examples. teacher's work on emma donoghue's room by ......examples. teacher's work on...

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MF’s C1 course at http://www.talkingpeople.net/tp/ra/c1/ 1 Examples. Teacher's Work on Emma Donoghue's Room by MF (2019) Here is an example of how I work with a novel, to expand my world and improve my English. Then I always think of sharing. If other people thought of this too, lessons would be amazing! If each person brought to class just one sentence of UL, one passage with a narrative or a description, and one fav quote or passage that made you think, become more human, wouldn't that be something? About not being able to read the book: it's out of the question. I know it's hard to read from a 5- year-old perspective, not knowing what's happening like you do every day. So focus on learning language then & be patient. Just do it, please. EXPERIENCE the wide range of emotions this book will make you feel, and THINK about the very important human & social questions this story poses. How I work as I read novels As I read, I underline and dog-ear pages*: some of the words I don't know, not all. The ones I consider most interesting or necessary for my English; favorite quotes and passages. I have different ways of underlining, to find things faster later on. I also have a set of abbreviations to indicate categories like Narr (UL, language good for narratives), Descr (UL for Descriptions), the star indicates it's a most favorite quote of mine, C1 means it's an advanced language item I may want to group with others of this kind to practice and master or understand its use, and so on. *My dog-earing is not to know where I should pick up my reading later on, but as a kind of highlighting where I have selected key passages. Anyway, for the dog-ear vs. bookmark debate please, read this article! https://www.bustle.com/p/11-things-people-who-dog-ear-books-will- never-understand-about-people-who-use-bookmarks-75481 Then, once in a while, I sit to work on my underlinings. It is only then when I stop to look up words I don't know, or do some research on sociocultural information: etymologies, info related to places and communities in the book, lifestyles, etc. Finally, I create my worksheet to share. I usually publish them on Talking People (my website) or on the blog Language Learning from Reading (a free wordpress blog I created as quick reference for my students). My little story of how I found this book I discovered Emma Donoghue my last year in Madrid because I was giving one of her books as a goodbye present by a teacher in the last school I worked: Kissing the Witch, a collection of retellings of classic tales, feminist retellings. An extraordinary book. My life is hectic, so I kept discovering women writers and forgot about this one until a teacher in our school, who unfortunately left, showed me Room and asked me about it. She was using it in her groups. I hadn't read it to I jotted it down in my To Read summer list. Again, I find the story has a precious point of view or approach to events, and that people should read this author and reflect upon her work because it's relevant for us to learn about our cultures and human nature, our potential and the obstacles we face. It will come as no surprise to those of you who know me I sent her a Thank you email plus an attached three-page letter inviting her to share whatever she wished with my prospective students, those who would be reading Room this year. But it was clear she has far too much on. She did reply. Aug 19, 2019: "So sorry, Michelle, but I’m mad busy publicizing my new novel - I hope you understand. Thanks so much for teaching ROOM… Emma."

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Page 1: Examples. Teacher's Work on Emma Donoghue's Room by ......Examples. Teacher's Work on Emma Donoghue's Room by MF (2019) Here is an example of how I work with a novel, to expand my

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Examples.Teacher'sWorkonEmmaDonoghue'sRoombyMF(2019)HereisanexampleofhowIworkwithanovel,toexpandmyworldandimprovemyEnglish.ThenIalwaysthinkofsharing.Ifotherpeoplethoughtofthistoo,lessonswouldbeamazing!IfeachpersonbroughttoclassjustonesentenceofUL,onepassagewithanarrativeoradescription,andonefavquoteorpassagethatmadeyouthink,becomemorehuman,wouldn'tthatbesomething?

