An Interactive Procedure for Developing Literary Appreciation and Language Skills.

A classroom method used to develop advanced English-as-a-second-language students' appreciation for a literary work, ability to do close text analysis, and general language skills is described. The four-session procedure uses a short story and careful sequence of teacher questioning. In the first session, students are prepared to understand the story's creative aspects by considering elements that make it meaningful. They then read the text. In the second session, small groups compare notes on their analyses and begin whole-class discussion of story specific elements: setting; characters; action; theme; style; language; cultural references; symbols. Specific questions are presented here. Student are given the full 90 minutes of the third session to write about what the theme of the story is and how the author uses characters and symbols to bring it out. In the fourth session, the essays are returned with teacher comments and error corrections. Common problems are discussed, and an exemplary essay written by a former student is distributed to all students. They are then asked to rewrite their essays and to make corrections to sentences with errors on a list distributed to them. Story text, exemplary essay, and sentences for correction are appended. (MSE) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** An Interactive Procedure for Developing Literary Appreciation and Language Skills