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In the Classroom
The first assignment requires students to memorize fables. Following
our detailed study of two particular tales, I ask students to
memorize them (one after the other, separated in time by about a
week) in order to be able to recite them aloud to the class. This is,
after all, how the original tales would have been transmitted as part
of an oral storytelling tradition. Though often anxious about this assignment
beforehand, my students do manage to learn two appropriate-length
tales (of 18 and 22 verses, respectively). In doing so,
they master the fable’s content, acquire the new vocabulary, practice
advanced grammar structures, become more fluid in their articulation
of the language, and gain confidence in their abilities—not
only in the language but also in their ability to commit something to
memory, all worthy outcomes!
A second assessment requires students to reenact in groups their
choice of one fable studied in class. This occurs near the conclusion
of our unit. For this assignment, students are expected to maintain
the original intrigue and lesson of the fable, but to present it
in modified form and by means of less formal language. Although
I originally had students act these out in front of the class, I now
require them to record these fables and present them to the class
in digital format. Some possible ways for them to accomplish this
include burning a DVD, bringing in a Windows Media file (on a zip
drive), or even posting their reenactment on YouTube. The digital
delivery eliminates the challenges posed by live theater, such as
illness, nervousness, and forgetting lines. Our students are already
quite competent in their use of technology—indeed, even most cell
phones are equipped with recording devices—so I have not found
this to be an excessive demand. On the contrary, I am convinced that
this new format encourages students to put their best efforts into the
task of bringing their fable to life in video. Students are graded on
their faithfulness to the original intrigue, transmittal of the lesson,
depiction of the stereotypical characters, comprehensible pronunciation,
and overall creativity. In addition, a portion of their grade on
this project is assigned by the others in their group, which somewhat
alleviates the problem of any one person slacking off. Innovative,
imaginative, and humorous, these reenactments have been very successful
ways to demonstrate student learning in my class.
A third assessment, also a group project, is the creation of an
original fable. Students compose this on a wiki (i.e., “what I know
is”) page. As a consequence, the educator can see who contributed
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to the tale’s composition and how much. As with the reenactment,
then, each student’s participation—reflected clearly as a percentage
on the wiki page—comprises one element of his or her grade on
this assignment. This original fable should demonstrate all that they
learned in the unit. Thus, while the students have extensive liberty in
the content of their tale, they must by means of it demonstrate their
knowledge of the required elements of this genre. Some students
modernize fables we have studied; some change the point of view of
the narrative; some imagine a prequel or a sequel to a tale; and some
invent new intrigues entirely. I like the wiki form of this exercise as it
requires the 21 st century skills of collaboration and critical thinking.
Since students act as both authors and editors of the fable, they must
assess and sometimes correct the work of their classmates to ensure
a quality final product. And as with the reenactment of the fable,
students are motivated by the fact that not only their teacher but
also their classmates will be observing their work. The result is an
improved final product.
Before finishing this unit, we spend a class period reviewing what
we have learned by means of a PowerPoint game of Jeopardy! The
students are divided into two teams. Possible game categories might be
the individual fables studied, or alternatively, the content of just one
fable: Plot (to test knowledge of storyline and lesson/s), Characters
(to review characterization of the fable’s protagonists), Language (to
test understanding of difficult syntax or sophisticated construction),
Vocabulary (to test their mastery of new words), and Mixed. This
lively game allows us to review in a friendly but competitive setting.
Those not quite familiar with the answers are gently encouraged to
study before the upcoming test. A written exam, covering all that we
have studied—from the history to the narratives, from characterization
to the lessons, from grammar and vocabulary to meter and rhyme—
constitutes the fourth and final assessment for this unit.
Student Responses
In my class, student reception of the fables has been extremely positive.
They enjoy the narratives as mini-masterpieces in themselves.
They appreciate the opportunity to draw analogies between the lessons
or characters appearing in the fables and their own lives. They
are empowered by their newly acquired understanding of authentic
texts and consequently, less anxious about moving on to longer
The Language Educator n February 2013