Aboutnotbeingabletoreadthebook:it'soutofthequestion.Iknowit'shardtoreadfroma5-year-oldperspective,notknowingwhat'shappeninglikeyoudoeveryday.Sofocusonlearninglanguagethen&bepatient.Justdoit,please.EXPERIENCEthewiderangeofemotionsthisbookwillmakeyoufeel,andTHINKabouttheveryimportanthuman&socialquestionsthisstoryposes.HowIworkasIreadnovelsAsIread,Iunderlineanddog-earpages*:someofthewordsIdon'tknow,notall.TheonesIconsidermostinterestingornecessaryformyEnglish;favoritequotesandpassages.Ihavedifferentwaysofunderlining,tofindthingsfasterlateron.IalsohaveasetofabbreviationstoindicatecategorieslikeNarr(UL,languagegoodfornarratives),Descr(ULforDescriptions),thestarindicatesit'samostfavoritequoteofmine,C1meansit'sanadvancedlanguageitemImaywanttogroupwithothersofthiskindtopracticeandmasterorunderstanditsuse,andsoon.*Mydog-earingisnottoknowwhereIshouldpickupmyreadinglateron,butasakindofhighlightingwhereIhaveselectedkeypassages.Anyway,forthedog-earvs.bookmarkdebateplease,readthisarticle!https://www.bustle.com/p/11-things-people-who-dog-ear-books-will-never-understand-about-people-who-use-bookmarks-75481Then,onceinawhile,Isittoworkonmyunderlinings.ItisonlythenwhenIstoptolookupwordsIdon'tknow,ordosomeresearchonsocioculturalinformation:etymologies,inforelatedtoplacesandcommunitiesinthebook,lifestyles,etc.Finally,Icreatemyworksheettoshare.IusuallypublishthemonTalkingPeople(mywebsite)orontheblogLanguageLearningfromReading(afreewordpressblogIcreatedasquickreferenceformystudents).

MylittlestoryofhowIfoundthisbook

IdiscoveredEmmaDonoghuemylastyearinMadridbecauseIwasgivingoneofherbooksasagoodbyepresentbyateacherinthelastschoolIworked:KissingtheWitch,acollectionofretellingsofclassictales,feministretellings.Anextraordinarybook.Mylifeishectic,soIkeptdiscoveringwomenwritersandforgotaboutthisoneuntilateacherinourschool,whounfortunatelyleft,showedmeRoomandaskedmeaboutit.Shewasusingitinhergroups.Ihadn'treadittoIjotteditdowninmyToReadsummerlist.Again,Ifindthestoryhasapreciouspointofvieworapproachtoevents,andthatpeopleshouldreadthisauthorandreflectuponherworkbecauseit'srelevantforustolearnaboutourculturesandhumannature,ourpotentialandtheobstaclesweface.

ItwillcomeasnosurprisetothoseofyouwhoknowmeIsentheraThankyouemailplusanattachedthree-pageletterinvitinghertosharewhatevershewishedwithmyprospectivestudents,thosewhowouldbereadingRoomthisyear.Butitwasclearshehasfartoomuchon.Shedidreply.Aug19,2019:"Sosorry,Michelle,butI’mmadbusypublicizingmynewnovel-Ihopeyouunderstand.ThankssomuchforteachingROOM…Emma."

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MyFirstNotesonRoomforC1.2studentsTakingnotesonUsefulLanguageandsocioculturalinformation,toexpand,topracticeretelling,soastolearnanduseinmypersonallife.

Donoghuehascreatedoneofthepuretriumphsofrecentfiction:anebullientchildnarrator,heldcaptivewithhismotherinan11-by-11-footroom,throughwhomweencountertheblurry,oftencomplicatedspacebetweenclosenessandautonomy.Inanarrativeatoncedelicateandvigorous—richinpsychological,sociologicalandpoliticalmeaning—Donoghuerevealshowjoyandterroroftendwellsidebyside.'–NoteonRoom’schoiceasoneoffivebestfictiontitlesof2010intheNewYorkTimesSource:https://www.emmadonoghue.com/books/novels/room-the-novel.htmlUsefulLanguagefromreviewsinthelinkabove

