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la rivista multilingue di interculturalità N° 3 – Marzo 2010 – anno II La poesia salverà il mondo?

La poesia, un ricordo romantico? Non sembra proprio. Mai come oggi la poesia conquista spazi sempre più ampi a livello della comunicazione globale, usando linguaggi e strumenti avanzati e di larga condivisione, particolarmente fra i giovani. Un piccola controprova: cercando su Internet “concorso poesia”, appaiono circa 1.820.000 voci. Navigando su Facebook, si scoprono più di 500 gruppi di discussione sulla poesia. Fra questi, alcuni risultano composti dal solo fondatore, altri raccolgono migliaia di iscritti, come quello intitolato “La poesia salverà il mondo”. La rete accoglie non solo gruppi di discussione, ma anche luoghi contents di creazione e pubblicazione delle poesie. La scuola resta il luogo privilegiato in cui scoprire la poesia e poi praticarla, talora in segreto, talora direttamente sui siti più frequentati. Ecco alcune La poésie: un outil pédagogique 2 considerazioni tratte dal gruppo di discussione “La setta dei poeti estinti”, incontournable pour animato sul sito www.studenti.it, dove è stato lanciato il forum “Che cosa un apprentissage créatif è per voi la poesia?”. et personnel de la langue “La poesia è libertà… un battito d’ali nell’aria. Poesia è lo sguardo che vede. Poetry with a small “p”? 4 È il mio respiro, è il mio sogno, è una lacrima, un sorriso, un desiderio inesauribile di stupirsi, la poesia è poesia”, dice una giovane che si firma La chanson poétique 8 “poetessa”. Gedichte im Sprachunterricht 10 “Secondo me la poesia è una chiave di lettura del mondo esterno e interno, che si manifesta attraverso la cosiddetta ispirazione”, indica più La Generación del ‘27 12 realisticamente DRB, studente del Liceo Majorana di Lucca. Questa grande forza della poesia è stata percepita dai francesi, che nel 1999 Metodologia – Raising students’ 14 hanno istituzionalizzato tutti gli eventi poetici nella grande kermesse motivation through evaluation “Le printemps des poètes”, prevista rigorosamente nel mese di marzo, come suggerisce il nome stesso. La 12a edizione, da lunedì 8 a domenica 21 marzo 2010, ha come tema “Couleur femme” ed è dedicata alla poesia al femminile, con un omaggio alla poetessa Andrée Chedid, nata al Cairo, ma residente a Parigi. La manifestazione, allargata ormai all’intero pianeta grazie al sito internet www.printempsdespoetes.com, possiede un’antenna italiana animata da Léon Laurent. In caso di mancato recapito inviare al cmp/cpo di via cebrosa 5, Anna Fresco Manuela Vico settimo torinese (TO), per la restituzione Direttore editoriale Lingue Moderne Formatrice LANG al mittente previo pagamento resi LANG Edizioni RI616100120F_01-16 12-02-2010 12:13 Pagina 4

Poetry with a small “p”?

