Source Books: Longmann and English Power 3

Longman with English Power!

This class involved us taking alook at English source books.
Under the title of
Longmann and English Power 3

English Power 3 is a source book designed for lower school English students. From initial observations, the text book is quite large and thus would not bee a source book in which students would need to buy. I would not recommend students purchasing this book, but rather, it should be used as a reference book. Pages should be photocopied and then handed out to students. One of the key advantages of using English Power 3 is that the wa it is constructed is quite aesthetically pleasing. The pages are colourful, large pictures and illustrations and the text does not look daunting. This is quite a bonus when handing these sheets out to a lower school group of students. However, one main concern with English power 3 is that the objectives and activities are quite text specific. This means there is less flexibility to apply your own texts to activities.

The Longmann English source book is designed for a year 11 group of students and in my opinion, presents a more in-depth look at texts. The activities are challenging and engaging whilst specifically stating the outcomes that are going to be addressed.

I would recommend using the Longmann books for a higher-level class as the source book approaches texts with quite complex topics.

One thing I must say, is that source books should not be used to replace teacher constructed lessons. I believe source books should compliment teaching programs and not replace them.

Different Types of Texts

PROMETHEUS
The story of Prometheus is quite a well know one, Prometheus was a demigod, one of the Titans, who was worshiped by craftsmen. When Zeus hid fire from man, Prometheus stole it by trickery and returned it to earth. As punishment, Zeus chained him to a rock where an eagle fed each day on his liver, which grew again each night.



This is a myth and thus serves a function. A question raised is, what is the purpose of a myth?

• Present morals
• Ethics
• Warn of consequences
• Explanation of creation
• Explanation for events
• Explanation for nature

So thus we have a dissection of a myth.
“myth |miθ| |mɪθ| |mɪθ|
noun
1 a traditional story, esp. one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.
• such stories collectively : the heroes of Greek myth.”

Prometheus is just one example of a myth and how it can present values, attitudes and beliefs.

Fables
fable |ˈfābəl| |ˌfeɪbəl| |ˌfeɪb(ə)l|
noun
a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.
• a story, typically a supernatural one incorporating elements of myth and legend.

Writing Outcomes in the Class

Addressing writing outcomes.
What aspects do we need to consider when addressing writing outcomes?

• The use of the text
• Contextual understanding
• Conventions
• Process and strategies
• Purpose and audience

Purpose and audience of a text is a key aspect when planning for writing. Some questions that should be considered are:

Who is my audience?
This falls under, age, cultural background, context, intellectual background, gender and a host of other less obvious demographics.

When starting writing tasks with learners, help them identify the key concepts associated with writing a story.
Some things to consider when writing a text:
• Characters
• Orientation, time/setting
• Problem/conflict
• Change
• Event/action
• Cause and effect.