Delphi module

4.5.5
Choosing texts and grading tasks

4.5.5.1 Sources of texts
4.5.5.2 Grading tasks
4.5.5.3 Levels of text processing
4.5.5.4 Tasks for extensive and intensive reading
4.5.5.5 Two example authentic texts
4.5.5.6 Example reading tasks

4.5.5.1 Sources of texts
It is important to give learners exposure to an appropriate range of language. Some coursebooks already provide a good range of text types, both spoken and written, so you may not need to find too much supplementary material yourself, but many books, especially those for lower level learners, provide only very limited quantities of authentic material. For advice on how to select appropriate texts for your learners, see Module 8 (section 8.2).

4.5.5.2 Grading tasks
I believe that it is far preferable to adjust the difficulty of a task rather than to simplify or cut down a text. Some texts might be considered difficult from the 'readability' point of view, because they contain unknown words or phrases, or familiar words used in a colloquial or metaphorical way, or complex phrase or clause structures. (Note this is not the same as long words or long sentences; a long, but simply constructed, compound sentence containing some long but familiar words could be easier to understand than a short simple sentence containing two complex noun groups and unfamiliar vocabulary.) But even a 'difficult' text can be rendered 'readable' in pedagogic terms if we do not expect students to process it in too much detail.

4.5.5.3 Levels of text processing
This reflects the way that in everyday life we process texts at different levels depending on our purposes. For example, when listening to a weather forecast we will probably only pay close attention to the forecast for our region, and pretty much ignore the rest; reading a newspaper we will skim the pages, reading the headlines to find items of interest for closer reading; reading a light novel we will probably read all of each page, but quite rapidly and without the same care as when following the instructions in a recipe we have not made before, and where we are likely to read each section several times, before we start and as we complete each step.

4.5.5.4 Tasks for extensive and intensive reading
You can set tasks for students that mirror this range of extensive to intensive (and repeated) reading / listening, and whole text to part coverage only. You can also make the reading or listening much more manageable by including sufficient preparation in the form of pre-tasks, when you can supply some of the essential background knowledge, check that key words or phrases are known and will be recognized, that immediate motivation is kindled, and that a clear purpose is established for the listening or reading. As Willis (1996: 71) says, 'grading a text by attempting to assess its level makes no pedagogic sense ... unless one knows the purpose for which the information is to be used.'

4.5.5.5 Two example authentic texts
Here are two examples of authentic written texts (retyped) that I would consider using in a language class. Who might each text be suitable for?

Text 1: This is taken from 'The Book of Mini Sagas'. Mini sagas were introduced as a competition by the Telegraph Sunday Magazine in 1982. The rules were that the story must be exactly 50 words long, the titles must be no more than fifteen words, and a story should be conveyed. The best entries were published as a collection in 1985.

TO BE CAREFUL,
TO BE CARING
When she walked, I watched.
When she talked, I listened.
Lighting her cigarettes
was an act of love. And a
betrayal, for they killed her.
I was careful, Jennie. You
were my only addiction. I was
afraid to ask you
to be careful, too.
Because I might have lost
you.

James Cawthorn

LONDON W 10

The Book of Mini Sagas with an introduction by Brian Aldiss, 1985, Allan Sutton Publishing, Gloucester, p 15.

Text 2: This is a section taken from a book about body language.

PERSONAL SPACE
Most animals have a certain air space around their bodies that they claim as their personal space. How far the space extends is mainly dependent on the conditions in which the animal was raised. Like other animals, man has his own portable 'air bubble' that he carries around with him and its size is dependent on the density of the population in the place where he grew up.

Zone Distances
The radius of the air bubble around suburban middle class white people living in Australia, New Zealand, England, North America and Canada is generally the same. It can be broken down into four distinct zone distances.

Intimate Zone (between 15 and 45 centimetres or 6 to 8 inches)
Of all the zone distances, this is by far the most important as it is the zone that a person guards as if it were his own property. Only those who are emotionally close to that person are admitted to enter it. This includes lovers, parents, spouse, children, close friends and relatives. There is a sub-zone that extends up to 15 centimetres (6 inches) from the body that can be entered only during physical contact. This is the close intimate zone.
Personal Zone (between 46 centimetres and 1.22 metres or 18 to 48 inches)
This is the distance that we stand from others at cocktail parties, office parties, social functions and friendly gatherings.
Social Zone between 1.22 and 3.6 metres or 4 to 12 feet)
We stand at this distance from strangers, the plumber or the carpenter doing repairs around our home, the postman, the local shopkeeper, the new employee at work and people whom we do not know very well.
Public Zone (over 3.6 metres or 12 feet)
Whenever we address a large group of people, this is the comfortable distance at which we choose to stand.

Diagram showing zone distances

Body Language by Allan Pease, 1981, Sheldon Press, London, pp 20-21.

For feedback, see Commentary 4.5.5.