Introducing students to the poetry of the 60s by Daniela Montanari

“At the readings we did every Monday at Samson and Barlow’s the kids didn’t look on it as Poetry with a capital ‘P’, they looked on it as modern entertainment, part of the pop A brief outline of a possible Nonconformity was considered a movement. They may go away crying, threat to middle class values, as or they may go away very sad, but it module based on the Ginsberg shows in the following was a certain experience for them, all poetry of the 60s. poem where, through the aggressive part of experience”. attitude of a barman and a customer Background information is essential. towards a group of young beat (R. McGough in The Scene, Edward Lucie-Smith, Garden City, Introduction: The revolution that musicians, Ginsburg stresses the s Doubleday 1967.) occurred in the USA in the 50 . pacifist nature of the Beats, Discontent against conventional notwithstanding their long hair and society triggered off a wave of rioting bright clothes. which was centred in San Francisco Teachers of literature might find it and New York. The “Beats” expressed The atmosphere is established difficult to introduce poetry to a themselves in “street” language and visually in the first line, in the style “terza liceo” class, the year in which were influenced by jazz music and of a Pop Art painting: “Yellow-lit the study of literature in English Oriental philosophy. A poem by one Budweiser signs over oaken bars”. usually begins. The difficulties are of the protagonists of the movement, There follows a verbal exchange many, starting from the language, (1926-97), is a good between the barman, a customer and because literature is taught from the starting point. the narrator. very beginning: the Anglo Saxon and Middle Ages. Two fascinating periods, Students should be encouraged to of course, but what about the single out the lines that show students? After all, we’ve been saying disapproval and aggressiveness and time and time again that if we really the lines that show a pacifist wish to stimulate our student’s attitude, and say who they motivation, we should always keep correspond to: in mind their needs and interests in Disapproval: “I’ve seen everything” the first place. The introduction to (the barman); the language and contents of Aggressive behaviour: “If I had my literature should be both gradual and way I’d cut off your hair and send stimulating as it will also have a you to Vietnam” (the well-dressed positive influence on our students’ man); “And if I couldn’t do that I’d appreciation of the poets from the cut your throat” (the well-dressed past. man). Wouldn’t it be motivating to start with Pacifist attitude: “I stared at him a short module about a kind of poetry amiably” (the narrator); “Bless you that was written and performed by then” and “Bless you sir” (the the young for the young? narrator). I am referring to the , A short reference to the war in of course. Their poetry is noted for Vietnam would be advisable here. features that our students would certainly appreciate: it rejects By the mid-sixties, when this poem dullness and academy; it conveys a was written, the movement had message in simple, everyday merged into the “Hippy” youth language; it is run by an movement, a movement that also undercurrent of irony and wit that opposed consumer values, and that handles complicated ideas in A film like The Boat that Rocked coincided with the spread of political uncomplicated language and last but (I Love Radio Rock) telling a fact based story dissent all over Western Europe, not least, it has a strong allegiance of a seafaring band of rock’n roll deejays broadcasting illegally to the youth of Britain developing a pacifist cult of peace with the music and the art of the could be an exciting introduction and love (flower power). Instead of period: pop music and Pop Art. to the “atmosphere” of the period. jazz, the hippies favoured pop music.

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Uptown Yellow-lit Budweiser1 signs over oaken bars, “I’ve seen everything” – the bartender2 handing me change of $10, I stared at him amiably eyes thru3 an obvious Adamic beard4 – with Montana musicians homeless in Manhattan, teen age curly hair themselves – we sat at the antique booth5 & gossiped, Madame Grady’s literary salon6 a curious value in New York – 1 Budweiser: an American beer; 2 bartender: American for barman; “If I had my way I’d cut off your hair and send you to Vietnam” – 3 thru: through; “Bless you then” I replied to a hatted7 thin citizen hurrying 4 Adamic beard: very long beard [to the barroom door 5 antique booth: a private enclosure in old bars; upon wet dark Amsterdam Avenue decades later – 6 8 Madame Grady’s… salon: a place where “And if I couldn’t do that I’d cut your throat” he snarled farewell, writers met; and “Bless you sir” I added as he went to his fate in the rain, 7 hatted: wearing a hat; dapper9 Irishman. 8 snarled farewell: said good-bye in an angry tone; (A. Ginsberg, Collected Poems 1947-1980, Viking 1985.) 9 dapper: well-dressed.

Another necessary step in background presentation requires a brief look at Pop Art, the movement that reached its climax in the 60s in the USA and Great Britain. Just as Beat and pop poets used everyday language in their poems, Pop Art artists took the urban landscape and the commonest objects of a mass consumer society as the subject matter of their pictures: beer and soup cans, coke bottles, supermarkets, signs, cars, images of film stars and famous people; the ordinary landscape and objects that surround people in urban everyday life. In the pictures, the Campbell soup can is an everyday, mass production icon, just as the coke bottles are. The picture Coca-Cola bottles emphasizes the serial feature of mass J. Rosenquist, President Elect, 1960. production objects. Rosenquist’s picture collects fragments of reality to ironically juxtapose three optimistic icons of American culture: Among the best known “poetry series. It was President Kennedy, American cakes bands” to emerge were The Incredible a best-seller from the start! and cars. New Liverpool Scene with , Roger McGough, Pete Clark and Meanwhile, what was the scene like Mike Evans; , with John in Britain and in Liverpool in the Gorman, Mike McCartney (brother of “swinging” sixties? Well, music was Paul McCartney), Adrian Henri and the driving revolutionary force. Roger McGough, and , a In Liverpool bands played rhythm’n touring ensemble featuring Adrian blues and rock’n roll, and the Henri, , Mike McCartney unexceptional, industrial city and Brian McGough among others. suddenly became the centre of world attention because of the Mersey It is important to point out that the (the river that flows across Liverpool) goal of the three “performing” poets beat sound and . Patten, Henri and McGough was to Poets in Liverpool followed the same create poetry for a wide audience. pattern as music bands: they read They achieved this, so much so that their poems in public and performed their poems were collected and The LP (1967) was produced by Liverpool in pubs and clubs, weaving together published in The Mersey Sound DJ , who was then working on the music, poetry and satirical humour. anthology, in 1967, in the prestigious pirate station Radio London.

