Beowulf

Instituto Superior en Lenguas Vivas
Juan Ramón Fernández
Literature I

The methodology of teaching literature
BEOWULF

Teacher: Cecilia Pena Koessler
Students: Lucía Pöll and Maite Espósito

The methodology of teaching literature
BEOWULF

This paper contains a number of activities suggested for a seventeen year-old group, who should have an upper intermediate level of English.Pre-reading activities:

Interaction

* Before reading the chapter in which Grendel´s mother seeks vengeance, I will ask students what they think about the concept. Students will first discuss their ideas as regards “vengeance” in pairs and then we will have a sort of debate in which a group of students be for it and one against it.

Prediction:
* Read the title, back cover, andfirst page of your book; look at the pictures.
* Write the title below.
* Fill in the balloons with clues to what the book will be about.
* Think about the clues you found. Predict what the book will be about.

While- reading activities: PREDICTION

* I will ask students to read the back cover of the book (plot) and in pairs imagine the two monsters which are mentioned. Students candraw them or write a list of their characteristics. Finally they will share the ideas they came up with and compare them to their peers´.

Picturing

* While reading the chapter in which Beowulf fights against Grendel, I will ask students to be as perceptive as they can and try to use their senses to understand the chapter better. As they read, students will make a list of the smells(Grendel´s stench), sounds (men snoring), strong images and movement (Grendel lurching) which could be perceived.
Once students have finished reading the chapter we will discuss the fight against Grendel and they will then share with the rest of the class what they have been able to identify as smells, sounds and strong visual images. I will write them on the board.
Students will then getinto groups and imagine they are a scop and tell the scene of the battle from this point of view. They can use the smells, sounds and tastes they have identified.
* After reading the feast scene in Heorot, I will ask students to use their five senses to role play the scene. Students will need to identify the smells and tastes of food, the sounds of the music played in the hall, the images ofpeople eating.
Finally students will role play the scene. They can dress up, bring Anglo Saxon music and represent this part of the book.

Compare and contrast: Venn diagram

* Once students have discribed the two different settings, they will have to make a venn diagram.
* Write shared traits in the centre where the circles overlap. Write unique traits in each circle.Retrospection: Reference

* Who are we referring to? Find the reference for these pronouns in the text.
1. Line 30, page 4: HE
2. Line 3, page 5: HE
3. Line 3, page 7: IT
4. Line 33, page 14: THEM
5. Line 12, page 25: SHE
6. Line 8, page 34: IT

Inferring character traits: Evaluating
* As you read the story, look for what Beowulf says, does, or thinks that makes him a goodhero.
* Choose a word to describe him and write it below. (suggested answers: courageous, brave, strong, bold, spirited, daring, kind, firm, confident, adventurous)
* Draw a scene from the story that shows the hero acting the way you described him.

After –reading activities:

Genre transfer:

* Comic Strip:

I will ask students to imagine they are comic writers and design acomic of ten frames for one of the following parts of the story: the fight against Grendel; the fight against the dragon or the feast in Heorot.
* Writing an e-mail:
Imagine that the characters could communicate through e-mail.
Write an e-mail as if you were Hrothgar, explaining Hygelac what was happening in Heorot. Mainly, describe the attacks and fightings Beowulf had against Grendel and...