TEACHER TEXT

ENGLISH

STANDARD VIII

GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2015
 Members Participated in the Workshop

Members
Arun T S, GHS Perumpazhuthoor, Thiruvananthapuram

Jayarajan K, Perambra HSS, Perambra, Kozhikode

Jijumon M M, GHSS Alamcode, Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram

Manju B K, Govt HSS, Anchal West, Kollam

Mohanan P, KHS, Kuthuparamba, Kannur

Paulose M A, GHSS Moolankave, Wayanad

Rajalakshmi Syamala, GMHSS Vengannoor, Thiruvananthapuram

Ravindran R, Rtd Headmaster, Palakkad

Reshmi Reghunath, GHSS, Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram

Sajith E P, GGMGHSS Chalappuram, Kozhikode

Shammy Mathew, GHSS Edakochi, Ernakulam

Siddeequl Akbar, KHMHSS Alathiyur, Tirur, Malappuram

Sujith S, Pantheerankavu HSS, Kozhikode

Artist
Haridasan N K, Art Teacher, GHSS Feroke, Kozhikode
Teacher Text
English
Experts
Standard VIII
Dr Chitra V R, Asst. Professor, University College, Thiruvananthapuram
Prepared by:
State Council of Educational Dr Manju C R, Asst. Professor, Govt. Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram
Research & Training (SCERT)
Poojappura, Dr Sushil Kumar, Assistant Professor, Devasom Board College, Sasthamcotta, Kollam
Thiruvananthapuram -12,
Kerala.
E-mail:
scertkerala@gmail.com Academic Co-ordinator
Type setting by:
SCERT Computer Lab. Jose D Sujeev, Research Officer (English), SCERT, Kerala

Printed at:

©
Government of Kerala
Department of Education
2015
 F OREWORD

Dear teachers

This is the Teacher Text for teachers of English of Standard VIII. It is developed to
serve as a platform for you to make the teaching/learning process of English effective.
We have to provide our learners ample opportunities to use the language effectively.
The English Reader in Standard VIII provides a variety of literary pieces like short
stories and poems. By creating a language atmosphere congenial for learning, we can
generate an interest in the learners so that they read and enjoy the texts in English.
The Teacher Text aims at empowering the teachers to use the Reader in the best
possible way so that every session of language learning becomes meaningful and
productive. The Approach in General, Approach to English Language, Specific Aspects
in Second Language Pedagogy, Strategies for teaching various genres of texts, Grammar,
Editing and Assessment, Teaching Manual, etc. are detailed in this book. Basic
instructional procedures are presented and illustrated citing examples.
We hope the teachers of English will find the Teacher Text a valuable source for
enriching themselves to engage effectively in the teaching/learning process. It will
also serve as a guideline for the teacher while preparing teaching manuals. Our aim is
to establish a pleasant learning atmosphere for the teachers as well as learners.
The process, strategies and techniques in this Teacher Text are only suggestive; no
teacher is bound to follow this text as such. You are free to modify, adopt or even
search for innovative and better strategies that will suit your learners. Creative
suggestions for improvement are always welcome.
Wish you all the best.

Dr S Raveendran Nair
Director
SCERT, Kerala
 CONTENTS

Part I 5 - 61

Highlights of the Reader and the Teacher Text 5

Chapter 1 Kerala School Curriculum 2013 7

Chapter 2 On Approach and Methodology 22

Chapter 3 Basic Premises on the Development of the Textbook 26

Chapter 4 Specific Areas of Second Language Pedagogy 29

Chapter 5 Various Teaching Pedagogies 33

Chapter 6 Information and Communication Technology 47

Chapter 7 Assessment Approach 50

Sample Teaching Manual 56

Formats 60

Part II 62-144

Unit 1 Hues and Views 62

Unit 2 Wings and Wheels 79

Unit 3 Seeds and Deeds 96

Unit 4 Flowers and Showers 114

Unit 5 Share and Care 131

 Highlights of the Reader
and the Teacher Text

• This course of instruction in • Various issues and themes

English is based on the objectives related to our society like
and principles of education negligence towards art and artists,
envisioned in Kerala School knowledge and insights of travel,
Curriculum 2013. dignity of labour, communication
• The curriculum includes various with nature, need of love and
problems faced by our society care to the differently abled are
discussed in the units.
which are discussed in the texts
and activities are provided to • Each unit gives ample scope for
sensitise the learners on them. creative expression of language
as well as its application in real
• Constructivism and critical life contexts.
pedagogy are the principles that
• Performance-based activities
form the basis of its pedagogic
like choreography, enactment of
approach. skit, and drama are given slots
• Critical pedagogy explores the for presentation either in the class
social dimension of a or on stage.
constructivist, child- centered • Various skills of language are
and process-oriented classroom. integrated and the scope for
• Representative selections of constructing different discourses
authentic literary texts from is inbuilt in the classroom process
across the world are used for the of the material.
classroom transaction in each • Editing and language activities
unit. have been attempted in all the

5
units to help the learners acquire learners can write down the
the sense of accuracy in language words, their meanings and use
use. them in sentences of their own.
• The Word Bank and the • The transactional process of
detailed glossary given at the end this learning material explores the
of the Reader are provided to possibilities of IT as a tool for
familiarise the learners with language learning.
dictionary reference and to help • The Teacher Text details the
them become independent approach, methodology,
readers. techniques of transaction,
• Self-assessment checklists are planning and assessment as a
provided along with the textual comprehensive package of
activities to help the learners learning materials at this level.
assess the discourses constructed • The activities suggested in the
themselves. The teachers also can handbook are suggestive and not
continuously assess the prescriptive. Teachers are free to
performance of the learners. adopt and modify the suggested
• Space has been provided below activities within the
each page for the learners to constructivist paradigm to suit to
create personal wordlists. The the level of their learners.

6
 Chapter 1
Kerala School Curriculum 2013

Introduction
achieving gender equity in education.
Education is an important factor both Various factors have contributed to the
in the day-to-day development of the progress of general education in our
child and in contributing to the state. The most important among them
personal, social, cultural and economic are the intervention of government,
fulfillment of the future adult. The social reformation movements and the
state of Kerala today occupies an work of missionaries. Now, the major
enviable position in terms of several challenge we face is providing quality
indicators of social and human education to all.
development. It is the spread of general Education is a powerful tool that equips
education that has made this possible. a society to encounter the challenges
Kerala's performance in the field of that life brings with it. It has continued
general education has been so to evolve, diversify and extend its reach
impressive that it could receive the
and coverage since the dawn of human
distinctive acclamation as the 'Kerala history. Education stands at the
Model'. crossroads today. Normal linear
It goes to the credit of our state that it expansion cannot meet the needs of the
has achieved all the millennium goals situation. Every learner needs to be
set for education, much ahead of time. cherished, nurtured and developed with
We have been successful in ensuring tenderness and care coupled with
near universal enrolment in schools. dynamism. Each individual's growth
The dropout rates are very low and presents a different range of problems
disparity in literacy and enrolment at all and requirements, at every stage. The
levels has been reduced. We have also catalytic action of Education in this
been successful, to a great extent, in complex and dynamic growth process

7
needs to be planned meticulously and Significance of Curriculum
executed with great sensitivity. This Revision
realization paved the way for efforts to
Changes occur every minute in all fields
revise the curriculum accordingly. The
of life. The latest findings and practical
National Curriculum Framework 2005
experiences in pedagogy and
initiated the reforms in the field of
educational psychology have enabled
education. Later, the Kerala curriculum
the development of learning materials
Framework 2007 was formed which has
and the transaction of learning
subsequently been revised. The Right
experiences in a better way. These are
to Education Act of 2009, Prof. P.O.J.
aimed at the overall improvement of
Labba Committee Report related to
higher secondary education and Dr. learners.
P.K. Abdul Aziz Committee Report ‘It must be ensured that children who
related to comprehensive curriculum have different socio-economic back-
revision point towards the necessity of grounds and different physical,
curriculum reform. On the basis of the psychological and cognitive abilities
National Education Policy (1986),, can learn and achieve success at school.
infrastructure development and teacher To overcome the limitations that
training programmes were widely develop from differences in gender,
carried out. Along with this there were caste, language and physical disabilities,
attempts to make the curriculum policies and projects will not alone
learner-centred, activity-based and serve; instead, there is a need to select
process-oriented, thereby, making it and design suitable teaching methods
contemporary. The curriculum and learning objectives right from
incorporates current educational thinking childhood.’ (NCF 2005, p-27).
and the most effective pedagogical
practices. It represents a process of Thus, as pointed out by NCF, the
revision that is both evolutionary and perspective should be to adopt minute
developmental. It is designed to cater as well as scientific strategies to
to the needs of children in the modern provide the desired learning outcome to
world. It promotes the active children from all sections of society.
involvement of children in a learning This can be achieved only if curriculum
process that is imaginative and revisions are carried out periodically
stimulating. Its overall vision is to and the system is always kept active.
enable children to meet, with self- The existing curriculum is revised on
confidence and assurance, the demands the basis of this vision by imbibing the
of life, both now and in the future. experiences, findings and research of

8
those who constantly intervene in the Characteristics
field of education. The scientific Learner-centred, process-oriented,
approach of proceeding from what is activity-based and value oriented.
good to what is better is adopted here.
Emphasis is on the learning outcomes
Relevance of Kerala School that a learner imbibes at the cognitive,
Curriculum 2013 social and emotional levels.
Several innovative ideas were Focuses on the skills to be attained by
presented in the field of education over the learner in values and attitude.
the years. With the implementation of
the Right to Education Act in the year Based on the philosophy of
2009, quality education has eventually constructivism.
become the right of the child. The Teachers enjoy the freedom to choose
curriculum for schools has to be raised and employ logical and varied learning
to an international educational strategies for the transaction of
standard to implement such a right- curriculum.
based comprehensive school
Flexible to implement various teaching
development vision. International
- learning strategies recognizing the
standard does not refer to the standard
learning outcomes, nature of the
set by any particular country. It is the
content and the different levels of the
sum total of the knowledge and
learners. Discovery learning, Concept
experiences that have to be gathered by
attainment model, Inductive method,
a child in any part of the world, after a
Meta cognition, Co-operative learning,
particular stage of education. This
Collaborative learning, Reflective
shows that there is need to provide
learning, and giving opportunities to
internationally accepted teaching-
individuals and group learning etc. are
learning models to the children in
taken into consideration.
Kerala. The revision of curriculum is
envisioned as an attempt in that Ensures free and universal education to
direction. The Expert committee all learners.
constituted by the government for Comprehensive and takes into
curriculum revision stressed the consideration the various stages from
necessity of revising the curriculum the pre-primary level to the higher
with time. Besides, during curriculum secondary level.
revision, it is essential to consider the
postulates concerning curriculum and Used as an effective tool for the
assessment in the Right to Education transaction of various subjects.
Act. Designs innovative learning strategies

9
as well as assessment activities for discovery and exploration in a child-
children with special educational needs. friendly and child-centred manner;
Ensures a Continuous and (f) medium of instruction shall, as far as
Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) practicable, be in child's mother tongue;
focused on learning outcomes. (g) making the child free of fear , trauma
Stresses Health and Physical and anxiety and helping the child to
express views freely;
Education, Art Education and Work
Education. (h) comprehensive and continuous
evaluation of child's understanding of
Prepares textbooks that are the need of knowledge and his or her ability to
the hour. apply the same. The curriculum should
RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT - be revised ensuring the above-
2009 mentioned factors, and the revision of
Section - 29 (Chapter 5) the curriculum has to be viewed against
this backdrop
Curriculum and evaluation procedure
(1) The curriculum and the evaluation Stresses on Right-based Education
procedure for elementary education in the light of Right to Education Act
shall be laid down by an academic Provides an opportunity to the learner
authority to be specified by the
to experience necessary safety, care and
appropriate Government, by
notification. security both at school and in the
classroom by raising the teacher to the
(2) The academic authority, while
laying down the curriculum and the level of a mentor.
evaluation procedure under sub-section Right Based Education
(1), shall take into consideration the
following, namely: UNESCO had taken initiatives to
decide on the rights of children and
(a) conformity with the values
enshrined in the Constitution; spread them worldwide. As a result of
this, legislation has been made in many
(b) all round development of the child;
countries to protect the rights of
(c) building up child's knowledge, children. The Right to Education Act
potentiality and talent;
passed in 2009 in India, is an important
(d) development of physical and mental milestone in this matter. The
abilities to the fullest extent; responsibility of protecting the rights of
(e) learning through activities, children becomes the duty of adults.

10
Right to Education can be divided into My teachers are able to make learning
three areas. materials required for learning activities
available to me.
• Participation
I get opportunities for art and physical
• Provision education.
• Protection I also get career guidance for securing
employment in future.
Participation
Protection
My opinion is sought when decisions
I do not experience any kind of
concerning me/ children are taken.
discrimination in or out of school.
My interests are given priority when I am not ignored by any one in any
decisions are taken. manner.
I get the opportunity to participate in I am not harassed either physically or
activities which are compatible with my mentally.
ability and limitations.
I can interact with my teachers without
I am able to go through a learning any fear.
process which is flexible enough to
nurture my abilities and overcome my My privacy is respected and valued, in
limitations. spite of, being a child.

My opinions are given due respect and I am convinced that I will be safe both
value. at home and at school.
My friends and I can actively My school lends me a helping hand to
participate in the activities in class. further strengthen and empower me
when I face physical and emotional
I get opportunities to display my talent
problems.
and abilities.
These are the rights of children. How
Provision
far can these rights be ensured?
I get the service of teachers who have
What steps should be taken further to
the required qualification and who
ensure these rights? Every teacher
constantly update their knowledge.
should think in these terms. It is in this
I am provided learning -experience in context that the role of teacher as a
the prescribed time. mentor gains importance.
I am provided with a classroom Mentoring
ambience conducive to physical and
psychological growth. RTE considers the teacher as a 'mentor'.

11
In the present context where children Goals of mentoring:
undergo lot of mental and emotional
• the teacher and the student enjoy
conflicts, Mentoring has much
proper learning experiences.
relevance and significance.
• the knowledge-area of the child and
The teacher - student relationship has
undergone significant changes over the the teacher widens.
years. From a person who provides • the bond between the student and the
knowledge, a teacher has risen to the school is strengthened.
level of a facilitator who co-ordinates
• personality development and learning
the various opportunities of students to
development of the child are ensured.
gain knowledge.
In reality, school is a second home for • collective thinking, decision- making
the child and teachers are the members and collective effort are made possible.
of his/her family. Every child does not • the relationship between parents and
receive love, consideration, security, school is strengthened and an overall
appreciation and recognition etc view of the learner's learning process is
equally at home. The responsibility of a created.
teacher becomes complete only when
he/she realises this and is able to • the participation of the learner in arts
express these feelings accordingly to and sports can be assessed.
each child. Only then will a school Mentoring has to be manifested as a
become a home to the child. When a process which caters to personality
teacher becomes a mentor and a development and interest in learning. It
facilitator who helps in achieving
should also help in continuous
learning outcomes, he/she will be a
assessment. Notes related to mentoring
teacher of the new era. When the
experiences should be recorded in the
teacher becomes a co-guardian,
Cumulative Record. All the teachers in
children get guidance, advice, support
and opportunity to improve. The the school should act as mentors of
teacher as mentor should make students. All learners should get an
interventions in the role of an experience of mentoring. The class may
experienced predecessor. Assistance for be divided into small groups and
awareness and counselling are part of different teachers can be given the
this. An effective mentor can bring out responsibility of evaluating the progress
the hidden talents of a child. of each group.

12
Code of Professional Ethics for A teacher
School Teachers
1.1 Establishes a relationship of trust
1. Responsibility towards students with parents/guardians in the interest
1.1 Treats all students with love and of all round development of students
affection 1.2 Desists from doing anything which
1.2 Respects the value of being just and is derogatory to the respect of the child
impartial to all students irrespective of or his/her parents/guardians.
their caste, creed, religion, sex,
1.3 Strives to develop respect for the
economic status, disability, language
and place of birth composite culture of India among
students
1.3 Facilitates students' physical, social,
intellectual, emotional, and moral 1.4 Keeps the country uppermost in
development. mind and refrains from taking part in
1.4 Respects basic human dignity of the such activities as may spread feelings of
child in all aspects of school life hatred or enmity among different
communities, religions or linguistic
1.5 Makes planned and systematic
groups.
efforts to facilitate the child to actualize
his/her potential and talent. 2. Obligation towards the profession
1.6 Transacts the curriculum in of teaching and obligation towards
conformity with the values enshrined in colleagues
the Constitution of India. A teacher:
1.7 Adapts his/her teaching to the 2.1 Strives for continuous professional
individual needs of students. development.
1.8 Maintains the confidentiality of the
2.2 Creates a culture that encourages
information concerning students and
purposeful collaboration and dialogue
dispenses such information only to
those who are legitimately entitled to it. among colleagues and stake holders

1.9 A teacher refrains from subjecting 2.3 Takes pride in the teaching
any child to trauma, fear, anxiety, profession and treats other members
physical punishment, sexual abuse and with respect and dignity.
emotional and mental harassment. 2.4 Refrains from engaging himself/
1.10 Protects a child from all forms of herself in private tuition or private
sexual abuse. teaching activity
1.11 Obligation towards parents, 2.5 Refrains from accepting any gift, or
community and society. favour that might impair or appear to

13
influence professional decisions or • Activity based
actions. • Process-related
2.6 Refrains from making unsubstantial • Ensuring learning
allegations against colleagues or higher
• Sufficient to attain learning
authorities
outcomes
2.7 Avoids making derogatory
• Environment friendly
comments about colleagues, especially
in the presence of pupils, parents or • Considers areas of development
colleagues. • Suitable for the nature of the
2.8 Respects the professional standing learner
and opinions of his/her colleagues • Integrates teaching and evaluation
2.9 Maintains confidentiality of A learning process based on the idea of
information regarding colleagues and constructivism serves as a foundation
dispenses such information only when of the curriculum. A distinguishing
authorized to do so. feature of this approach is that it
Curriculum Approach constructs knowledge in a natural
manner through learning activities
New thoughts in educational based on acquired knowledge and
psychology and philosophy have been
conceptual background of the learner.
incorporated while developing the new
curriculum. The idea of Constructivism Learning Experiences
put forth by the NCF 2005 serves as a Acquired knowledge, ability and
basis for the Kerala School Curriculum interest vary from learner to learner.
2013 too. Constructivism that looks Hence, it is essential to design learning
upon learning as an active mental
experiences which take into
process that provides for construction
consideration individual differences
of knowledge.
and multiple intelligence. A learner
Every child is born with the natural friendly environment conducive to the
ability to learn from the surroundings development of the learner should be
through sense organs. Through formal provided. The class room should be
education the learner gains the arranged keeping in mind the interest of
possibilities to view the world from a
the learner. This will ensure his
fresh perspective and to understand,
participation in the learning activities.
mingle with and assess it.
The freedom to employ suitable
The features of the curriculum- learning strategies which are learner
transaction approach: oriented, rests with the teacher.

14
Learning Process • The learning process should be
• Each learner constructs knowledge by decided keeping in view the
linking it with his/her previous comprehensive development of each
experiences. learner.

• Knowledge construction occurs at the Learning Outcomes

level of the individual through Learning Outcomes are the concepts/
meaningful societal interventions. ideas, skills, attitude and values to be
• Learning is made effective through acquired by a learner during the various
multi-sensory experiences which stages of school education. They are
consider various learning styles, learning the objectives that are expected to be
pace etc. realized by the learner. Knowledge of
• Learning becomes more effective the learning outcome is essential to plan
through co-operative learning in an the teaching-learning process and
environment conducive for co- evaluation precisely and practically.
operation. Some of these are achieved in a short
• Learning materials should be period of time, whereas some can be
meaningful generating interest in the acquired only over a long period of time.
learner. While designing the curriculum, the
focus should be on the learning
• Spiralling of learning experiences will
outcomes that are expected to be
make learning more effective.
realized at different stages. Through a
• By ensuring flexibility of learning series of learning activities, the learning
activities and possibilities of outcomes evolve and become the
adaptation, learners with special Learning outcomes of a particular class
educational needs and with different towards the end of an academic year.
aptitudes may be attended to.
Distinctive features of Learning
• Each learner should get learning Outcomes
experiences necessary to ensure
learning outcomes. i. Observable and measurable

• Learning and Assessment should be ii. Clear, precise and logical statements
complementary. iii. Stated from the point of view of the
• Learning Outcomes can be attained by child
adopting suitable teaching-learning iv. Contains concepts, processes, skills,
strategies that focus on content and the values and attitude that are achieved by
differential needs of the learner. the learner

15
v. Can be assessed through the analysis to make excellent presentations and to
of each unit, class and stage prepare quality products. Virtual labs
will help in situations where real and
Learning Outcomes ensure the social
complex practical activities become
commitment and responsibility of the
impractical. Learners make use of
teachers. Awareness and a healthy
facilities like video conferencing and
interest should be developed in parents
social media to converse with eminent
regarding the learning level of the child.
personalities. This raises the position of
Awareness of remedial measures to a class even beyond smart rooms, to
ensure learning outcome also should be the level of laboratories.
implemented as part of the continuous
evaluation process. In short, learning Scope
outcomes should be connected to • Digital text books
classroom activities and the evaluation • Additional information, presentations
approach. Through effective and animation required for learning
transaction of the curriculum, learning
• Availability of the latest and relevant
outcome should be ensured in all
information on every subject.
learners. This is essential for quality
education. • Facilities for online tests, self
assessment and improvement
Information and Communication
Technology • Model question paper and key
Information and communication • Judicious use of educational channels
technology plays a pivotal role in the
• Interactive programmes to develop
construction and dissemination of
life skills, values, and attitudes
knowledge. This is made possible
through gathering of information, • Controlled and legalized Wifi
analysis and varied presentations. The campuses
possibilities of ICT to transact a subject We are living in a constantly evolving
are explored thus helping the students
digital world. ICT has an impact on
acquire ICT skills.
nearly every aspect of our lives. As
Relevance technology becomes more and more
ICT helps learners in carrying out their embedded in our culture, we must
learning activities in an effective provide our learners with relevant and
manner and overcoming the limitations contemporary experiences that allow
of the textbook and the transaction of them to successfully engage with
its content. It helps in gathering technology. Learners are motivated and
relevant and appropriate information, purposefully engaged in the learning

16
process when concepts and skills are Those who face extreme poverty, tribal
underpinned with technology and people, girl children, those belonging to
sound pedagogy. Hence, it is the need the scheduled caste and scheduled
of the hour to tap the full potential of tribes, immigrants, those who do not
ICT by developing a comprehensive have a permanent settlement and those
educational portal which will develop who undergo discrimination of various
the infrastructure of schools and kinds.
empower teachers.
The limitations and differences of these
Authenticity learners should be identified, accepted
Ensuring the authenticity of learning and respected. Through the combined
materials is of vital importance. effort of all teachers, the problems
Information gathered from the websites faced by these learners can be solved.
of various departments, educational (b) Children who face physical and
websites, portals, blogs and social mental challenges
network should be used after verifying
their authenticity. The practicability of Children who face physical and mental
ICT materials used in the classrooms challenges and those who experience
also has to be ensured. These materials learning difficulties have Special
and software used for their Educational Needs. The challenges
presentation have to be made easily they face include hearing impairment,
available and should follow IT rules. eye-sight disorders, limitations of
cognition, locomotor disabilities,
Inclusive Education
learning disability, autism, cerebral
A classroom should always provide an palsy, multiple disabilities, lack of
atmosphere that is congenial to all emotional equilibrium and attention
learners. There are two categories of
disorders.
learners who require more help and
consideration. Only when the needs of Steps to be followed during curriculum
such learners are taken into transaction to facilitate learning:
consideration and a conducive
o Planning of learning activities
environment is provided for learning to
considering their learning needs and
take place can Equitable Quality
aptitudes.
Education be ensured.
Who are those in need of special o Adaptation in lesson plan to facilitate
attention, learning assistance and participation in learning activities.
protection? o Implementation of a multisensory
(a) Children of those who are socially approach considering the difference in
and economically marginalized learning pace and learning style.
17
o Planning and implementation of by our constitution have to be reflected
remedial practices and enrichment in the curriculum. The content and the
practices that is need-based, for each transaction process should be selected
learner. to enable learners acquire
constitutional values.
o Execution of different flexible
assessment strategies. Secular Attitude
o Ensuring the assistance of resource Subject areas that help in developing a
teachers and other experts. secular attitude have to be included.
o Ensuring the support of parents with Tolerance
regard to the child's learning and The curriculum should aim at including
protection. even those who tend to have a
Along with these, Gifted Children who secessionist attitude.
need special consideration are also to Creative Thinking
be taken care of. Thus the school
There is a need to develop creative
activities and infrastructure have to be
thinking and the urge for discovery
scientifically organized to facilitate
among the learners. The content areas
inclusive education.
and learning strategies of the curriculum
Areas to develop values, should be designed providing
attitudes and commitments possibilities for creative enquiries.
Awareness of humanitarian values and Multiple intelligence should also be
given due consideration.
constitutional values, attitude that
strengthen social life and growing Respect for one's cultural heritage
social commitment are areas of prime One of the aims that the curriculum
concern in the curriculum. Details of envisions is to instill and inculcate
the conceptual areas are given below. respect for one's cultural heritage and
Democratic Outlook history.
The various perspectives on democracy Equality
have to be considered while choosing The curriculum aims at ensuring
the content for different subjects. A equality in the learning activities.
democratic approach should be
Leadership Quality
adopted in the planning and transaction
of learning activities. The aim of the Learning strategies have to be designed
curriculum is to form a democratic that would help in moulding leaders
approach through a democratic class who can face the challenges of this
and other democratic platforms. millennium. In the classroom,
opportunities must be created to
Constitutional Values
develop leadership skills among
Values and objectives that are upheld children.

18
Life Skill Education resources may have far-reaching
Life skills such as self awareness, consequences. A sense of responsibility
empathy, communication skill, and respect towards nature and the
interpersonal relationship, creative planet must be inculcated in the
thinking, critical thinking, decision learners from the very beginning.
making, problem-solving, emotional Activities that promote this attitude
equilibrium and managing stress have and value system have to be carried out
to be developed in learners. These life in schools.
skills help the learner to face life with Peace Education
self-confidence.
The basis of peace education is to
Civic Sense develop values and attitudes to interact
The aim of education is to create a with others and the surroundings in a
community with civic sense and a sense peaceful and friendly manner. It is
of responsibility and discipline. The essential to include content areas that
citizens have the responsibility to reflect values such as peace and
perform certain duties towards their harmony.
fellow men and the society they live in.
Legal Literacy
Human Rights
An awareness regarding the country's
The curriculum should give importance law and legal matters is essential for the
to human rights which refer to the right citizens of a democratic country.
of every individual to live a life of Content areas that ensure legal literacy
dignity. must be included in the curriculum.
Child Rights Law Clubs, Law Clinics, etc. can be
organized in schools to create
Rights of children should be ensured awareness of Law.
and protected.
Awareness of Cybercrimes
Environment Awareness and
Hygeine The misuse of ICT and related criminal
activities are on the rise. It is the need
Children should be aware of the basic of the hour to create awareness among
concepts on nature and its conservation children to make them stay away from
from primary classes onwards. It is such activities. A clear idea should be
necessary to make them aware of the given to them on the proper use of
fact that cleanliness of one's internet, e-mail and social networking.
surroundings is as important as personal
hygiene. Environment conservation is Media Literacy
equally important, since any change in Media has gained a lot of importance in
the equilibrium of nature and natural the modern society. The visual media

19
has tremendous influence on children. the modern society faces. The society
So, the curriculum should include areas has to be saved from this evil menace
which give importance to media and this is possible only when we catch
literacy. them young. So, children should be
made to realise that alcohol, intoxicants
Water Literacy
and tobacco are injurious to health.
Water is a precious commodity in our Pictures, pamphlets and visuals on the
society. Children should understand the physical and mental effects of drug
importance of conserving the water abuse, for example, can be included in
resources so as to help in sustainable the content areas.
development. Gender Justice
Perspective on Consistent The curriculum should ensure gender
Development justice and equality. Discrimination on
The curriculum must reflect ideas on the basis of gender should not be
how environment and development can reflected in the content areas. Gender
go hand in hand. It should also present justice should be ensured by teachers
perspectives on consistent development while carrying out learning activities.
and create a comprehensive awareness Frugality
on environment.
From the primary classes itself, children
Adolescent Education should learn the basics of frugality.
Including content areas on adolescent Activities that help in making this
education in textbooks with the help of practical can also be organized.
child psychologists, health workers, Road Safety
doctors and teachers should be
explored. A scientific approach must be Traffic rules and practical suggestions
adopted to address the problems of the to avoid road accidents are part of road
adolescents in the present day society. safety. Learners should develop
awareness that the road is a public place
Consumer Awareness and that everybody has the right to use it.
Facts concerning the negative aspects In the natural transaction of the
of consumer culture have to be curriculum, learning experiences in
included in the curriculum. Our rights these areas should be included.
as consumers and consumer laws Activities of various clubs, SPC, NCC,
should be included in the curriculum. Scouts & Guides, JRC, Vidyarangam,
A Negative Attitude towards Kalasahithyavedi, Gandhidarsan etc.
Drugs and Intoxicants can be platforms to develop values,
attitudes and commitment.
Substance abuse is a major issue that

20
 Teaching Manual
Name of the lesson:
Date:
Expected time:
Theme:
Learning Outcomes:
Ideas:
Skills:
Language Elements:
Discourses:
Values, Attitudes:
Learning Aids:
Expected Product:
Process Assessment

Signature of the HM Signature of the teacher

Reflection Notes
My Findings/Realisations (Based on the evaluation of the learning activities)

Follow-up activities and remedial measures:

•
•
•
•
Why reflection notes?
The reflection note is to be prepared only after the completion of all the learning
activities which are done for the specific learning outcomes. These reflection notes
shall be presented in the weekly assembling of the SRG. They are aimed at giving
directions for future plans. They are helpful for the consolidation of the CE.