Adjectives&Adverbs:Astounding,terrifying…/Oneofthemostaffectingandsubtlyprofoundnovelsoftheyear/Forsuchapeculiar,stripped-downtale,it'sfantasticallyevocative…/Heart-stopping…Donoghue’sutterlygrippingplot/Inanarrativeatoncedelicateandvigorous—richinpsychological,sociologicalandpoliticalmeaning—/Donoghuenavigatesbeautifullyaroundtheselimitations/Thrillingandatmomentspalm-sweatinglyharrowing…/Powerful,tension-filledandtakesabigrisk…Highlyrecommended/Bothgrippingandpoignant,it’satributetohumanresourcefulnessandresilience/Rivetingandoriginal…apage-turner…/Inventiveanddisturbing…compellinglysubversive/Charming,funny,artfullyconstructedandattimesalmostunbearablymoving,(verbs)Donoghueminesmaterialthatonthefaceofitappearsintractablybleakandsurfaceswithapowerful,compulsivelyreadableworkoffictionthatdefieseasycategorizationVerbs:sheisabletofashionradiancefromsuchhorror/(plot)maysoundasifithasbeenrippedfromheadlines/(narrative)Donoghuerevealshowjoyandterroroftendwellsidebyside/Itpresentsanutterlyuniquewaytotalkaboutlove,allthewhilegivingusafresh,expansiveeyeon/whatmakestheemotionpossibleisthatthisbookisbuiltlikea/Itkeptusutterlyhooked

Clauses:WithoutdenyingJack'svulnerability,(Verbs)Donoghueallowsanalmostterrifyingresiliencetoseepintohisnarrative/Asalife-affirmingfable,/BothhardtoputdownandprofoundlyaffectingTheNovelTheepigraphofthisnovelreads:

MychildSuchtroubleIhaveAndyousleep,yourheartisplacid;youdreaminthejoylesswood;inthenightnailedinbronze,inthebluedarkyouliestillandshine.

Simonides(c.556-468BCE),"Danaë"(tr.RichmondLattimore)

Theepigraphsetsusupforasuperhumanoriginstory.SimonideswasaGreekpoetandthispoem,theLamentationofDanaë,isaboutawomantrappedinachestandsetafloatatsea.

Beingtrappedinasmallspaceandfeelinglostandsetadriftintheworld...ThechildDanaëisPerseus...thesamePerseuswhokilledMedusa(beheadedagorgon),slayedaseamonster,andmarriedPrincessAndromeda.

Source:Informationfromhttps://www.shmoop.com/room-emma-donoghue/epigraph.htmlEmmaDonoghue:Roomwasinspiredby…havingkids;thelockedroomisametaphorfortheclaustrophobic,tenderbondofparenthood.Iborrowedobservations,jokes,kidgrammarandwholedialoguesfromoursonFinn,whowasfivewhileIwaswritingit.Roomwasalsoinspiredby...ancientfolkmotifsofwalled-upvirginswhogivebirth(e.g.Rapunzel),oftentoheroes(e.g.DanaëandPerseus).Roomwasalsoinspiredby…theFritzlfamily’sescapefromtheirdungeoninAustria.

Source:https://www.emmadonoghue.com/books/novels/room-the-novel.html

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UsefulLanguage

• thetoothfairy(88)Fromwikipedia(practiceexplainingtraditions):TheToothFairyisafantasyfigureofearlychildhoodinWesternandWestern-influencedcultures.Thefolklorestatesthatwhenchildrenloseoneoftheirbabyteeth,theyshouldplaceitunderneaththeirpilloworontheirbedsidetableandtheToothFairywillvisitwhiletheysleep,replacingthelosttoothwithasmallpayment.More...TheRatoncitoPérez(PérezMouseinEnglish)ispopularinSpanishandHispanicAmericancultures.SimilartotheToothFairy,itoriginatedinMadridin1894(?!).AsistraditionalinsomeEnglish-speakingcountries,whenachildlosesatoothitiscustomaryforhimorhertoplaceitunderthepillow,sothatRatoncitoPérezwillexchangeitforagift.Thetraditiontakesdifferentformsindifferentareas.HeisknownasRatoncitoPérezinSpanishspeakingcountries,withtheexceptionofsomeregionsofMexico,PeruandChile,whereheiscalled"elRatóndelosDientes"(TheToothMouse).

