Editorial
Every Sunday evening, Jamie Keddie sends out an article, lesson plan, video or story to his subscribers. Recently, he send out this story activity about a hungry frog. If you would like to subscribe, you can do so at jamieleddie.com
Frog and Dragonfly
Jamie Keddie, Spain
Jamie Keddie is an English teacher, teacher trainer and writer. He is based in Barcelona. E-mail: jamiekeddie@hotmail.com
I took part in the first EAQUALS Teacher Development Day in Edinburgh. What a splendid day it was! In one of my talks, we explored the potential for the teacher's voice to deliver short interactive texts. In order to demonstrate some teacher talk techniques, here is the story that I shared:
Imagine this:
A hungry frog hiding in a pond. His eyes just above the surface of the water. Above the pond – sitting on the end of a twig – a tasty-looking dragonfly.
Can you draw that?
One of the participants was my friend Paul Driver. I didn't realize that in a previous life, Paul was an illustrator. How about this work of art?
So there you are: a hungry frog hiding in a pond. His eyes just above the surface of the water. Above the pond – sitting on the end of a twig – a tasty-looking dragonfly.
What do you think happens next?
[Take some suggestions from students.]
As quickly as he can
Predator leaps at prey
He opens his mouth
He sticks out his tongue
He stretches out his arms
But oh, what terrible timing:
At that exact moment
The dragonfly remembers something important that she has to do
And she flies away
[Ask students to suggest what she has to do and where she goes.]
The frog falls back to the pond
And lands in the water with a splash
And he thinks to himself:
"I'm glad that no one saw that. It would have been quite embarrassing."
Unfortunately for the frog, there is something that he doesn't know.
[Ask students to guess what the frog doesn't know by asking you questions.]
Answer: The incident was caught on camera, uploaded onto YouTube and has been viewed over a million times. Here is the video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohcDPgd1V5Y
***
During the talk, I used this short text to demonstrate the range of teacher talk techniques that we can use in an attempt to make the language of the text 'sticky'. By teacher talk techniques, I am referring to things such as repetition of elements in the text, use of space and gesture, finding the natural rhythm of the lines in the text, etc.
Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Drama Techniques for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Methodology & Language for Primary course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the Methodology & Language for Secondary course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the How to be a Teacher Trainer course at Pilgrims website.
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