21
 Chapter 2
On Approach And Methodology

There has been a remarkable and symbol of people’s aspirations for

unprecedented dispersion of English quality in education and fuller
language over the past fifty years in participation in national and
several ways—by the increasing international life. English is the
number of users of the language, by its language that empowers our people in
depth of penetration into societies and the present context’. The language has
by its range of functions. In India, so strong a data base on the internet
English is not our language of being or that it is widely used in social media to
identity. It has come to be the language link people of different nationalities. As
of doing, the language of academics and the language of trade and commerce,
the language of recognition. In the higher education and science, English
current Indian context, on the one hand enjoys a status which no other language has.
there is an increasing demand for Perspective on Language and
English which is associated with Language Teaching
progress and development, while on the
other, the language is also perceived as Language is a means of communication.
a destroyer of native or indigenous It is a system with its own rules and
languages. This warrants a politically conventions. It enables us to make
correct approach in the teaching and sense of our identity and the larger
learning of English. world around us. Language learning
involves cognitive and affective
The demand for English emerges from engagement. Language use is guided by
many factors, as recognised in the our awareness of the purpose, audience,
position paper on the Teaching of context and culture in which it is used.
English produced by the National The traditional view of the mother
Council of Educational Research and tongue causing a negative impact on
Training (NCERT) in connection with second language acquisition is totally
the National Curriculum Framework abandoned by linguists and pedagogues
2005: ‘English in India today, is a across the globe. Bilingual or even

22
multilingual learners are seen as rich Contextualisation
resources for learning a second The learning materials and activities
language. In the initial stages of given to students should be of
language learning, the focus has to be on authentic and meaningful contexts. For
literacy skills. Literacy is the ability to example, lessons will be planned
read and use written and visual around a theme, or a type of text to help
information and to communicate students use suitable language skills,
appropriately in a variety of social and grammatical items/structures and
academic contexts. It involves the vocabulary appropriately in spoken and
integration of speaking, listening, written language to suit the purpose,
viewing, creating, reading, writing and audience, context and culture.
critical thinking in the use and
production of both texts and new Learner-Centeredness
communication technologies. Literacy Learners are at the centre of the
includes the cultural knowledge which teaching-learning process. A teacher is
enables a speaker, reader, writer or expected to act as a critical friend who
viewer to recognise and use language provides necessary scaffolding at crucial
appropriate to different social stages of the learning process.
situations. Print awareness is to be
Learning-focused Interaction
acquired at this level.
The focus of classroom interaction is to
The thrust on literacy at the primary
help the learners attain knowledge,
level is gradually replaced with writing
skills and values and the achievement
and with any other required literacy
of expected learning outcomes. The
skills at the secondary and higher
secondary level. By the end of secondary teacher has to actively engage the
and higher secondary education, students by encouraging participation in
learners will be able to listen, read, learning, motivating them by boosting
their confidence in the use of language,
understand, appreciate and view
and by promoting collaboration among
critically and accurately a wide range of
learners from different socio-cultural
literary and informational/functional
backgrounds.
texts from print and non-print sources.
They should also be able to speak, write Integration
and present English that is The areas of language learning such as
grammatical, fluent, mutually receptive skills, the productive skills,
intelligible and appropriate for different language elements and vocabulary are
purposes, audiences, contexts and introduced in an integrated way
cultures. together with the use of relevant print
To achieve the aim of effective and non-print resources, so as to
language use, teachers may be guided by provide multiple perspectives and
the following principles: meaningful connections.

23
Process Orientation literacy, health and so on. The influence
The development of language skills and of missionaries and their contributions
knowledge about the language can be in the realms of literacy education, art
attained by directing the learners and science have left a lasting impact in
through carefully planned processes of the social life of Keralites. For them,
knowledge construction. The teacher English is not just an elitist language, it
will model and scaffold such processes is the language of employment and
for learners, while guiding them to put opportunities as well. The demand of
together their final spoken, written and/ the public for English compelled the
or multimodal products. authorities to introduce English from
Class 1 onwards in the schools of
Spiral Progression
Kerala. The mushrooming of private
Skills, language elements, structures, English medium schools in every nook
vocabulary and various types of texts and corner of Kerala is a clear indication
will be introduced, revised and of the aspiration of the people of the
revisited at increasing levels of state to make their children learn the
difficulty and sophistication. This will language. The ubiquitous institutions
allow learners to progress from the offering crash courses for developing
basic level to higher levels of language spoken English is another phenomenon
use. seen in Kerala. In spite of all these,
Facilitating Assessment for English remains to be something
Learning intractable for most of the Keralites.
Assessment for learning is the approach Overview of the Current Status
to ensure learning at every stage of the There have been positive changes in
learning process. Identifying learners’ the profile of English classrooms in
needs, abilities and interests, observing Kerala since the introduction of the
learning gaps, monitoring learning and revised curriculum and textbooks in
providing timely and useful feedback, 2007, based on the Kerala Curriculum
for improving learning and self- Framework. The confidence level of
assessment will result in facilitating
learners in using English has gone up
assessment for learning.
considerably. The children across the
The Kerala Context State have started producing their own
The people of Kerala are keen to learn writing in English in the form of stories,
the language and hence English has its poems and other language discourses.
strong grip in the entire social fabric of By and large the general proficiency of
Kerala. The language has its legacy in teachers has also improved (Impact
all walks of social and cultural life. Its Study, RIESI, Bangalore, 2011).
influence is evident in education, However, a large number of learners are
politics, religion, trade and commerce, found struggling to use English for real

24
life purposes, even after a fairly long The textbooks also present language
period of language learning. The discourses as inputs and the learners are
continuous study of English for years expected to produce different language
hasn’t enabled the learners to use the discourses in meaningful contexts.
language in their speech and writing Learners have to work in collaboration
effectively. A satisfactory proficiency in small peer groups and present
in English is still a distant dream to whatever they have understood after
most learners. reading a text, and they are also
expected to present the written
It has been noticed that the linguistic products they develop. There is also a
and conceptual growth which the slot for self-assessment by the learner
learners should attain in constructing which is done with the help of a set of
language discourses across different self-assessment questions based on the
stages is not discernible, as envisioned. most important features of the task at
The gap between the required and the hand. The mechanical repetition of
existing levels of language proficiency constructing language discourses
of the learners needs to be bridged. without taking care of the quality of
English requires intensive focus in the languages, which should be reflected in
process of its teaching and learning. them, has adversely affected the
Learners should get optimum organic and vibrant nature of language
meaningful exposure to English. learning experience.
The existing approach treats language It is an undisputed fact that language
at the discourse level, which means that should be treated as a meaningful
language is not viewed as a set of whole. A learner who undergoes a
disconnected sentences but as a set of particular curriculum process or tasks in
linguistic discourses such as stories, textbooks needs also to be aware of the
songs, conversations, diary entries, conventions of speaking and writing a
descriptions, narratives, slogans, etc. language. Knowledge about language
But most of the teachers, especially at elements will work as a conscious
the primary level, find it difficult to monitor once the acquisition stage is
evaluate the quality of language completed. Teachers have to ensure
produced by their learners. The editing that learners acquire the concepts, skills
process by which the learners need to and attitudes envisioned for a particular
be scaffolded to refine their language is level. The learning outcomes may be
proved to be another challenge for most stated clearly and care should be taken
of the teachers. This results in the to ensure that learners achieve these
learners not getting the expected quality outcomes before they proceed to the
of language and learning outcomes. next level.

25
 Chapter 3
Basic Premises on the
Development of the Textbook

Every textbook should take certain b. Pictures as Texts

fundamental positions on language and The illustrations used in the textbooks
language pedagogy. Preparing textbooks are treated as texts. Hence they also
is not a process like compiling an need to be processed in the class. The
anthology of the best poems or prose multi-coloured pictures will generate
texts. It is totally different in design, interest in the students and will also help
structure and intention. If so, what are them form mental pictures of the
the basic premises on which the new characters described in the stories and
poems. Teachers are expected to use
textbooks are developed?
these pictures for meaningful
a. Texts as Children's Literature interaction with the learners. Reading
The new textbooks give great comprehension can also be tested using
importance to children’s literature. these pictures.
Authentic pieces of children’s
c. Interaction Questions
literature, adapted versions of well-
Almost on every page of the textbook,
known stories and stories developed by
questions for interaction with learners
textbook writers are included. These are given. These questions mainly serve
stories and songs/poems that can be five purposes.
sung in chorus are the main texts.
Based on their reading, learners are • To read the pictures
asked to engage in certain language • To elicit the text
activities so as to apply their knowledge • To connect the texts with the
of English. The meaning-making learners’ own experiences
process of the texts given has to be
• To predict what is going to happen
done in such a way that every learner
next
gets a chance to listen, speak, read and
write in the target language. • To prompt critical thinking in learners

26
Teachers are expected to ask more small groups promote interaction,
interaction questions for meaningful togetherness and team spirit among
communication with the learners. learners.
These questions can also help the
teacher assess his/her learner f. Grammar in Context
continuously. The knowledge of grammar is essential
for the learners when they write in
d. Theatre Games
English. The existing textbooks solely
Theatre games are an effective method
relied on the editing of discourses for
for language acquisition. They help to
giving grammar inputs to the learners.
trigger the imagination of the learners
But many teachers find it difficult to
and make learning a pleasurable
theorise on the errors made by their
experience. The new textbooks provide
learners and to address these errors in
ample scope for teachers to use theatre
the course of their classroom
games in the English classroom. For transactions. So the new textbooks
example, in Class 1, teachers can ask address grammar in a way in which the
the learners to stand in two lines and teachers and the learners can
produce the sound of birds/animals, understand the usage of language
following the instruction of the teacher. elements in meaningful contexts.
If a different sound is produced from Grammar, here, is analysed in a given
the groups standing in a line or if they context through which learners
fail to produce the correct sound, they generalise certain features of the
are not given points and the group targeted language element. Then they
which scores 5 points first becomes the apply their knowledge of grammar in
winner. newer contexts. The explicit teaching of
e. Language Activities rules of grammar has been totally done
The new textbooks provide enough away with.
space for language activities and games. g. Need Based Vocabulary
There are many slots in the textbooks
Development
for the learners to analyse the language
used in them and to apply the The new textbooks provide
knowledge of the language in a new opportunities for learners to develop
context. their vocabulary in a need based
manner. Developing concept maps and
Teachers may first assign the language word webs of related words have been
activities as individual tasks and give included in the textbooks. Instead of
clear instructions to carry them out. teaching vocabulary items directly,
Then the activities can be assigned in activities for finding out related words
pairs or groups. Working and playing in are given in a learner-centred fashion.

27
Moreover a page towards the end of the Videos and audios of the texts given in
Reader titled ‘My Word List’ will help the textbooks are freely available on the
the learners to write down new words internet. Links to certain websites are
and get familiarised with them. given along with the units in this book.
Teachers can make use of the sites for
h. Simple Language Projects getting more information and collecting
Simple language projects that can be audio-visual materials to make the
undertaken by young learners are given classroom transaction more interesting.
in the textbooks. It is hoped that Moreover they are expected to find out
undertaking such projects with the more useful spaces in the internet to
guidance of teachers will boost learners’ enrich the classroom experience.
confidence in using language. Learners
j. Assessment
are expected to classify and analyse the
Learner assessment is a continuous
data they have collected and write brief
process and an integral part of learning.
reports on them.
Teachers must assess the learners at
i. ICT Integration each stage of the learning process.
It is always a challenging task for the Informal interactions, interaction
teacher to capture the attention of questions, reading of the text,
young learners and to initiate them into associating pictures with the text,
a second language. They are exposed to language activities and theatre games
the world of high quality digital audio- give teachers ample opportunity for
visual materials and teaching them assessing the learners. Apart from these,
using only the ‘chalk and talk’ method the textbooks contain two separate
may not be fruitful. So every teacher pages titled ‘I Can’ and ‘My Learners’
for assessment purpose alone. The first
must think about using effective audio-
one is for the self-assessment of the
visual texts in their classrooms. Internet
learner, wherein the learner makes his
has a rich repertoire of such good
own assessment on what he imbibed
materials. The new textbooks provide
from the classroom activities. The
scope for integrating Information
second is for the teachers’ assessment
Communication Technology in
of the learners wherein the teachers can
teaching of English. assess themselves and also the learners.

28
 Chapter 4
Specific Areas of Second
Language Pedagogy
Collaborative Learning Collaborative learning is commonly
Collaborative learning is a situation in explained as: when groups of learners
which two or more learners attempt to work together to explore for
learn something together in pairs and in understanding or solutions or to create
groups. Apart from individual learning, an article or product of their learning.
the learners engaged in collaborative Collaborative learning activities can
learning benefit from one another's include collaborative writing, group
resources and skills, asking one another projects, problem solving, debates,
for information, assessing one another's study teams, and other activities. The
ideas, observing one another's work, approach is closely related to
etc. It is based on the model that cooperative learning.
knowledge can be created within a
Collaborative learning occurs when the
population where members actively
interact by sharing their experiences. learners are actively engaged in a
Collaborative learning refers to the learning process through collaborative
strategies through which the learners efforts. Collaborative learning also
engage in a common task where each occurs when learners engage in play,
individual depends on and is work, and other activities together.
accountable to each other. These
Common Objectives of Interaction
include both face-to-face conversations
• Sharing of ideas
and computer discussions (online
forums, chat rooms, etc.) • Giving rich, authentic listening input
• Embedding functional aspects of
Collaborative learning is heavily rooted
language in authentic contexts.
in Vygotsky's views that there exists an
inherent social nature of learning which • Maintaining rapport with the learners.
is shown through his theory of Zone of • For engaging in a dialogue with the
Proximal Development (ZPD). learners.

29
Cooperative learning strategies • Checking whether the characters have
acknowledge recognition of difference been emotionally registered.
as many students who do not ‘fit’ the • Analyzing the situation critically.
middle class model of the student that Interactions leading to individual
schools and curriculum were designed reading
for are supported to participate more • Instilling in learners an urge to read.
effectively. • Helping learners predict what they are
Working in small groups using going to read.
cooperative learning strategies supports Interaction incollaborative reading
underperforming students to: • Ensuring that ideas are shared as per
think aloud, take risks, and develop the instructions given to the learners.
deeper understandings and higher order • Assessing the progress of group work.
thinking. • Extending optimal support to those
become more self confident as learners. who need it
develop oral language skills as student • Ensuring cooperation in team work
input into activities is valued. • Addressing learning issues of children
improve their relationships with other progressing at a slower pace
students and with their teachers. Interactions related to scaffolded
reading (posing analytical questions)
scaffold their learning through talk and
the use of cognitive and graphic • Registering multiple perspectives on
organisers. the theme
Specific Objectives
• Identifying point of view of the writer
as well as the learners
Interactions related to trigger
• Eliciting the learners’ assumptions on • Instilling value systems
the theme at hand • Building up tolerance
• Eliciting learners’ perceptions on what Interaction related to editing
has been observed • Sensitizing the learners on various
kinds of errors
• Leading the learners to the theme /
issue • Checking the learners’ intuitions on
grammaticality
Interactions at narrative gaps
• Triggering divergent thinking • Building up confidence in using
language
• Eliciting learners perceptions on the
What are the various levels of
theme
teacher talk?
• Making predictions on what might
follow. Each instance of teacher talk serves a
specific purpose. For example, one of
• Eliciting learners’ reflections on what
the specific objectives of the teacher
he/she has listened to.

30
talk, related to the trigger, is to elicit the there was another dog, with a bone,
learners’ perception of what they have double his own in size. He immediately
seen. This holds good for all levels of let go of his own, and fiercely attacked
learners. the other dog to get the bigger bone
The following strategies can be utilised: from him. He thus lost both the bones
1. What do you think the picture/ which he grabbed at in the water,
clipping/photograph is about? because it was a reflection; and his
own, because the stream swept it away.
2. What ideas do you get from watching
this picture/clipping/photograph? There are several sentences in the story
3. You have watched the clipping. You which contain more than one idea. The
must have formed some ideas about it. first sentence, for example, contains
Why don’t you share them with your ideas such as the following:
friends? • There is a dog.
4. What does the picture tell you? • He holds a bone in his mouth.
5. I was wondering whether someone • There is a bridge.
could tell the whole class what the
picture is about. • There is a stream flowing under the
bridge.
All the strategies given above are
suitable for interacting with the learners • The dog is crossing the bridge.
based on the trigger. But all these are • He sees his own reflection in the
not at the same linguistic level. water.
How can teacher talk be made • The dog thinks that there is another
comprehensible? dog with a bone double the size.
What the teacher says must be It will be better to split all the long
comprehensible to the learners. There sentences into small sentences.
is no point in repeating something with 2. Include images in the story
the pretension that repetition will
enhance comprehension. How can It is not enough to split long sentences
comprehension be ensured? The into small ones. Ensure that images are
following strategies may be useful: instilled in the minds of the learners.
3. Use familiar words wherever
1. Break longer expressions into possible
smaller ones
There are several loan words in the
Consider the following story: learners’ repertoire of words. They may
A dog, crossing a bridge over a stream use these words in their day to day
with a bone in his mouth, saw his own communication without realizing that
they are English words. In some classes,
reflection in the water and thought that

31
the teacher can work out a concept they should take care that they are not
mapping activity to get an idea about over-acting. Gestures in terms of eye-
the words that learners know. The hand coordination, postures and facial
following process may be taken as a expressions are to be optimised.
model.
Reading
• List down as many themes such as What is reading? How and what should
school, class, kitchen, road, vehicles,
the learners read and write in discourse-
etc. while negotiating in the class.
oriented pedagogy? It may be as follows:
• Ask learners to write in their mother
• decoding the text
tongue as many words they know
related to each of these so that they get • giving meaning to symbols, pictures
a word web or spider graph of each and letters
theme (See in Unit 4). • meaning making
• The word webs can be consolidated • a process of getting the message of the
and displayed in the class. written text
• If the learners cannot write • comprehending the text involving the
themselves, they can say the ideas and cognitive domain
the teacher can develop the word web • something that leads to insightful
for the whole class. learning and thinking
• Activate these words by using them Organic Reading
both as nouns (naming words) and How to ensure reading in a classroom is
verbs (action words). a question often asked by teachers of
English.
4. Use proper voice modulation
An organic approach to reading
Articulatory features such as pauses, emphasizes the selection of vocabulary
stress, pitch and tone contribute to from the experiential background of the
effective oral communication. Spoken child.
language will be comprehended in a Pre-reading activities may be designed
better way if appropriate articulatory to motivate student interest, activate
features are used. prior knowledge, or pre-teach
5. Use optimum gestures potentially difficult concepts and
vocabulary. This is also a great
This is also an important component opportunity to introduce components
that contributes to better of comprehension such as cause and
comprehension. While presenting the effect, compare and contrast,
narratives, teachers have to use personification, main idea, sequencing,
appropriate gestures. At the same time, and others.

32
 Chapter 5
Various Teaching Pedagogies

Teaching Vocabulary 2. Need for the expansion of

New vocabulary is needed for the vocabulary in a systematic way through
enrichment of thought or language. The concept mapping.
problem to be addressed is how and Activating stock words
how much vocabulary should be
English has contributed a number of
introduced in each class. Practicing
words to most Indian languages. Today,
teachers know that the vocabulary used
most people in India use a number of
in the textbooks are selected and
English words in their day-to-day life
graded. Is it good to impose vocabulary
even without knowing that they are
on the learners ignoring their
English words (e.g. book, bag, bat, ball,
psychological or emotional needs? What
school, class, teacher etc.). In order to
strategies can be used to expand
activate these words, they must be
vocabulary among the learners, based
identified and a strategy found for
on their needs? It is high time certain
activating them.
new strategies were devised for
enriching vocabulary among the Teaching Poetry
learners with an element of emotional Teachers often find poetry to be a tricky
empathy. subject to teach and one that the
How to enrich Vocabulary learners are frightened of. Poetry is
considered both difficult to teach and
1. Activate the English words that the
learn. But these feelings can be done
learners already have in their repertoire
away with easily and the learners can be
of vocabulary though they may not be
made to realize the pleasant challenges
aware that these are English words.
of poetry.
These items are conventionally labelled
as ‘loan words’. Such words can be used To get started with poetry, we must do
while interacting with the learners. away with certain prior assumptions,

33
the first being that we must understand It is important to sensitize the learners
it in our first reading, if not we conclude to an imaginative realm of a poem and
that there is something wrong with the embellishing it with personal
poem. The second is to assume that the experiences or points of view. Reading
poem can only be understood by poetry is quite a challenge that can be
breaking a certain hidden code in it. transformed into an enjoyable
And, the third is that the poem could experience, only that it takes practice.
mean anything. There are ways in which a poem
The best way to discover and learn communicates to its readers. It could be
about a poem is by talking and about an experience, an idea or just a
discussing about it. Here are a few feeling. The different techniques of
general questions that we might ask arranging the words and lines, the sound
when approaching a poem for the first and rhythms, add to the meaning of the
time: poem. The Red Wheelbarrow by William
• Who is the speaker? Carlos Williams is a well-known poem
rich in visual imagery. It feels like one
• What circumstances gave rise to the of Cezanne's Still Life. It is a single
poem? sentence broken up at several intervals.
• What situation is presented? With careful word choice, attention to
language, and unusual stanza breaks
• Who is it addressed to?
Williams has turned an ordinary
• Who is the audience? sentence into poetry:
• What is the tone? so much depends
• What form, if any, does the poem upon
take? a red wheel
• How is the form related to content? barrow
• Is sound an important, active element glazed with rain
of the poem? water
• Does the poem speak from a specific beside the white
culture? chickens
• Does the poem use imagery to achieve The observable features of a poem
a particular effect? provide an effective point of entry for
interpretation. The title, the
• What kind of figurative language, if arrangement of stanzas, the length of
any, does the poem use? the lines, the choice of words etc. can
• What does the title suggest? lead you to a poem. While reading, it is

34
important that we listen to ourselves. It The winter evening settles down
would help us identify the rhyming With smell of steaks in passageways.
words, or sounds that seem similar. The Six o'clock.
first step is always to read aloud. As we
The burnt-out ends of smoky days.
begin reading the poem, we might come
across different kind of lines. Some Besides the poetic image there are
could be strictly metrical, some non- elements and devices which make
metrical while others could be irregular. poetry more appealing. There are many
It is to be kept in mind the fact that in types of poetic devices that can be used
a poem, there is always a purpose to create a powerful poem. They are
behind the way lines are broken. It is tools used to create rhythm, enhance a
also important to study the grammar poem's meaning or intensify a mood or
and punctuation of the lines to make feeling. Edgar Allen Poe's The Bells use
way through the poem. One reading repetition to create a sing song rhythm
Walt Whitman would come across similar to the bells ringing.
unusually long lines whereas the poems To the swinging and the ringing
of William Carlos Williams as seen Of the bells, bells, bells…
above are short and broken down lines.
There are devices that can enhance the
In poetry images provide rich sensory meaning of a poem like similes and
experiences. They will often provide us metaphors. In Harlem Langston
with mental snapshots that appeal to Hughes compares a dream deferred to a
our senses of sight, sound, taste, touch raisin:
and smell. In the words of W.B. Yeats,
What happens to a dream deferred?
Wisdom speaks first in Image. The Shark by
Edwin John Pratt introduces the Does it dry up
learner to a shark. It is written in such a like a raisin in the sun
way that one can see it in the mind's John Donne's poem The Sun Rising
eye: makes use of powerful metaphors:
And I saw the flash of a white Busy old fool, unruly Sun,
Throat, Why dost thou thus,
And a double row of white teeth, Through windows, and through
And eyes of metallic grey, curtains, call on
Hard and narrow and slit. us?...
These lines from T.S. Eliot's Prelude, There are other devices that intensify
gives us a rich visual and olfactory the mood of the poem like the
experience: onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole,

35
etc. John Donne use hyperbole in his Similarly Joshua Fernandez in
poem Song: Go and Catch a Falling Star. Marvellous Travel records the
Ride ten thousand days and nights, explorations and keen observations
'Til age snow white hairs on thee, made during his travels.
When reading a poem there must be In Kamala Das My Grandmother's House,
scope for ambiguity only then there will the image of the ancestral home stands
be scope for discovery. Not always for the strong support and
should we settle down for what is unconditional love she received from
predictable or we miss out the enchanting her grandmother.
and magical effects of the poems.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox's Solitude is a
Taj Mahal highlights the transcendental delightful little poem that makes use of
nature of art. It testifies through images simple imagery and has layers of
and striking similes that art transcends meaning and interconnections.
time and space. The forlorn monument,
stands tall, is an ever renewing visual Teaching Short Story
experience with its vivid word pictures. Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and the Rose
Victor Marie Hugo's The Sower instills in is the story of a young student who was
the mind of the reader a feeling of madly in love with the profession's
respect and admiration for the man daughter. He was very sad because his
who waits patiently to enjoy the fruit of love promised to dance with him on the
his labour. condition that he gave her a red rose.
The alliterative technique employed But, he could not find a single red rose.
enhances the beauty of the poem. In a Without the rose she would not dance
similar vein, H.W. Longfellow's The with him. The Nightingale overheard
Village Blacksmith establishes the fact and decided to help him. But the only
that life is a mixture of hardships, way to get a red rose in the cold winter
sorrow and happiness. was for her to build it out of her music
Song of the flower is Khalil Gibran's and her heart's blood. The next
highly symbolic and metaphorical morning, a most beautiful red rose
poem which with immaculate subtlety appeared. The Nightingale was seen
talks of the ways to deal with life. dead under the rose tree. The student
plucked it and ran to see the professor's
The locomotive rhythm, similes and the
daughter. But she had another choice as
repetitive technique in R.L Stevenson's
From a Railway Carriage gives the readers she was presented some precious
an experience of an exhilarating train stones by another person. The student
journey. An array of images arises in the angrily threw the rose away without
minds as we read the poem. knowing the value of it.

