описать контекст (Джо собирается на улицу, Мег советует сестре остаться дома, в тепле и уюте).

Далее поговорите с подростком о взаимоотношениях старших и младших детей в семье. Воспользуйтесь предлагаемыми вопросами.

How many girls are there in the March family? 

(four girls)

Who is the oldest? Who is the youngest?

(Meg is the oldest; Amy is the youngest)

Who likes lecturing and giving advice? 

(Meg)

How do you feel about Meg’s behavior? (I like it, I don’t care, I hate it) Why?

Does Laurie have any siblings? (no)

What family model do you like more? (the Marches, the Laurences, neither) Why?

Do you have siblings? How many? If not, do you know any peers who have siblings?

What is your position? (the oldest one, the youngest one, the middle kid, the only child)

Do you like it? 

What are the advantages of being the oldest one, the youngest one, the middle kid, the only child? (Choose the student’s position)

What are the disadvantages?

Why do older siblings like to teach younger kids? How do you feel about it?

Do they really know more? Or do they pretend to know more?

If you could choose your ideal family, how many kids would you choose?

Блок 2. My peers

Покажите подростку диалог. 

— Can’t somebody read to you? (Jo)

— There isn’t anyone I’d like to see. Boys make such a row, and my head is weak. (Laurie)

Попросите подростка вспомнить и кратко описать контекст (Джо и Лори говорят о книгах, Лори не хочет приглашать сверстников в свой дом).

Далее поговорите с подростком о взаимоотношениях со сверстниками. Воспользуйтесь предлагаемыми вопросами.

What has happened to Laurie? 

Is there anyone to read books for him? 

Let’s remember their meeting at the party. Why did Laurie hide from all his peers?

What friends do you like more? Peers (the same age as you), ones that are younger than you, ones that are older than you? Why?

Is the age of a person the key point for you to be or not to be friends? Why (not)?

Покажите подростку отрывок из пятой главы. 

If the Laurences had been what Jo called `prim and poky’, she would not have got on at all, for such people always made her shy and awkward. But finding them free and easy, she was so herself, and made a good impression. 

Продолжайте развивать разговор о том, что помогает нам находить хороших друзей. Нам предстоит сравнить сестер Марч и их друзей. Старайтесь сохранять нейтралитет по принципу «find your pack to join». Используйте предложенные ниже вопросы.

So why could Laurie and Jo be friends?

Let’s remember their meeting at the party. Why did Jo hide from all her peers?

Why couldn’t Jo be friends with Sally and Annie? Were they bad and spoiled or what?

So why could Meg be friends with those girls?

What is the difference between Jo and Meg? 

Compare the girls’ friends. Don’t judge them, just try to analyze and see the difference. 

What do you think of the phrase “find your pack and join it”?

What helps you to find good friends? Hobbies, sport, neighborhood, school, etc.

Блок 3. Should I keep others emotionally safe?

Покажите студенту отрывок:

“Thank you, ma’am,” said a gruff voice behind her…

Poor Jo blushed till she couldn’t blush any redder, and her heart began to beat uncomfortably fast as she thought what she had said.

The gruff voice was gruffer than ever … «So you’re not afraid of me, hey?»

Попросите студента вспомнить и кратко описать контекст (Джо комментирует портрет мистера Лоуренса вслух и не замечает, что дедушка находится у нее за спиной).

Продолжайте развивать разговор о том, что студент считает нужным говорить, а о чем предпочитает промолчать. Воспользуйтесь предлагаемыми вопросами:

Does Laurie’s grandpa seem to be gruff? Why (not)? What is your impression?

If you were grandpa and heard Jo’s speech, what would you do and say?

If Jo knew that grandpa is behind her, what would she say? Compliments? Would she be silent? What would you say in this case? 

What is up to you: “I say what I think, frankly and openly” or “I try not to hurt others’ feelings”? Why? 

Where is the line between respecting others’ choices/opinions /worldview and honesty? 

If the truth is difficult should you say it? 

Is saying what you think honesty?

 Is keeping silence the respect or our fear of the truth?

What are the benefits of both positions?

Would you be silent or comment on the following things:

what she/he wears

what she/he makes jokes about

what English level she / he has

what she / he thinks of Darwin and Freud?

Блок 4. In front of my parents

Покажите студенту диалог: 

«Hey! Why, what the dickens has come to the fellow?» said the old gentleman, as Laurie came running downstairs…

«I didn’t know you’d come, sir».

«That’s evident, by the way you racket downstairs. Come to your tea, sir, and behave like a gentleman.» 

Попросите студента вспомнить и кратко описать контекст (дедушка увидел Лори, бегущего к ним с Джо с неподобающей джентльмену скоростью).

Поговорите о том, как меняется стиль поведения человека в зависимости от окружения и обстановки. Воспользуйтесь предлагаемыми вопросами.

What didn’t grandpa like in Laurie’s manners?

If grandpa knows that Laurie can act differently, what does he think of it?

