TPE 5: Student Engagment
_Lesson Plan: Picture Book Dialect
Lesson Summary—This lesson, entitled Picture Book Dialect, is a sixth grade English language arts lesson. We start by analyzing the use of dialect in the book Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack. Students get to show off language skills they use every day, by translating TV opening narration into their own dialects. I incorporated many techniques designed to cultivate student engagement. Prior Knowledge—The lesson celebrates the students' linguistic and cultural strengths. Everyone has mastered more than one dialect and this lesson accesses their prior knowledge and places value on the knowledge they bring to the table. Student Interest—I am also using their interest in specific television shows. The handout that accompanies this lesson would vary from year to year depending on the types of TV shows the students are interested in. Multiple Points of View—We explore different points of view during this lesson by witnessing the variety of ways to say the same thing even within the English language. The word 'translate' implies that all dialects are equal in status. Language is naturally biased and carried with it a perspective. In the final discussion, I ask students to consider how they themselves adjust their speech depending on the setting, exposing them to differing points of view within themselves. |