Developing Speaking Skills by Teaching Reading

SPANISH Level III

Developing speaking skills by teaching reading Las abejas de bronce por Marco Denevi

OBJECTIVES: SWBAT engage in a Socratic seminar regarding the Marco Denevi short story Las abejas de bronce, making comments about the characters and events in the story and asking their classmates questions for clarification of the text and/or student comments and ideas. (this follows the following definition of teaching READING: reconstructing the author’s intended message (or meaning) in a way that you can communicate about that message to someone knowledgeable about the message).

FOCUS AND REVIEW: Students are able to use all of the tenses to make statements in a variety of contexts, including the environment, plants, animals, food, cultural products and preoccupations. Students are able to describe physical and character attributes and plot. Students are able to ask informational questions. They are familiar with question words “Cuánto/a/s, quién/es, qué, por qué, cuál/es, dónde, de dónde, a dónde, etc.” However, they have only used these in isolation (such as a play store using only ?Cuánto cuesta? and in introductions using “?De dónde eres?, etc.) Students have communicated with one another using questions and statements to find out things about their classmates, families, activities, etc. Now they are going to be conversing in a larger group as a class, giving input and opinions and supporting details from this text with which they are very familiar (plot, characters, theme, etc.) Ask students about conversations. How does one have a conversation? Does one always use complete sentences when speaking? Do we do this in a first language? Why or why not? In other words, the important thing is the communication of ideas itself. What about being polite? How can we be more polite? Ex. No entiendo. ?Podría explicar más? ? Podría dar más detalles? Sometimes we do not ask questions simply because we do not understand, but because another person may not understand. By asking that person it makes them think, they may not know why they have an opinion and need to search for details or ask questions themselves.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES: We are going to engage in just such a discussion. This is called a Socratic seminar. We are going to pretend that we do not know one another very well and use the Usted form as well as the conditional tense to be polite. (The goal is to make sure that everyone comprehends the text and can make a statement about what they have read and ask questions of their classmates to stimulate conversation.)

TEACHER INPUT: Play a short tape of a dialogue (or video) between two or three people about the text. Students can listen to (or watch) this dialogue to see how this exchange would take place based on one major question. (They can hear two possible responses to one main question, hear how students ask questions for clarification of questions or statements, and how others rephrase questions or statements and give details from the text to help others understand.) SPANISH Level III

GUIDED PRACTICE: After listening to (or watching) the dialog, the teacher will pass out note cards which specify if a student needs to give input or ask a question. The teacher can rewind the tape and play the initial question. She will guide students regarding this question, possibly offering her own input as another model, and modeling questions for clarification or expansion of ideas. Students will be notified that they should reread the story and take any notes they wish. The next day they will conduct this seminar as a class. The teacher will provide a sheet with main questions and will specify when they need to move from main question to main question on these sheets, but will not likely contribute to the conversation itself. The students will be given main questions and a rubric ahead of time regarding expectations during the seminar. If they do not participate, they will receive a zero. Students may work in cooperative groups discussing answers to main questions and complete the worksheet for homework as a review of information to prepare for the discussion.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE: The next day students will hold the seminar. They will arrange their desks in a circle. They will be given a sheet of main questions, a rubric, and may have their reading text on their desks. They will hold the seminar.

CLOSURE AND ASSESSMENT: The students will be graded individually by the rubric below. Teacher will write comments and questions of students down on paper for later reference in order to reflect upon individual participation during the seminar and grade using the rubric. Discusión Socrática/Socractic Seminar RUBRIC

Excelente-9 Suficiente-6 Deficiente-3 Insuficiente-0

Excellent-9 Sufficient-6 Deficient-3 Insufficient-0

Comentarios Hace más de un Hace un Solamente hace No hace comentario/respues comentario/respu un comentario comentarios ta cerca de la esta nueva acerca que ya ha ni respuestas* pregunta o tema. de la pregunta o hacido otro tema. estudiante.

Comments Contributes more Contributes one Only makes a Does not than one comment/answer questions contribute a comment/answer pertaining to the another student comment or pertaining to the question or has already answer.* question or theme. theme. made. Preguntas Hace más de una Hace una Solamente hace No hace pregunta de pregunta de una pregunta de preguntas de clarificación o del clarificación o del clarificación o clarificación o desarrollo desarrollo de desarrollo de desarrollo. conversacional. conversacional. que ya ha preguntado otro SPANISH Level III

estudiante.