What’s the true personality for Laurie? A little gentleman, a hell raiser or somebody else?

How do you feel about acting differently in front of different people? Is it decency or a double game?

What are the benefits of both things?

Are you always the same or different? Give me 2 or 3 examples.

Блок 5. Mother knows best

Покажите студенту отрывки из текста: 

His grandpa does not know what’s good for him, and keeps him shut up all alone. He needs a party of jolly boys to play with, or somebody young and lively…

Let him be a musician if he wants to, and not plague his life out sending him to college, when he hates to go…

Попросите студента вспомнить и кратко описать контекст (Джо считает, что дедушка не дает Лори возможностей веселиться и осуществлять мечты).

Обсудите стиль воспитания в семье Лоуренсов, а также отношение дедушки к развитию музыкального таланта внука. Воспользуйтесь предлагаемыми вопросами:

What makes Jo so irritated?

Why does she think that Laurie’s grandpa does not know what’s good for him?

Do you agree with it? Why? Keep in mind that Laurie has an access to many things.

Can you remember the story of Laurie? Why did his grandpa act like that? 

Why didn’t he like Laurie playing the piano?

Is it parental care or overprotection?

Посмотрите видео Mother knows best с разговором ведьмы и Рапунцель о том, почему юной принцессе нельзя покидать башню. Обратите внимание студента на слова, которые использует «мама», объясняющая дочери преимущества пребывания в высокой башне. Подумайте вместе со студентом, какие установки относительно внешнего мира ведьма создает в мыслях принцессы, какими слабостями девочки она пользуется. Далее переведите фокус на личность студента, поговорите о разнице между заботой и гиперопекой, о токсичных отношениях, качествах настоящей любви. Воспользуйтесь следующими вопросами:

Let’s have a look at the phrases and sentences used by the witch:

— to keep you safe and sound 

— it’s a scary world out there

— you’ll just upset me

— mother will protect you

— skip the drama, stay with mama

— on your own you won’t survive

— they’ll eat you up alive

Adjectives used to describe young Rapunzel:

fragile, immature, clumsy, gullible, naive, vague

Describe the way the witch manipulates Rapunzel.

What outer threats does the witch mention? 

Why should it be hard for Rapunzel to survive without mom’s protection in the outer world?

Compare parenting style of the witch and Laurie’s grandpa.

Tell more about your parents (compassionate, manipulative, caring, loving, overprotective, they help you to grow and progress, they suffocate you).

Even if parents somehow destroy their kid’s life they still can say that they do it because they love their kid. Why?

What does it mean to be a good parent? 

What is love? How can we see that a person truly loves us?

Where is the line between suffocating relationship and a true support that helps others to grow and get stronger?

Диалоги Prove You Right 

Диалоги Prove You Right позволяют студенту улучшить навыки изложения и защиты своей позиции в процессе коммуникации. Он учится аргументированно убеждать окружающих, используя английский язык. В рамках упражнения преподаватель и студент ведут диалог от имени выбранных ими персонажей и стараются доказать оппоненту, что именно их точка зрения верна. В процессе беседы нужно приводить подходящие контексту аргументы и контраргументы. Длительность упражнения составляет 5-7 мин.

Диалог для подростков. Mother knows best

Позиция 1

Overprotective mother who knows best. She has a plan for her kid’s life. For example, she wants her kid to be a dentist. She wants a better life for her child. Probably, she wanted to be a dentist herself but her parents made her choose a different way. Probably she is a highly qualified dentist and wants to have a copy of her in the future.

You can use the words from the video “Mother knows best”.

Позиция 2

A kid who has a dream to be … is talking to his / her overprotective mother. He is trying to persuade her that their relationship doesn’t help him to grow as an independent and high-skilled person. 

Диалог для взрослых. Keeping others emotionally safe

Позиция 1

I am empathetic. I can’t hurt others’ hearts. It’s better to tell white lies in the name of good intentions or just keep silence. Or I can say just a part of the truth. We are so fragile inside. And I respect others’ choices and decisions. Everyone is unique and everyone has a right to express oneself the way one wants. What people feel is really important.

Позиция 2

I say what I think. No matter what. If you don’t like, it you can get out. Even difficult truth is better than a comfortable lie. You are not empathetic. You are a coward. People around me know that I am honest and they appreciate that. We should be able to be criticised. Or how are you going to progress?

Заключение. Домашнее задание

В конце дискуссии очень важно подвести итог. Преподаватель и студент могут поделиться друг с другом мыслями о прочитанном, ассоциациями, историями из своей жизни. 5 мин.

What life-lessons and ideas did you learn 

in the chapter 

(honesty or lies in the name of good intentions, decency or a double game, etc.)? 

Домашнее задание 

Прочитать шестую главу.

Написать эссе-рассуждение по теме диалога Prove You Right. Студент должен выбрать персонажа, роль которого он еще не «играл», и подготовить письменный ответ оппоненту. В работе нужно выразить мнение героя, а также привести 2-3 развернутых аргумента в подтверждение выбранной им позиции.