36
'A short story is a work of fiction that is theme as a reaction towards his age
usually written in narrative prose. This which lacked moral as well as human
format tends to be more pointed than values. He chooses a bird as a tragic
longer works of fiction, such as hero. He epitomizes this idea in The
novellas and novels'. (Wikipedia) Happy Prince also. The heroes in these to
The Nightingale and the Rose is an short stories up words: A Swallow in The
emotional story that follows the theme Happy Prince and The Nightingale and the
of the nature of the love. Wilde gives us Rose. The creatures known for their
the impression that it is the fairy tale delicacy and fragility function as
about true love and romance. The story sacrificial heroes for the sake of other
is set in a garden of fantasy. The and tolerate the horrible death for
frequent use of personification, others. Oscar Wilde through this story,
symbolic meaning given to words and wants to show us the difference
vivid simple narration makes it between the human beings who do not
appealing to the reader. The care for the value of true love and the
Nightingale is personified hence the bird to which love means a lot to the
capitalization. The Rose trees, the extent that it sacrifices itself just to
lizard, the daisy, the butterfly, the oak, make love prevail.
the moon are all personified. The Rose New concepts are lost on students
is the symbol of love. But many things when they don't see these concepts
mentioned in the text also stand for being used in an authentic way.
something like the lizard, dairy, Without multiple examples to anchor
butterfly that the author has used stands our teaching, abstract ideas (like
for certain character types. symbolism) and complex ideas (like
Heroism and scarifies are other characterization) are very confusing. It
concepts used by Wilde. Heroism and is in this context that stories prove
sacrifice are not confined to human useful to teachers. Its conciseness
beings only. So writers present their allows teachers to model concepts
heroes as Gods as in mythology, and immediately. Learner loves the story
some of the present animals as in which has the right compensation of
fables. The Nightingale and the rose is characters in it. A good story will
the romantic story that revolves around definitely have interesting characters.
the theme scarifies and kindness that For a story to be believable the
man lacked which made him unable to characters have to feel genuine and
do heroic deeds. realistic. The character's personalities
The idea of having an animal as a may not be perfect. Every character will
sacrificial hero is shown in many of have some flaws, some problems, some
Wilde's short stories he developed this imperfections which make the story

37
realistic. Learner loves to her about a function of communication seems to
hero or a villain, a giant or a dragon or have developed among the teaching
even animals. The story should have a community. The argument is that every
vivid imagination, good speech, sentence carries some information.
enthusiastic creativity and should be Let's see whether this argument can
able to put all these in the mind of a stand.
child. The story should fit their interests
Read the following expressions.
and talents, such as action, fantasy or
mystery. 1. There is an interesting story in this
magazine. I am good at cooking. Do
The story must be age appropriate too.
you know anything about ELT? Take
The old children want a more intricate
that boy to the hospital. This is
plot and a tone that treat them like they
are not children. The plot should have Nageswara Rao. Who will help me with
a beginning, middle and an end. some money?

A good story will usually have some 2. I hope you understand my problem.
sort of conflict or obstacle that the main What?
character has to resolve. Every story Oh, no! It's not just money that
should have an opening that is matters. I mean it. Listen! Yes, I must.
developed in the middle to create I must meet you. Yes, it's urgent. I told
tension of conflict which reaches its you, I am content with what I have.
climax towards the end, after which What about this afternoon? Fine!
there is a rapid conclusions.
o Which one makes a part of a unified
Short stories are a powerful and whole?
motivating source for acquiring
o What sort of texts are these?
language skills. It enhances the four
language skills - listening, speaking o How do we distinguish between the
reading and writing more effectively. two?
Teacher can create a variety of writing
The first piece contains six sentences
activities to help learner to develop
and all of them are correct. Yet as a
then writing skills.
whole it makes no sense. It doesn't give
Teaching Grammar us any feeling of unity. The sentences in
A major challenge that the English it are probably related to different
teacher encounters has been how to contexts. On the other hand, the
help students write correct sentences. second piece contains several
The notion that the sentence is the incomplete sentences. But it has a
minimal unit that can serve the sense. It has an organic unity.

38
Coherence i. An abstract one in order to teach a
What makes the second piece more language or literacy, or to study how the
meaningful? rules of language work.
ii. Another kind of language that is used
It is a unified set of expressions that
to communicate something and has
convey some idea. This quality is
coherence.
known as coherence.
It is possible to take a sentence from a
Communication becomes difficult
discourse and subject it to grammatical
when there is no coherence. Most
analysis. It is also possible to take a
importantly, this cannot be achieved by
sentence from a language textbook and
concentrating on the internal grammar
say it to someone in a suitable occasion.
of sentences.
Therefore both these approaches are
It is fairly easy to recognise that not mutually exclusive. In natural
linguistic units such as sounds, words, situations people acquire language not
and sentences are not entities in by practising discrete sentences but
isolation. They become meaningful through experiencing discourses.
only when they appear as part of
A discourse emerging in communicative
discourses. There is language
situations consist of not only of
everywhere around us; it is there in the
grammatically well-formed sentences
print media (in newspapers, magazines,
but also of meaningful, incomplete,
etc.), in visual media (TV, movies, etc.)
ungrammatical sentences as well. This
and in day to day life. Language exists in
does not mean that the discourse is
all these in the formof discourses only.
insensitive to rules of grammar.
When language exists only in the form
As G Cook has observed, discourse
of discourse, there arises a couple of
makes use of grammar rules as a
questions in a language class.
resource; it conforms to them when it
1. Why do teachers and students needs to, but departs from them when
concentrate exclusively upon the it does not. The following piece of
production of correct sentences if these conversation will illustrate this point
alone will not suffice to communicate? clearly.
2. If it is not the rule of the sentence Waiter: Can I help you?
that enables us to communicate, what is Customer: Well, chapatti … Do you
it? have dry ones? …Three chapattis
Some general features of discourses …chicken, er…chilly chicken, hot …
When we think about discourses two corn soup …
different kinds of language serve as Waiter: Like to go for mushroom soup,
potential objects of inquiry: sir?

39
Customer: Oh, no! Doesn't go with my person in a way which another person
tongue. Forget it. does not have the knowledge to make
Waiter: Anything else? sense of.

Customer: No, thanks. Make it fast. Grammar beyond the sentence

This is an exchange that took place at a It is a known fact that rules of grammar
restaurant. We can see that there are operate within a sentence. For e.g., if
points where the discourse departs someone begins a sentence with
from rules of grammar. Discourse can 'The…' we know that any word cannot
be in different forms. For eg: a grunt or follow it. The rules of grammar allow
a single expletive (i.e. an expression only certain words after 'the'. Are there
used in exclamations), short rules that operate beyond the sentence?
conversations, scribbled notes or even In other words, are there rules within
a nod. The fact is that it communicates discourses which decide what kind of
and is considered coherent by its sentence can follow another? If we
receivers. violate rules of grammar within the
sentence, we will get incorrect
Subjectivity sentences of three kinds in addition to
Read the following exchange between those with writing errors of spelling and
two men. punctuation.
Man 1: Yes? There are rules of grammar beyond the
Man 2: Yes. sentence, within the discourse. These
rules will decide which sentence can
Man 1: Why?
follow another one. If we violate these
Man 2: Just like that. we will get sequences of sentences that
Man 1: Just like that? lack coherence. This will affect
Man 2: Hmm! communication. Consider the two
The above exchange may be meaningful sequences of sentences given below:
to the two men involved in the dialogue A. The boy ate all the mangoes. His
but to others it makes little sense. As stomach became upset.
illustrated in this discourse, what
B. The boy ate all the mangoes. The
matters is not its conformity to rules,
frog was in the pond.
but the fact that it communicates to the
persons involved in it. This means that The sequence of sentences in A is
there is a degree of subjectivity in coherent and meaningful. Hence, it is
identifying a piece of language as accepted as an appropriate one for
discourse; a certain discourse may be discourse whereas that in B will be
meaningful and communicates to one rejected as it fails the test of coherence.

40
But we cannot conclude that the case of 3. At what point of formal education
B is wrong. There is nothing 'wrong' should we teach grammar?
about it because we may cook up astory 4. What methodology would be
which will contain this sequence. All appropriate for teaching grammar?
what we need is to stretch our
Why should we teach grammar?
imagination by virtue of which we can
create a context for the appearance of Let us take the first question. There is
sequence B. a good old saying - 'grammar is caught
rather than taught'. Paradoxically, we
At this point we have two possible keep on saying this and continue
answers to the problem of how we teaching aspects of formal grammar in
identify a piece of language as unified one way or the other.
and meaningful.
Descriptive grammars have displaced
i. Invoke rules of grammar that operate prescriptive grammars. Nevertheless,
within the sentence as well as within for most teachers the term grammar is
the discourse. associated with a set of definitions and
ii. Make use of our knowledge - of the rules because grammar was taught
world, of the speaker, of social taking recourse to traditional approach
for a long time. It was guided by a set of
convention, of what is going on around
rigid rules.
us as we read or listen.
The experts working in the field of
We can conclude that factors outside
education began looking at teaching of
language also play an important role in
English grammar with a changed
making the language coherent. In order vision.
to account for the discourse we have to
look at the situation, the people Functional grammar was given thrust
and it got its place in classroom
involved, what they know and what
teaching. The notion of teaching
they are doing.
grammar through examples in different
The pedagogic considerations of situations has gained much currency
grammar teaching with the expectation that this would
When it comes to teaching of grammar make grammar learning more
we have to address ourselves to a few interesting than ever before. This
strategy will help the learners to get the
questions.
benefit of learning grammar without
1. Why should we teach grammar? any emphasis on rote learning.
2. What kind of grammar is to be Today in ELT circles grammar teaching
taught? has become participatory, interesting

41
and learner-friendly through varieties of and interaction as far as the second
activities like games, rhymes, riddles language is concerned.
and role play. Spontaneous learning of o These skills are demanded by
grammar takes place. examinations and are signs of
Nevertheless, the question remains acceptable language behaviour.
unanswered: 'Why should we teach o Exercises can be neatly presented in
grammar?' More than fifty percent of sentences, with a tick or a mark for
learners fail to operate and write English each one. This is important in formal
with accuracy and fluency even though teaching because exercises help
they apparently can do the grammar students know where they are going and
exercises in their textbooks correctly. how far they have developed formal
This is probably because they know skills.
'about' grammar and are able to attempt
o Given practice in, and exposure to,
the 'fill in the blanks' items quite
correct sentences, the rest will follow
successfully. So where lies the
in a natural way.
problem? It is in the way we teach
grammar. o The treatment of language in terms of
sentences helps us know how language
Functional grammar is the need of the
works; within the sentence we can
hour. It is now necessary to orient
establish rules and constraints that
ourselves, as teachers, to teach
distinguish between licit and illicit
grammar in an interesting and flexible
sentence constructions.
manner using authentic discourses and
grammar games. o Sentences analyzed in linguistics are
abstractions. Though these may appear
Several arguments have been stated in
very odd they are useful for language
defence of concentrating on sentences
study. We have noticed that a child
while teaching a language:
internalizes the grammar of the mother
o In the case of mother tongue, students tongue through exposure to the
already know how to communicate language. Similarly, in second language
orally. acquisition, we must concentrate on
giving exposure to the learners using
What they need is to learn where to put
interesting and authentic texts which
full stops and how to write grammatical
will make them aware of the structures
sentences.
as well as the functions of the second
o Students require formal skills and language. The learners will be able to
knowledge in terms of pronunciation, intuitively distinguish the so-called
vocabulary and grammar which will grammatical utterances from the
provide the basis for communicating ungrammatical ones.

42
At the same time we will introduce at the secondary level should learn
grammar at the secondary level for about these devices. A pre-requisite to
which we can put forward a few this at the secondary level is that they
pedagogic justifications. should be able to identify linguistic
1. The acquisition paradigm followed at elements that constitute various
the primary level helps the learner to syntactic structures and how these are
develop knowledge of language non- configured using devices such as
consciously. complementation, subordination,
coordination, relativization, clefting,
Once this target is achieved, we have
passivisation and so on.
to take the learners to higher levels of
knowledge of language where the What kind of grammar?
learners apart from developing What kind of grammar should we teach
intuitions about well-formed at the secondary level?
constructions will also learn about some
aspects of formal grammar. This There are different types of grammar
knowledge, hopefully, will serve the such as lexical grammar, categorical
learner better as a conscious monitor grammar, relational grammar,
while undertaking the editing of functional grammar, phrase structure
discourses at a higher level. Language grammar, generative grammar,
is a knowledge area that deserves to be transformational generative grammar
treated at par with other knowledge and the like to mention a few. Each one
areas such as Mathematics, Physics, of these approaches language as a
Chemistry, Biology, Commerce, and so system from different points of view.
on.This justifies learning about ELT experts of our own times across
language at the secondary and higher the world say that if at all we have to
secondary levels. teach grammar it is functional grammar.
2. We know that every creative writer They argue that learners of English as a
imprints his/ her marks of identity on second language should have a clear
their writings. That is why we are able idea about what kind of expressions are
to distinguish the personal style of an to be used for specific communicative
author. We listen to the writer's voice functions. The implicit assumption is
when we read a poem, a novel or an that if learners are well-familiarised
essay. We expect the learners to identify with the structures that will serve these
the voice of the author from his/her purposes they will be able to maintain
writings which will eventually lead both fluency and accuracy while
him/her to identify his/ her own voice communicating with others using
as a second language user. The learners English.

43
When we look at this assumption English in interpersonal
through critical lens we will see that it communicative situations. For this they
cannot be sustained. We have acquired should possess 'knowledge of' the
our mother tongue through meaningful language.
discourses and we will be able to use it This knowledge is acquired non-
doing full justice to its functional consciously and precisely this is the
aspects. We do not have to learn reason why we have replaced the
separately, how to invite people or how fragmentary approach to teaching
to apologise. Acquiring a language language with discourse-oriented
implies acquiring both its structures pedagogy. Of course, as part of
and functions. Native speakers of any discourse construction they will be
language will be able to use it by virtue generating both grammatical and
of the intuitive structure consciousness ungrammatical sentences.
they have acquired. Therefore there is
no point in teaching functional The syntactic and morphological errors
grammar. and the errors of spelling and
punctuation that they may make are
At the secondary level we will be taken up and rectified through the
focusing on lexical, phrasal and clausal process of editing. Editing at the
categories of language and how these primary level implies editing within the
are interconnected in different ways to domain of sentence grammar. At the
yield different structures. Also the secondary level we will have to go for
learners will learn what structural different levels of editing as mentioned
changes are in operation in a given below.
configuration and how licit and illicit
structures are generated by these 1. Editing related to sentence grammar
operations. This implies that the o Syntactic editing
learners will have to get sensitised on o Morphological editing
some aspects of transformational
generative grammar. o Editing errors of spelling and
punctuation
When to teach grammar?
2. Errors related to discourse grammar
From what we have discussed above it
is clear that we do not have to teach 3. Thematic editing
grammar at the primary level, that is 4. Editing related to discourse features
from classes I to VII. By learning
The Methodology
English grammar consciously what the
learners get is 'knowledge about' the The curriculum, syllabi and textbooks
language. This knowledge will not help have been developed and are meant to
them to speak spontaneously in be transacted in tune with social

44
constructivism and critical pedagogy. Culture enrichment
Construction of knowledge has to take Literature enhances cultural enrichment
place at all levels of learning and in all by enabling the learners to understand
domains of knowledge. This implies the patterns of life in their temporal and
that we cannot stuff the learners with spatial contexts. While reading texts of
lots and lots of information pertaining to different authors who belong to
grammar. Grammatical concepts are to different countries and cultures, one
be constructed by the learners by can discover the thoughts, feelings,
analysing a certain body of linguistic customs, possessions etc. of such
data available from the discourses and countries or cultures. This can enrich
categorising them in specific ways. The one's own culture.
general processes of the constructivist Language enrichment
classroom will be retained intact for
Learners are exposed to many functions
facilitating concept attainment in the
of the written language by reading
realm of grammar.
literary works. Besides broadening our
Teaching Literature sensibility literature also helps in
enriching our language. Enrichment of
Why is literature beneficial in the
the learner's receptive vocabulary is
language learning process?
enabled by extensive reading. It also
Valuable authentic material facilitates transfer to a more active form
Literature is authentic material and it of knowledge. Literature provides a rich
context in which individual lexical or
offers an extremely varied body of
syntactical items are made more
written material which expresses
memorable. The learners gain
fundamental human issues. Its familiarity with many features of the
relevance changes with the passage of written language - the formation and
time, but seldom disappears completely function of sentences, the variety of
(e.g. Shakespearian plays). Though its possible structures, the different ways
meaning does not remain static, a of connecting ideas -which broaden and
literary work can transcend both time enrich the learner's own writing skills.
and culture to speak directly to a reader
What sort of literature is suitable for
in another country.
language learners?
The best expression of any language - in We learn a lot about people: their
terms of organisation, diction, structure beliefs, likes and dislikes, views about
and style - is found in its literature. By life and death, man-woman relation etc.
using literature as the basis of our through its literature. Without adequate
learning activities, learners are exposed knowledge about the culture of a
to language that is as genuine and people, one cannot hope to be a
undistorted as can be managed in the competent speaker of that people's
classroom context. language.

45
Our literature class: Approaches to Teaching Literature
o Encourages the learners to discuss a o Maintain interest and involvement of
lesson in a collaborative manner. learners by using a variety of student
o Helps them to interpret literary texts. centered activities.
o Leads them to a response; guide their o A variety of enjoyable learner-
responses. centered activities are significant while
o Creates in them the love for reading working with students.
books. o Learning is to be promoted by
Our learners need to study literature for involving them with other learners.
certain obvious reasons. o To supplement the printed page
1. It supports the language and teacher can create a whole new world
communication skills of the learner. inside the reader's imagination.

2. It educates them in the language. o Teachers are expected to help the

learners exploit the emotional aspects in
3. It trains the learners in the skill of the literature to its full extent.
communication. This is a life skill and
not just for their examinations. o Teacher should allow the learners to
be in groups/pairs. This increases the
4. A literary text gives one, knowledge learner's confidence in the foreign
of a culture in memorable contexts. language. With the group's support, the
5. More communication strategies and individual has greater freedom to
varieties of English will be familiarised explore his own reactions and
to the learner. interpretations.

6. Literature, if handled right can chip o Teachers should help the learners
away the learner's prejudices, their explore their own responses to various
biases. It can make them respect fellow situations given in the text. This will
human beings. sharpen their own response making it
more likely that they will extend their
7. Appreciation of literary text means understanding of the text by personal
understanding the meaning of a literary reading at home.
text and responding to it.
o Teachers can help learners express
8. Through the teaching of literature, their response either non-verbally or by
we could certainly promote shared- making a limited linguistic repertoire.
reading, get them involved with the Concentration on this kind of language
texts and engage them in a dialogue can enhance learners' confidence in
with you. their own response.

46
 Chapter 6
Information and Communication
Technology

Information and Communication management, assessment diagnostic

Technology (ICT) is a generic term and statistical tool. Interactive
referring to technologies which are used computer applications and simulation
for collecting, storing, editing and exercise can be used to supplement the
passing information in various forms. It traditional study preparation. Various
has been used in language classrooms researches have been done to
for more than two decades. Over this investigate the effectiveness of
time, classroom use has moved from information technologies as an
drill, text manipulation, and word educational tool. ICT has the potential
processing to more interactive and to play an important role in making
communicative applications such as e- English in schools more relevant,
mail, chat, and web-based programs, interesting and motivating for students.
requiring learners to acquire computer Therefore, consideration needs to be
literacies. given to develop IT-based English
Learning a language demands direct activities in classrooms, which enable
exposure to ICT, we, as teachers, can the learners to learn and experience
provide our learners with a wide range English at the same time. Generally,
of activities that enable them to practice one of the educators’ responsibilities is
the language skills: listening, reading, to prepare students for the future. The
speaking and writing as they would do best way is not only to teach the
in real-life situations. As a learning tool, students to use technology, but also to
ICT is being integrated in different teach them by technology. To provide
fields and instructions. ICT is being an optimal learning condition,
used extensively not only as part of researchers of learning technology
curriculum requirements but also as a widely explore issues for enhancing the

47
potential of learning, such as readiness supporting electronic texts as a means
level, motivation, sequencing and to foster literacy development and, in
pacing, feedback, reinforcement and particular, reading comprehension.
social interaction. In fact, one of the Online Courses
roles of ICT in English as a Second
Language context is to provide the tools An online course (referred to as a Web-
to facilitate students’ development based or Web-delivered course) is a
within the existing English curriculum. class taught via the World Wide Web.
In other words, the focus is on the Online courses are a form of distance
development of knowledge and skills learning. You can take the course at a
traditionally regarded as important ‘distance’ without coming to campus.
within this subject area, but this is Your role as a student is different in an
reframed within a digital curriculum. online course. In a ‘Face to Face’
e-Books course, you go to class at a specific
time. The instructor facilitates your
Due to the growth of technology we learning by lecturing, leading
have witnessed that printed notebooks discussions, using a PowerPoint, etc.
are being replaced by digital notebooks; In an online course, you as a student
printed dictionaries are being replaced take a more active role in your learning.
by digital dictionaries; traditional An online course is much more student-
blackboards are being replaced by centred; the instructor is more of a
electronic boards; schools are setting up facilitator of learning than directly in
a wireless access across their campuses charge as he/she is in the F2F
and so on. Many e-books employ classroom. Since the material is in
multimodal features such as video, written form and on the Website, you
audio and hyperlinks-as well as can go through it at your own pace, and
interactive tools. Such tools attract can go back over it. An online course
readers to physically interact with the favours different learning styles than an
text through inserting, deleting, or F2F course. Obviously visual learning
replacing text; marking passages by is supported very well by an online
highlighting, underlining, or crossing course.
out words; adding comments by
inserting notes, attaching files, or Since an online course allows you to
recording audio comments and work at your own pace, you are in
manipulating the page format, text size charge of when, where, and how fast
and screen layout. Search features allow you could learn. As an online student,
the users to locate specific words or you need to be self-motivated and
phrases within the text or access a disciplined. You will need to set a
particular page. Although research on schedule for yourself to login and
the use of this medium is in its infancy, complete work by the deadlines. Any
the results appear promising in help you will need you will need to seek

48
from your instructor by email, phone or recent years, there have been a growing
other methods. If you keep up seriously, number of MOOCs on the Internet.
an online course should be as great an Nowadays, there is a growing usage of
experience and of equal quality as an
MOOCs on the Internet. Accessibility,
F2F course.
student engagement, and experiences
Massive Open Online Courses for lifelong learning are recognised as
(MOOCs) the advantages of MOOC. In addition,
A massive open online course (MOOC) discussions on individual instruction,
is an online course aimed at unlimited student performance assessment and
participation and open access via the long-term administration and oversight
web. In addition to traditional course are available. It is easy to accommodate
materials such as videos, readings, large numbers of students (Carr, 2012).
problem sets, etc. MOOC provides ‘From a pragmatic perspective,
interactive user forums that help build MOOCs provide access to large
a community for students, professors, numbers of people who might
and teaching assistants. MOOCs are a otherwise be excluded for reasons
recent developments in distance ranging from time, to geographic
education which emerged since 2012. location, to formal prerequisites, to
MOOCs are offered by some leading financial hardship.’ The websites like
universities and institutions including www.edx.org, www.courcera.org
Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of facilitate MOOC to millions of learners
Technology (MIT), and Stanford. In for free.

49
 Chapter 7
Assessment Approach
Learning is a natural and continuous by teachers or peers during the learning
process in learners. Learning process, to make it more effective. This
experiences should be based on specific assessment that takes place along with
objectives and learning outcomes to learning and the feedback that is
make learning effective. Teachers provided, form another level of
should be aware of the skills and assessment. This can be termed as
concepts that the learner should Assessment for Learning. This has to
acquire. Learning activities related to be carried out continuously to facilitate
each unit should be planned in such a learning and has to be incorporated
way that it produces the desired learning along with learning activities.
outcomes. The activities that are In addition to these, there is a process
presented should be related to real life of correction that involves a critical self
situations. analysis of the concepts and awareness
How far are the skills and concepts that gathered through learning and by
are acquired sufficient to acquire internalising the changes. This can be
learning outcomes? Who among the considered as Self-assessment. This
learners are yet to acquire the learning can be termed Assessment as Learning.
outcomes? What follow-up activities To make learning more effective stress
are to be provided? How can they be
has to be laid upon Assessment for
provided? These should be the
Learning and Assessment as Learning.
concerns of teachers while they think
Therefore, we must adopt an approach
about evaluation.
that gives importance to an assessment
The process of analysing what the process that makes learning more
learner has acquired after the effective.
transaction of a unit is called
Assessment of Learning. This is one When we adopt a learning approach
level of assessment. But more that ensures learning outcomes, we
importance should be given to an should adopt a suitable assessment
assessment that ensures learning. There approach for it. Therefore, we should
can be different types of interventions adopt an ‘Outcome focused

50
Assessment Approach’. If the learning Learning Process Assessment
activity is based on the learning Both the teacher and the learner plan
outcomes, active participation of the various activities to acquire learning
learner can be made ensured. Critical outcomes. The teacher has to evaluate
thinking, rational thinking, reflection of various factors like the participation of
learning, inter-related knowledge etc. the learner in the learning process,
are the characteristics of learning which excellence of the learner in performance
are focused on learning outcomes. and presentation, creativity of the
Continuous and Comprehensive learner, acquisition of desired skills etc.
Evaluation (CCE) The indicators given below can be used
Learning, being a continuous process, for evaluation.
assessment should also be continuous. 1. Participation in activity
By comprehensive assessment, we
2. Conceptual understanding
mean the assessment of the learner in
cognitive as well as socio-emotional 3. Acquisition of skills
areas. Hence, we adopt a continuous 4. Performance /Presentation
and comprehensive evaluation system. 5. Recording /Preparation
CCE is carried out in two areas: When the process-assessment is carried
1. Cognitive area out, it should be based on each
indicator. For example, when evaluation
2. Socio - emotional area for the indicator ‘participation in
Assessment regarding development activity’ is done, the learners should be
in cognitive area categorized as excellent, good, average
The subjects taught at high school level and those who need improvement. This
like Languages, Science, Humanities, has to be recorded in the page for
Mathematics, Health and Physical assessment in Teacher Planner. All
Education come under cognitive area. learners have to be assessed and
recorded with reference to each
Learning outcomes acquired in each
indicator in every term.
subject should be evaluated. Two types
of evaluation are suggested here. Opportunity for self-assessment, peer
assessment and teacher- assessment
1. Continuous Evaluation (CE)
should be given in process-assessment.
2. Term Evaluation (TE)
We can examine how to evaluate
Continuous Evaluation (CE)
learning process for various subjects in
Three types of CE are suggested. continuous evaluation.
1. Learning Process assessment Participation in activity
2. Portfolio Assessment o Did the learner volunteer for the
3. Unit based assessment activity?