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The Incredible New The next poem is by Brian Patten. This poem is connected to the Beatles It belongs to the collection Little song She’s Leaving Home. You might Liverpool Scene Johnny’s Confession published in 1967 ask the students whether they know It is now time to present a poem by when Patten was only twenty-one the song, before reading the poem by each of the poets mentioned. years old! It soon became a kind of Patten. This may awake their curiosity Bible for the teenagers of the time. and attention to the text. The following is a poem by Roger McGough: through an experiment in She’s Leaving Home layout (the poem is a juxtaposition of Wednesday morning at 5 o’clock as the day begins, two sentences), the text questions the silently closing her bedroom door, values of conservative affluent society leaving the note that she hoped would say more, she goes downstairs to the kitchen, by attacking the politicians, who build clutching her handkerchief, motorways and destroy the land. M66 quietly turning the backdoor key, is the motorway that joins the East stepping outside she is free. and West coasts of the States. She (We gave her most of our lives) is leaving (sacrificed most of our lives) home (We gave her everything money could buy) Teachers can point out that the poem’s she’s living home after living alone tone is ironical: taking an “active part” for so many years. Bye, bye. in a plan usually implies a certain Father snores as his wife gets into her dressing-gown, amount of optimism, because picks up the letter that’s lying there, standing alone at the top of the stairs, government plans are generally she breaks down and cries to her husband: supposed to improve the world. But “Daddy our baby’s gone. here the politicians’ “plan” is to pollute How could she do this to me?” the land, leading people to “take a She (we never though of ourselves) is leaving (never a thought for ourselves) more active part” in their own home (We struggled hard all our lives to get by) destruction. Students might be she’s leaving home after living alone encouraged to compare this poem with for so many years. Bye, bye. Rosenquist’s picture: both convey an Friday morning at nine o’clock she is far away, waiting to keep the appointment she made, ironically optimistic tone, and both use meeting a man from the motor trade. juxtaposition in an experimental way. She (What did we do that was wrong) is having (We didn’t know it was wrong) fun (Fun is the one thing that money can’t buy) something inside that was always denied for so many years. Bye, bye. M66 She’s leaving home, bye, bye. The politicians, (Beatles, from the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967.) (who are buying huge cars with hobnailed wheels1 the size of merry- Little Johnny’s Final Letter go-rounds) Mother, have a new plan. I won’t be home this evening, so They are going to don’t worry; don’t hurry to report me missing. put cobbles2 Don’t drain the canals to find me, in our eyesockets3 I’ve decided to stay alive, don’t and pebbles4 search the woods, I’m not hiding, in our navels5 simply gone to get myself classified1 and fill us up Don’t leave my shreddies2 out. with asphalt I’ve done with security3. 1 classified: judged, and lay us Don’t circulate my photograph to society being put to the test (by life); side by side I have disguised myself as a man 2 shreddies: cereals; 4 so that we can take a more And am giving priority to obscurity . 3 I’ve done with active part It suits me fine: security: I‘ve decided in the road to destruction. I have taken off my short trousers to refuse family and put on long ones, and protection; (From The Mersey Sound anthology, 4 obscurity: being Penguin Poets, 1967.) now am going out into the city, so unknown /alone in don’t worry; don’t hurry to report me missing. the world.

I’ve rented a room without curtains 1 hobnailed wheels: ruote chiodate; and sit behind the windows growing cold, 2 cobbles: round stones; heard your plea on the radio this morning, 3 eyesockets: orbits (orbite); 4 pebbles: small stones; you sounded sad and strangely old… 5 navels: ombelichi. (From Little Johnny’s Confession. Poems, by Brian Patten, London, Allen and Unwin, 1967.)