InItaly,theToothFairyisalsooftenreplacedbyasmallmousenamedTopolino.

InFranceandFrench-speakingBelgiumthischaracteriscalledlapetitesouris(thelittlemouse).

FrompartsofLowlandScotlandcomesawhitefairyratwhopurchaseschildren'steeth.

InCatalonia,thetoothisplacedunderthepillowinexchangeofacoinoralittletokenbroughtbyElsAngelets(littleangels)andLesanimetes(littlesouls).

IntheBasqueCountry,especiallyinBiscay,thereisMariTeilatukoa(Maryfromtheroof),wholivesintheroofofthebaserriandcatchestheteeththrownbythechildren.

InsomeAsiancountries,suchasIndia,China,Japan,KoreaandVietnam,whenachildlosesatooth,itiscustomaryforhimorhertothrowitontotheroofifitcamefromthelowerjaw,orintothespacebeneaththefloorifitcamefromtheupperjaw.Whiledoingthis,thechildshoutsarequestforthetoothtobereplacedwiththetoothofamouse.Thistraditionisbasedonthefactthattheteethofmicegrowfortheirentirelives,acharacteristicofallrodents.InsomeculturesinIndia,childrenburytheirteethinthesoilnearbigtrees.

InMiddleEasterncountries(includingIraq,Jordan,EgyptandSudan),thereisatraditionofthrowingababytoothupintotheskytothesunortoAllah.Thistraditionmayoriginateinapre-Islamicoffering,anddatesbacktoatleastthe13thcentury.

Children'srhymes:Nightnight/sleeptight/don'tletthebugsbite(bugsorbedbugs)[Otherversionsofwhobites:theangels(traditional),themissiles(GreenhamCommonWomen'sPeaceCamp)](89)Page341:

"GrowingupwithoutLEGO"shetellsSteppa,"Iliterallycan'timagineit.""Betthere'sacouplebillionchildrenintheworldmanagingsomehow,"saysSteppa."Iguessyou'reright."She'slookingconfused.Privacy&Law(248):"Thispaperthat'sprintedyourfifth-gradephoto,forinstance,"he'ssaying,"we'dhaveastrongcaseforbreachofprivacythere."• breachofduty=incumplimientodeldeber• abreachofcontract=incumplimientodecontrato• theybreachedtheagreement=rompieron,infrigieronelacuerdo• Aftertheriot,protesterswereaccusedofbreachofthepeace=(perturbacióndelordenpúblico)• Sexualexploitationandabuseinpeacekeepingmissionsisamongthemostappallingformsofbreachof

trust(abusodeconfianza,prevaricación)Describingphysicalthingspeopledo.Holding,lettingloose(287):"They'llbewaiting...""Iwanttocometoo."IsitupandwraparoundMa....

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"You'llbeexhaustedifyoudon'thaveanap.Letgoofme,please."Ma'stakingmyhandsoffher.Iknotthemaroundhertightersoshecan't."Jack!""Stay."Iputmylegsaroundhertoo."Getoffme.I'mlatealready."HerhandsarepressingmyshouldersbutIholdonevenmore."You'renotababy.Isaidgetoff--"Ma'sshovingsohard,Isuddenlycomeloose.Magrabsmebythehandandyanks.(265)• There'sa*somebodystandinginthedoor,Ijump**.(275)*asomebody(possible,yes)**to

jump=tobestartled,tobegivenafright

Forreadingaloudinclass.SharingpassagestocollectULVisittoamall(302)*Toilet(307)*Beesting(335)

Thekid'slanguage:Usingexpressivelanguageisakeyaimforadvancedlearners,soitmightbeinterestingtoconsiderwhatchildrendowithlanguage,howcreativeandexpressivetheyareandhowtheydothat!Someofthesesentencescouldhavebeenstatedbyadultstoo.Sortthatout!