51
o Did he try to do it individually? individual and group activities and
o Did he participate effectively in general discussion?
group activities? Let us examine how the learning
o Did he share any ideas in the group? process in language subject should be
assessed as part of CE.
o Did he encourage other’s participation?
Acquisition of conceptual knowledge is
Conceptual understanding as important as acquiring discourse
o Awareness of content knowledge and language skills. In this
context, let us examine how to assess
o Stages of constructing knowledge
the learning process considering the
o Excellence in internalising concept indicators.
o Ability to apply the concepts o Participation
Acquisition of skills The interest of the learner in learning
o Pre-conceptual awareness about the activity, his participation in group
process-skills to be acquired activities etc., should be considered
here.
o Was he able to acquire the desired
process skills through this activity? o Conceptual understanding

o What additional activity should be Awareness of content in language,

given to those who are yet to acquire discourse, indicators of quality, process
the skills? of construction of knowledge through
various modes of language study, level
Performance/Presentation of language excellence of the learner
o Did the learner try to present the etc, should be evaluated by the teacher
knowledge acquired through individual here.
activity and group activity? o Acquisition of Skills
o Was he able to explain the findings in Level of the learner in skills like
a rational manner? listening, speaking, reading, writing and
Recording/Preparation creativity are assessed and feedback is
given. The performance of the student
o Did he make necessary recording in
in various discourse areas, language
the various stages of activity?
elements, communication etc. too
o Was recording done in a manner easy should be taken into consideration.
for others to understand?
o Performance /Presentation
o Was the recording done in a
There are various methods for
systematic and disciplined manner?
communication in language. Other
o Did he carry out recording after language skills of the learner (recitation,

52
singing, acting, drawing, speaking) are socio-emotional domain etc are
as important as the creative writing skill reflected in the activity log. It should
of the learner. Other factors like contain details like various strategies
pronunciation, clarity of speech etc. adopted for the transaction of the
should be taken into account when the lesson, prior planning made by the
teacher prepares the feedback. learner to complete the transaction of
o Recording /Preparation lesson, interventions made at various
stages of activities, details of the
Did the learner make necessary
product formed, etc. are to be recorded
recording in the various stages of
in the activity log. Additional
activity? Was recording done in a
information given by teachers to
manner easy for others to understand?
strengthen the learning process can also
Was the recording done in a systematic
be recorded in the activity log.
and disciplined manner? Did he carry
out any individual creative writing? Did o Portfolio Assessment
he make any improvement in group
Portfolio is the collection of all
performance after discussion in the
products formed during the various
class? Are the learners able to carry out
stages of learning activities. It gives the
creative writing without any errors?
learner, parents and the teacher
These are the factors to be evaluated by
feedback regarding learning.
the teacher.
The following should be included in a
A Teacher Planner must be prepared to
portfolio.
plan learning activities at the micro
level and to make continuous o Activity log
evaluation more scientific. The teacher o Other learning documents, pictures,
planner should contain planning of collections, writings, learning materials,
learning activities including
creations made through ICT etc.
adaptations, situations of evaluation,
strategies, tools, etc. (See Sample o Creative work
Teaching Manual). o Worksheets
2. Details regarding Subject- related The following indicators can be used for
activity log portfolio assessment.
Activity log is an important document o Clarity of concept
required for the assessment of the o Internalisation of concepts
cognitive area. It helps to complete o Appropriate design
various activities according to learning
o Completion
processes. The creativity of the learner,
thought processes, language skills, o Originality

53
Method to calculate scores of These are recorded in the prescribed
learning process and portfolio format. As there is more than one
assessment in a term, the average of the
It is not necessary to record the scores
assessment of all the units has to be
of all students calculated using
recorded at the end of the term.
indicators given for each activity.
Teacher has to prepare indicators
Performance of an entire term should
suitable for the tools used in
be evaluated using the indicators. The
assessment.
notes in teacher planner, records in
activity log etc should be consolidated Method of calculating CE
at the end of each term. Learners should Term level recording can be done by
be categorized on the basis of their calculating the average. To consolidate
participation as Excellent, Average, these marks, the format given in
and Need improvement in their Annexure -1 can be used.
participation. Scores should be given
accordingly. All five indicators have to
Term Evaluation (TE)
be considered and score should be given It is essential to assess the learning
for each indicator. The maximum score outcomes achieved trough learning
can be fixed as 20. activities by each learner at the end of
every term. The assessment of language
Unit based Assessment
subjects should be made considering
Activities for various learning outcomes areas like discourses, language
are distributed in an inter-related manner elements, language skills based on the
in a unit. This is comprehensive in learning outcomes in the units
nature. So, while assessing a unit, this considered in each term. Question
comprehensive ness (considering all the models can contain various questions
learning outcomes) is assessed. Oral stressing the content areas and skills.
assessment, quiz programme, open book For other subjects, assessment should
assessment, preparation of questions, be done based on the content-area of
identifying the indicators and assess units considered in the term. Questions
ment of writing can be considered for to assess skills and ideas which lay
unit assessment. Rating scale and check stress on learning outcomes can be
list to measure the achievement of a prepared.
learner in a particular unit etc. can be The question paper should be prepared
used. Unit assessment should take place after first preparing a design and blue
naturally along with learning. print of question paper giving proper
For unit assessment, points have to be weightage to units and learning
awarded on the basis of indicators outcomes, various thinking skills and
which are then converted to grades. different forms of questions. Suitable

54
answer key should be prepared for each Score Percentage Grade
question and assessment should be
done based on these keys. Question- 90-100 A+
wise analysis should be prepared to 80-89 A
review whether the questions are in
70-79 B+
accordance with the blue print and
necessary editing should be done on it. 60-69 B
Annual Consolidation 50-59 C+
The annual overall score of CE is the 40-49 C
best scores obtained by the learner in 3 30-39 D+
terms. This can be entered in the
20-29 D
column titled ‘Final Score’ in the format
given in Annexure - 2. It is the total CE Below 20 E
score of the learner in each subject. To be eligible for higher studies, the
Now, find the TE of each subject and learner should get a minimum of D+
find the total score adding CE and TE. (30-39 %) for each subject for CE+TE.
This is the total score of a learner in one
We can adopt measures to assess the
subject. Low proficiency in acquiring
proficiency of the learner at the
skills need not be marked as under-
cognitive area, socio-emotional area,
achievement.
thereby to ensure learning outcomes.
Grading Scheme Collective effort is required to
A 9 Point Absolute Grading is used in implement this assessment in a
High schools for assessing the learners. comprehensive and continuous manner.

55
 Sample Teaching Manual
Unit 1
Hues and Views
Theme : Art
Sub theme : Freedom of an artist
Learning Outcomes:
The learner will be able to:
• appreciate artistic freedom and the greatness of artists.
• empathise with the artists.
• read and comprehend a given text.
• write a small description of familiar persons/characters.
Teaching-learning materials
• Video clips /news items/images throwing light on the theme art/
artists.(KalayudeKalpaadukal)
• Extracts of descriptions of characters taken from the works of famous authors.

Process Assessment
Entry activity/ Introduction
Learners watch the documentary on art
titled ‘KalayudeKaalpaadukal’.
Learners watched and appreciated
Teacher initiates a discussion on the the paintings and pictures shown
visuals/paintings shown in the in the documentary with great
documentary posing some questions. enthusiasm.
e.g.Which picture attracted you the most?
Name the artists you admire the most? Why
do you admire them?
How do we still remember the great artists
of ancient times? Learners actively participated in
the discussion on art and artist.

56
 Process Assessment
Learners look at the picture given on Page
9 of the Std VIII Reader.
Generate a discussion on the picture and
the unit title to sensitize the importance of
art and man’s attitude towards art.
Reading the story
Learners read the story silently up to
paragraph 4. Learners admired the picture
They keep track of their reading. given in the text.
Teacher asks some global questions at Only, a few learners
random to ensure reading. contributed ideas in the group
discussion.
Learners sit in groups and share their
findings
They refer to the glossary.
They share meanings of difficult words and
the ideas they comprehended from the
passage.
Teacher supports the reading process in the
groups. Nikhita, Tapan, Anupama and
Hakeem participated in the
Group members clear the doubts of each
group discussion actively.
other.
Teacher clarifies the meanings of difficult
expressions or phrases if any.
Learners answer the scaffolding questions Much time was spent for the
(up to Question No. 7) individually. reading activity.
Presentation of the answers.
Writing a description of a familiar
character or a person
Most of the students answered
Interaction the scaffolding questions
Where does the story take place? themselves.
Who are the main characters in the first part
of the story?
How are they described in the story?

57
Pick out the describing words from the Some of the answers to the
paragraph one and two. scaffolding questions were
Elicit other words that can be used to corrected in the light of the
describe a person classroom discussion.
Learner attempts a description of a familiar
person or a famous film actor using these Athulya, Krishnakripa, Lincy
words? and Jaleel require more support
Learners write the description individually. to develop their writing skill.
Presentation of 3 or 4 descriptions.
Discussion on the descriptions presented
Familiarisation of sample descriptions of
certain characters taken from other stories
Learners note down the words that are used
for describing persons.
Familiarizes the indicators of a good
description.
Vividness of the description.
Variety of describing words used.
Appropriateness of the describing words
used.
Cohesiveness.
Learners sit in groups to write the
description in the light of the discussion.
Groups present the description
Discussion on the strengths and
weaknesses of the descriptions presented.
Learners refine their description.
Presentation of the group products.
Editing (Punctuation, Thematic,
Syntactical, Morphological)
Assignment
Describe your favourite hero or heroine in
about 80 words.
Signature of the H.M Signature of the class teacher

58
Reflection Notes: (Based on the evaluation of learning process/activites)
My findings
• I think I was successful to some extent in transacting the content of the lesson.
• I could not sustain the interest of the learners throughout the class.
• I need to plan better next time to ensure that every child in the class involves in
the lesson.
• Only a few students could write fairly good descriptions.
• I took much time to complete the reading process in the class.
Follow up activities and remedial measures
(done/given at the time of transaction)
• How I gave feedback to my learners (suggestions and positive qualitative feed-
backs)
• How I addressed low profficient/gifted learners (re-designing the existing ac-
tivities or designing new activites suitable for them.)
• How I changed or adapted the strategies.
• How I modified activities to make them more participatory
• How I simplified my language for better communication with the learners

59
60
61
English Teacher Text Std VIII

Unit 1
HUES AND VIEWS

Theme: Art • identify language elements like

Sub themes: suffixes, noun phrases, question
Importance of art tags, etc. and use them in different
Art and life situations.
Dedication to art • construct language discourses like
Artistic freedom narrative, conversation, character
Eternity of art sketch, story map, etc.
Learning outcomes: Introduction
The learner will be able to: Art holds an important place in the lives
of people. It transcends all boundaries
• read and understand a prose text.
of caste, creed and geographical space
• enrich vocabulary by identifying the to reach out to the millions. Artists are
meaning of words from the context. often held in high esteem by our society.
• refer to a dictionary or glossary to The unit titled ‘Hues and Views’
find the meaning of unfamiliar explores the relevance of art in day-to-
words. day life.
• read, enjoy and appreciate poems. This unit consists of four literary pieces
- a short story, a folk tale, a poem and a
• communicate effectively in the
target language. popular song. In a way, all the pieces are
thematically interlinked. At the same
• enhance creative and critical time they stand independent of one
thinking. another. The first one The Mysterious
• gather ideas on poetic craft and Picture by Charles de Coster narrates an
poetic elements like simile and interesting episode in the life of Tyl. It
images. highlights the fact that the sublime
• express opinions and share feelings nature of art is affected when it is
with other learners. undervalued. The Boy Who Drew Cats, a

62
 Unit Frame
Unit 1: Hues and Views Time: 30 periods
English

Concept/Skill Discourses/Activities Language Elements Learning Outcomes

• Story map • Understand questions starting with

Theme: Art • Plural forms ‘what’, ‘who’, ‘why’, etc.
Sub themes • Poem
• Suffixes • Answer in simple English during
• Importance • Conversation classroom interaction.
of art • Compound • Gather ideas on poetic craft and
• Script writing
• Art and life words poetic devices.
• Skit
• Dedication • Question • Read and enjoy short stories and
• Character sketch
to art grasp the elements of a story.
• Description/ tags Write dialogues based on a situation.

63
•
• Artistic
story narration • Formal and • Develop a script based on a picture
freedom
• Character informal or a story they have read.
• Eternity of • Identify the expressions of the
art analysis language
character from their dialogues.
• Noun • Read, enjoy and appreciate poems.
phrases • Use language elements like suffixes,
plural forms, compound words and
• Editing question tags.
• Language • Edit a given passage.
games
Teacher Text Std VIII
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Japanese folk tale meant for extended • Name the different animals you
reading, glorifies art which ultimately notice.
helps in the realisation of the self. The
• Whom do you notice first? Is it the old
poem for detailed study in this unit Taj
man or the young horseman?
Mahal, elaborates on how art surpasses
time and space to become eternal. The The artist tactfully conceals certain
song given for extended reading, We are details and hence the picture
the World presents in a lucid language, appears mysterious.
the unifying force of art transcending Now let's read a story about a
the boundaries of caste, creed and mysterious picture and the artist who
nationality. drew it.
Titular Picture Let’s begin
Interaction The Mysterious Picture
• Are you interested in drawing pictures? About the story
• What are the materials needed to ‘The Mysterious Picture’ narrates the
draw a picture?
dilemma of Tyl Ullenspiegel from
• If you are asked to draw a picture Flanders who reached the court of the
what will you draw? Archduke of Battenburg and offered to
• Ask the learners to draw a picture they make a portrait of the Archduke along
like, on the canvas shown above the with the courtiers. The courtiers wanted
unit title. Tyl to make them look more handsome
and attractive than they actually were,
Now, ask the learners to look at the
while the Archduke wanted him to
picture given on Page 9.
portray them as such.
Generate a discussion based on the
picture and the unit title. You may divide the lesson into
meaningful parts without breaking the
Channelise the discussion to explore the flow of the story. Here, it is divided into
importance of art and man’s attitude three parts.
towards art.
Part 1
Elicit answers for the questions given in
(Paragraphs 1 -3)
the text.
Reading Process
Additional questions
• Ask the learners to read the first part
• How many people do you see in the silently. Ask them to complete the table
picture? given.

64
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Characters Costume / features Setting 4. Yes, because the Captain of the
Guards understood that Tyl was a
Flemish painter.
• Let them guess the meaning of the
difficult words and complete the 5. The words, “May, Your Highness
word bank given on each page. pardon me... I might lay it at your
noble feet”, shows Tyl’s respect
• Ask them to refer to the glossary
towards the Archduke.
given at the end of the Reader or to
a dictionary if they are unable to Let the learners perform a role play.
guess the meaning. Process:
• Ask the learners to sit in groups and • Ask the learners to underline the
share their ideas. dialogues between:
• Let them attempt the textual questions.
a. Tyl and the Captain of the Guards
• You may pose the questions one by
b. The Archduke and Tyl
one to the whole class and elicit
answers from the learners. • The learners read the dialogues aloud
• Let all the groups give their answers. in the form of a role play.

• Arrive at the most suitable answer. • Random presentation by the groups.

• The groups refine the answers Note:

accordingly. Flanders – refers to the area of north-
You may improvise and make east France and Belgium.
necessary changes in the reading Flemish – The Dutch language as
process as the text demands (like spoken in Northern Belgium
loud reading by learners, loud
reading by the teacher, role play etc). Flemish painter - Flemish painting
flourished during the 15th century
Possible answers to textual questions
and continued to exist till 17th
1. The story takes place in the palace of century. Most of the leading painters
the Archduke of Battenburg. of Northern Europe belonged to
2. Tyl Ulenspiegel and the Captain of Flanders and they were called
the Guards. Flemish painters. Since the
Napoleanic era, Flemish painters
3. Tyl is someone who wanders from
have been trying to regain the
court to court. He is a man with a
good sense of humour. His reputation set by the old masters.
appearance and mannerisms make The Flemish painters were masters
us think so. of the oil medium and used it

65
English Teacher Text Std VIII
primarily to portray a robust and memory with his descendants.
realistically detailed vision of the
9. It means we do not know when we
world around them. Jan van Eyck
will die.
and Rubens were the two masters of
this incredibly rich form of art. 10. Tyl was unhappy because the
Archduke asked him to make his
Part 2 portrait without the courtiers in it.
(Paragraph 4-9) 11. The Lord and the Lady are
Let the learners read paragraphs 4 - 9. compared to the moon and the
Follow the process as given earlier. courtiers are compared to the
Find out the other characters, if any, lanterns.
their features, change in location etc. 12. The Archduke demanded Tyl to
Let them sit in pairs and complete the paint all the courtiers as such. But
table given. the courtiers demanded that he

Characters Costume / features Setting

Tyl cap with feathers, in front of the palace
attractive clothes
Captain of the Guards gold braided uniform in front of the palace
Archduke

Possible answers to the textual should make them more attractive

questions than they actually were.
6. Tyl wishes to become the court Now, lead the learners to Activity 2 in
painter. Let’s revisit.
7. The donkey was not hungry as it was Activity 2
fed fairly well all along the way. But Possible answers
Tyl had nothing to eat for the last
three days. Part 3

8. The Archduke wanted Tyl to paint (Paragraph 10-15)

his portrait so as to leave his Let the learners read paragraphs 10- 15.

66
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Courtier Real appearance The way they wanted to be
portrayed
short, fat, bald man He wanted to make his stomach
Commander-in-Chief with an enormous look flat and make him more
paunch handsome.

elderly lady large hump on her back She wanted the hump on her back
to be removed and supplied with
what she lacked in beauty.
She wanted to see herself smiling,
She had lost three of
young lady with a perfect set of pearly teeth.
her front teeth.
Possible answers to textual questions Let's revisit
13. If he painted the picture as directed Revisit the text and attempt the
by the Archduke, he might be killed by following tasks.
the courtiers. If his picture satisfied the Activity 1
whims of the courtiers, he might be Possible answer
killed by the Archduke.
Characters: Setting:
14. Elicit free responses. • Tyl • Palace of the
• Captain of the Archduke
• Not to paint the picture. Guards
• Paint the picture as the courtiers had • Archduke, Her
Highness
demanded. • Commander- in-
• Paint the picture as the Archduke had chief
• Elderly lady
instructed. • Young lady
• Jester
15. He kept on saying that the picture
was nearing completion and he needed
Problem: Solution:
some more days to complete it. (Sixty
• The Archduke • Tyl did not paint any
days to complete) asked Tyl to paint all picture at all. Tyl and his
16. Elicit free responses. his courtiers exactly as companions enjoyed
he saw them, but the their stay at the palace.
• There is no picture at all. courtiers wanted their Pointing to the blank
pictures to be canvas, Tyl said that
• Lies to the courtiers that only those who different from what only those who had
have noble blood can see the picture. they were. noble blood in their
veins would be able to
17. No, he is not. He is the only one who see the painting.
tells the truth.

67
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let them sit in pairs and do Activity 3.
Possible answer for Activity 3
S tatem en ts T rue False

T yl arrives at the palace of the A rchduk e.

T yl m eets the A rchduke.

H e sho w s the p icture o f Infa nt Jesus to the A rchdu ke.

T he C aptain of the G uards allo w s T yl to meet the A rchduke at o nce.

T he A rchdu ke d irects T yl to paint their po rtrait.

T he A rchdu ke’s jester also praise s T yl’s painting.

T he Archdu ke d id n’t like to ap po int T yl as the co urt painter.

T yl e njo ys d inner w ith the Archduk e.

T yl a nd his co mpa nio ns spend a fo rtnig ht merry m ak ing in the pa lace.

T he cou rtiers ask T yl to paint them as they lo o k lik e.

T he courtiers praise T yl fo r his sp le nd id paint ing.

T yl w alk s o ut o f the pala ce ca lm ly.

The corrected statements: You may pose the textual questions one
• He shows the picture of Our Lady, the by one to the whole class and elicit
virgin. answers from each group.
• Captain of the Guards does not allow Let’s enrich our vocabulary
Tyl to meet the Archduke at once.
Activity I
• The Archduke’s jester says that he
could see no painting but only a blank well-off: in a good position or situation
wall. well-known: famous
• The Archduke said that he would be well-wisher: someone who wants
delighted to appoint Tyl as the court another person to be happy
painter.
well-read: having gained a lot of
• The courtiers ask Tyl to make them
knowledge by reading
look more attractive and handsome.
Let the learners sit in groups and answer well-informed: having a lot of
the textual questions. knowledge about a particular topic

68
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Words with 'well' as head word about in his carriage where he could
well-being show off his new clothes. He had a
different costume for every hour of
well-bred the day. Indeed, where it was said of
well-done other kings that they were at court, it
well-groomed could only be said of him that he was
in his dressing room!
well-knit
One day two swindlers came to the
Activity 2 emperor's city. They said that they
1 2 3 were weavers, claiming that they
captains painted lonely
knew how to make the finest cloth
imaginable. Not only were the colours
animals seemed certainly
and the patterns extraordinarily
pieces surrounded calmly beautiful, but also, this material had an
amazing property that it was to be
Activity 3 invisible to anyone who was
incompetent or stupid.
Character Words used to address
Archduke Your Highness "It would be wonderful to have
Queen Her Highness clothes made from that cloth,"
Captain of Guards Sir thought the emperor. "Then I would
Painter My dear fellow know which of my men are unfit for
Words we commonly use : their positions, and I'd also be able to
Mrs, Madam, Ma'am, Sir, Mr, Miss tell clever people from stupid ones."
So he immediately gave the two
Words we do not use in common:
swindlers a great sum of money to
Your Highness, My Lord, Her
weave their cloth for him.
Highness, Your Lordship, My dear
fellow They set up their looms and pretended
to go on working, although there was
Let’s write
nothing at all on the looms. They
Activity 1 asked for the finest silk and the purest
THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES gold, all of which they hid away,
continuing to work on the empty
Hans Christen Anderson looms, often late into the night.
Many years ago there lived an emperor ‘I would really like to know how they
who loved beautiful new clothes so are coming with the cloth!’ thought the
much that he spent all his money on emperor, but he was a bit uneasy when
being finely dressed. His only interest he recalled that anyone who was unfit
was in going to the theatre or in riding for his position or stupid would not be

69
English Teacher Text Std VIII
able to see the material. Of course, he weavers, and they called the colours
himself had nothing to fear, but still he and the unusual pattern by name. The
decided to send someone else to see old minister listened closely so that he
how the work was progressing. would be able to say the same things
‘I'll send my honest old minister to the when he reported to the emperor, and
weavers,’ thought the emperor. He's that is exactly what he did.
the best one to see how the material is The swindlers now asked for more
coming. He is very sensible, and no money, more silk, and more gold, all
one is more worthy of his position than of which they hid away. Then they
he. continued to weave away as before, on
So the good old minister went into the the empty looms.
hall where the two swindlers sat The emperor sent other officials as
working at their empty looms. well to observe the weavers' progress.
‘Goodness!’ thought the old minister, They too were startled when they saw
opening his eyes wide. ‘I cannot see a nothing, and they too reported to him
thing!’ But he did not say so. how wonderful the material was,
The two swindlers invited him to step advising him to have it made into
closer, asking him if it wasn't a clothes that he could wear in a grand
beautiful design and if the colours procession. The entire city was alive
weren't magnificent. They pointed to in praise of the cloth. ‘Magnifique!’
the empty loom, and the poor old ‘Nysseligt!’ ‘Excellent!’ they said, in all
minister opened his eyes wider and languages. The emperor awarded the
wider. He still could see nothing, for swindlers with medals of honour,
nothing was there. ‘Gracious’, he bestowing on each of them the title
thought. ‘Is it possible that I am Lord Weaver.
stupid? I have never thought so. Am I
The swindlers stayed up the entire
unfit for my position? No one must
night before the procession was to
know this. No, it will never do for me
take place, burning more than sixteen
to say that I was unable to see the
candles. Everyone could see that they
material.’
were in a great rush to finish the
‘You aren't saying anything!’ said one emperor's new clothes. They
of the weavers. pretended to take the material from
‘Oh, it is magnificent! The very best!’ the looms. They cut in the air with
said the old minister, peering through large scissors. They sewed with
his glasses. ‘This pattern and these needles but without any thread.
colours! Yes, I'll tell the emperor that Finally they announced, ‘Behold! The
I am very satisfied with it!’ clothes are finished!’
‘That makes us happy!’ said the two The emperor came to them with his

70
English Teacher Text Std VIII
most distinguished cavaliers. The two The chamberlains who were to carry
swindlers raised their arms as though the train held their hands just above
they were holding something and said, the floor as if they were picking up the
‘Just look at these trousers! Here is the train. As they walked they pretended
jacket! This is the cloak!’ and so forth. to hold the train high, for they could
‘They are as light as spider webs! You not let anyone notice that they could
might think that you didn't have a see nothing.
thing on, but that is the good thing
The emperor walked beneath the
about them.’
beautiful canopy in the procession,
‘Yes,’ said the cavaliers, but they and all the people in the street and in
couldn't see a thing, for nothing was their windows said, ‘Goodness, the
there. emperor's new clothes are
‘Would His Imperial Majesty, if it incomparable! What a beautiful design
pleases His Grace, kindly remove his on his jacket. What a perfect fit!’ No
clothes,’ said the swindlers. ‘Then we one wanted it to be noticed that he
will fit you with the new ones, here in could see nothing, for then it would be
front of the large mirror.’ said that he was unfit for his position
or that he was stupid. None of the
The emperor took off all his clothes, emperor's clothes had ever before
and the swindlers pretended to dress received such praise.
him up, piece by piece, with the new
ones. They took hold of his waist and ‘But he doesn't have anything on!’ said
pretended to tie something about him. a small child.
It was the train. Then the emperor ‘Good Lord, let’s listen to an innocent
turned and looked into the mirror. child!’ said the father, and whispered
‘Goodness, they suit you well! What a to another what the child had said.
wonderful fit!’ they all said. ‘What a ‘A small child says that he doesn't
pattern! What colours! Such luxurious have anything on!’
clothes!’
Finally everyone was saying, ‘He
‘The canopy to be carried above Your doesn't have anything on!’
Majesty awaits outside,’ said the
The emperor shuddered, for he knew
grandmaster of ceremonies.
that they were right, but he thought,
‘Yes, I am ready!’ said the emperor. ‘The procession must go on!’ He
‘Don't they fit well?’ He turned once carried himself even more proudly,
again towards the mirror, because it and the chamberlains walked along
had to appear as though he was carrying the train that wasn’t there.
admiring himself in all his glory.

71
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 2 Sample script of the event
Ask the learners to sit in pairs. The meeting between Tyl and the
Let them write the conversation. Archduke and his appointment as the
court painter.
Let one take the role of Tyl and the
other the role of self. (The court of the Archduke. The
Archduke is seated on his throne
Fix the initiation and its response. wearing kingly costumes. The guards
Choose the suitable initiation and with spears are positioned on his sides.
response and write it on the BB. Tyl enters along with the Captain of
Guards. Tyl appears wearing a cap with
Continue the process till the conclusion
feathers and with a painting in his
of the conversation.
hand.)
Activity 3
Captain (bowing): Your Highness, this
Ask the learners to is Tyl who is a Flemish painter.
• sit in four groups and assign one event Archduke (excited): Oh! a Flemish
to each group. painter. That's great.
• fix and write the setting for each Tyl (saluting three times): Your Highness,
event. I am here to show you one of my
• identify the characters involved in paintings.
each event. Archduke: Whose portrait is it?
• frame dialogues suitable for each Tyl (showing the portrait): It's a picture of
character. Our Lady, the Virgin in her royal
robes. Tyl (continues) Pardon me Your
• imagine suitable costumes for each
Highness, if I dared to hope that this
character.
picture will please you.
• identify appropriate body languages
Archduke (appreciating the picture): What
and gestures.
do you expect from me?
Ask the learners to attempt writing the
Tyl (anxiously) : Your Highness might
script.
offer me the chair of your Court Painter.
Edit and refine.
Archduke (embraces Tyl and kisses): I shall
Random presentation be delighted to make you my Court
Painter.
Performance of the script.

72
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 4 details to prepare the views about the
characters.
Learners attempt to write the character
sketch of the Captain of the Guards Eg: Captain of the Guards.
using the character map given. • Ask the learners to write about their
Refine in groups. Random presentation favourite character individually.
The Captain of the Guards is a tall, well- • Presentation by the learners.
built and a red haired man. He is twenty Rating scale for evaluating their
five years of age. He looks handsome in his speaking skill.
gold braided uniform. He does his duties 1 2 3 4
well and he likes paintings too. Spontaneity
Character map of Tyl. Sound modulation
Use of gesture and vocabulary
Tyl:
Eye contact
- slim Accent and pronunciation
- looks like a skeleton Co-ordination and ideas (cohesive)

- always wears a cap with a feather Activity 2

- Flemish painter Elicit responses from the learners.
- cunning Let’s discover how grammar works
- tricky Activity 1
- sense of humour Possible answers
- values his own freedom on creativity 1. are
Tyl is a Flemish painter who is slim and looks 2. visited, didn’t they?
like a skeleton. He always wears a cap with 3. doesn’t he?
a feather. He is cunning and tricky. He has a
good sense of humour and values his own 4. isn’t she?
freedom and creativity. 5. have completed their work, haven't
Let’s speak they?

Activity I 6. is reading, isn’t it?