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Both the poem and the song tell The next poem is by Adrian Henri. Next, I would ask the students to the same story: two teenagers The title Tonight at Noon is taken connect the following “cultural” running away to build up their own, from an LP by jazzman Charlie notes to the words and expressions independent and new lives, in Mingus (1922-1979). The poem is full in the text by writing the same opposition to their parents. Teachers of references to “popular English number next to the expression/word could point out that the poem culture”, so it is an ideal introduction and its meaning. This will allow is a letter, whereas the song describes to the cultural background them to actively participate in the parents’ reaction to the girl’s of the period. finding out the cultural content of letter, which might just as well be very To begin with, I would ask what is the poem. similar to the letter written by the boy. paradoxical about the title.

Tonight at Noon “Cultural” notes Tonight at noon • The Mersey Tunnel is a tunnel Supermarkets will advertise 3d EXTRA on everything for traffic under the river Mersey Tonight at noon in Liverpool. Children from happy families will be sent to live in a home • November 11th is Remembrance Elephants will teach each other human jokes Day, commemorating the dead America will declare peace on Russia of all wars fought by Britain. It is World War I generals will sell poppies in the streets on November 11th. called “Poppy Day” because The first daffodils of autumn will appear paper poppies are sold to raise When the leaves fall upwards to the trees funds for the disabled from wars. • A home is a place for the care of Tonight at noon children who do not live in their Pigeons will hunt cats through the city backyards families (orphans for example). Hitler will tell us to fight on the beaches and on the landing fields • To advertise discounts, A tunnel full of water will be built under Liverpool supermarkets put “3 p off” on Pigs will be sighted flying in formation over Woolton products (“d” comes from the and Nelson will not only get his eye back but his arm as well Latin “denarii” but stood for White Americans will demonstrate for equal rights “penny” or “pence” in the in front of the Black House pre-decimal system). and the Monster has just created Dr. Frankenstein • A common expression used to express incredulity is “Oh yes, Girls in bikini are moonbathing and Pigs can fly!” (Woolton is Folksongs are being sung by real folk in Liverpool). Artgalleries are closed to people over 21 • Admiral Nelson lost one eye and Poets get their poems in the Top 20 an arm in the Napoleonic wars. Politicians are elected to insane asylums His statue in Trafalgar Square is There’s jobs for everyone and nobody wants them a famous landmark. In back alleys everywhere teenage lovers are kissing • This is taken from one of Winston in broad daylight Churchill’s famous war-time speeches: “We shall fight them In forgotten graveyards everywhere the dead will quietly on the beaches, we shall fight bury the living them on the landing places”. and • In the sixties, elephants were You will tell me you love me common protagonists in jokes. Tonight at noon • The monster in Mary Shelley’s novel. (Tonight at Noon, by Adrian Henri, London, Rapp & Whiting, 1968.)

After correcting the first exercise, • There’s jobs for everyone and nobody I would ask them to decide whether wants them. DANIELA MONTANARI was born in this is a protest poem or a love poem. 2. It is a poem advocating free love when Buenos Aires (RA) in 1949. She As a matter of fact, it is both. Students it states that: graduated from the Università degli should try to explain why by quoting • In back alleys everywhere teenage Studi with a thesis on William from the text. For example: lovers are kissing /In broad daylight. Faulkner, which she published in 1. It is a protest poem when its states 3. It’s a poem against adults when it says that: “Studi Americani” directed by • Art galleries are closed to people over 21. that the following events will never Agostino Lombardo. Over the last • Poets get their poems in the Top 20 take place: thirty years she has taught in Italian • America will declare peace on Russia. (remind your students that Henri was in a “Poetry Band”!) High Schools and is currently co- • World War generals will sell poppies. writer of three literary anthologies • White Americans will demonstrate for 4. It is a love poem when it says “You will published by LANG Edizioni: Echoes, equal rights /In front of the Black House. tell me you love me”, which the poet Face to Face and Continuities. • Politicians are elected to insane considers as improbable as the sight of asylums. pigs flying over Woolton.