Questions Asks more than Ask one question Only asks one Does not ask one question of of clarification or clarification or questions of clarification or conversational development clarification development of development. question that or conversasion. another students development. has already asked. Detalles Ofrece dos detalles Ofrece un detalle Solamente No ofrece para soportar para soportar ofrece un ningun ideas/comentarios. ideas/comentarios detalle ya detalle. . ofrecido por otro estudiante.

Details Offers two details Offers one detail Only offers Doesn’t offer that support to support details already any detail(s). ideas/comments. ideas/comments. offered by another student. Modales Usa Usted y el Usa Usted y el Usa Usted y el No usa Usted tiempo condicional tiempo tiempo ni el tiempo el cuando dirige sus condicional condicional condicional. preguntas a otros cuando directa cuando directa estudiantes sin sus preguntas a sus preguntas a corregirlos. otros estudiantes otros pero siempre se estudiantes pero correcta. tiene que correctarse y/o parte del tiempo no se correcta.

Manners Uses You Formal Uses You Formal Uses You Does not use and the conditional and the formal and the You Formal tense when conditional tense conditional or the directing questions when directing tense part of the conditional to other students questions to other time when tense. without having to students but directing correct always corrects questions to him/herself. him/herself. other students. *Decir “no sé” y nada más se considera insuficiente *Saying “I don’t know” and nothing else is considered insufficient.

As part of closure for the activity the students will complete the reflection worksheet about the seminar. The worksheet is found below. (If the period is on a block schedule, then students will have time to do both the seminar and the reflection in one class period. SPANISH Level III

If the period lasts only 40-50 minutes, students may complete this worksheet as homework.) Reflejo de la Discusión Socrática Nombre ______Título de texto ______Escritor______

Preguntas para empezar: ______

1. Resumen de las ideas importantes:

2. Reacción: Identifica lo que dijo un estudiante. Escribe sus comentarios y reacciona a lo que dijo.

3. Explica cómo la discussion influyó tus pensamientos del tópico o del texto.

4. Conexiones: Identifica y explica una conexión a…..

Otro escritor/poeta Articulo de noticias Película Canción Un anuncio Foto/dibujo Programa de la tele Alguien que conoces Experiencias tuyas Observación Otra cultura Una persona famosa

Explica tu conexión completamente: SPANISH Level III

5. Reflejo Personal

Tomar un posición de la pregunta 5 4 3 2 1 Usar pruebas para soportar una posición o presenter información 5 4 3 2 1 factual Traer otra persona a la discussion 5 4 3 2 1 Preguntar una pregunta o mover la discussion 5 4 3 2 1 Marcar el texto con preguntas / comentarios 5 4 3 2 1

Identifica una meta personal para lo próxima discussion.

Identifica una meta del grupo y cómo sería disponible contribuir a ella.

Nombre:______Fecha:______

Contesta las siguientes preguntas. Mañana vamos a tener una discussion socrática. La discussion ba a incluir estas preguntas y más. Esta hoja de trabajo es tarea. Trabaja en grupos para llenar la hoja y termínala para tarea. Mañana antes de la discussion tienes que entregarla. No puedes usar notas durante la discussion. Vamos a hablar / converser.

1. ?Quienes son los personajes del libro? ?Qué y cómo son?

2. ?Como se puede usar los nombres de los personajes del cuento para predicar sus personalidades, tendencias, y acciones? SPANISH Level III

3. ?Cuáles son algunos de los problemas y conflictos del cuento?

4. ?Cómo actúan los personajes del libro?

5. ?Por qué son importantes las reacciones de los personajes a los problemas y conflictos?

6. ?Qué le recomienda Usted a un personaje acerca de sus deseos y conflictos?

7. En el cuento hay un conflicto entre la cuida del medio ambiente y el uso de la tecnología para mantener la major vida posible. ?Ha experimentando Usted algunas conflictos entre la cuida del medio ambiente y el uso de la tecnología? Explica. ?Hay una solución para sus conflictos y los conflictos de los personajes del cuento? Explica.

8. En cinco años, ?como va a ser la selva en el cuento? Explica. En cinco años, ?como va a ser su propio medio ambiente.