Let the learners read the character 7. at 6o'clock, don’t you?

analysis given as a model on Page 24 of 8. for two hours, haven’t you?
the text.
9. Thiruvananthapuram, didn’t you?
Refer to Activity 4 in the section Let’s
10. Please open the door, will you?
write (Page 23) and make use of the

73
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 2

What Tyl says (highly formal) What we might say (less formal)
May, Your Highness pardon me for my Please pardon me for thinking that
rashness in thinking that one of my
one of my paintings will please you.
paintings will please Your Highness.
I have painted it especially so that I might I have painted it specially for you.
lay it at your noble feet.
I’ve dared to hope that this picture will I hope that this picture will please
please you. you.
Perhaps Your Highness might wish to
offer me the chair of your Court Painter I wish you will make me the court
who died recently. painter.
Your Highness, may it please you to Sir, please remember me and my
remember me and my donkey. donkey.
I have been feeding myself with dreams of I have been dreaming of dining with
good food and drink at your royal table. you.
My Lord, you are the most generous of Sir, you’re very generous.
masters.

Activity 3
the story, Tyl, painter, the palace,
Battenburg, the entrance, he, painting,
the Duke's jester, a blank wall
Activity 4
A
Singular nouns Plural nouns
used in the Their plural used in the Their singular
paragraph forms paragraph forms
the Archduke Archdukes courtiers courtier
Tyl pictures ladies lady
the picture halls gentlemen gentleman
hall Lords curtains curtain
Lord paintings veins vein
painting

74
English Teacher Text Std VIII
B • Use of the active/ passive form
• Adding ‘s’ to get plurals • Subject-verb agreement
• Adding ‘ies’ to get plurals • Use of affixes
• Irregular plural forms a. reached
C Noun phrases Noun phrases
b. The
in the subject in the object
position position c. Guards
The Archduke all the courtiers d. playing
Tyl them e. at
You my work
f. picture
Let’s edit Let’s play with language
Classroom process for editing cold, mushroom, carrot, glove, pillow
• Ask the learners to sit in groups of 4 The Boy Who Drew Cats
and 5.
A farmer has many children, who are all
• Let one of the members read out the hard-working, except for his youngest,
whole passage once. who is small and weak and only
Punctuation and spelling interested in drawing pictures of cats.
He decides that his son is not cut out to
• Let the group members identify the
be a farmer, and sends him to a temple
wrong spelling and punctuation marks
to be an apprentice to a priest. The boy
to fix the sentence boundaries.
spends all his time drawing cats rather
• Initial capitalization than studying, so the priest tells him he's
• Final full stop/question marks/ better suited to being an artist and
exclamation mark are to be addressed. should return home. As he sends him
away, the priest warns the boy: ‘Avoid
Syntactic editing large places at night. Keep to the
Let each group small.’ Ashamed of being dismissed, the
boy decides not to return to his father's
• identify and eliminate excess words.
farm. He travels to another temple in
• identify and supply missing words. the hope that he can ask for a night's
• change word order. shelter, not realising that all the priests
living there had long-ago been driven
Morphological editing away by a giant goblin-rat. When the
• Wrong tense form boy arrives, he finds the place deserted
and decides to draw cats on the walls.
• Aspectual errors
As he begins to feel tired, he

75
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
remembers the old priest’s words and • You may present the first part of the
climbs inside a little cabinet to sleep. story (loud reading).
During the night he hears horrible • Let the learners read the remaining
sounds of screaming and fighting. When part individually.
morning comes, he finally gets out, and
discovers the corpse of the goblin-rat. • Let the learners attempt the textual
As he wonders what could have killed questions in groups.
it, he notices that all the cats that he • You may pose the textual questions
had drawn now have blood on their one by one to the whole class and elicit
mouths. He is hailed as a hero for answers from each group.
defeating the monster, and grows up to
be a famous artist - one who draws only Possible answers for the textual
cats. questions
Goblin - (in stories) a small ugly 1. The youngest boy is introduced as a
creature that tricks people or causes clever, but quite weak and a small boy
trouble. who is not fit for hard work.
Folk tales 2. People of the village opined that the
boy could never grow very big. So his
• A folktale is an old story that has been
parents thought it would be better for
told and retold, having been passed
him to become a priest than to become
from generation to generation by word
a farmer.
of mouth until it was written down.
Many folktales begin with the words 3. Yes. Because whenever the boy was
‘Once upon a time’ or ‘Long ago and far alone, he drew the pictures of cats.
away.’ The story is told from the third-
4. The priest advised the boy to avoid
person point of view with the pronouns
large places at night and to keep to the
‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’, or ‘they’-- rather than the
small.
first person ‘I’ that is used to talk about
the characters. The Boy Who Drew Cats is 5. The boy did not go home because he
a Japanese folk tale. felt sure that his father would punish
• You may introduce folk tales in the him for being disobedient to the priest.
class and initiate a discussion on it. 6. The reason was that a goblin rat had
The following questions may be used. frightened the priests away and had
taken possession of the place.
• What is a folk tale?
7. The boy felt afraid of the place and
• Who are the characters usually found he resolved to look for a small place to
in folk tales? sleep.
• You may divide the story into three or 8. He found a little cabinet, with a
four meaningful parts. sliding door and got into it and shut
himself up.

76
English Teacher Text Std VIII
9. The dreadful voice might have been Poem
the result of the fighting and screaming Taj Mahal
between the cats and the goblin rat.
About the poem
10. The goblin rat was killed by the cats
which the boy had drawn. This poem is about the transcendental
nature of art which has the power to
11. Yes, because a dreadful fight was enlighten the whole humanity which is
going on between the cats and the transient. It is art alone which embodies
goblin rat and the boy was safe in the the feelings of man. Here, the TajMahal
cabinet. represents the intense aspiration of
Activity 1 Emperor Shah Jahan to glorify his
sorrow. It is also an eternal monument
The folk tales are told from the third- that immortalizes art.
person point of view. You may ask the
learners to revisit the story and retell it • You may present the poem in the
in the first person point of view. Let class by reading it aloud two or three
each pupil assume the role of the boy in times.
the story. And let them write the story • Generate a discussion about the Taj
from their point of view. Mahal.
Activity 2 • Have you ever seen the Taj Mahal?
Let the learners sit in groups and revisit • Who made this famous monument?
the story. Ask them to note down the • Where is it situated?
major events.
• How did it become one of the seven
Possible answer wonders of the world?
A goblin rat frightened the priests away • Ask the learners to read the poem
and took possession of the temple. silently.
The boy entered the temple and painted • Let the learners refer to the glossary
a great many cats upon the screen. for the meaning of the words listed in
the text.
The boy found a little cabinet and went
into it and fell fast asleep. • Let the learners sit in pairs and read the
poem once again.
He was awakened by a terrible noise, a
• Let them share their ideas.
noise of fighting and screaming.
• Let the learners sit in groups and
The boy saw an enormous and
answer the textual questions.
monstrous rat - a goblin rat - bigger than
a cow lying dead on the floor. • You may pose the textual questions
one by one to the whole class and elicit
answers from each group.

77
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Possible answers to the textual Activity 3
questions T ra n sie n ce E tern ity
y o u th beauty
1. Life, youth, wealth and renown all w e a lt h tim e
float away down the stream of time. life art
2. The memories of his beloved Poem
Mumtaz. He wanted to preserve it by
building the monument. We are the World
3. Like the sunset, the imperial power About the song
also diminishes. Michael Jackson’s song We are the
4. ‘Though emeralds, rubies, pearls are World is an inspiring piece that
all highlights the need of the hour to stand
But as the glitter of a rainbow trickling together for the perfect world where
out empty air everyone lives in unison.
And must pass away...’ • Play or screen the song We are the
World.
5. The visual image of things floating
down the stream of time gives us the • Ask the learners to listen to the song.
idea that whatever is worldly will perish • Let them read the lines two or three
oneday. times and present the song.
6. a. ‘The harsh thunder of imperial power • Let the learners sit in groups/pairs to
answer the textual questions.
would fade into sleep
Like a sunset's crimson splendour...’ • You may pose the textual questions
and elicit answers from each group.
b. ‘Though emeralds, rubies, pearls are all
Possible answers to the textual
But as the glitter of a rainbow tricking questions
out empty air
And must pass away...’ 1. According to the lyricist, lending a
hand to life is the greatest gift of all.
Activity 1 2. We cannot go on pretending that
Instances of similes from the poem someone somewhere will make a change.
• ‘imperial power... like a sunset's 3. When we work in perfect unison we
crimson splendour.’ can make the world a better place.
4. A change can only come when we
• ‘emeralds, rubies... as the glitter of stand together as one.
rainbow tricking out empty air’
5. People are not helping each other/
Activity 2 people are dying every day due to many
Visual Auditory problems/need for making the world a
single family.
crimson splendour thunder
I Can
rainbow sigh Let the learners attempt the self -
solitary tear assessment checklist given at the end of
the unit.

78
English Teacher Text Std VIII

Unit 2
WINGS AND WHEELS

Theme: Travel • prepare text for breaking news,

Sub themes newspaper report, interview, etc.
New ideas of travelling • use language elements like articles,
comparatives, superlatives, possessives,
Knowledge and insights on etc. in relevant contexts.
travelling
• construct a word pyramid.
Mental and spiritual aspects of
travelling • edit the errors in a given passage.
Adventure in travelling Introduction
Learning outcomes Travel does not mean a mere physical
engagement, but it signifies a mental
The learner will be able to: and spiritual journeying too. Each travel
• read various literary texts like novel, enriches us with varied experiences,
story and poems. novel ideas, knowledge and new
insights. It inspires a creative force that
• read aloud with proper stress and
is essential for developing life skills. It
intonation.
highlights the importance of exploring
• identify poetic devices like images, the world in and around us. It also
rhyming words, rhyme scheme, focuses on the adventurous aspects of
alliteration and assonance. travelling.
• develop interest to explore new Titular picture
world.
You may show the title page and
• develop courage and confidence to generate a discussion on the title and the
face critical situations in life. titular picture. Learners are expected to
• prepare a graphic novel based on the share their views about the important
the text and the pictures given. destinations of the world like the

79
 Unit Frame
Unit 2: Wings and Wheels Time: 30 periods
English

Concept/Skill Discourses Activities Language Elements Learning Outcomes

• Mind mapping • Read various literary forms like

Theme: • Possessive novel, story and poems.
Travel and • Fixing major • Develop comprehension by answering
pronouns
adventure events questions given alongside the text.
Sub themes • Antonyms • Read aloud with proper stress and
• Filling the intonation.
• Knowledge using
graphic story • Understand poetic devices like
and insights prefixes
• Narration images, rhyming words, rhyme
on travelling scheme, alliteration and assonance.
• Degrees of

80
• Mental and • Speech • Develop interest and curiosity in
comparison travelling to explore new worlds.
spiritual • Writing news
aspects of headlines • Articles • Develop courage and confidence to
travelling face critical situations in life.
• Breaking news • Noun phrase • Prepare graphic novels based on the
• Adventure
• Interview • Editing the text and the pictures given.
in travelling • Prepare text for breaking, newspaper
• Choreography reports, interviews, etc.
• Use language elements like articles,
comparatives, superlatives,
possessives, etc. in relevant contexts.
• Design a word pyramid through
noun phrase expansion.
Teacher Text Std VIII

• Edit the errors in a given passage.

English Teacher Text Std VIII
TajMahal, Eiffel Tower in Paris, of non-fiction by Colombian writer
Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pyramids in Gabríel García Márquez. The complete
Egypt, Backwater tourism in Kerala title is The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor:
and so on. Channelise the discussion to Who Drifted on a Life raft for Ten Days
explore the scope and importance of Without Food or Water, Was Proclaimed a
travel as a means of understanding the National Hero, Kissed by Beauty Queens,
world. The discussion should be led to Made Rich Through Publicity, and Then
the significance of the title ‘Wings and Spurned by the Government and Forgotten for
Wheels’. It may help the learners to All Time.
experience travel physically and It was originally published as a fourteen
emotionally on wings and wheels. consecutive day series in El Espectador
Let’s begin newspaper in 1955. It was later
Narrate a very brief account of the published as a book in 1970, and then
novel Robinson Crusoe or screen the translated into English by Randolph
movie The Life And Adventures of Hogan in 1986. The story is written in
Robinson Crusoe. Let the learners go the first-person from the perspective of
through the diary of Robinson Crusoe a sailor, the twenty year-old Luis
given in the text. Let them answer the Alejandro Velasco and was, in fact,
questions in general. signed by Velasco as author when it
was first published in 1955. Not until
1. Robinson Crusoe came ashore on an 1970 when it was first published as a
island after a shipwreck. book, was García Márquez’s name
2. He calls the island the ‘Island of publicly associated with the story.
Despair’, as he is alone and the Nobel laureate Gabríel García Márquez
circumstances are quite dismal. He began his literary career as a newspaper
becomes quite desperate. writer. In 1955, he wrote a series of
3. Accept any logical response (sad, newspaper stories about a shipwrecked
desperate, mad, hopeless, depressed, sailor who nearly died on account of
hungry and thirsty, etc.) negligence by the Colombian Navy.
Several of his colleagues were drowned
Divide the class into groups of four or
shortly before arriving at the port of
five. Let the learners discuss and
Cartagena de Indias due to the
identify the items and the reasons for
existence of overweight contraband
selecting them. Ask them to present
(goods whose importing, exporting or
their views in the class.
possession of which is prohibited by
A Shipwrecked Sailor law) aboard the vessel. This resulted in
Historical background a public controversy, as it discredited
the official account of the events,
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is a work which had put the blame on a non-

81
English Teacher Text Std VIII
existent storm for causing the shipwreck ocean after a shipwreck. The ship
and glorified the surviving sailor. plunged into an abyss and disappeared.
The Story 2. Other sailors were also having the
Seaman Luis Alejandro Velasco of the same predicament as the narrator. It was
destroyer Caldas is eager to return to reassuring to him.
Colombia after a long stay in the United 3. The narrator made an attempt to grab
States. When the ship sets sail, the rigging and to jump aboard.
however, it is overloaded - in part with 4. Castillo, Caraballo and Luis Rengifo
contraband. When the vessel is caught were the three shipmates whom
in the heavy waves of the Caribbean, Velasco saw.
eight of the crew are washed overboard,
together with much of the cargo. After 5. No. The liferaft was almost two
four days the search ends, with the meters away and it was very heavy in
missing declared dead. However, that lurching sea and he had to row
Velasco found a raft and remained in against the wind. So he was unable to
the open sea without food or hope. reach Herrera.
After drifting in the sea currents for ten 6. Caraballo, with Castillo clinging to
days, he arrives with his raft on a coast his neck was struggling hard to swim
that he later discovers to be Colombia. towards the raft.
He is received first with affection and
later with military honours and a lot of 7. He was a bold and confident person
money from publicity agencies. who was not ready to give up till the
end.
You may break the unit into
8. Caraballo had vanished with Castillo
convenient pieces (a set of paragraphs)
hanging on to his neck.
for effective transaction without
breaking the flow of the story. 9. Knowing that he couldn’t move
forward, the narrator put the oar in the
Reading
water as though trying to prevent the
Follow the process given in Unit 1 raft from moving and to anchor it in
• Let the learners read aloud the lines or place.
part that impressed them the most. 10. Amador Caraballo and Castillo had
• Let the learners enact it with exact almost reached the raft when a huge
modulation of voice and actions to wave struck. Later, the narrator
support the emotions (Group activity). understood that they had vanished with
the waves.
Possible answers to the textual
questions 11. Velasco tried to row towards
Rengifo to rescue him. However, he
1. The narrator was in the middle of the was not successful. He sank forever,

82
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
less than two meters from the oar. individually.
12. No, all the other shipmates were Let them share it with their pair.
drowned. Now, they can share it in groups.
13. The sun was hot and metallic. Then ask each group to present it to the
14. The narrator resigned himself to the whole class.
fact that he was alone at sea and had no Possible answers
food and water.
Characters: Julio Amador Caraballo,
15. The narrator splashed water on his Castillo, Luis Rengifo and Ramon
head as he had lost his cap and the sun Herrera.
was burning his head and skin.
Events:
16. Velasco was startled because he
saw a half-moon shaped wound on the 1. Velasco and his shipmates were
lower part of his knee. travelling from Mobile to Colombia.

17. A gold ring, a watch, a chain with a 2. He lost his shipmates in the
medal of the Virgin of Carmen, keys to shipwreck.
his locker, three business cards. etc 3. He managed to get on to a raft.
were the items in the list of his
4. He floated alone on the raft for many
belongings.
days in the sea, without food and water.
Let’s revisit
Activity 2
The activities given at the end of the
Ask the learners to:
lesson are intended to make the
learners re-read the story with a purpose • revisit the story.
to enrich their vocabulary, develop • identify and locate the events
writing and speaking skills, familiarise represented graphically.
themselves with language elements,
etc. The activities could be done • attempt completing the story from
contextually or separately without the Velasco's point of view.
learners losing the interest and • complete the dialogue boxes.
motivation.
Possible answers
ICT Reference
1. I’m Velasco. I’m a sailor and the
<https://www.youtube.com/ narrator of the story. That’s Caldas, my
w a t c h ? v = y 7 b V P B a - ship. I’m travelling from Mobile,
iqw&feature=player_detailpage> Alabama in the US, to my country
Activity 1 Colombia.

Let the learners attempt the activity 2. I’ve four shipmates. They are

83
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Caraballo, Castillo, Rengifo and Possible answers
Herrara. Event: Caraballo had vanished with
3. The ship plunged into an abyss and Castillo hanging on to his neck.
disappeared. Reason: They were less than three
4. My shipmates were trying to get on meters away from Velasco's raft. He
to the raft. One of the rafts had already could hold out an oar for them to grab.
disappeared from the view. At that moment a gigantic wave lifted
5. We called out to each other and tried the raft.
to stay afloat. Let’s enrich our vocabulary
6. The wind is whipping hard. I'm not Activity 1
able to sit on the raft. Velasco's first impression was that he
7. I rowed against the wind and tried to was utterly alone in the middle of the
reach my ship mates. ocean.
8. Suddenly a gigantic wave lifted the I my
raft. When I came down, I saw only the We our
hands of Caraballo and Castillo. You your
9. Meanwhile Rengifo tried to stay He his
above water with his headphone aloft in She her
his right hand. They their
it its
10. Rengifo was tired and lost his heart.
He sank calling out to me, ‘Fasto...
Fasto'. 1. Our school had won the match and
11. The hot, metallic mid day sun was we got the prize.
burning my head and skin. I had no 2. Your brother is tall but you are short.
food or water. It seemed an extra
3. His character was good and he was
ordinarily long time to be alone at the
appreciated.
sea.
4. She as well as her friend is good at
Activity 3
English.
• Make them recall the important
5. Their performance will be good if
events of the story.
they use the right costumes.
• Write them on the BB or chart.
6. When a bright colour was added, its
• Ask them to identify the most tragic appearance became all the more
event. attractive.
• Ask them to state reasons for it.

84
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 2 You may make the learners listen to a
un - unload, unrecognised, unhappy, speech (audio/video) given by an
undress, uncountable, unfortunate eminent personality. (www.Ted.com).
If possible the teacher can give a
dis - disappear, dishonest, disgrace, speech in the class on a relevant topic.
distaste, dislocated, disagree
Generate a discussion on the features of
in - indefinite, injustice, invisible, a speech.
inactive, inappropriate, insufficient
You may ask scaffolding questions like:
re - reassuring, reappear, relearn,
revalue, reconsider, rewind • How did the speaker address the
audience?
Activity 3
• Did he introduce the topic clearly?
a. contemplate
• Did he substantiate his argument
b. impression
with supporting facts? (anecdotes,
c. evidence quotations, real life experiences,
d. recognise statistical data, etc.)
e. surface • Was he able to establish a personal
rapport with the audience? (Use of
Let’s write
rhetorical questions.)
Activity 1
• Did the speaker maintain the same
A speech is a performance-based tone throughout the speech?
discourse. Hence, care should be taken
• How did he conclude the speech?
to see that the language used is suitable
for presentation before an audience. Now, the learners may attempt writing
The speaker should have a foresight the speech individually.
about the nature of the audience he is Random presentation
addressing. The speech usually consists
of the following elements. Editing and refining in groups.

• Proper salutation Final presentation

• Introduction An edited and excellent speech, one

from each group, may be displayed on a
• Proper beginning, middle and conclusion chart paper in the class.
• Conclusion with an exhortation Sample answer
• Logical sequencing of ideas Ladies and gentlemen,
• Rich content I am very happy to be in front of you. I
• Language eloquence never thought that I would be alive and

85
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
be among my dear ones. It was a terrible Now, the learners may attempt writing
experience at sea. The shipwreck, the the narration individually.
loss of my friends, the terrible Random presentation in class.
loneliness, the hunger and thirst … and
then the miraculous escape… Possible Answer
everything looks like a nightmare. I Suddenly, the ship plunged into an
don’t know how I could manage all abyss and disappeared. He thought that
those adverse situations. Even now, he was utterly alone in the sea. Soon, he
when I think of it, I feel terror began to hear shouts nearby. He
enveloping my body. But it’s all over. recognised the voice of his friend
This difficult experience has taught me a Caraballo. Soon he saw that his other
lesson that we should not yield to any shipmates were also thrown into the
hardships in life. Tolerance, perseverance sea. They were shouting to one another
and confidence can lead us to victory. to stay afloat. Two liferafts appeared
Anyway I’m very much grateful to my unexpectedly on the crest of the wave.
beloved ones for giving me such a Velasco swam for about three minutes
wonderful reception back home. I and struggled to grab it. Finally he
would like to express my sincere jumped aboard. Castillo, Caraballo and
gratitude to all of you. Let me conclude Luis Rengifo were trying to stay above
with these words, ‘Face the challenges the water and reach the raft. He grabbed
boldly and the ultimate success will be the oars and tried to get closer to the
yours.’ men. At that time he saw the fourth of
Thank you. Have a nice day. his mates, Ramon Herrera, who was
waving at him while he held on to a
Activity 2 crate. Velasco began to paddle
A narration refers to the retelling of a furiously. It was very heavy in that
story/experience/incident by the same lurching sea, and he had to row against
person or by another person. Usually, a the wind. When he looked around he
narration is written in the past tense. saw that Herrera had disappeared.
A good narration will give you answers Rengifo was swimming confidently
to the five W’s - who, what, where, towards the raft. Meanwhile a gigantic
when, why, and one H - how. wave lifted the raft. After that he found
that Caraballo had vanished with Castillo.
You may initiate a discussion by asking Rengifo was still swimming calmly
questions pertaining to the characters, towards the raft. In an instant, Velasco
setting, plot, reason, and the manner. was five meters away from Rengifo and
You may draw the attention of the had lost sight of him. Velasco tried to
learners to the imagery used in the row, but in vain. He made a last try to
description of the story. save Rengifo. Unfortunately he was not

86
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
successful and Rengifo sank forever, News Report
less than two meters away from the oar. • Ask the learners to bring a news
Velasco was alone at sea without food report from an English daily. Or else,
and water. He sat on the side of the raft you may show a newspaper report with
waiting to be rescued. Uncertain as to the help of a projector. You can even
what to do he decided to make an display the news report on a chart
inventory of his belongings. Since he paper.
had nothing else to do, he read the cards • Let the learners identify the features of
over and over to distract himself until he a news report.
was rescued.
Features:
Activity 3
Headline - catchy and brief
Distribute headlines from a daily.
Place and date of occurrence
Ask the learners to guess the news from
the headlines. Introductory paragraph - expansion of
the headline - what, who, where, when
After eliciting the responses you may
distribute the corresponding news and Details of the event/incident - how
ask them to check the tense followed in and why - eyewitness accounts/
the headline and the news. general opinions
Ask the learners to sit in pairs and write • Initiate a discussion on the features of
the news headlines given in Activity 3. a news report.
• Let the learners attempt the task
individually.
Possible answers • Random presentation
• Sharing/refining in groups

Sentences News headlines

Four sailors of the Colombian Navy drowned Four Colombian Sailors

in the Caribbean Sea, when their ship wrecked Drowned
in a devastating storm.
The sailor Velasco was given a heroic welcome Velasco Gets a Heroic
in a public meeting at his hometown. Welcome
The Colombian Navy continues search to Sailors Drowned, Search
recover the bodies of the four sailors drowned
Continues/ Ship Capsizes;
in the Caribbean Sea.
Search on for Sailors

87
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Sample answer • Sharing in group
Four Colombian Sailors drowned • Editing
Colombia: 28 Nov: Possible questions
Caldas, a Colombian ship was wrecked 1. When did you first sense the danger?
in the Caribbean sea and four sailors 2. Were you prepared to face such a
were drowned last day. The ship was disaster?
travelling from Mobile, Alabama to
Colombia. Among the sailors Velasco 3. What gave you the strength to
was rescued while four of his remain afloat?
shipmates, Castillo, Carabello, Luis 4. What were your feelings when you
Rengifo and Ramon Herrera drowned. saw your shipmates drowning?
The Caribbean navy has started
5. Why were your shipmates unable to
searching for the deadbodies. It is told
survive?
that many rescue workers will join the
team the next day. 6. How did it feel to be alone at sea?
Activity 4 7. What precautions do you think ships
should take to avoid such disasters?
Breaking news: Colombian ship
wrecked in the Caribbean sea. 8. Did you feel like giving up at any
point of time?
Let’s speak
9. Has this incident left any lasting
Activity 1
impression on you?
• Generate a discussion on the nature of
10. What are your future plans?
the questions to be asked while
interviewing someone. Activity 2
(The teacher may either display a video Let the learners attempt the task
clipping of an interview or create a class individually. You may ensure that they
room situation where she assumes the include the features of a speech
role of an eminent personality and ask discussed in Activity 1 of the Let’s
the learners to interview ‘her/him’.) write section.
• After the mock interview you may ask Sample answer
the learners to sit in groups. Ladies and gentlemen,
• Let them analyse the type of questions We have gathered here to honour Mr.
that were asked. Velasco, the only survivor of the
• Let the learners prepare individually Colombian shipwreck. As we all know,
a questionnaire to interview Velasco. his survival is quite miraculous and
• Random presentation heroic. We really appreciate his bravery

88
English Teacher Text Std VIII
and presence of mind. His patience and Activity 2
perseverance should be honoured. Possible answers
He is a real hero by all means. He 1)a 2)the 3) the 4)a 5)the
would be a role model for the coming
generations. It’s my privilege to Activity 3
congratulate Mr.Velasco on behalf of all Wound
of us. Let his bravery be an inspiration
a wound
to us. With this note let me conclude
my words. a deep wound
Thank you. Have a nice day. a deep half-moon shaped wound
Let’s discuss how grammar works
Activity 1 Sea
Ask the learners to analyse the a sea
sentences by giving special attention to a deep sea
the underlined words given in the
activity. a deep blue sea
Let the learners understand the a rough deep blue sea
different degrees of comparison of the
adjective ‘strong’ from the sentences
Sailor
given.
a sailor
Possible answers
a shipwrecked sailor
1. A is not as tall as C.
a young shipwrecked sailor
2. C is taller than A.
3. But B is the tallest.
Traveller
Certain adjectives form comparative and
superlative forms with ‘more’ and ‘most’. a traveller
e.g. Beautiful: more beautiful, most a lonely traveller
beautiful a tired lonely traveller
Certain other adjectives take different Let’s edit
forms for comparative and superlative
degrees. Follow the process of editing
mentioned in Unit 1.
e.g. good: better, best
a) when b) were c) survived
d) who e) was f) wrote

89
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let’s play with language Pre-reading
Compositions by learners to be read • Generate a discussion based on the
and appreciated. movement and rhythm of train.
Teacher’s version • Let the learners enact the movement
Three tasty round smooth oranges of the train.