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La chanson poétique

Ou comment faire danser la langue redigé par Marie Cerati et Nicole Brissaud pour Cité des lettres, LANG Edizioni

Si la tradition de la chanson d’autres choses encore, tout Boby Lapointe (1922-1972) pousse poétique remonte, par certains en écrivant lui-même des chansons et encore plus loin la recherche ludique aspects, au Moyen-Âge, lorsque des poèmes. Jean Ferrat (né en 1930) des variations linguistiques: ses les troubadours accompagnaient partage avec Ferre une inspiration textes sont remplis de jeux de mots, leurs poèmes amoureux au son de populaire et propose une chanson de contrepèteries, d’images cocasses leurs instruments de musique, c’est poétique engagée, dans laquelle à partir de mots à double sens… indéniablement le XXe siècle qui lui il évoque la vie quotidienne des au service d’un humour fracassant. a donné ses lettres de noblesse. ouvriers, mais aussi les déconvenues La chanson acquiert un statut politiques des communistes d’après Aujourd’hui, cette tradition résolument littéraire à la fin de la 1956; il sera le chanteur par de la chanson poétique est encore Seconde Guerre mondiale: c’est excellence des poèmes d’Aragon. bien vivante en France, grâce à des à cette époque que, d’une part, artistes comme Thomas Fersen des chanteurs comme Juliette Gréco Georges Brassens et le belge (né en 1963), fabuliste décalé qui ou Yves Montand interprètent des Jacques Brel (1929-1978) sont deux invente dans chaque chanson poèmes de Queneau et de Prévert; figures majeures de la chanson un petit monde peuplé d’animaux, c’est aussi le moment où les auteurs française dans les années soixante: de végétaux et d’objets redécouverts eux-mêmes écrivent des chansons tous deux explorent dans leurs textes par le pouvoir des mots (Le Lion), au même titre que de la poésie, tant la verve satirique (Le Gorille Bénabar, ou encore Vincent Delerm comme c’est le cas pour Boris Vian, de Brassens, qui s’attaque à la peine (né en 1976), qui évoque dans dont la chanson Le Déserteur devient de mort) que le lyrisme mélancolique ses chansons l’univers quotidien un véritable tube. (Ne me quitte pas, célébrissime des trentenaires de banlieue Cette rencontre entre poésie chanson d’amour de Brel). parisienne, se moquant avec et musique inspirera Léo Ferré Ils inventent une langue poétique délicatesse des “bobos” et de leur (1916-1993), qui mettra en musique d’une richesse extrême, à la fois entourage (Tes parents). Leur succès Soleils couchants de Verlaine, ancienne et moderne, puisant dans populaire continue de prouver que, Le Pont Mirabeau d’Apollinaire, les ressources de la tradition au XXIe siècle, la poésie peut toucher de nombreux poèmes des Fleurs du française depuis François Villon, mais un public bien plus vaste que celui Mal, des textes d’Aragon et bien aussi dans l’argot populaire. des “intellectuels”.

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Y’a une fille qu’habite chez moi , Extraite de l’album Bénabar, cette chanson a été Bénabar l’un des premiers tubes du jeune chanteur. éternel ado

Plusieurs indices m’ont mis la puce à l’oreille1 Bénabar, de son vrai J’ouvre l’oeil nom Bruno Nicolini, J’vais faire une enquête pour en avoir le coeur net est né à Thiais, dans Ça m’inquiète la banlieue parisienne, Y’a des détails qui trompent pas en 1969. ll travaille Les draps2, la couette3 et la taie d’oreiller4 quelque temps dans Sont plus dépareillés5 le cinéma et comme scénariste pour des À côté de mes fringues en boule6 séries télévisées, d’autant que le premier album de “Bénabar et associés”, La P’tite Y’a des vêtements pliés et repassés7 monnaie, sorti en 1997, n’arrive pas à Y’a des détails qui trompent pas dépasser les limites d’un cercle très J’crois qu’y a une fille qu’habite chez moi ! confidentiel de fidèles de la première heure. Deux brosses à dent dans la salle de bain C’est en 2001 avec l’album Bénabar, que Du savon sans savon et le sèche-cheveux l’on commence à entendre à la radio, qu’il C’est certainement pas le mien conquiert un public plus vaste. Les deux […] albums suivants (Les Risques du métier et Dans la cuisine des sachets de thé Reprises des négociations) rencontrent un De verveine de camomille succès grandissant. Il est aujourd’hui un des […] jeunes chanteurs français les plus Y’a des détails qui trompent pas prometteurs. Quelqu’un en traître8 a fait la vaisselle Ce qui intéresse Bénabar, depuis ses tout Où sont mes habitudes, mon ménage9 trimestriel? premiers textes, c’est de saisir dans ses J’ouvre le frigo, horreur c’est d’la folie! chansons des “instantanées” de vie Y’a plein de légumes! quotidienne, en juxtaposant les points de vue, Y’a même des fruits! les visions du monde, voire même les voix. […] L’humour domine ces textes brefs, toujours Y’a une fille qu’habite chez moi! drôles, parfois cyniques ou tendres. Sur des Y’a des détails qui trompent pas rythmes de jazz, défilent ainsi les copains, Y’a un vrai rideau10, y’a plus un drap cloué11 sur la fenêtre! les amours, les grandes étapes de Qu’est-ce que c’est que ça, mon Dieu, l’existence… le motif obsédant de mais c’est une plante verte! l’imaginaire poétique de Bénabar étant sans L’aspirateur est encore chaud doute le tournant, si difficile à négocier, C’est trop je porte plainte12! entre le monde de l’enfance/adolescence et Je vais l’emmener au labo celui d’un âge adulte à la fois désiré et Pour vérifier les empreintes craint: certaines de ses chansons les plus justes, comme Y’a une fille qu’habite chez On dirait que je suis plus célibataire moi ou Monospace, déclinent ce thème La coupable je la tiens avec originalité et brio. Elle est devant moi, l’étau13 se resserre Accrochée au téléphone, assise en tailleur14 Dans une jolie robe à fleur Une fille me dit «Arrête ton cinéma15 Et le loyer16 je le paye autant que toi!»

