Humanising Language Teaching
Year 1; Issue 2; April 1999

• Lesson 1: Leaving out a Letter
• Lesson 2: Reacting to a Story

by Simon Marshall

1st lesson outline:

1. Dictate this passage to the students:

   "I love Beetles. They are my life. I think Beetles are brilliant because they are cheap. They are great fun to drive and people turn their heads when they see one."

2. Ask the students to underline all the words in the passage with the letter "a" in them:

   (Are/ brilliAnt/becAuse/cheAp/greAt /And/heAd )

   Tell them to work in pairs and re-write the text without any occurrence of "a".

3. Group the students in sixes and ask them to decide which of their versions is nearest the original in meaning, rhythm and voice.

4. Dictate this passage:

   "I get a lot of attention with mine both from young people who are into VW's and older people who used to own one and want to tell you about it. And it feels good to be noticed when you know that your car is looking good. It is such a buzz."

5. Pair the students and ask them to re-write the text without "a"'s

6. Repeat Step 3.

7. Dictate the first text which they are to re-write as homework without the letter "o" and the second text to be re-written without the letter "i "

   "Cars are very important to young people. They give you freedom and make you upwardly mobile and independent. Having one means you don't have to rely on your parents for lifts anymore. And owning one at my age secures your passage into manhood"

   "Tomorrow's people think about things close to home. They are worried about unemployment and about crime, while global warming and the disintegration of the ozone layer don't figure high on their agenda."

2nd lesson outline:

1. Group the students in fours to compare their "o" less and "i" less texts for excellence of rewriting.

2. Give out the worksheet.

3. Allow five minutes for discussion of who liked the exercise , who didn't and why.

Rationale:

The idea of re-writing a piece of language to get rid of a particular letter is both formal and arbitrary. (This kind of game goes back to Oulipo and the early 20th century surrealists.) Foolish though the letter omission rule is, think of the richness of the language work it stimulates.

Letter omission worksheet:

No letter "a"

I love the Beetle. I live for it. I think the Beetle is wonderful; why? well, it's inexpensive, it's huge fun to drive plus people genuinely notice when they see one.

No letter "a", second re-write

I love Beetles. They're my life. I think Beetles're tops 'cos they don't cost much, they're good fun to drive plus people're interested when they see one.

No letter "a" second text

Mine is noticed by young people who're into VW's. Older people who used to own one feel they'd like to tell you their story too. Plus it feels good to be noticed when you know your vehicle is looking good. It's so exciting.

No letter "o"

Cars are very central with late teenagers. They give the teenager a free feeling and help him have richer friends and be independent. Having a car means the teenager needn't use his parents as lift givers. And having a car at my age makes a teenager change: suddenly he is a man.

No letter "i"

Tomorrow's people are concerned about matters close to home. They are unhappy about unemployment and about law-breakers but global green house effect and the break-up of the ozone l layer are not major concerns to them.