Fell from a tree one day. • Ask the learners to sing a song having
locomotive rhythm.
Both big oranges rolled and rolled
• They share their views about a train
Till they got far away. journey.
They rolled into a large grassy ground • You may ask questions like:
Right past three brown cats i. Have you ever travelled by a train?
They rolled right past a deep muddy ii. What difference did you observe
pond between a train journey and a road
And over ten yellow leaves. journey?
(It may be used if required) iii. What were the scenes that you saw
around?
Now, let the learners add more lines to
the poem. Reading
From a Railway Carriage Process
About the poem • You may recite the poem aloud
emphasising the locomotive rhythm
The poet shares his experience of a
and the feel of a train journey. (An
railway journey. He describes the
audio clipping of the poem can also be
amazing speed of the train. He presents
used.)
the natural scenes as seen from the
window of a railway carriage. • Let the learners listen to the poem
with their books closed.
The moment we start reading the poem
we find ourselves on a train, gazing out • Ask the learners to read the poem
of the window at the landscape. More individually.
than the meaning of the words, it is the • Let them refer to the glossary for the
pounding rhythm that immediately meanings of unfamiliar words.
attract our ears and arrest our attention.
This is a poem meant to be recited • Let them sit in pairs and answer the
aloud. The more we read the poem, the textual questions.
more it sinks into our mind and reminds • Random presentation
us of the most enjoyable journeys we • You may pose the textual questions
had.

90
English Teacher Text Std VIII
one by one to the whole class and elicit Let’s revisit
answers from each pair. Questions: 1.(d) 2. (c )3. (b) 4. (b)
• Ask the learners to look at the details 5. (c) 6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (c) 9.(d) 10. (c)
of the poet given. 11. fairies, witches, houses, hedges,
• Let the learners again recite the poem ditches, troops, meadows, horse, sights,
individually and in groups. stations, clambers, scrambles,
Possible answers to the textual brambles, stands, gazes, daisies
questions Cluster of letters -es/-ies
1. The train moves through a village. The sounds repeated in the poem give
We can see the bridges, houses, hedges, a locomotive rhythm. It makes the
ditches, meadows, horses, cattles, etc. poem more musical.
which are the common scenes of a 12. Accept any logical answer like
village. ‘fishing boat’, ‘lakes’ and ‘backwater’,
2. a) ‘Faster than fairies faster than ‘rivers’, ‘paddy field’, ‘farmers’, etc.
witches.’ No, because the bus is slower than a
b) ‘Fly as thick as driving rain.’ train. Besides, a train often moves
through open fields and meadows.
c) ‘Each a glimpse and gone forever.’
Activity 1
3. The words like ‘faster’, ‘fairies’,
‘witches’, ‘ditches’ have a repetition of Words that Words that
certain sounds which remind us of the describe movement describe sound
sound of a moving train. They also give faster whistle
the feel of a train journey. fly
stringing driving rain
ICT Reference clambers
< h t t p s : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / scramble
w a t c h ? v = _ j C o i g g 7 7 Y 4 & f e a t u r e charging along
=player_detailpage> battle
lumping
<https://www.youtube.com/
w a t c h ? v = Z I w L Z - Activity 2
2gEeg&feature=player_detailpage> battle-cattle, plain-rain, eye-bye,
<http://www.powershow.com/ scrambles-brambles, road- load, river-
view3/4a1c84YzhhZ/ forever
A_Collection_of_Poems_powerpoint_ Activity 3
ppt_presentation>
1. ‘And charging along like troops in a
battle

91
English Teacher Text Std VIII
All through the meadows, the horses c. hill and the plain - visual
and cattle.’ d. a child who clambers and scrambles
2. ‘All of the sights of the hill and the - auditory
plain e. a cart running away in the road -
Fly as thick as driving rain.’ auditory
Activity 4 f. mill and river - visual
Alliterating Lines Activity 8
‘Faster than fairies, faster than witches Choreography
Bridges and houses, hedges and • Ask them to sit in groups and recite the
ditches’ poem in locomotive rhythm.
Assonance • While reading the poem, seek the help
‘Fly as thick as driving rain’ of a drawing teacher or a learner who
draws well to draw the pictures
‘Here is a child who clambers and depicted in the poem.
scrambles
• Ask each group to recite the poem
All by himself and gathering brambles.’ with movement and gestures.
‘Here is a tramp who stands and gazes’ • Let them exhibit the pictures while
‘And here is a hill and there is a river.’ they are moving.
They lend a rhythmic quality to the Marvellous Travel
poem. • Initiate a discussion based on the
Activity 5 theme of travel.
The rhythm gives a feel of the moving You may ask questions like:
train. i. Do you like travelling?
Activity 6 ii. Have you visited any tourist spot or
plain a place of importance?
rain a iii. What was your experience?
eye b iv. Did the travel give you new insights?
by b • Let the learners share their experience
of travel.
Activity 7
• Link the experience of the poem
a. painted stations whistling - auditory
‘From a Railway Carriage’ with the
b. charging along like troops - visual experience of the learners.

92
English Teacher Text Std VIII
• Show the clippings of visual 5. Life is a journey from birth till death.
travelogues from movies. The journey of life offers a mixture of
• Present poems or songs in the mother good and bad experiences which is true
tongue having the feel of travel. about travelling too. Such experiences
may help the individual in facing the
• You may recite the poem aloud challenges that life throws to him.
emphasising the feeling and emotion of
the poem. The Little Round Red House

• You may present the audio clipping of • Ask the learners to read the story
the poem. individually (silent reading).

• Let the learners listen to the poem • Ask the learners to refer to the
with their books closed. glossary for the meanings of the
unfamiliar words.
• Let the learners read the poem
individually. • Ask the learners to identify the
characters, setting etc.
• Ask the learners to identify the words
and phrases related to travel. • Ask them to present the story in their
mother tongue.
• Let them sit in pairs and refer to the
glossary for the meanings of unfamiliar • At the end you may show the ‘star’ by
words. cutting an apple in the class.

• Let them sit in groups and answer the • Let the learners answer the textual
textual questions. questions individually.

• Learners recite the poem individually • Let them present the story in the form
and in groups. of a play.

Possible answers to the textual Possible answers to the textual

questions questions

1. The poet keenly observes and 1. The little boy always complained
explores everything that comes along about his boredom.
and enjoys them. 2. The mother asked the boy to engage
2. He records his travel experiences to himself by drawing pictures with his
write travelogues. new crayons, reading new library books
or playing with his toys.
3. This line means that the poet hopes
to have new experiences that would 3. When the boy’s mother was a child,
change his life. his grandmother asked his mother to
search for the strangest little house to
4. Children, women, men, tribesmen overcome boredom.
and little girls.

93
English Teacher Text Std VIII
4. The mother asked the little boy to 11. A farmer
search for a little round red house with 12. The little boy went to Mr.Fetzer's
no windows and doors, a chimney on barn to ask him about the house he was
top and a star in the middle. searching for.
5. The boy put on his raincoat, hat, 13. The little boy asked Mr. Fetzer to
scarf, mittens, and his boots. help him to find out a little round red
6. It was a square house. It had a house with no windows and doors, a
chimney, but lots and lots of windows. chimney at the top and a star in the
It had a door too. middle.
7. The little boy was standing on the 14. Mr. Fetzer advised the little boy to
sidewalk feeling puzzled. So the mail run up to his orchards and take a look
carrier asked if he was lost. around to find what he was looking for.
8. No, because the mail carrier had 15. The little boy found the little round
never seen a house like the one which red house beneath one of the apple trees
the boy had mentioned. in Mr.Fetzer’s orchard up the hill.
9. The police officer told the boy that 16. To show the boy ‘the star’ inside.
he was familiar with every house in that 17. The little boy saw a star holding five
town, but had never seen a house as brown seeds in the middle of the apple.
described by the little boy.
I Can
10. The little boy was getting
discouraged because inspite of his Let the learners attempt the self -
continuous search he could not find the assessment checklist given at the end of
house he was looking for. the unit.

94
English Teacher Text Std VIII

Unit 3
SEEDS AND DEEDS

Theme: Work devices like imagery, rhyming

Sub themes words, etc.
Dignity of labour • use prefixes to form antonyms.
Various forms of work • use past tense in various suitable
contexts.
Dedication to work
• identify noun phrases used as
Role of work in making life predicate.
meaningful and purposeful
• perform a speech in the class.
Learning outcomes
• share his/her experiences with other
The learner will be able to: learners in the class.
• listen, read and comprehend various Introduction
literary forms like stories, poems and
biographies. ‘Work is a love made visible’ - Khalil
Gibran.
• analyse short stories based on the
theme of the text. Our selfless work conveys the joy and
depth of love. Religions of all times
• read aloud with proper stress and have considered work as worship.
intonation. Great personalities are remembered for
• construct linguistic discourses like the hard work they undertook for the
diary, letter, character sketch, etc. sake of the society.
• identify the main events and prepare This unit is intended to develop a sense
flow charts. of respect towards work and work
culture. It also highlights the need for
• analyse poems on the basis of their
responsibility and dedication towards
theme and structure.
the society in which one lives.
• identify and understand poetic
The unit opens with a titular picture, a

95
 Unit Frame
Unit 3: Seeds and Deeds Time: 30 periods
English

Concept/Skill Discourses/Activities Language Elements Learning Outcomes

• Listen, read and comprehend various
Theme: • Story analysis • Choosing right literary forms like stories, poems and
Work • Flow-chart words biographies.
Sub themes: • Analyse short stories based on the
• Diary • Suffixes
• Dignity of theme of the text.
• Letter of • Read aloud with proper stress and
labour • Antonyms
appreciation intonation.
• Various • Regular and • Construct linguistic discourses like
forms of work • Character sketch
irregular verbs diary, letter, character sketch, etc.
• Speech • Identify the main events and prepare

96
• Dedication
to work • Expressions flow charts.
• Analyse poems on the basis of their
• Role of work • ‘If’-conditional theme and structure.
in making life clause • Identify and understand poetic
meaningful devices like imagery, rhyming
and • Sentence
words, etc.
purposeful analysis • Use prefixes to form antonyms.
• Use past tense in various suitable
• Editing
contexts.
• Language • Identify noun phrases used as
games predicate.
• Perform a speech in the class.
• Share his/her experiences with other
Teacher Text Std VIII

learners in the class.

 English Teacher Text Std VIII
Warli Painting. It depicts various Let’s begin
activities that man indulges in to earn
Smart work vs Hard work
his living. The anecdote, Smart Work
Versus Hard Work is an entry activity • Let the learners read the anecdote.
which alerts the learner to the need to • You may ask them to share their ideas
be a smart worker in this modern in groups.
world. The Light on the Hills written by
Mrs W K Clifford highlights the need of • Let each group present their ideas.
dedication to whatever we do to attain This can be followed by a discussion on
success in life. The biographical who the better worker is.
account Rosa Parks Sat Still shows how • Ask the questions given in the text.
the determination of a lady could
Possible answers
initiate a movement against racial
discrimination in America. The Sower, a 1. It is about a challenge between two
poem by Victor Hugo translated by men as to who could cut more wood in
Toru Dutt glorifies a farmer whose a day.
sincerity to his job is commendable. 2. The second woodcutter is the better
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s The worker. He sharpened his axe at regular
Village Blacksmith emphasizes how the life intervals so that he could cut more
and work of a common man can be an wood and do it faster too.
example of persistence and
accomplishment. 3. To work efficiently, a person should
not only be a hard worker but also a
Titular picture smart worker.
• You may ask the learners to observe The Light on the Hills
the picture.
• Now, lead the learners to the lesson
• Now let them identify the activities The Light on the Hills using the link talk
portrayed in the Warli Painting. given.
• Generate a discussion on the various About the Story
activities people indulge in. You may
make use of the following questions: The Light on the Hills focuses on how one
can achieve perfection in one's work.
i. What are the people doing? Words of encouragement develops
ii. Do you think that they are happy? confidence which helps to bring out the
best in an artist. This eventually brings
iii. What made them happy?
happiness which helps the artist to
iv. From the picture can you guess the work better.
theme of the unit?
The teacher is at liberty to divide the
reading text into various segments.

97
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Here, it is divided into two segments. • Then generate a discussion on the
statements given below.
• As a pre-reading activity the teacher
can make use of the inventory given • You may remember that it is not the
below. correctness of the answer that is
important.
• You can either write this chart on the
black board or take photocopies of it • This is only to sensitise the learners to
and distribute among the learners. the theme of the lesson and channelize
their thoughts in the required direction.
• They may fill up the chart.

Statement I agree I disagree

One has to work hard to achieve success.

Our family members can help us to take the right
decisions in life.
Our actions can make the people around us happy
or unhappy.
Even people who are younger than us can motivate us.
One works best when one does it by oneself.
Doing a job is more important than trying to achieve
perfection in doing it.
One should indulge in some kind of work to
make oneself happy.

Part 1 iii. What do they see around them?

Now, let the learners read the iv. Pick out the sentences that hint at
paragraphs 1-4 of the story. Reading the beauty of the world.
Process given in Unit 1 may be
followed: v. Has the boy succeeded in his
attempt?
• Identify the characters and setting of
the story. vi. Pick out the lines that express the
boy’s lack of confidence.
• Ask probing questions that will help
better comprehension. vii. How does the girl help the boy?

i. Who are the two characters you see in • Attempt the textual questions.
the story? • Check the answers in groups and
ii. What are they trying to do? refine them.

98
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Possible answers to the textual • Random presentation in the class
questions Part 2
1. Let the learners say what makes a • Ask the learners to predict what
painting beautiful. would happen in the next segment of
• selecting a beautiful scenery the text. The following questions may
• drawing it truthfully help.

• using appropriate colours i. Do you think that the boy will be able
to paint his picture?
• highlighting the important aspects
ii. If yes, why and if no, why not?
•
• Now, let them read para 5-10 of the
2. When people look at the picture of story.
the fields painted by the boy they will
feel as if they are in the field and this Reading process as given in Unit 1 is to
will make them happy. be followed.

3. The sight of the trees and the fields, Let them attempt the textual questions.
the deep shadows and hills beyond, the Possible answers to the textual
glimmering sunlight along with the questions
rustling leaves and rippling stream make 6. The death of the little girl
the world beautiful.
7. The boy was so filled with grief at the
4. to do anything which might represent loss of his little sister that he could not
the world badly or imperfectly. gather enough courage to see the same
5. If we want to do our best, we should field without her.
do it for the people we love. 8. to put into the world something
• Now, take them back to the which should make the meanest,
inventory. humblest citizen, a little happier or
• Initiate a discussion on the statements better.
given. Steer the discussion in such a 9. ‘This is better than all he has done
way as to find out whether there is any before. It is surely beautiful, for it
change in their attitude after reading the makes one happy to look at it.’
text. 10. The memories of his sister made his
• Lead them to Activity 1 on Page 94. heart ache.
• Learners can sit in groups and list the 11. One can find happiness for oneself
activities that make people around by seeking it for others.
them happy or unhappy. 12. Love helps one to live life. When
that love helps to bring happiness to

99
English Teacher Text Std VIII
others as well as oneself, it becomes - to sit and grieve over her death or fulfil
heavenly. her wish?
Let’s revisit ix. What do you understand about true
• Lead the students to Activity 1 on love?
Page 88. • Ask the learners to respond to these
• Divide the class into pairs. questions orally.

• Note the dialogues between the boy • Use the answers as supporting details
and the soft voice. to complete the story template given.

• Let them role play the dialogues. • Random presentation

• Random presentation in the class. If Possible answers

necessary, you may present the dialogue Setting: On the plains overlooking the
in class with the required tone and hills
voice modulation. Characters: a little boy and a little girl
• Let there be a discussion in the class Characterisation:
about the conflicts faced by the boy and
the solution he had found. 1. nervous, lacks confidence, loving,
gains confidence as he grows up
How was he able to get the solution?
2. loving, mature, encouraging, thinks
• You may ask the following questions positively
to channelise their thoughts in the
required direction: Theme: Ardent love and dedication to
one’s work can bring forth success in
i. What happened to the sister? one’s life.
ii. How did it affect the little boy? Tone: Touched to read about the
iii. Did he go to the field that he used to loving relationship between the boy
go with his sister? and his sister. The story inculcates
iv. Did he paint the picture optimitic views in us.
immediately? Imagery:
v. Why wasn't he able to paint the • the glimmering sunlight, rustling
picture? leaves, rippling stream with the light
vi. What were his fears regarding the shining upon the hills
response of the society? • the wonderful picture of a brother and
vii. What ultimately gave him the sister at work trying to paint a picture
power? • the little boy growing up to be a great
viii. What would make his sister happy artist one day

100
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Point of view: The little boy’s honour, sin, grief, seize.
Conflict: Activity 2
Internal: The desire to paint a picture vs Verb Suffix
lack of confidence to paint it answered -ed
External: The desire to paint a picture eagerly -ly
vs society’s response to an imperfect
work things -s
• You may discuss the solution to the does -es
problem faced by the boy. (He gains beautiful -ful
confidence from his grief and ultimately
happiness -ness
paints the picture.)
happier -er
Activity 2
humblest -est
In groups, the learners can identify the
main events of the story. Presentation Activity 3
in groups
• Divide the class into groups
Possible answers (5 members).
• The little sister watched her brother • The groups can be named as ‘un’, ‘im’,
painting the portrait. ‘in’ and ‘dis’.
• She suggested a few changes. • Provide the groups with dictionaries.
• The boy was unable to draw the picture.
• List the root words on the BB.
• She tries to build up his confidence.
• Let each group refer to a dictionary
• A big tragedy struck their family. and make antonyms using their prefix.
• The little boy is filled with grief at the • Let them write it on the chart paper
death of his sister. and display it.
• Sorrow gives him power and he draws un- unimportant, unfair, unusual,
the picture which wins him recognition.
uninteresting, unlucky
• Perfect love helps one to work and to
im- immature, impossible, immortal,
wait. It also gives happiness.
immobile, impatient
• Ah, then it is called Heaven.
in - insecure, inappropriate, incorrect,
Let's enrich our vocabulary indirect, incredible
Activity 1 dis- disqualify, disable, disapprove,
dedication, glimmer, rustling, rippling, disagree, disconnect

101
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 4 with us?
You may display the interview with an Artist : I always thought that my
artist given below on the BB/chart picture was imperfect
paper. and I believed that to
paint the beautiful world
Sample interview imperfectly was a sin.
Interviewer : Good Morning. Interviewer : That’s a very touching
Welcome to our studios. thought. Then what gave
Artist : Good Morning. I’m glad you the confidence to
to be here with you. finish it?
Interviewer : Sir, I would like to know Artist : My sister’s words echoed
what inspired you to in my mind and inspired
make such a wonderful me to complete the picture.
creation. Interviewer : Thank you for sharing
Artist : Well, I owe all my artistic your thoughts with us.
skills to my little sister. We wish you success in
She was the one who all your future endeavours.
motivated and inspired Artist : Thank you.
me to achieve success.
• Let the learners note down the action
Interviewer : In this context can you words used by the artist in response to
share with us your the questions of the interviewer.
childhood memories?
• Let them classify the action words
Artist : I was very attached to my listed into words with ‘-ed’ inflection
sister. Infact she was my and words without it.
best friend who always
encouraged me. As a • Let the learners fill the box given.
child I was never too Past tense with ‘-ed’ Past tense without ‘-ed’
confident about myself. It (Regular Verbs) (Irregular Verbs)
was my sister who took
me by my hands and
showed me the light on
the hills. She taught me to
look at things positively.
Interviewer : We heard that it took you
more than six years to
make this painting. Can
you share that experience

102
English Teacher Text Std VIII
• Now, the learners may read the text August 27, 1963
and prepare a list of regular and irregular I just got home from school. It was
verbs. terrifying. I am usually proud of who I
answered am, but my classmates made me feel
echoed ashamed. No one would speak to me
and I felt like an outcast. I should have
asked stayed at my old school. I'm never going
looked to be able to become a lawyer learning
like this. How could I have thought this
rested
would work out? This was the worst day
Let’s write of my life.
Activity 1 • Generate a discussion on the features
This activity is intended to familiarise of a diary entry.
the learners with the discourse diary • You can ask the following questions
entry. to draw the attention of the learners to
Process the features.

Copy the diary entry given below on the Content

blackboard. i. How does the diary entry begin?
Here is the diary of a young black girl A general comment about the day.
going to an integrated school for the
ii. Suggest some other expressions that
first time:
you can use to begin a diary entry.
Elicit free responses from the learners.
August 26, 1963 Note down the expressions that they
suggest on the blackboard.
Today I found out I was going to an
integrated school. I feel my life will be iii. What is written after the general
better, but I am also worried of what comment?
other kids will think of me. Their The event or situation for the diary
parents are very upset and protesting entry
outside the school. I have mixed
iv. Which tense is used to narrate the
feelings about it. I know that if I want to
event?
fulfil my dream of becoming a black
lawyer, I will need a great education The past tense - Usually events are
and have to work hard. My life will be narrated in the past tense. But, if the
nothing without education. entry is made about something that is
yet to happen, the tense may vary.

103
English Teacher Text Std VIII
v. What is the narrative technique used? were with me! In fact, it is her memories
The first person narration that gave me the strength to complete
our dream picture. I was so pleased
vi. What are the aspects that are when I saw the happiness on the face of
included in the diary entry? the people who came to see my picture.
Events/situations and thoughts and All the appreciation and happiness, I
emotions dedicate to my dearest sister. My sister
still continues to inspire me…
vii. How are thoughts and emotions
presented in the diary entry? Which Activity 2
tense form is generally used? Letter of Appreciation is usually a
Exclamatory sentences, rhetorical personal letter.
questions, the Present tense form of Process of writing the letter:
the verb.
• You may display a personal letter in
Incomplete sentences can also be used. the class.
viii. What do you notice about the • Generate a discussion on the features
language style? of a personal letter.
Emotive language is used. • You may ask the following questions:
Now, using these guidelines the i. Where are the place and the date
learners may write a diary entry of the written?
little boy in the story. You may ask a
few questions to elicit from the learners, ii. How does the sender address the
the thoughts and feelings of the little receiver?
boy. iii. How does the letter begin?
Sample Answer iv. What is the purpose of writing the
12 October ___________ letter? In which part of the letter will
you state the purpose?
Monday
v. What other details are written in the
Dear diary, first paragraph?
A memorable day! My promise to her vi. Identify the main points in the
has been fulfilled. But, I miss my little second paragraph.
sister a lot. How happy she would be if
she were alive! She was the one who vii. How does the sender conclude the
wished the most to see me successful. letter?
It was her words of love and viii. What is written in the closing part
encouragement that kept me going. I am of the letter? What is it called?
really indebted to her. How I wish she

104
English Teacher Text Std VIII
ix. Do you find the sender's signature young artist. Before they begin, you
and name? If yes, where? may have a brainstorming session in the
class.
x. Comment on the language used.
• Elicit free responses from the learners. • Elicit from the learners what they will
The answers will lead them to the include in the letter.
features of a personal letter. • Write individually.
• Now, the learners can attempt to • Refine in groups.
write a letter of appreciation to the • Random Presentation
Sample letter
New Delhi
12 October, 2015

Dear Harry,
Hope you are doing well. I'm writing this to express my happiness on hearing
about your achievement. Hearty congratulations! I read all the details of your art
exhibition in the papers today. I must say it is indeed spectacular.
Harry, I read about your growth as an artist. I was really touched to learn about
the wonderful way in which you were inspired by your sister. You are truly
dedicated to art. Moreover, you have worked very hard to groom yourself as an
artist. Now, the result is here for the whole world to see and for you to feel proud
of. I am sure, you will bloom as a renowned painter in the coming years.
I wish you luck in all your future endeavours. Congratulations once again!
Yours lovingly,
Name
Activity 3 5. Random presentation
Character sketch Sample Answer
1. Brainstorm the learners and The little girl plays a dominant role in
complete the word web given in the the story The Light on the Hills written by
text. Mrs. Lucy Clifford. In spite of being the
2. Share the ideas in groups. younger of the two siblings, the girl is
portrayed as a very mature person with
3. Let the learners attempt the a comprehensive and positive outlook
character sketch individually. towards life. The girl encourages her
4. Refine in groups. brother to paint the picture saying, ‘it

105
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
will make people happy to look at it’. Let’s discover how grammar works
She tries to build up his confidence by Activity 1
pointing out to him that ‘If you do your
work with dedication and honesty, This activity is intended to teach the use
people will know how hard you have of conditional clauses to the learners.
tried.’ Not only does she display a rare A conditional sentence generally has
strength of character and confidence two parts:
but tries to instil it in her brother also.
She tells him that if he wants to do his a. a conditional/‘if’ clause
best then he has to do it for the people b. a main clause
whom he loves. That will help him The ‘if’ clause can be used at the
endure everything and enable him to beginning or at the end of the sentence
move forward. She shares a strong and without changing the meaning. There
loving relationship with her brother and are two or more verb phrases in the
remains as a constant source of sentence - one in the ‘if’ clause and the
inspiration even after her death. other in the main clause.
Let’s speak Conditional clauses can be classified
Activity 2 into three types. Each has a different
pair of tense.
• You may ask the following questions.
Type 1: Probable Condition
i. How did the little boy gain
confidence to complete his picture? ‘If you do your work with dedication and
honesty, people will know how hard you have
ii. Can you cite the example of an
tried.’
eminent personality who got inspired
by another person? 1. The verb in the ‘if’ clause is in the
present tense.
iii. Who else can motivate you to
become successful? 2. The verb in the main clause is
‘will+V1’ (‘can’/‘may’ can also be used
• Important points may be noted down
instead of ‘will’).
on the blackboard.
3. The idea in the ‘if’ clause is probable
• Now, the learners may be asked to
or likely to happen.
speak on the topic keeping in mind the
features of a good speech. Type 2: Improbable (unlikely)
Condition
• You may evaluate the speech on the
basis of the checklist given in Unit 1. ‘If you did your work with dedication, people
would know how hard you have tried.’
1. The verb in the ‘if’ clause is in the
past tense (V2).