MARIE CERATI: professeur agrégée de lettres classiques, elle enseigne la langue et la littérature française en France, dans des classes de lycée 1 9 la puce à l’oreille: la pulce ménage: pulizie di casa et à l'université, face à des étudiants français nell’orecchio 10 rideau: tenda 2 draps: lenzuola 11 cloué: inchiodato et étrangers. 3 couette: copripiumino 12 porte plainte: sporgo querela (iron.) NICOLE BRISSAUD: traductrice et professeur, 4 taie d’oreiller: federa 13 étau: morsa elle a enseigné pendant de nombreuses années 5 dépareillés: spaiati 14 assise en tailleur: seduta dans des universités et instituts italiens la langue 6 fringues en boule: vestiti a gambe incrociate française générale et de spécialité, ainsi que ammucchiati (fam.) 15 arrête ton cinéma: smettila 7 repassés: stirati di dire sciocchezze les techniques de la traduction. 8 en traître: di nascosto 16 loyer: affitto

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metodologia Raising students’ motivation through evaluation “A is not an expectation to live up to, but a possibility to live into” by Annie Renaud

It is generally recognized that motivation is a crucial Unit 14 without notice! Furthermore, it is never a good factor in the learning process. Much has been said about idea to test a grammar point that has not been practiced increasing motivation and interest in the classroom, enough: if your students show some confusion about however we shouldn’t underestimate one of the most something it will be safer to remove it from the test. On “sensitive” areas: evaluation. Testing is a necessary tool the other hand, there is nothing wrong with including that measures how well the students are learning and material that has been previously studied, since revision identifies areas of possible weaknesses. As far as reviewing and recycling have been proved an efficient assessment is concerned, it is important to keep in mind learning tool. a few guidelines.

Before the test Students should not be informed at the last minute of an impending test so that they have ample time to revise should they decide to do so. The content areas to be evaluated should be familiar to students as vague information or no information at all about the contents and format of the test will be harmful to both student and teacher. The student will get the wrong message (“no need to study”) while the teacher will need to give a new test (“retest”), which causes a loss of class time. Overly ambitious tests like “review everything we’ve done since the beginning of the year”, should be avoided as they may cause confusion and should only be given as a final test when it has been planned at the beginning of the term and accounts for a large part of the final grade.