4.5.5.6 Example reading tasks
Here are some task descriptions / instructions that you could use with each of these texts, but I've presented them as a jumble task - ie each set of descriptions is mixed up.

Put each set into the order in which you would use them if you were going to use them all (I wouldn't advise you to really use them all - it would take far too long and become boring!)
Identify which are pre-reading tasks and which are reading tasks.
Finally, decide which tasks (if any) could be used with students of any level from elementary up, which would be suitable for intermediate level and above, and which could be used for advanced students only.

'Mini-saga' tasks

Here are the first two lines of a very short poem. The poem was written by a man called James, and it tells a story about a woman called Jennie. What do you think happens in this story? Tell your partner your ideas.

When she walked, I watched.
When she talked, I listened.

Now look at the next part of the poem. Do you want to change your ideas about the story? How do you think the story might end?

Lighting her cigarettes
was an act of love.

Now read the whole poem and see if your story is the same.

You have five minutes with your partner to think up a title for the mini-saga (remember that the title must be fifteen words or fewer). We will then take a class vote on who has invented the best title. (Note: students will not have seen the original title.)
Variation: Which of these titles do you think is the best one for this poem? Why?

Regret
Smoking kills.
To be careful, to be caring
Addicted to love
Addiction

With your partner, find at least three words to describe how James felt at the time of writing this poem. (Use a dictionary if you want to.)

We are going to do a class survey to find out about people's smoking habits. Here are two questions. Add three more questions of your own. Then go round the class to get your answers. (Note to teacher: in a large class you might like to vary the first two questions among groups, or ask each pair to ask just one or two of the questions, to avoid all students asking each other the same questions).

How often do you smoke cigarettes? EVERY DAY / SOMETIMES / NEVER
For people who answered NEVER: A friend who smokes asks you to buy cigarettes for them. Do you say 'yes' or 'no'? Why?

Put away the copy of the poem that you have been working on. In your group, see how much of the poem you can write out from memory.

Here are the lines of a poem about a man and a woman, but they have been mixed up. Can you put them back into the right order?

Lighting her cigarettes
were my only addiction. I was
When she walked, I watched.
To be careful, too.
Betrayal, for they killed her.
Was an act of love. And a
you.
I was careful, Jennie. You
When she talked, I listened.
Afraid to ask you
Because I might have lost

Here is a poem about a man and a woman, but some words are missing. Can you put the words from the box back into the right places?

When she walked, I .................
When she ............., I listened.
Lighting her ................
was an act of ............... And a
betrayal, for they killed her.
I was ............., Jennie. ............
were my only addiction. I was..............
to ask youto be careful, too.
Because I might have lost
you.

You love cigarettes afraid careful talked watched

Variation 1: after having read the complete poem once, students cover the complete version and try to remember the words that go in the spaces, without the help of the list at the end.

Variation 2: before seeing the complete version, students see this gapped version without the list of missing words and try to think of an acceptable word for each space.

'Personal space' tasks

You have two minutes to look at a text on 'Personal Space'. Which of the 'Zone distances' mentioned in the text applies to your classmates? Your teacher?

Look at this diagram of 'zone distances' (teacher shows complete diagram on OHP or gives out copies, minus the main text). What do you think it shows? You and your partner should try to agree on an answer.

With your partner, answer the set of questions your teacher gives you (teacher allocates one set per pair of students, so one third of the class is doing each set.) You have five minutes.

Have you ever felt that someone was standing too close to you? Who was it? How close were they? Where were you and what was the occasion or event? Write down in note form Who, How close, Where, Event. See if you can think of two examples each.
In class, or out of class, how close do you normally stand to your friends? (Use a ruler to help you estimate the distance.) How close do you stand to your teacher? When you have agreed on the measurements, do a quick survey of two or three other pairs near you and note their answers.
Is the distance you stand from another person important? Why (not)? What might happen if someone stands too close or too far away? Write down three things that might happen if someone stands at the 'wrong' distance.

After the teacher tells you your discussion time is up, prepare a short report with your partner so you can tell the others in the class what you thought or found out.

Look at the text a second time. With your partner, decide whether the distances given for the four 'zones' are the same as you would expect where you come from. Can you explain why they are similar or different?

On a sheet of paper, make four columns, headed 'intimate zone', 'personal zone', 'social zone' and 'public zone'. In the appropriate column, write the names (or descriptions) of at least two people who have entered each of your four zones in the last week. Compare your list with your partner's.

Look at the passage about personal space. Some of the numbers have been blanked out. Now look at the diagram. The measurements are missing from this too. Can you guess what they are?

(NB Students would not see the complete text or diagram before doing this task. Students to be given text with all measurements blanked out.)

diagram of zones with measurements blanked out

Now look at the complete text and see how close you were! (Students to be given full version of text).

For feedback, see Commentary 4.5.6.