106
English Teacher Text Std VIII
2. The verb in the main clause is ‘would + have + V3'.
+ V1’ (‘could’/‘might’ can also be
3. The condition is impossible to fulfil.
used).
3. The idea in the ‘if’ clause is Conditional
improbable. If clause Main Clause
sentence
Type 3: Impossible Condition V1 will + V1
Type 1 If you work you will pass
‘If you had done your work with dedication, hard
people would have known how hard you had Type 2 V2 would + V1
If you worked you would
tried.’ hard pass
1. The verb in the 'if' clause is in the past had + V3 would + have
perfect tense. Type 3 + V3
If you had
worked hard you would
2. The verb in the main clause is 'would have passed

Activity 2

Determiner Adjective Head Relative Prepositional Verb

noun clause phrase phrase
The little girl in the story supports him

who became a got

Her brother inspiration
painter
from her
advised her
girl which they visited brother to
The together paint
pictures

The hills appeared

misty

boy became a
The professional
artist in the
end

107
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 3 Note:
baby Civil Rights Movement
road The African-American Civil Rights
bridge Movement or the 1960s Civil Rights
Movement refers to social movements
clothing in the United States goals of which were
parking to end racial segregation and
discrimination against black Americans
Let’s edit
and to secure legal recognition and
Follow the process given in Unit 1. federal protection of the citizenship
kept rights enumerated in the constitution
and the federal law. This article covers
imprisoned the phase of the movement between
swimming 1954 and 1968, particularly in the
south. The leadership was African-
released
American, much of the political and
jailed financial support coming from labour
suffering unions, and prominent white politicians
such as Hubert Humphrey and Lyndon
Rosa Parks Sat Still B. Johnson. The movement was, in fact,
The little boy in The Light on the Hills a coalition of thousands of local
achieves success as an artist through his activists nationwide, spanning several
hard work, dedication and honesty. decades, hundreds of discrete groups,
Words of motivation and encourage and all manner of strategies and tactics
ment from his little sister made a - legal, illegal, institutional, non-
difference in his life. It enabled him to institutional, violent and non-violent.
grow from a nervous lad to a self- Read and get inspired by the story of
confident young man. Rosa Parks.
Can we make a difference in other • Ask the learners to read the story.
people’s life? Certainly.
• Let them attempt the textual questions.
Here is the real story of Rosa Parks, the
‘first lady of the Civil Rights’, whose act • Provide help only if necessary.
of defiance brought a change in the life Possible answers to the textual
of millions of African Americans. She questions
initiated the movement that brought
1. She wanted to sit down.
freedom and equality to the
community. 2. that she was a black passenger

108
English Teacher Text Std VIII
3. Black passengers had to give up their Process
seats when white passengers came in. • Divide the class into groups.
4. Passengers rushed in. Many of them • The groups can sit together, share and
were white Americans. Each time a discuss what they have understood.
white passenger climbed into the bus, a
black passenger got up from the seat • Now, let them identify the main
and moved away. events in the story.
5. Rosa Parks refused to give up her One member from each group should
seat for a white passenger even after the display one main event on a flash card.
driver asked her to get up. So he You may ensure that there is no
brought the police in and they arrested repetition. The learners who display
Rosa as she had broken the law. the card are made to stand in a line in
front of the class. Now, the learners
6. When the news of Rosa's arrest may rearrange themselves in such a way
spread all over the town, the black that they are holding the events in the
people decided to fight for her. They order of their occurrence. They may
knew that they could not fight with the once again flash the cards to the whole
police. So they decided to fight with the class. The given flow chart can now be
bus company. completed.
7. They decided that no black You can also make the learners prepare
passenger would use city buses until picture cards as given in A Shipwrecked
Rosa was freed. Instead, they went to Sailor of Unit 2.
work in private cars and shared the cost
of the taxi. Flow chart
8. The judges of the Supreme Court said Possible answers
that segregation was unlawful in public White passengers rushed into the bus.
transport services. They said it was
Rosa Parks was ordered to get up from
against the law of the country.
the bus.
9. The boycott lasted for more than a
She refused to move.
year and the bus company lost millions
of dollars. Without black passengers, Rosa Parks was arrested and jailed.
the buses ran almost empty. Moreover, The blacks protested against the
the unity and will power of the black injustice by boycotting the buses.
passengers was indomitable.
The Sower
10. Let the learners suggest some
examples. Mahatma Gandhi About the poem
Move on to the flow chart. ‘No man is born into the world whose
work is not born with him; there is

109
English Teacher Text Std VIII
always work and tools to work withal, Millet balances the earthy lower portion
for those who will.’ of ‘The Sower’ with a sunset over the
The poem The Sower written by Victor horizon in the top of the painting,
Marie Hugo portrays a sower who giving the work the simplicity of a
marches along the plain scattering the peasant's day. The peasant portrayed
precious grain. Twilight has fallen and has his face hidden by the front of his
the working hours are over, but the hat, and is presumably looking off into
sower still lingers carrying out his job the distance, at the work that is left to
with extreme devotion. The poet who be done in front of him. All of these
sits comfortably in a cool porchway elements could lead the viewer to the
looks down upon the sower as an old conclusion that Millet's painting is
man in rags. But, as time passes he is simply intended to idealise the peasant
fascinated to see the silhouette of the and peasant life in general.
sower dominating the furrows. The When ‘The Sower’ is looked at in the
poet's thinking undergoes a complete light of Social Realist associations, a
change. He develops a sense of respect whole new realm of icons and meanings
for the man who quietly sows the seeds can be grasped. The Sower himself or
and waits patiently for the time to reap. the peasant can be viewed as a sower of
His image grows tall to touch the starry social justice, a representative of the
skies and his gestures seem to be lower classes fighting for social mobility
impressive. by sowing the seeds of protest and
Note: dissent. A bright sun is rising behind the
peasant indicating that the sower has
Millet’s 1850 painting The Sower, which the forces of social justice on his side.
has come to be associated with the The sunrise can also be interpreted as
Social Realist movement, shows a the symbol of change, in the Social
peasant striding through a plot of Realist sense; which would mark the
freshly tilled soil as he sows. The sun change from the bourgeoisie middle
shines in the top half of the painting just class dominance of the capital
over the horizon to show that the industrial era in France to one of
peasant has risen at the break of dawn socialist enlightenment.
in order to accomplish the day’s work
that lies ahead. Millet breaks from the Under this ideological lenses, it
conventional ways with The Sower when becomes apparent why ‘The Sower’
he uses dark and muddy earth tones. created controversy in France that was
Rather than idealizing the peasant man then undergoing rapid industrialisation.
or ignoring him entirely, Millet portrays In France, peasants or working class
the peasant as a stocky, well-built members of the society were essential
young man wearing simple, practical to do what needed to be done on
peasant clothing. assembly lines, fields, textile mills, and

110
English Teacher Text Std VIII
so on. Art had until then focused on the problems faced by the farmers and the
upper classes, or idealized the peasant, efforts taken by them to feed the world.
making him a cheerful and productive
• You may read the poem aloud two or
member of the society.
three times.
Toru Dutt (1856-1877) is unquestionably
• Let the learners read the poem
one of the leading Indian English writers of
individually. They can refer to the
the nineteenth century. A poet of quality,
Toru was also an accomplished glossary to find out the meaning of
translator, essayist and novelist. She difficult words. After silent reading the
authored what was perhaps the first learners may sit in groups and discuss
novel in English to be written by an the questions given.
Indian woman (Bianca or The Spanish Possible answers
Maiden), as also the first novel written
1. ploughing, manuring, sowing,
by an Indian in French, Le Journal de
weeding, irrigating, harvesting
Mademoiselle D’Arvers. Her anthology
A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields consists 2. in a cool porchway
of her translations of French poems 3. evening
into English. Ancient Ballads and Legends
of Hindustan compiles her translations Let’s revisit
and adaptations from Sanskrit Possible answers to the textual
literature. ‘The Sower’ is a translation of questions
Victor Hugo’s ‘Saison des Semailles; Le
Soir:’ The original text appears in Toru 1. He lingers so that he can sow the
Dutt's A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields. seeds. It suggests that he is dedicated
to his work.
• Generate a discussion about
agriculture. 2. He is impressed on seeing the
silhouette of the sower dominating over
• You may ask the following questions. the fields.
i. What does a farmer do? ‘Black and high his silhouette
ii. How important is the job of a farmer? Dominates the furrows deep!’
iii. Does a farmer enjoy a respectable 3. He marches along the field to and fro
position in the society? and scatters the seeds wide.
iv. What is the attitude of the society 4. It is these grains grow as corn and
towards farmers? provide us food that keeps us alive.
v. What type of life does a farmer lead? 5. The sower grows in stature and the
Elicit free responses from the learners. poet seems to respect him more for
Sensitise the learners about the what he does.

111
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
‘Now his gestures to mine eyes furrows deep
Are august; and strange--his height sower lingers
Seems to touch the starry skies.’ darkness deepens
6. The poet is sitting idle, watching the starry skies
sower whereas the sower works hard Activity 3
even after twilight has set in and
everyone has gone home. The teacher can read aloud the example
given in the text. Draw their attention
Activity 1 to the repetition of the ‘s’ sound in the
• Learners are divided into groups. given line. The repetition of the same
consonant sound at the beginning of
• Ask one group to read the first stanza
two or more words in a line is called
loudly.
alliteration. Now, let them find out
• Meanwhile the second group must other instances of alliteration from the
identify the rhyming words while poem.
listening to the first group.
Hints
• Follow the same process for the rest of
darkness deepens
the stanzas.
Hints shadows shoot
fades the ruddy sunlight fast
lands - stands
still - thrill sower lingers still
dominates the furrow deep
deep - reap
plain - grain Activity 4

wide - stride Rhyme scheme: a b a b

light - height The Village Blacksmith

eyes - skies Teacher Talk: We have read the poem

‘The Sower’ about a common peasant
Activity 2 whose love for his work takes him to
The poet uses vivid word pictures to heights as high as the stars. Have you
describe the time of the day and the come across anyone who works hard
fields. and leads a respectable life?
ruddy sunlight Now, lead them to the poem ‘The
Village Blacksmith’ written by Henry
twilight hastens
Wadsworth Longfellow.
shadows shoot

112
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Possible answers to the textual 7. ‘the burning sparks that fly
questions like chaff from a threshing floor’
1. mighty, large and sinewy, brawny 8. The blacksmith’s wife might have
arms, iron bands died.
2. He is honest and lives by working ‘It seems to him like her mother’s voice,
hard. He does not owe anyone
anything. Singing in Paradise
3. To a sexton ringing the village bell. How in the grave she lies’
4. And children coming home from 9. The blacksmith’s life establishes the
school fact that life is a mixture of hardships,
sorrow and happiness. We have to
‘Look in at the open door make our fortune from the adverse
They love to see the flaming forge situations in our life.
And hear the bellows roar’ 10. blow, heavy sledge, beat, flaming
5. He goes to the church and sits among forge, burning sparks
his sons listening to the parson’s prayer. I Can
Hearing his daughter’s voice in the Let the learners attempt the self -
choir, he is filled with joy. assessment checklist given at the end of
6. He is reminded of his wife. the unit.

113
English Teacher Text Std VIII

Unit 4
FLOWERS AND SHOWERS
Theme: Nature • develop ideas about poetic devices
and poetic elements like simile and
Sub theme:
metaphor.
Communion with nature
• prepare an appreciation of a poem.
Healing power of nature
• identify phrasal verbs and use them in
Harmony in nature appropriate contexts.
Significance of little things in nature • evaluate literary pieces and develop
Learning outcomes positive values that help them refine
individual character traits and
The learner will be able to:
acquire life skills.
• read and comprehend poems and
Introduction
stories.
This unit is meant to promote love of
• demonstrate a significant increase in
nature and the need for harmonious co-
vocabulary and use them suitably in
existence among all living beings,
various situations. human values and social ethics.
• analyse the features of a short story by The unit highlights the message that it
constructing a story house. is the responsibility of every living
• construct discourses like character being to protect and preserve nature.
sketch, letter and diary entry. Mutual love and respect promotes
peaceful co-existence. Gary Snyder
• design posters to create social observes, ‘Nature is not a place to visit.
awareness. It is home.’ It reiterates the essential
duty of man to make the earth a
• form opinions and substantiate them pleasant place to live in. Man has
using facts. sublime lessons to learn from nature,
• express ideas and feelings in the target especially the grandeur of sacrifice that
language. the other creatures do for man. But are
really we aware of this nobility? Nature
• speak at a condolence meeting. gives us strength, hope, peace,
contentment and remedies for all our

114
 Unit Frame
Unit 4: Flowers and Showers Time: 30 periods
English

Concept/Skill Discourses/Activities Language Elements Learning Outcomes

• Story analysis • read and comprehend poems and

Theme: • Suffixes stories.
Nature • Diary • demonstrate a significant increase in
Sub theme: • Antonyms
• Letter of vocabulary and use them suitably in
• Communion • Synonyms various situations.
appreciation • analyse the features of a short story by
with nature • Phrasal verbs
• Character sketch constructing a story house.
• Healing • construct discourses like character
• Speech • Personal
power of sketch, letter and diary entry.
nature • Poster pronouns • design posters to create social

115
• Harmony in • Story • Editing awareness.
nature completion • form opinions and substantiate them
• Language using facts.
• Significance • express ideas and feelings in the target
games
of little things language.
in nature • speak at a condolence meeting.
• develop ideas about poetic devices
and poetic elements like simile and
metaphor.
• prepare an appreciation of a poem.
• identify phrasal verbs and use them in
appropriate contexts.
• evaluate literary pieces and develop
Teacher Text Std VIII

positive values that help them refine

individual character traits and
acquire life skills.
English Teacher Text Std VIII
problems. So we must make efforts to • Encourage the learners to speak about
know nature and do what is good for it. their personal experience. Ask them to
Titular picture speak about their ideas of nature, about
the importance of protecting nature,
The very essence of the unit ‘Flowers about the attitude we should develop
and Showers’ is that nature plays a
etc. If interested, they can event prepare
dominant role in the life of man, as a
a collage showing their divergent views
curing force. The expression ‘Flowers’ of nature.
stands for vegetation and living beings,
and the word ‘showers’ stands for the • The titular picture can be compared
powerful elements that influence life. with the pictures/cartoons or any other
The most important point here is compositions of the learners. Let them
understanding the fact that man and form groups and present their ideas.
nature have an interdependent Let’s begin
relationship. The titular picture is a
collage consisting of various images of Song of the Flower
nature. You may generate a discussion About the poet
on the importance and relevance of Khalil Gibran(1883-1931) was born in
these pictures and on how they are the town Bsharri in Northern Lebanon.
linked together. He is regarded as a literary and political
The titular picture can be used as a rebel in the Arab world. His romantic
prompt to sensitise the learners on the style was at the heart of the renaissance
theme of the whole unit. (Any other in Modern Arabic literature, especially,
media of your convenience can also be prose poetry. He was a great artist, who
used). did well in drawing and water colour
Here is one way of using the picture to painting. His major themes are alienation,
generate a discussion. disruption and lost natural beauty.

• Display the picture for a few seconds. About the poem

(A projector may be used.) Song of the Flower speaks about the life
• Interact with the learners. Ask them cycle of a flower and its experiences.
what they can recollect. (Let them identify The flower in the poem stands for all
the figures and speak only the facts.)
that we experience in life-joy, sorrow,
• Display the picture and keep it in full bitterness, victory, etc. It teaches us
view. (This time let the learners speculate
on the theme. You may ask questions how to deal with life’s struggles - to learn
like: i. How can you connect each image from our past and face the future with
with the picture? ii. What idea do you get confidence and hope.
from the picture?

116
English Teacher Text Std VIII
• Generate a discussion on the picture Possible answers to the textual
given on the Reader (Page 129). questions
Possible answers 1. The flower
• The cloud is black in colour and has 2. ‘Blue tent’ refers to the sky and the
the appearance of an elephant. ‘green carpet’ refers to the earth full of
• The bird sings and imagines itself to be vegetation.
a poet. 3. Winter conceived it, spring gave birth
• The boy is brave and imagines himself to it, summer reared it and in autumn it
to be a lion. passed away.

• 4. The flower joins the breeze and

announces the arrival of the light in the
The pictures shown are representatives morning. In the evening it joins the
of nature. They consider themselves to birds to bid farewell to the light.
be someone or something else. Such an
implied comparison is called a 5. It decorates the plain and fills the air
metaphor. with its fragrance.

Generate a discussion using the 6. The sun

following questions. 7. The flower is used to make wreaths
Sample questions on both joyous and sorrowful occasions
like wedding and death respectively.
1. What idea do you get from the title of
the poem? 8. because it is used as a wreath to be
placed on a deadbody.
2. What does the picture convey?
9. The flower always looks up to see
3. How can you connect the picture only the light. It never looks down to see
with the poem? the shadow. Similarly, man should see
While Reading the brighter side of life and never brood
over its darker side.
You may recite the poem aloud giving
emphasis to the emotions. Let the Loud Reading
learners listen wih their books closed. You may once again recite the poem
Now, let the learners read the poem aloud with proper voice modulation and
silently. rhythm and ask the learners to note the
lines/ expressions that they like. You may
After silent reading , the learners may
divide the class into five groups.
discuss the questions given in the text.
Frequent interaction with the learners Ask each group to identify the part they
will encourage them to comprehend the would like to read. Invite each group to
text better. recite the poem with proper expressions.

117
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let’s revisit IV.
Possible answers to the textual • ‘listen to the voice of the birds’
questions
• ‘dances to the rhythmic swaying of the
1. The flower symbolises kindness, grass’
beauty, fragrance, love - all the bright
V.
things in nature. It also symbolises the
experiences we have in our life-joy, • as the lover’s gift
sorrow, failure, victory, etc. • wedding wreath
2. Wedding (joy), funeral (sorrow) • wreath for the deadbody
3. The light is contrasted with the • memory of a moment of happiness
shadow. Yes, the poet is optimistic.
The attitude of the flower represents VI.
the poet’s optimism. The flower likes to • ‘never look down to see my shadow’
see only the light and not the shadow. Activity 2
4. Free responses 1) I am a star. 2) I am the daughter of
5. Happy and philosophical. The poem the elements. 3) the eyes of the night
reflects upon the themes of life and 4) the eye of the day
death and imparts the wisdom that man
must always look for light. Metaphors What they mean
Activity 1 2. Very clear and reflects
objects.
I.
3. The grass-covered lawn
• ‘a kind word uttered and repeated by looks like a carpet.
the voice of nature’ 4. He was extremely sad.
5. She is taking advantage
• ‘a star fallen from the sky’
of adverse situations.
• ‘daughter of the elements’ 6. He is very dear to me.
• ‘was conceived by winter’ 7. My brother was very angry.
8. Her voice is melodious
II. like music
• ‘announce the coming of the light’ Activity 3
• ‘bid the light farewell. There are a few points to remember
• ‘decorate the plains with beautiful while writing an appreciation of a
colours’ poem.
III. • The speaker of the poem: how the
speaker is involved in the poem.
• ‘eyes of Night’

118
English Teacher Text Std VIII
• Tone: The tone of the poem is the poem.
determined by the use of language. See • Visuals and imagery: abstract and
how the choice of words reflects the concrete images and other sensory
speaker’s state of mind. experiences.
• Conflict: See if there is a conflict - • Poetic elements: figures of speech,
spiritual, moral, philosophical, political symbols etc.
or social.
• Structure: see if the poem is a sonnet,
• Context: Background information - lyric, limerick, etc.
how the social and political
circumstances influenced the writing of After doing the activities in the text, the
the poem. learners will be able to consolidate their
ideas and write an appreciation. You
• Choice of words and meaning: may create an appreciation rubric using
connotations and denotations. the features above. A worksheet like
• Rhythm: specific rhythmic pattern of the one below can help the learners.

Answer to the spider diagram given at the end.

Poetry Worksheet

Name:
Poem - title:
Author:
No. of stanzas:
Theme (What is the poem mainly about?)
Summary (What happens in the poem):

Literary devices used (e.g. rhyme, rhythm, imagery, figures of speech, etc.)

Examples for literary devices:

General impression ( Did you enjoy the poem? Why (not)?

119
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Sample appreciation the wisdom that man must learn. The
Song of the Flower is a very beautiful poem poem is rich in similes and metaphors
about nature and its relationship with living that make it quite enjoyable to the
beings. Khalil Gibran metaphorically readers.
suggests that everything in nature has a soul First Showers
and self that makes their existence The process followed in the transaction
meaningful. The flower in the poem is a of the first poem can be used here also.
representative of every aspect of nature. You may think of other interactive
The flower says that it is a kind word strategies too.
uttered and repeated by the voice of Use video clips of rain and generate a
nature. It is a star fallen from the sky. discussion.
The poet uses the expression 'the blue
• Do you like rain?
tent’ to refer to the sky. The four
seasons have their roles in the life of the • How do you feel when it rains?
flower. Winter conceives it, spring gives • Describe an experience which made
birth to it, summer rears it and in you love/ hate rain.
autumn it has its eternal sleep. • ………………………………..
The flower identifies its role as very • ………………………………..
significant. It announces the coming of
light in the morning and bids farewell to Ask about the title of the poem and
it in the evening. It decorates the plains about the picture. Invite the learners to
predict the theme of the poem. Then
with beautiful colours and fills the air
they may read it silently.
with fragrance. Days and nights shower
love, care and affection on the flower. Let them attempt the textual questions.
It enjoys nature to the brim. It drinks Possible answers to the textual
dew for wine, sings with the birds and questions
dances rhythmically with the swaying of
1. The rain soothes the poet by getting
the grass. The beautiful images of
rid of heat and fatigue.
nature make the poem quite appealing.
The flower becomes a part of both joy 2. The rain washes the leaves of the
and sorrow, as it is used on the occasions trees and the trees look magnificent and
of wedding as well as funeral. shining
3. They feel relieved.
The poem ends in a philosophical note.
The flower is optimistic. It loves to look 4. The poet is completely drenched by
up high to see only the light and never the mischievous raindrops.
looks down to see the shadow. This is

120
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 1 lack of values. Wilde makes the
• parched face Nightingale a sacrificial hero in order to
glorify nature and its noble role.
• soaked in rain
The Earth Song by Michael Jasckson can
• frayed nerves be screened.
• weary lines… daylong heat and fatigue. Generate a discussion. The following
• dressed in washed green looked questions may be used.
magnificent • What is the theme of the song?
• marvelling at this wonderful gift of • Who is responsible for the present
nature condition of the earth?
• I hurried home through the gurgling • What should be our attitude towards
animals and birds?
water
• Are we being cruel to animals and
Activity 2 birds?
The learners can write their own Lead the learners to the reading text.
answers.
Interaction with the learners about the
Simile Metaphor title of the text.
1,5,7 2,3,4,6,8 • What idea does the title give about the
theme of the story?
You may ask the learners to compose a
poem on a topic of their choice, • Who might be the characters?
preferably one related to nature. They • Look at the pictures. What hints do
may use the poetic devices they are you get?
familiar with. • Let the learners discuss and present
The Nightingale and the Rose their ideas.
About the story • The learners may now read the text
silently.
Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin on 16,
(You may break the unit into as many
October, 1854. He was an Irish poet,
convenient pieces as possible.)
short story writer, playwright, essayist
and editor. The Nightingale and the Rose is The learners may be asked to read the
a folk tale which foreshadows the first part. Follow the process of reading
given in Unit 1.
consequences of not appreciating
nature and its creations. In a world of During Reading
lost values, where materialism is held Learners may discuss the questions in
high, the nature and its creations the text.
remind man about his selfishness and

121
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Possible answers to the textual 11. The bitter the pain, the wilder the
questions song became.
1. Because he could not find a red rose 12. To the rose of the eastern sky
to give his beloved. 13. Her voice grew fainter, her wings
2. His hair is as dark as the hyacinth, began to beat, and a film came over her
and his lips are as red as the rose; but eyes. Her song grew fainter and she felt
passion has made his face look like pale something choke her throat. She gave
ivory, and sorrow has set her seal upon one last burst of music and died.
his brow. 14. She attached more value to wealth
3. As he failed to get the rose, he and position than to love.
became grief-stricken and hence Let’s revisit
lamented over his fate. This made the
Nightingale think that the Student was Possible answers
a true lover. Activity 1
4. Free response 1. Red
5. The Nightingale spread its wings and 2. He values love above everything
soared high into the air. It passed else.
through the grove like a shadow and
sailed across the garden. 3. At the Prince’s ball
6. No, because the winter had chilled 4. The red rose tree was withered in the
its veins and the frost had nipped its winter.
buds and the storm had broken its
branches. So it had no red rose that 5. She yelled at the trees until they gave
year. her a rose.
7. The Nightingale should press its 6. Money and jewels were more
breast against the thorns and sing the important for her than love.
whole night. Its life blood should flow
Activity 2
into the veins of the rose tree.
8. The Nightingale thought that love is • Ask the learners to sit in groups of
better than life. It also believed that the five.
heart of a bird is nothing compared to • Assign each member an area from the
the heart of a man. setting, characters, climax, events, final
9. Let the learners write their own events.
answers.
• Let them re-read the story and fill the
10. The blood of the Nightingale would respective columns.
not flow into the veins of the rose tree
and it might not give a red rose. This • Presentation by groups
would disappoint the Student. (Let the • Refinement
learners think about their own answers.)

122
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Setting Let’s enrich our vocabulary
• Garden Activity 1
• Gallery Stringed Wind Percussion
Guitar Accordion Bass drum
• Student’s house Mohan veena Bagpipe Chenda
and window Sarangi Barrel Dholak
Sitar Clarinet Maddhalam
• Rose’s house Veena Flute Mridangam
Harmonium Tabala
Characters Saxophone
• Nightingale Saenghwang
Zurna
• Garden Lizard
Activity 2
• Student
dawn-daybreak
• Professor’s
tense- nervous
daughter
rude - impolite
Climax wealthy - rich
• The Nightingale pressed her breast healthy - fit
against the thorn and started singing. whisper - murmur
• A red rose appeared and the prudent - wise
Nightingale died.
slight - faint
Events
Activity 3
• The young Student loves a girl.
• She asks the Student to bring her a red Student Professor’s daughter Nightingale
rose. innocence
innocence money
love
• As he could not get the rose, he love greed
nature
becomes dejected. truth pride heroism
• The Nightingale feels pity and serious insincere compassion
requests every rose tree to give a rose. sincere sacrifice
• At last a Rose tree asks the sensitive bravery
Nightingale to give her life blood. realistic
purity
Final Events sincere
romantic
selfless
The Nightingale sacrifices its life for realistic
the Student.
The lover rejects his rose and his love.

123
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let’s Write thinking of his ill fate. The Nightingale
Activity 1 feels pity and decides to sacrifice its life
for the sake of the boy. Finally, when he
Sample answer
gets the red rose, he rushes to his
The student in the story The Nightingale beloved. She tells him, 'I am afraid it will
and the Rose is very romantic, sensitive not go with my dress.' She says that the
and passionate. He feels depressed Chamberlain's nephew has sent her
when he fails to get a red rose for his precious jewels. She rejects him by
beloved. 'Sorrow has set her seal upon saying that jewels cost far more than
his brow' and he feels lonely. His flowers. The Student finally realizes
studies did not make him wise. He is that his lover is ungrateful. He throws
blind with love. So he does not the flower into the street. The poor
understand the true nature of the girl. lover walks away saying, ‘What a silly
He thinks '…she will have no heed of thing love is!’ The ending of the story
me, and my heart will break.' He is makes us think seriously about issues
sincere in his love. So he weeps like love, sacrifice, greed, etc.

The student checklist may be used here.

Checklist - Paragraph Writing (Character description)

I began my paragraph with a definite idea.

I have used specific and interesting details to describe the
character.
I have used sensory details.
I have written detailed examples to support my point of view.
I have used strong adjectives.
I have ended the paragraph with a message.
I have written a variety of sentences.
The ideas are sequentially arranged.
I have used grammatically correct and sensible sentences.
The paragraphs are clearly structured.
I have not gone off-track.

124
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 2
Sample answer
Flat no.34
Sector 9
Washington Street
23 March 1992
Dear Tom,
Hope this letter finds you in good health and happiness. Hope all at home are fine.
I am writing this letter to tell you about a very touching experience. You know, I was
in love with the Professor’s daughter. One day she said that she would dance with
me at the Prince's ball the next night if I brought her a red rose. You know roses could
not be found in that season. So I was very sad.
I was very frustrated. I sat in my garden weeping. I feared that the professor's
daughter would not dance with me. Seeing my sorrow, a nightingale took pity on me.
It wanted to help me. The Nightingale approached all the Rose trees and told them
about my strange condition. The Rose trees could not help the Nightingale. Finally,
it came to the rose tree near my window. The Rose tree said that the winter had
chilled its veins, the frost had nipped its buds, and the storm had broken its branches,
and so it could have no roses that year. On repeated persuasions, the Rose tree finally
said that it could give a red rose only if the Nightingale should sing to the tree with
its breast against a thorn. The red blood must flow into its veins.
What a great sacrifice the Nightingale has done for me! The Nightingale thought that
love was better than life, and that a bird’s heart was nothing compared to a man’s
heart.
All the night the Nightingale sang, with her breast against the thorn and stained the
Rose tree with its life blood. A marvellous rose blossomed. She pressed closer and
closer. Bitter and bitter was the pain. Fainter and fainter grew her song. The rose
became crimson. The Nightingale gave one last burst of music and lay dead in the
grass, with the thorn in her heart. What a heroic deed!
I feel quite sad about this bird. I can never forget the glorious sacrifice of the
Nightingale. I have made up my mind to love all the birds and animals and do
whatever I can to preserve and protect everything in nature.
Regards,
Sd/-
Tony

125
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 3 • Effective in highlighting the issue
Sample answer • Good use of text/ image/ layout, etc.
23 March 1992, Monday • Illustration
What a wretched fate! How cruel the
• Captions
professor's daughter is! I never thought
she would be so ungrateful! I can't even • Clear and bold message
imagine… She said the red rose would
• Simple and attractive language
not go with her dress. The
Chamberlain's nephew… he has given • Details like place, time, organisers, etc.
her jewels. How dare she say that the
• Self- explanatory
jewels cost far more than flowers!
Impudent!... the darkest day in my life. Let’s Speak
What a silly thing love is! I pined for it.
Activity 1
Worthless… Can wealth and position
be more valuable than a man’s love? … Let the learners frame/give there own
never again trust a girl. A Nightingale answers.
sacrificed its life for me. I take a pledge
that I shall dedicate my whole life for Sample answers
the protection and preservation of • I think that the Nightingale made the
everything in nature. right choice because the Student was
Activity 4 able to understand his foolishness only
Sample answer because of this.

