Hi Malini,
I would suggest that there are many activities. May I ask, what exactly are you trying to promote in the way of British Literature? Who are the students you are teaching, age range, ability level? If you would like a broad answer then here are a couple- to be read to aloud is essential to all age groups and to have the possibility of joining in, following the text or repeating the text line by line is also beneficial.
1 Choose a simple story that you love and read a page or two that your students can follow- make them exciting ones so that your students desire to know more- there is more chance they will want to read it themselves when they are able.
2 Relish it, use emotion, use character voices, create mood, have fun with it.
3 Discuss what was happening, ask about descriptive words, nouns, adjectives (You see why we need to know more about your students and their age?)
4 Pick out words that they like the sound of and pronounce them in context. Use drama, exaggerate them so they become humerous (they become more memorable) Set them the task of using one or two of the words during the class, the week, before you next meet and ask them to tell you what happened / how they used them.
---Another way to tell a story and keep it engaging is to use objects to represent the characters- this is a favourite method I use with kids and adults in the work I now do. Use the objects as the characters- borrow someones pen (for example to play the part of a thin man) borrow a ruler to represent a stream, an eating makes a good dog on a lead, a coin represents wealth/ treasure or wealthy person. You must know the story well and as you tell it you animate the objects. You musn't be concerned with how you sound, you are creating a mini-play and if you tell only part of the story in this way, I can almost guarantee that your students, when given the same objects you used, will be able to tell the story almost word for word. The key- Humour, sense of participation, using objects to anchor the ideas and characters and seeing the story you love unwind.
I was an actor, a teacher and an adventure training instructor in the army before I became Training Officer for Playworks® Oz and I have used object play like the above to simplify concepts, stories, plans of action and strategies in each profession. I wish you the very best.
I would say, based on my experience, that a good way to promote British literature (or any other) in the EFL classroom is watching movies and videos of famous and classic master pieces of literature represented. Since these are usually condensed versions of the original ones, students get curious and sometimes anxious of knowing the original version by its genuine author.
Youtube as well as other web sites are excellent possibilities of accessing the representation of the classics. You can afterwards make your own representations with your students.
Jorge
Dear Stephen and Jorge,
Thank you very much for your insightful responses.
Regards
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