Pop quizzes are acceptable as long as the students know that they may be given at anytime. Moreover a pop quiz should be short, focused on a limited number of items and preferably be at the beginning of the lesson. A pop Teachers often complain that they have little time to quiz should not weigh as much as a unit test. dedicate to test preparation given the heavy load of administrative duties that pile up week after week. Surprise tests are sometimes used to handle behavior However, a little extra time spent on writing your test is problems in the classroom setting, however experience a good investment (and it will later be easier and faster shows that they should be discarded as they penalize the to correct). Here are a couple of useful tips that are not wrong students. Indeed, global performance on such tests time-consuming but will eventually save time: is generally much lower than regular tests, so they end up • Always indicate the number of points assigned to each lowering the average grade of the most responsible exercise, so your students will not spend too much time students who care about their performance while low on an activity that only counts for a very small grades are rarely a concern for undisciplined students. percentage of the whole test (and this will help make the final computing much faster). How the grade is determined should always be as clear as possible with The test itself objective tests. The activities included in the test should globally reflect • Proofread the test prior to making copies: you might the material that was given for review. You will definitely discover while taking the test typos or issues you will be loose your students’ trust and motivation if, for instance, able to correct. When students get started on a test, it is you assign Unit 13 and add to your test materials from difficult to alter the instructions and the points assigned.

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Correcting/handing out tests For the sake of transparency, each exercise should include the number of errors and the points awarded. The grade is just the mathematical sum of these points. When most students achieve poorly on a given task, I tend to discard it while awarding bonus points to those who performed well on that section. Another solution is to reduce the weight of a particular exercise when all the students fail to do it well.

Writing a brief comment next to the grade shows the students that we care about their results, whatever they may be. Of course positive comments are always welcome by high achievers but we often forget to provide a word of encouragement to those who barely make it to a 50%. Expressing our disappointment may trigger in some students the will to do better on the next test. However, indifference is the worst enemy in the classroom, so communication should be one in the problematic situation where a few students have of our primary goals if we intend to motivate our students scored 100% while the rest of the class performed very during the process of evaluation. poorly. In that situation careful scaling can prevent the adjusted score from exceeding 100%. Scaling should always be used carefully and as Welch points out, “such Remedial work action, used improperly, can easily dilute the integrity of There are several ways to help students improve their teaching by creating an illusion of success. However, grade after failing a test, but my favorite is “retaking”, occasionally such action is justifiable. If teachers must which allows the student to take another test shortly modify grades, they should do so fairly and infrequently”. after it has been corrected. The second test will be a different version but will feature the same type In conclusion, I would like to mention Benjamin Zander, a of exercises. Retaking should not be compulsory but professor at New Conservatory of Music in experience shows that many will choose it happily Boston where I taught many years ago. At the beginning because it may allow them to get a passing grade. For of the year, Zander gives all his students an “A”, after ethical reasons it is not a good idea to give high grades which he asks them to describe in writing what they are on retakes as the rest of the class may consider it unfair going to do in order to deserve such an excellent grade. to them. Retaking should not be offered systematically to further stimulate our students and it must be left “This practice of giving an A transports your relationships to the teacher’s discretion. In general, remedial work is from the world of measurement into the universe of important because it makes students active participants possibilities. […/…] When you give an A you find yourself and takes into account their voluntary efforts. speaking to people not from a place of measuring how they stack up against your standards, but from a place of respect that gives them room to realize themselves. […/…] This A is not an expectation to live up to, but a Grade computing/scaling possibility to live into.” It is only fair to use the whole scale available for grading (i.e. from 0 to 10 in Italy, sometimes 2 to 10). If a test is Benjamin Zander described his innovative practices in his 100% correct there is nothing wrong in assigning 10 to book The Art of Possibility (Harvard Business School the student. Some teachers decide that 8 will be the Press, 2000). He is also the conductor of the Boston highest grade when the test is particularly easy. Philharmonic Orchestra. It is the teacher’s responsibility to create balanced tests that will include easy sections for the weaker students and challenging ones for the stronger students. ANNIE RENAUD taught in the United States for six years. Most teachers tend to have high expectations and often She worked as a French Teaching Assistant at Wellesley create ambitious tests that are too difficult for many of our College, The University of Pittsburgh and Boston College, students. This is apparent when the class average grade is where she graduated. Renaud taught French as a Foreign extremely low. One solution is “grade scaling,” which is Language at New England Conservatory of Music (Boston), needed when the distribution of results is much lower Buckingham Browne and Nichols School (Cambridge), Saint than was expected on a given objective test. To scale Stephen’s School (Rome), and The American Cultural grades means to alter the numerical grades by artificially Association of Turin. She has been a teacher of English in raising each score. In an article on how to scale grades Italy for 15 years. (http://www.trottermath.net/personal/gradscal.html), Gary G. Welch gives useful technical tips, especially

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