Poster Making • I believe that the Nightingale should

not have sacrificed her precious life for
You may display some posters and
brainstorm the purpose of posters. (e. g. such a simple reason. She has lost her
to create awareness among people, to life. But I don’t think it will change the
persuade them to act in a desirable way attitude of the Student.
and to impart information to the public.) • It seems to me that the Nightingale
• What is the message the artist is trying has done a great thing by sacrificing her
to convey?
life. Only such sacrifices will make
• Which poster is most effective? people understand the value of true
Elicit from the learners the features of love.
a poster.
• I feel absolutely certain that the
Features of a poster Nightingale was a fool to have sacrificed
• Imaginative and interesting her life for the sake of the selfish Student.

126
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 2 take up = occupy (e.g.The piano takes
up a lot of space in the room.)
Let the learners produce their own
answers. bring

Let’s discover how grammar works bring about = cause to happen (e.g.
Science has brought about many
Possible answers changes in our lives.)
Activity 1 bring up= educate and provide care
i. a ii. The iii. in iv. if v. the vi. the (e.g. Parents bring up their children
vii. to viii. was ix. down x. beneath with much care.)
Activity 2 bring in= produce, yield ( e.g.He doesn't
bring in a huge salary.)
• Divide the class into seven groups.
bring out = publish (e.g. We are going to
• Let the learners revisit the lesson and locate
bring out a new edition of the book.)
examples of phrasal verbs from the story.
bring forth = give birth (e.g. She
• Let them fill in the word web given.
brought forth male children only.)
• Ask them to refer to the dictionary to
turn
find out all the phrasal verbs.
turn down = reject (e.g. The manager
• Name the groups as ‘take’, ‘bring’,
turned down the demands of the
‘turn’, ‘carry’, ‘get’, ‘make’ and ‘put’.
workers.)
• Now each group can make sentences
turn into = convert into (e.g. He turned
using the phrasal verbs from their
his garage into a play room.)
respective set.
turn away = refuse to admit (e.g. The
• Presentation
gate keeper turned away the people
Phrasal verbs with: without identity cards.)
take turn up = arrive or appear (e.g. Some of
take down = write (e.g. The teacher the members could not turn up on
asked the pupils to take down the notes.) time.)

take after = resemble (e.g. He takes turn out = produce (e.g. They usually
after his grandfather.) turn out 200 tons of butter a week.)

take back = withdraw (e.g. We cannot carry

take back the words once spoken.) carry on = continue (e.g. I cannot carry
take off = to leave the ground and fly on with this work any longer.)
(e.g. The plane took off at 6 exactly.) carry out = perform ( e.g. They have to
carry out the programme at the fixed

127
English Teacher Text Std VIII
time.) put off due to heavy rain.)
carry off = complete successfully ( e.g. put up = stay (e.g. I put up in a good
She had a difficult role to play , but she hotel when I go out of the country.)
carried it off.) put across = communicate (e.g. She cannot
carry over = transfer (e.g. I never let my put across her ideas fluently in English.)
problems at home be carried over to my put down = suppress (e.g. The
work place.) management tried to put down the
get strike. )
get back= return to a place (e.g. I put out = extinguish (e.g. The fire
should get back before 9 0’clock.) brigade took fifteen minutes to put out
get away = escape (e.g. The thief got the fire.)
away immediately after the incident.) Person Subject Object Possessive
First I me my
get down = alight (e.g. He got down Person we us our
from the horse.) Second person you you your
he him his
get round = overcome difficulty (e.g. I
Third she her her
must find a way to get round the Person they them their
problem.) it it its
get across = communicate successfully
(e.g. I couldn’t get across my ideas Activity 3
successfully at the meeting.) Let’s edit
make Follow the editing process given in Unit 1.
make out = understand (e.g. I could not who, dance, he has no, him, is, flies,
make out your instructions properly.) finally, The, jewels, concludes
make off = to hurry away (e.g. The Let’s play with language
thieves had made off before the police Across
arrived.)
1.hungrily, 4. fast, 6. lightly, 8.well, 9.
make up for = compensate (e.g. The finally, 11. there
insurance company will make up for
Down
the loss.)
1. happily, 2. loudly, 3. slowly,
make of = try to understand (e.g. She
5. angrily, 7. hopefully, 9. hard,
could not make much of what the
10. never
teacher said.)
A Day In The Country
put
Follow the reading process detailed in
put off = post pone (e.g. The match was

128
English Teacher Text Std VIII
the other units. the herbs that cure diseases, he has no
Possible answers to the textual difficulty in telling the age of a horse or
questions a cow. Looking at the sunset, the moon,
or the birds, he could tell what sort of
1. Fyokla was worried because her weather it would be the next day.
brother had met with an accident. Her
uncle Terenty,who was to help her, was 10. They learned from the fields, woods,
not to be seen. The following sentence river banks, birds, the sun, etc. In short,
shows that she is worried. ‘The white they learned everything from nature.
haired, barefoot child is pale. Her eyes 11. While walking, they talked about the
are wide open, her lips are trembling.’ beauty of the earth unceasingly. So they
2. Terenty was a tall old man with a were not weary.
thin, pock-marked face, very long legs, 12. Yes. He loves children. When the
and bare feet, dressed in a woman's children fell asleep, he came to them
tattered jacket. On his long crane- like and placed bread under their heads.
legs, he swayed in the wind. 13. The boy does not sleep. He gazes
3. Danilka tried to put his hand into a into the darkness and it seems to him
hole in a tree to get cuckoo’s eggs. His that he can see everything that he has
hand was stuck and he could not take it seen during the day.
out. Activity 1
4. Terenty said that it was not from It was a stormy day. There was thunder
spite that it thundered and it would not and lightning.
kill a little thing like Fyokla.
A little girl of six ran through the village
5. Fyokla felt that something big, heavy looking for Terenty, the cobbler. She
and round was rolling over the sky, and was worried.
tearing it open exactly over her head.
She asked everyone whether they had
6. The boy was gazing at the stormy sky seen Terenty. Nobody could tell where
and apparently he forgot to think of his Terenty was. At last she met Terenty's
trouble. bosom friend, who told her that he was
7. The wood had broken at the edge of in the kitchen gardens.
the hole, and jammed Danilka's hand. She saw Terenty standing near the
8. The nightingale is a singing bird and vegetable plots.
it has a voice to cheer the heart of man. The girl sobbed and told Terenty that
He thinks that it is a sin to disturb the her brother Danilka met with an
bird. accident.
9. He knows the names of all the wild She wanted Terenty to go with her and
flowers, animals and stones. He knows help Danilka.

129
 English Teacher Text Std VIII
She said that Danilka had put his hand good knowledge about everything.
into a hole in a tree to get cuckoos’s egg, Terenty learned not from books, but
and he could not get it out. from nature. They reached a river bank
They both rushed to the spot in the and shared their food. They returned to
heavy rain. On the way he told her not the village only in the evening.
to be frightened because it thundered The children went to a deserted barn,
and it would not kill a little thing like at night. Danilka could not sleep for a
her. When they reached the spot, they long time. He thought about all that he
found the frightened Danilka. had seen. At last they fell asleep.
He saved the boy and walked along the Terenty came to them, and put bread
darkened road. under their heads.
On the way they talked about a lot of The moon was rejoiced seeing the love
things like nightingale, rain, ducks,etc. of the homeless cobbler.
Terenty answered all their questions. I Can
Danilka wondered how Terenty had a Let the learners attempt the self -
assessment checklist given at the end of
the unit.
the flower symbolises all
the bright things in nature -
Id
ea

e
kindness, love, beauty etc. s
in em words spoken by a flower.
th
th
nd

It is a part and parcel of human joy e It is also a part of human life

ra

po
te

and sorrow. em in both joys and sorrows.

at
tm

It is a source of great wisdom - its vision of

Through its life, the flower teaches an important
ec

life is essentially optimistic

bj

lesson - that we must look for only the bright

Su

Poetic devices used - metaphors, images side of life and not brood over the dark
Happy in the beginning - the flower is a part Soul of a
The sky as the blue tent and the earth as a green carpet.
of nature - it revels in the beauty of nature. flower
The gentle breeze announcing the coming of
Thoughtful - how the flower is a part of both N the light.
po atu
joy and sorrow. em re The birds bidding farewell to the light.
em

as
the rhythmic swaying of the grass
po

Philosophical towards the end - how de

e

the flower teaches a great lesson pi the singing of the birds

th

ct
of

through its life. ed the beautiful plains

d

in
oo

the fragrant air

M

th
e

130
English Teacher Text Std VIII

Unit 5
SHARE AND CARE

Theme: Human values • use suffixes to derive noun forms.

Specific themes • use appropriate words to describe the
Empathy appearance and character of people.

Friendship • use language elements like simple

present tense and present progressive
Need of love and care to the tense.
differently abled
• construct word pyramids.
Understanding and co-operation
• identify and edit errors in a passage.
Learning outcomes
Introduction
The learner will be able to:
This unit is meant to promote human
• listen, read and comprehend various values like sympathy, empathy,
literary forms like stories and poems. compassion, affection, kindness,
• analyse short stories based on the mercy, helping mentality, citizenship,
reading of the text. etc. In a world of declining values, a
compassionate deed may make life
• read aloud with proper stress and
worth living and noble. One should be
intonation.
considerate to the fellow beings and
• construct linguistic discourses like their problems. An empathetic
notice, profile, character sketch. transmigration into the problems of
• make slide presentation. others bring us a brilliant revelation
about the dignified role of an individual
• identify the main events. as a peace maker in the present society.
• analyse poems based on their theme The unit begins with a titular picture
and structure. that sensitises the learner on the need
• identify, locate and understand to share and care for the lonely and the
poetic devices like imagery, simile, suffering. The School for Sympathy by E.V.
etc.

131
 Unit Frame
Unit 5: Share and Care Time: 30 periods
English

Concept/Skill Discourses/Activities Language Elements Learning Outcomes

• Notice • Listen, read and comprehend various

Theme: literary forms like stories and poems.
Human • Suffixes
• Profile • Analyse short stories based on the
Values • Character sketch • Describing reading of the text.
Specific words • Read aloud with proper stress and
• Slide show intonation.
themes:
• Sequencing • Simple present • Construct linguistic discourses like
• Empathy
events tense notice, profile, character sketch.
•Understanding • Make slide presentation.
and co- • Present • Identify the main events.

132
operation progressive • Analyse poems based on their theme
• Friendship and structure.
tense • Identify, locate and understand
• Need of love poetic devices like imagery, simile,
• Word pyramid
and care to the etc.
differently • Editing • Use suffixes to derive noun forms.
abled • Language • Use appropriate words to describe
the appearance and character of
games people.
• Use language elements like simple
present tense and present
progressive tense.
• Construct word pyramids.
Teacher Text Std VIII

• Identify and edit errors in a passage.

English Teacher Text Std VIII
Lucas depicts the need for empathy helped someone.
towards the differently abled. 6. Can you guess the possible theme of
The additional reading material The this unit from the title?
Merchant of Venice, a tragicomedy by The soul of the unit lies in its title 'Share
William Shakespeare depicts the divine and Care’. Acts of kindness and
quality of mercy and highlights selfless compassion are little deeds that give
love and friendship. The poem My meaning to life. A soothing presence or
Grandmother’s House by Kamala Das a kind word can work wonders in a
expresses the poet’s memories of the society that is torn by conflicts and
love and affection that she experienced strife.
at her grandmother’s house. It also
shows her desire to go back to those The School for Sympathy
days. Ella Wheeler Wilcox through her About the author
poem Solitude reminds us that one
E.V. Lucas (Edward Verrall Lucas) was
should share not only joys but sorrows
a versatile and popular English writer.
also, to make life meaningful and happy.
He authored hundreds of books and is
Let’s begin most celebrated for his short essays.
Titular Picture About the Story
An active discussion on the meaning of In this story he talks about Miss.
the titular picture may give the learners Beam’s school, where the children have
an idea about the main theme of the to undertake an exercise of going
unit. through the blind day, lame day, dumb
• Let the learners observe the picture day and the deaf day to get first hand
carefully. experiences about the life of the physically
challenged people. Experiencing the
• Generate a discussion on it. You may difficulties of the differently abled can
ask the following questions. generate empathy and a sense of special
1. What is the mood of the man seen in responsibility towards them.
the picture? Pre Reading
2. Why do you think the man is sad/ • Prepare paper strips.
gloomy?
• Write any one of the following in each
3. Do you have people like him in your strip.
neighbourhood?
blind, deaf, lame, dumb
4. What do you do when you see
someone in trouble? • Distribute the strips to the learners.
5. Cite an instance where you have • Each learner should get a strip.

133
English Teacher Text Std VIII
• Now, let the learners perform the role Possible answers to the textual
of the physical challenges assigned to questions
them. 1. Invite free responses from the
Invite their responses regarding their learners.
feelings while they are taking up 2. because he had heard a lot about
different roles. Miss. Beam’s school.
You can break the unit into convenient 3. Yes, their teaching methods were
parts for effective transaction. Here, it is quite different. They taught only those
divided into two parts. things that are simple and useful to the
pupils by giving them interesting tasks.
• You can make use of the title to begin
an interaction with the learners. 4. Miss. Beam says: “The bandage is put
on overnight, they wake up blind.” This
i. What do you think the lesson is
sentence hints that the school is a
about? residential one.
ii. Who might be the characters? 5. The real aim of Miss. Beam’s school
iii. Where would the events of the story is to teach thoughtfulness, humanity,
be taking place? kindness and citizenship.
• Let the learners present their ideas. 6. The visitor realised that the jolly
children whom he saw before him were
Part 1 (paragraph 1-5) not at all healthy and active. It surprised
Read paragraphs 1-5 of the reading text. and pained him.
(Follow the reading process given in You may lead the learners to Activity 1
Unit 1). of Let’s speak.
Let the learners attempt the textual Let’s speak
questions.
Activity 1
• Let the learners share their ideas in gr tiv
e
ey a
pairs. -h o rit
air th
ed au
• You may read out the questions one
middle-aged

by one to the whole class.

• Elicit answers from the learners. Miss Beam
kind

• Let all the pairs give their answers.

e sy
at m
• Select the most suitable answer. n pa
sio th
p as et
ic
c om

134
English Teacher Text Std VIII
1. Miss. Beam is very comforting to Let the learners perform the scenes in
homesick children. the form of a role play.
2. Miss. Beam is a middle-aged woman. Let them attempt the textual questions.
You can follow the strategy used in the
3. Miss. Beam’s hair has begun to turn
first part.
grey.
Possible answers to the textual
4. Miss. Beam is kind to all, especially
questions
to her students.
7. In order to make the young minds
5. She is caring and sympathetic and appreciate and understand misfortune,
has an understanding of others’ every child has to observe one blind
problems. day, one dumb day and one deaf day.
Character sketch of Miss. Beam 8. The helpers learn the values of
Miss. Beam is a middle aged woman. mutual help and compassion and
Her hair shows signs of getting grey. She understand the problems of the
is kind to all, especially to the students differently abled.
of her school. She is caring and 9. On the dumb day the child must use
sympathetic towards others. But she has his/her will power because the mouth
a highly authoritative nature. She is is not bandaged.
always compassionate to a homesick
10. Invite free responses from the learners.
child.
11. Because the other bad days cannot
Part 2 (paragraph 6-11)
be half as bad as the blind day. It will
• Generate a discussion on what would be terrible for her not to see.
happen in the next part of the story. 12. With her own arm tied up she may
• You may ask questions like: not be able to do anything without the
help of others. She may need others
i. Why did Miss Beam laugh?
even to cut up food for her.
ii. Was she trying to trick the author?
13. She was told that the girl was
iii. What do you think about the wearing a blue skirt and pink blouse
students in the school? and her hair was very light.
Let the learners predict what might 14. The gardener is very old.
happen in the remaining part of the story. 15. Yes, E.V. Lucas leaves as a wiser man.
Ask the learners to read paragraphs 6 - He gained a lot of knowledge about the
11 of the story. teaching methods and their effectiveness.
Besides, he also developed kindness,
They read aloud the lines or the part
compassion and love for fellow beings.
that impressed them the most.

135
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let’s revisit 5. False
Read the lesson once again, if 6. True
necessary.
1. The author had been to Miss. Beam’s
Activity 1
school for the first time.
Let the learners sit in pairs and attempt
2. In Miss. Beam’s school the subjects
Activity 1 and 2.
which are simple and useful to the
Possible answers students are taught.
1. i. E.V. Lucas 3. On the dumb day the mouth of the
ii. Miss. Beam children are not bandaged.
iii. The listener laughs and tells the Activity 3
truth. • Let the learners attempt the task
2. i. The author and the girl individually.

ii. The author • You may make them sit in pairs and
read each other’s work.
iii. Became more thoughtful
• Now, the learners may be grouped.
Activity 2
• Discuss the task within the group and
1. False refine it.
2. False • You may intervene and interact to
ensure that everyone is participating in
3. True
the discussion.
4. True
• Random presentation

Sample answer
Miss. Beam's school is very interesting and the teaching methods are very simple.
They teach simple and useful things to pupils like spelling, adding, subtracting,
multiplying, writing, etc. All the other things are taught by reading and through
interesting tasks. Practically no other lessons are given. The real aim of Miss. Beam’s
school is to teach thoughtfulness, humanity, kindness and citizenship. The children
in this school have to observe a blind day, a lame day, a deaf day and a dumb day.
It would help the young minds to appreciate and understand misfortunes. The
children learn to be helpful to each other and be compassionate. They learn the
necessary values required for a peaceful co-existence.

136
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let’s enrich our vocabulary
Activity 1 Describing words Appearance/character
tall, short, medium height
frail, stocky, slim, thin, plump,
fatty, skinny, well-built build
young, elderly, middle-aged,
teenager age
round, oval, square, wrinkled face
grey, straight, curly, black, hair
blonde, wavy, bushy
big, round, small, bright,
eyes
narrow
cheerful, aggressive, sensitive,
character
serious, energetic, confident
1. Sherlock Holmes elderly man having a cheerful and
confident look.
2. Amitabh Bachchan
Let’s write
Amitabh Bachchan is a tall and elderly
person with a grey French beard. He has • Let the learners go through the notice
black and wavy hair and an oval shaped given in the Reader.
face. He is a well-built man having a • Initiate a discussion on the features of
serious and energetic appearance. a notice.
3. Sachin Tendulkar • Ask them to give the time, date and
venue of the event.
Sachin Tendulkar is a short, well-built
and middle-aged person. He has curly • Decide what other details are to be
hair and a round face. He is cheerful included.
and energetic. • Learners attempt to write a notice on
4. Muhammed Rafi their own.

Mohammed Rafi has a long nose and bright • Group sharing and refining
and narrow eyes. He is a bald-headed, • Random presentation by the groups

137
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 1 Activity 2
GVHSS CALICUT Let the learner collect the details from
NOTICE books and internet and prepare the
profiles of the personalities given.
Observance of International Day
for the Differently Abled Let’s speak

28 November, 2015 Activity 2

Dear friends, Presentation

The Health Club of GVHSS Calicut has Let the learners do the activity by
decided to observe the International themselves. Ask them to collect the
Day for the Differently Abled on pictures of the people. They may
December 3, in the school auditorium. hyperlink the text to relevant sites.
The Health Inspector Mr. Haridas has Let’s discover how grammar works
consented to inaugurate the function. Activity 1
All are invited. 1. Habitual
2. Factual
Sd/
Name 3. Habitual
Convenor 4. Planned future action
Health Club
5. Universal
6. Planned future action
PROGRAMME Activity 2
Prayer : School choir 1. Action in progress at the time of
speaking
Welcome speech : Secretary
2. Future action that is already planned
Presidential address : Headmaster
e. g:- 1. Action in progress at the time of
Inauguration : Mr. Harikumar
speaking:
(Health Inspector)
a. Raghu is driving a car.
Felicitations : School leader
b. They are waiting for Shyam.
Staff secretary
2. Future action
Vote of thanks : Joint Secretary,
Health Club a. She is taking her exam next month.
b. The Prime Minister is coming
tomorrow.

138
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Activity 3 The Merchant of Venice
a. garden About the author
a garden William Shakespeare (1564-1616) an
a beautiful garden English playwright, poet and actor is
widely regarded as the greatest writer in
a beautiful garden in the school English literature. He is known as the
a beautiful garden in the school where national poet of England and the ‘Bard
we play of Avon’. His works include 37 plays,
153 sonnets and two narrative poems
b. teacher
and several other poems. His plays have
a teacher been translated into all major languages
a good teacher and are performed more than those of
any other playwright. His major works
a good teacher in my village
are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth,
a good teacher in my village who Tempest, Merchant of Venice, etc.
guided me
About the story
Let’s edit
The Merchant of Venice is a comedy by
Follow the process given in Unit 1. Shakespeare. The play raises the question,
1. heard 2. visited 3. saw 4. with 5. ‘Does mercy prevail in the world?’
asked 6. The 7. met 8. of 9. about 10. Against all odds, Portia, Bassanio’s
much 11. through wife, manages to bring about some
mercy to Venice. When Shylock faces
Let’s play with language
execution for his crimes, Portia
1. recline - lie persuades the Duke to pardon him. She
2. rotund - round then, persuades Antonio to exercise
mercy by not taking Shylock’s money.
3. inheritor - heir Thus Portia’s presence turns the plot
4. container - can, tin away from violence to forgiveness.
5. supervisor - sir The pound of flesh that Shylock seeks
lends itself to multiple interpretations.
6. alone - lone
It emerges most as a metaphor for the
7. salvage - save play’s closest relationships. The fact
8. feasted - eat that Bassanio’s debt is to be paid with
Antonio’s flesh is significant showing
9. chariot - cart
how their friendship is so binding that it
10. routine - rote has made them almost one.

139
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Let the learners read the story. 12. because he was cornered. He had
defeated himself in his cruel intent.
Attempt the textual questions in the
Reader individually. 13. The young lawyer wanted Bassanio’s
ring that was gifted to him by his wife,
You may provide help, if necessary.
Portia.
Possible answers 14. The play becomes a comical
1. Bassanio approached Antonio to borrow adventure when Bassanio realises that
money as he wanted to dress himself up as the young lawyer was his wife Portia in
a suitor to Portia, the rich heiress. disguise.
2. Shylock was a money lender. He Let’s revisit
became rich by lending money at a very Let the learners identify the main
high interest to the merchants. events in the story.
3. because Antonio used to lend money Now, they can sequence the events as
to the needy without taking any they occur in the story.
interest. Answers
4. Antonio disliked Shylock. A. 1. Shylock hated Antonio because
5. If he didn’t repay the money in time, he used to lend money without interest.
he would forefeit a pound of flesh, to be 2. Shylock lends Antonio three
cut off from any part of his body. thousand ducats.
6. The risk is that Antonio may lose his 3. Portia married Bassanio.
life if they are unable to pay the debt. 4. Antonio failed to pay the debt.
7. The first casket was made of gold, 5. Shylock wanted Antonio’s flesh.
the second one silver and third one was
6. Portia rescued Antonio from the
made of lead.
punishment.
8. Portia arrived in Venice disguised as
B. 1. The day of the trial arrived.
a defence lawyer for Antonio.
2. The duke pleaded him to be kind.
9. He wanted to take revenge on
Antonio whom he hated. 3. Shylock was not ready to be merciful.

10. because he wanted to see Antonio 4. Antonio was prepared to die.

dead. 5. Portia arrived disguised as a young
lawyer.
11. It was utterly impossible for Shylock
to cut off the pound of flesh without 6. The young lawyer saved the life of
shedding Antonio's blood. Antonio.

140
English Teacher Text Std VIII
My Grandmother’s House memories. She suffers draught in her
About the poet mind because she doesn't get love from
anywhere. So, she begs for love from
Kamala Surayya (born March 31, 1934 door to door. The image of the window
– May 31, 2009), also known by her is a link between the past and the
one-time pen name Madhavikutty and present. It signifies the desire of the
Kamala Das, was an Indian English poet for a nostalgic peep into her past
poet and littérateur and at the same and resurrect her dreams and desires.
time a leading Malayalam author from
Here is a poem about a grandmother
Kerala. Her popularity in Kerala is
and the nostalgic memories associated
based chiefly on her short stories and
with her.
autobiography, while her oeuvre in
English, written under the name • Generate a discussion based on the
Kamala Das, is noted for the poems and theme of the poem.
explicit autobiography. • The learners comment and share their
Her open and honest treatment of views.
female sexuality, free from any sense of • You may ask certain questions like
guilt, infused her writing with power, these given below.
but also marked her as an iconoclast in
i. Don’t you love your grandmother?
her generation. On 31 May 2009, aged
Why?
75, she died at a hospital in Pune.
ii. Can you share an instance that shows
About the poem
your grandmother's love?
The poem is a reminiscence of the poet’s
• You may recite the poem aloud
grandmother and their ancestral home
emphasing the feelings.
at Malabar in Kerala. Her fond
memories of her grandmother and the • The learners listen to the poem with
love she received from her are their books closed.
associated with the image of her • Ask them to identify words and
ancestral home where she had spent the phrases that express the poet’s feelings.
happiest days of her life. With the
death of her grandmother, the house • Let them refer to the glossary for a
became desolate and morose. better comprehension of unfamiliar
words.
The poet is in another city. She is
heartbroken and longs to go back to • Let them comment on the content of
look through the windows of that the poem like sense, sound, beauty and
house. She wants to bring back a imagery.
handful of darkness - sad and painful • Individual reading of the poem.

141
English Teacher Text Std VIII
• Now, they can attempt the textual the poem with a meaningful purpose.
questions. The learners can do an appreciation of
• Let them identify the characters other the poem, focusing on the poetic
than the poet and the relationship they devices used by the poet.
share. Activity 1
• Let them sit in pairs and identify the • She had been given too much love in
words/phrases that associate feelings the past. But in the present she is
with nature. begging for love.
Possible answers to the textual • The house withdrew into silence and
questions snakes moved among the books.
1. Grandmother Activity 2
2. After her death the house withdrew Elicit free responses from the learners.
into silence and snakes moved among Personification: Personification is the
the books.
poetic device by which human qualities
3. The memories will always remain are attributed to inanimate objects.
with the poet. Eg. Eye of the windows
4. a. through blind eyes of windows, Windows do not have eyes. Eyes, a
b. to the frozen air, c. an armful of
feature of living beings is attributed to
darkness
windows.
5. memories of the grandmother's
• ‘... pick an armful of
house
Darkness to bring it here to lie
6. a. She is begging for love.
Behind my bedroom door like a
b. small quantity. brooding
7. Windows are dusty and so one Dog...’
cannot see through it.
Activity 3
8. due to silence and loneliness
Simile: Behind my bedroom door like a
9. The word ‘darling’. She is talking brooding dog.
about the house that she had lived in Activity 4
and the love she received while living
there. Images: Snakes moved among books -
visual image
10. The house withdrew into silence Peer through blind eyes - visual image
and snakes moved among the books.
Listen to the frozen air - auditory image
Let’s revisit
Pick an armful of darkness - visual
The activities given after the poem are
intended to make the learners re-read By now at stranger's door - visual

142
English Teacher Text Std VIII
Solitude Through the narrow aisles of pain.’
Let the learners read the poem silently. 6. Yes. Being self-reliant helps us to
Now, attempt the textual questions. overcome the problems of life and gives
Possible answers us confidence to face the challenges in life.
1. In the present day world, people are 7. Yes. The world abides with us only
only interested in sharing happiness and when we are happy. Nobody will be
joy with others. Sorrows are to be faced there to share our sorrows.
all alone. This shows selfishness. 8. Nectared wine: the happiest moment
of her life
2. There are many to share a person’s
Life's gall: the sorrows of one’s life
joy but none to comfort him/her during
his/her unhappy movements. Let’s revisit:
3. ‘For the sad, old earth must borrow Activity 1
its mirth, 1. If you stay positive, people will be
with you.
But has trouble enough of its own.
2. Optimism
4. Yes. The poet means to suggest that 3. ‘Rejoice, and men will seek you’.
success alone can motivate us to live
and sharing the joy of our success can I Can
promote harmony. Let the learners attempt the self -
assessment checklist given at the end of
5. ‘But one by one we must all file on the unit.

143