• I'mbeingscave*butabitmorebravethanscaredbecausethisisn'tasabadaspretendingI'mdeadinRug.(302)Lexicalcreativityworkshop&scave.What'sthenameofthiskindofwordformation?

• Trafficlightschangingtogreenandawomanwithcrutcheshopping(302)

• Ipickuptheheart[anobject]andputitinmypocketwiththeothertreasures.../ThenIchangemymind,IputallmytreasuresinmyDorabaginthefrontzipbitinstead.Myshoesaresore*soItakethemoff.(305)*thekid'spoeticlicence!Theshoesarepersonified,paintransferredtothem

• Shesquirtssunblockintoherhands....That'skindoffunny./Shestartsrubbingitonmybackofhands..../Shedoesmyface..../...we'realldone(333)

• Steppacracksaneggwithonehandsoitplopsoverthepasta.(341)

• She'sputthebudthingsinherears,she'snoddingtoamusicIdon'thearandsinginginalittlevoice...Sheputsonebudinmyear(275)[earphones]

• match(339):Hestampsonmyfoot./Ihowl./...Heshowsmethematchallcurledup,herubsmysockwherethere'sablackbit."Didn'tyourmaeverteachyounottoplaywithfire?"/"Therewasn't."/"Therewasn'twhat?"/"Fire."/Hestaresatme."Iguessyourstovewaselectric.Gofigure."

• Iseeagiganticapplemadeofwood."Ilikethat."(305)

• NextIfindasilver-and-bluethinglikearocket[acoffeepot]...puttingitbackontheshelf.(305)

• Ourshadowsarereallylongandstretchy.Iwavemygiantfists.(343)

• "Well,coffee'sthemostimportantthingtheysellbecausemostofusneedittokeepusgoing,likegasinthecar."/Maonlydrinkswaterandmilkandjuicelikeme,Iwonderwhatkeepshergoing.(347)

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OtherUsefulLanguage

• Likeitmatters(89)=Asifitmattered.Replytothequestion,"Whathappened?"• I'mgettinggoodattelling(248)[expandingusesof"tobegoodat"]• Gotosleepnow(287)vsGotobed.What'stheBIGdifference?• Gobacktosleep(271)[transparentphrasals]• WhenwejumpbackthroughtherevolvingdoorI'mblurryinmyhead.(265)• Let'sgetyouinside(265)• Donationsarepouringin(248)• How'sitgoing?...• Idon'tthinkthisisgoingtowork(287)[Aplan]• Bronwynkeepgoing"HiJack,Hijack."(302)• Ikeptthesixth...Youcanhave[keep]asmanyasyoulike.(271)• ...we'llbefineaslongasweholdhands(325)• Comeawayfromthat(325).Howdoyousay"Aléjatedeahí",see?

Thinkaboutthis.Understandhowpreciousreadingliterature,underliningUL(tolearntoavoidliteraltranslation)&reflectingonfunctionaltranslationis!

Trees(264):...amapelkey..."It'stheseedofthismapletree...asortofpairofwingstohelpitgofar."...Ishowheranotheronethat'ssomethingwrongwith."It'sjustasingle,itlostitsotherwing"Forclassroomdiscussions.SharingquestionsandpassagestodiscusstopicsQuestions

• Canyouworkoutastatementwhereyouwordthekeyideaforthisstory?• WhatdoyouthinkthemotherdidrightinRoom?• Whatwouldyouhavedoneinherplace?• Whatcanyousaytosomepeople'scriticismtohermothering?• Whichscenesordevelopmentsinthenovelaffectedyoumost?• Howdoyourelatetolyingandtellingthetruth?• WhatkindofthingsdoyoubelievearetrueonTV?• Howdoyoufeelwhenadultsspeakinfrontofchildrenasifchildrenwerenotthere?

