Topic : Studying an Adapted Novel

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Communicating

It is expected that students will:

• exchange ideas and thoughts on topics of interest

Experiencing Creative Works

It is expected that students will:

• view, listen to, and read creative works, and respond to them in various ways

Overview

• dramatizations
• questions demonstrating listening comprehension
• written assignments retelling the story

Planning for Assessment and Evaluation

• The teacher presented an adapted novel that was written in Chinese characters and Pinyin and supported by pictures. The teacher also provided background information about the original author (Lao She). Students previewed the book and offered predictions about the story (in Chinese), which the teacher recorded.

• The teacher read the first few pages as students listened and followed in their books. The class then worked together to review and summarize what had happened. They also reviewed and revised their predictions.

• Students continued to listen to, read, and discuss the story over several classes. The teacher used a variety of strategies to present the story. For example, students were asked to:
  • listen and follow as the teacher read
  • work in groups, with each group reading, discussing, and summarizing a different segment of the story to present to the class
  • work in pairs to read and answer questions about short segments
  • listen to audiotapes of a segment of the story, then read the segment independently

• After they completed the novel, the teacher divided the class into groups of four or five and assigned each group a part of the story to dramatize. Criteria for the dramatizations were posted on a classroom chart for easy reference throughout the activity. Students were also given copies of the rating scale that would be used for evaluation. The class negotiated timelines and other requirements for the dramatizations (e.g., length of performance, use of props and costumes, use of videotape).

• Students developed and practised their dramatizations during two class sessions. The teacher encouraged them to develop outlines and to use cue cards, rather than writing and memorizing scripts. Some groups chose to videotape their dramatizations rather than performing live in class. After each performance, the performers answered questions from the audience and received feedback. Over the course of all the presentations, each student was expected to ask at least five questions. The teacher also asked students to keep written records of the questions they asked and the answers they received.

• After all of the performances were complete, the teacher led a discussion about the activity, and students were encouraged to share their impressions, opinions, and feelings. They also offered recommendations for future activities.

• As a culminating activity, each student prepared a two-page written assignment in which they retold the novel in their own words, using Chinese characters as much as possible.

Defining the Criteria

Dramatization

Group Preparation

To what extent does the group:

• accurately portray characters and events
• accurately reflect the ideas, feelings, and themes of the original work
• create dialogue that reflects the situation, personality, and mood of the characters
• incorporate detail to engage the audience
• show evidence of practice and rehearsal in the presentation (e.g., fluency, sense of ease)

Individual Performances

To what extent does the student:

• speak comprehensibly
• show confidence and fluency in delivery
• convey the appropriate mood and expression through her or his speech and actions
• attempt to use language to create a specific effect or mood

Questions Demonstrating Listening Comprehension

To what extent does the student provide questions that:

• are understandable
• are relevant to the presentation
• require information or clarification not already provided

Written Assignment in Chinese

To what extent does the student:

• include setting, key characters and events, and resolution of the story
• accurately sequence events and portray relationships
• provide relevant details to enhance description or support main ideas
• include an interpretation of the theme or purpose of the story
• use a wide range of appropriate vocabulary and patterns
• use a variety of familiar Chinese characters, formed correctly
• use Pinyin that is spelled correctly and includes tone markers

Assessing and Evaluating Student Performance

Rating scales were used for self-assessment and peer feedback, as well as for teacher evaluation. Students were given copies of the scales to guide their work as they prepared their assignments. Communication of meaning through increasingly sophisticated use of Chinese was the most important consideration in assigning grades.

Dramatization

Rating	Criteria: Group	Criteria: Individual Performance
Outstanding	offers a detailed and accurate protrayal of characters and events insightful interpretation of ideas, feeling and themes dialogue reflects the situation, personality, relationship, and mood of the characters incorporates interesting and unusual detail to engage the audience shows evidence of practice and rehearsal in the presentation (e.g., fluency, interactions, sense of ease)	speech is clear and easy to understand confident, fluent, and expressive; uses body language to support meaning uses a wide range of appropriate vocabulary and patterns may include minor errors in pronunciation, word choice, or structures, but these do not reduce the effectiveness of the information
Good	offers an accurate portrayal of characters and events interpretation of mood and theme is consistent with original dialogue reflects the roles and relationships of the characters incorporates detail to engage the audience shows evidence of practice and rehearsal in the presentation (e.g., fluency, interactions, sense of ease)	speech is generally clear and easy to understand uses appropriate expression and body language, but may be hesitant some variety of vocabulary and patterns may include minor errors in language; these do not obscure the message
Satisfactory	includes key characters and events tends to focus on portraying an event without interpretation or elaboration dialogue (particularly style and use of language) tends to be simple and predictable, with little differentiation among characters includes some detail drawn from the story; may feature some inaccuracies some evidence of practice and rehearsal; however, interaction may include long pauses in some places	speech is understandable but may pose occasional problems for the audience hesitant; frequently speaks without appropriate expression vocabulary and patterns tend to be very simple and repetitive may include errors in language (e.g., tones) that weaken but do not obscure the message
Not Evident	events are confusing or incomplete little evidence of practice or rehearsal may be extremely brief	speech is extremely difficult to understand errors obscure meaning may be extremely brief

Note: Communicating meaning is the most important consideration and should receive the greatest weighting in assigning a grade.

Questions Demonstrating Listening Comprehension

Record questions and answers using Pinyin	Rating
1.  Question_____________________________________________ Answer______________________________________________	/2
2.  Question_____________________________________________ Answer______________________________________________	/2
3.  Question_____________________________________________ Answer______________________________________________	/2
4.  Question_____________________________________________ Answer______________________________________________	/2
5.  Question_____________________________________________ Answer______________________________________________	/2
Total	/10

Key: 

2-Question is clearly phrased and relevent, and it elicited new information or clarification.
1-Question is understandable and relevent but might not elicit new information
0-Question cannot be understood or is irrelevent

Written Assignment in Chinese

Criteria	Rating
accurately describes main events, including resolution of the story	0  1  2  3
includes setting and main characters	0  1  2  3
accurately sequences events and portrays relationships	0  1  2  3
provides relevent details to enhance description or support main ideas	0  1  2  3
includes an interpretation of the theme or purpose of the story	0  1  2  3
uses a wide range of appropriate vocabulary and patterns	0  1  2  3
uses a variety of familiar Chinese characters, formed correctly	0  1  2  3
Pinyin is spelled correctly and includes tone markers	0  1  2  3

Key: 

3-Strong
2-Satisfactory
1-Partial
0-Not Apparent (omitted or unsatisfactory)

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