ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE READING IN ESL Ana Salado López 28768940-B Level: Compulsory and Non-Compulsory Secondary Education Bearing in mind that, as a rule, our students have little reading experiences and, moreover, the activities in this paper are intended to be done in the second language, the teachers’ task becomes essential in that they have to provide the students with sources where they can find materials that fit their level and tastes in order to create a habit. MY FAVOURITE BOOK At the beginning of the school year the teacher, in agreement with other department colleagues, asks the students to choose a reader each from a list of adapted classics and stories designed by the teachers implied in the project. They will acquire it either buying or downloading the text. See the sample books belonging to the intermediate level and some web pages devoted to the adaptation of literature for children and teenagers http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/library.htm http://storynory.com After at least three rounds each student chooses his/her favourite text and introduces it to his/her partners. The presentation will go from the outside to the inside, from its appearance to its content: the students will tell the class why it is his/her favourite book, how the characters are… Having finished the presentation the partners ask everything they want about the book. Then, the books will be put to the vote. Every student will give them from to . If the stars a book gets doubles the number of students it will join the ‘Classroom Library’. The main objective of this activity is to awaken the students’ interest for reading through the excitement classmates show when introducing their favourite book. CLASSROOM LIBRARY The ‘Classroom Library’ establishes a loan system controlled by the students within the classroom. Apart from the elaboration of a chart telling who has each book in every moment, inside each one the students will keep a card like this below accounting for the main information and the register of borrowings: TITLE: AUTHOR: EDITORIAL: SUMMARY: I, ____________________, this book on __________. I, ____________________, this book on __________. I, ____________________, this book on __________. I, ____________________, this book on __________. took took took took The students will use one session a week, always the same day, to get their books and spend half an hour reading them, just for pleasure. These books will be exposed in the School Book Day around the 23rd of April. The students of all the level groups will elaborate in pairs a poster of one of the books which will be placed next to it at the fair. As all the students attend the exposition, these readers can be shared by all the groups. THE STORYTELLER Telling stories that interest the students eases their role as hearers, readers and later writers of what their imagination produces. But we can also ask the students to tell their own new stories about characters known for them. The fact that the interlocutors keep listening, showing interest and interacting enthusiastically helps both them and the narrator. In some Internet sites, like Storynory, the students can hear the tale while reading it so that they learn how to perform paying attention to intonation and voice performance: Furthermore there are others, and very enjoyable, ways to aim for our objectives such as acting out the story: the teacher and then the students can gesture or prepare a little play. The creation of a Classroom Playhouse will also improve the students’ creativity and personal initiative. LITERARY ANNIVERSARIES Every year there are plenty of anniversaries to celebrate. This year Miguel Hernández 100th birth anniversary offers us an opportunity to learn and create. As a pre-task the students can research the poet’s biography and his stylistic features. The teacher gives the students a translation into English of one sonnet by Miguel Hernández. In groups of four they will have to translate it into Spanish trying to cope with rhyme and poetic style as much as possible. They can use a dictionary of synonyms to reach their greatest. Then, all the poems are read aloud. SONNET The sun, the rose, and the child were born the flowers of the day. Things of every day suns, flowers, new children. Tomorrow I’ll be no more: someone else will be be real. I’ll be no more, beyond those who wish for their memory. The flower of a day is tallest at the foot of the smallest thing. Flower of light, the lightning flash, and flower of the moment, time. Between the flowers you went. Between the flowers I remain. remain. After that, a copy of the original poem is handed out for the students to learn how Miguel Hernandez mastered the words and check how much they get close! El sol, la rosa y el niño flores de un día nacieron. Los de cada día son soles, flores, niños nuevos. Mañana no seré yo: otro será el verdadero. Y no seré más allá de quien quiera su recuerdo. Flor de un día es lo más grande al pie de lo más pequeño. Flor de la luz el relámpago, y flor del instante el tiempo. Entre las flores te fuiste. Entre las flores me quedo. Bibliography - http://www.cajamagica.net/ - http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Spanish/Hernandez.htm