Unit 1 Flights of Freedom Teacher Text for Class XII - ENGLISH Introduction to the Unit "Men and women should own the world as a mutual possession." Of Men and Women, Pearl S. Buck We know that there are several challenges that Indian women face today, gender inequality being one of them. In order to build a healthy and prosperous nation, there is a need to mainstream women's perspectives in all developmental processes, as catalysts, participants and recipients. The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. From the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78) onwards, there has been a marked shift in the approach to women's issues, from welfare to development. The National Commission for Women was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women. The Government of India declared 2001 as the year of Women’s Empowerment (Swashakti). In recent years, the empowerment of women has been recognized as the central issue in determining the status of women. The process of women’s empowerment is conceptualized in terms of personal assertion, self-esteem and confidence, ability to protect themselves as women, attaining socio-political participation and economic independence, ownership of productive assets and providing leadership. According to United Nations, "Women empowerment is a process by which women take control and ownership of their lives through expansion of their choices.” Empowerment of women needs to be operated at different levels - Economic (poverty eradication, women and economy, globalization, women and agriculture, etc.), Social (education, health, nutrition, sanitation, rights of the girl child, etc.), Political (gain political power and execute political responsibilities), Psychological (face situations without fear and secure moral satisfaction) and Familial (make independent decisions in the family, avoid domestic violence and relationship battle among family members.) Subrahmania Bharathi, the Indian poet and social reformer has once said, empowered, enlightened women can take the lead in building a good family, a compassionate society, and a more tolerant world. The literary world too has strongly been advocating the struggle for women’s liberation and equal rights through prose and verse. The post-independent India has witnessed the emergence of zealous women writers who have been successful in expressing their independent identity. 66 Unit - 1 FLIGHTS OF FREEDOM All men have a task, And to sing is my lot - No meed from men I ask But one kindly thought. My vocation is high - 'Mid the glasses that ring, Still - still comes that reply, Chant poor little thing. My Vocation, Toru Dutt However, in our country, there is the need for a sea change in the mindset and attitude of the people to truly understand the meaning of women’s empowerment. 67 Teacher Text for Class XII - ENGLISH Syllabus Grid Unit No. & Focal Texts Learning Outcome Life skills Attitudes and Concept values 1.Importance The 3Ls of Students will be able to: • Communication • Gender of Women Empowerment 1.1 analyse the concept of skills equality empowerment (speech by women's empowerment • Interpersonal • Caring Christine and understand the power skills • Consideration Lagarde) of education as a tool for • Intrapersonal • Respect their liberation. skills • Empathy Any Woman 1.2 uphold the importance of • Problem • Tolerance (poem by freedom. solving • Helping others Katharine 1.3 recognize the rights and • Social skills • Compassion Tynan) privileges of women and • Self esteem • Selflessness work for their equal status • Self awareness • Leadership Matchbox with men. • Self confidence • Ethical/ (story by 1.4 appreciate literature. • Empathy Aesthetic/ Ashapurna • Coping with Legal/Cultural 1.5 identify the space of Debi) emotions Values women in the Indian socio-cultural scenario. Horegallu (anecdote by 1.6 realize the role of an ideal Sudha Murty) listener and develop an empathetic attitude towards social issues. 1.7 prepare and deliver persuasive speeches. 1.8 participate actively in panel discussions. 1.9 present ideas logically in panel discussions. 1.10 discuss the pros and cons of an issue. 1.11 compare poems and review prose passages. 1.12 identify adjectives and substitute them effectively. 1.13 familiarise themselves with the different degrees of comparison and use them appropriately. 1.14 browse the Internet for additional information. 1.15 organize exhibitions/film festivals and present reports on them. 1.16 edit the errors in a given passage. 