Passagestrue,fake,what'strue?(88)AbouttheworldseenonTV

WheneverIthinkofathingnow...Ihavetorememberthey'rereal,they'reactuallyhappeninginOutsidealltogether.Itmakesmyheadtired...."Arestoriestrue?""Whichones?"..."notliterally."..."Sothey'refake?""No,no.Storiesareadifferentkindoftrue."

Aboutlying:Grandmasaysshewouldn'tlietome.SheliedtoDr.ClayaboutCheckers.(325)Hedidn'ttellGrandmaaboutthematch,that'skindoflyingbutnotgettingmeintotroubleisagoodreason.(339)WhenIwasfourIthoughteverythinginTVwasjustTV,thenIwasfiveandMaunlied*aboutlotsofitbeingpicturesofrealandOutsidebeingtotallyreal.NowI'minOutsidebutitturnsoutlotsofitisn'trealatall.[intheplayground,apoleimitatingthatoffirefighters](345)*Lexicalcreativityworkshop.Whatkindofwordformationisthis?

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Page297.Discussingtherolethatthenewsmediaplayinthenovel.TVcrew(286)(themedia)&brutalityinunderstandingofthings:

..."ButdidyoueverconsideraskingyourcaptortotakeJackaway?""Away?""Toleavehimoutsideahospital,say,sohecouldbeadopted.Asyouyourselfwere,veryhappily,Ibelieve."IcanseeMaswallow."WhywouldIhavedonethat?""Well,sohecouldbefree.""Freeawayfromme?""Itwouldhavebeenasacrifice,ofcourse--theultimatesacrifice--butifJackcouldhavehadanormal,happychildhoodwithalovingfamily?""Hehadme."Masaysitonewordatatime."Hehadachildhoodwithme,whetheryou'dcallitnormalornot.""Butyouknewwhathewasmissing,"saysthewoman."Everydayheneededawiderworld,andtheonlyoneyoucouldgivehimgotnarrower.YoumusthavebeentorturedbythememoryofeverythingJackdidn'tevenknowtowant.Friends,school,grass,swimming,ridesatthefair...""Whydoeseveryonegoonaboutfairs?"Ma'svoiceisallhoarse."WhenIwasakidIhatedfairs."Thewomandoesalittlelaugh.Ma'sgottearscomingdownherface,sheputsupherhandstocaththem.I'moffmychairandrunningather..."Theboyisnottobeshown"(298)Page360,aboutlove:"Remember,"shesaysonthewayothewhitecar,"wedon'thugstrangers.Evenniceones.""Whynot?""Wejustdon't,wesaveourhugsforpeoplewelove.""IlovethatboyWalker.""Jack,youneversawhimbeforeinyourlife."RESOURCES-Film/Movie(2015)FullAudiobookonYouTube:https://youtu.be/la_-ZF5I3RQOralBookReview:https://youtu.be/8BtiGypyKwUthatlatercomparesittothemovieDiscussionPanel:Anin-depth40-minuteaudiodiscussionofRoombytheSlateBookClub,http://www.slate.com/id/2286457/CONTAINSSPOILERSRadiointerview.EmmaDonoghueonTheGuardianBookClubhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/audio/2014/apr/18/emma-donoghue-room-books-podcast(30')Articles:850-wordarticlebyEmmaDonoghueonRoompublishedinTheGuardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/mar/21/emma-donoghue-room-book-clubArticles:1,500-wordarticlebyCatherineConroyonDonoghuepublishedinTheIrishTimeshttps://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/emma-donoghue-when-i-have-an-idea-i-hurl-myself-at-it-1.3121057+musical2017