68 Unit - 1 FLIGHTS OF FREEDOM List of Text materials Author Genre Learning materials Portfolio • Christine Lagarde • Speech • Collage with quotes • Script of a speech • Excerpts from two (persuasive speech / • Katharine Tynan • Poem famous persuasive welcome speech/ speeches- speech summarising • Ashapurna Debi • Story I have a dream, Friends, the panel discussion. Romans… • Comparison and • Sudha Murty • Anecdote • 'The Toys'- review of a poem/ Coventry Patmore prose/ film • Book Blurb • Preparation of a • Advertisement book blurb • Brochure of a film • Narration festival • Magazine • Report of a film festival 69 Teacher Text for Class XII - ENGLISH Learning Outcomes Students will be able to: 1.1 analyse the concept of women empowerment and understand the power of education as a tool for their liberation. 1.2 uphold the importance of freedom for women. 1.3 recognize the rights and privileges of women and work for their equal status with men. 1.4 appreciate literature. 1.5 identify the space of women in the Indian socio-cultural scenario. 1.6 realize the role of an ideal listener and develop an empathetic attitude towards social issues. 1.7 prepare and deliver persuasive speeches. 1.8 participate actively in panel discussions. 1.9 present ideas logically in panel discussions. 1.10 discuss the pros and cons of an issue. 1.11 compare poems and review prose passages. 1.12 identify adjectives and substitute them suitably. 1.13 familiarize themselves with the different degrees of comparison and use them appropriately. 1.14 browse the Internet for additional information. 1.15 organize exhibitions/film festivals and present reports on them. 1.16 edit the errors in a given passage. 70 Unit - 1 FLIGHTS OF FREEDOM UNIT FRAME - UNIT I Concepts/Skills Process/Activities with Learning Outcomes Assessment • Creative use of • Discusses the collage and The learner ideas through integrates more ideas. • adds to the collage. collage • prepares a collage. • Women • Reads and comprehends • demonstrates the ability empowerment— the speech with the help to the importance of questions given under - realise the role of of empowering the title Read and women in the progress of women for the respond. a nation. overall - understand the features upliftment of a of the speeches delivered nation in different contexts. • Different aspects • Participates in • identifies and records of a speech discussions and writes the different aspects of notes with focus on the given speech. theme, message, etc. • Preparation and • Reads the excerpts and • prepares and delivers a delivery of a lists the features. persuasive speech. persuasive • Discusses and prepares a speech persuasive speech. • Presents the speech before the whole class. • Multi-faceted role • Reads and comprehends • Appreciates the poem. of women in a the poem 'Any Woman'. family • Appreciation of • Participates in a • prepares a write-up different discussion with focus on appreciating the theme perspectives in theme, figures of speech, and its treatment in a poem. etc. 'Any Woman'. • Comparison of • compares it with 'The the poem with Toys'. another poem having a similar theme • Awareness of • Reads and comprehends • appreciates the story. gender inequality the given short story. • records responses to • Gender Read and respond. discrimination and its cultural dimension • Appreciation of a • Discusses and identifies • prepares a review. story the points for review. 71 Teacher Text for Class XII - ENGLISH Concepts/Skills Process/Activities with Learning Outcomes Assessment • Panel discussion • Selects the topic. • demonstrates the ability involving • Collects points. to analyse a topic. communication • Analyses the points. • participates in panel skills and • Presents the views in discussions. interpersonal groups. • prepares short speeches skills • Selects the panellists for various occasions. • Welcome speech and moderator. • Speech • Prepares a speech summarizing welcoming the panellists. the panel • Conducts a panel discussion discussion. • Summarizes the panel discussion. • Structure and style • Reads the model given in • designs a Book Blurb. of a Book Blurb the text and prepares a • Artistic Book Blurb using the integration points given in the text. • Sharing and • Reads and comprehends • becomes familiar with caring -- the the given anecdote. anecdotes and their need for social modes of narration. togetherness • records responses to Read and respond. • An event • Revisits the texts. • narrates the event from narrated in the • Discusses the questions. Nomita's point of view. first person • Identifies the mode of narration. • Organizes the ideas and narrates the event. • Use of adjectives • Reads the input in the • picks out the adjectives, text. categorises them and rewrites the passage substituting them with new adjectives. • Character • Reads the input and • analyses characters and analysis compares the women prepares a paragraph