A. Youth and Education - Search for Identity

The texts in this theme deal with young people's experiences of growing up, going to school and forming their own identity and how the school system and parents' expectations influence who we become.

Lessons

Thursday August 20 | Introduction

Introduction to the theme Youth and education - search for identity.

Introduction to your English teacher - and some reflections on career (planning?).

To prove that you were present today fill in this silly questionnaire.

You will need today's secret code 😊

(Warning: this questionnaire is not politically correct since it reflects stereotypical views of computer scientists in Russia).

Work in Google Meet groups (45 minutes):

a. Decide who is chairperson in your group coordinating the discussion and filling in the worksheet. You may take turns being chairperson.

b. Discuss (in English!) as many of the questions in this worksheet that you have time for - and fill in your part of the worksheet with your answers (keywords or short sentences) that you agree on in your group.

(If you do not reach agreement, you may write several keywords (or short sentences) for one question).

c. Decide which one of you will present each of your answers - if they are to be presented in class.

In class: present some of your answers and reflections to the class.

Did you fill in the class presence questionnaire?

Introduction to your homework for Monday.

Monday August 24 | The Happiest Days of your Life

Homework:

Read/listen to: Penelope Lively: The Happiest Days of Your Life (1978)

Read the short introduction to Peter Walford: https://woe.systime.dk/?id=p213

Watch this video about the British school system: https://woe.systime.dk/?id=p214

Watch this video about Peter Walford's public school memories: https://woe.systime.dk/?id=p216&L=0.

Watch this video with Peter Walford about 'fagging': https://woe.systime.dk/?id=p215

In "class" (we will "meet" in this meeting room: https://meet.google.com/rkv-nyny-dpr)

1) We will talk about a simple model of text analysis (fiction texts) - and the principle of taxonomy.

We will talk about a more complex model of text analysis. You will need terms from this model in today's tasks (below).

Get today's secret code.

In groups: discuss and help each other through these tasks:

2) Using information from this video about the British school system (homework for today) complete this quiz (using the link here): https://squiz.systime.dk/go/ACY-71e18 (you may need to play the video and listen while you do the quiz).

PLEASE NOTICE that the correct answer to 'The ordinary state school system - 16+ years' consists of 3 'boxes' that are all part of the answer!

3) Using information from this video about Peter Walford's public school memories (homework for today): complete this quiz (using the link here): https://squiz.systime.dk/go/AC0-c955e

(Peter Walford refers to Penelope Lively's short story 'The Happiest Days of Your Life' that we are going to read next week).

4) Complete these tasks (using the links below!) about Penelope Lively: The Happiest Days of Your Life (1978):

- narrator and point of view

- setting

- language and style

- themes

- perspectives

5) Fill in this questionnaire.

Monday August 31 | Close to the Water's Edge

Introduction (in Danish)

Read/listen to:

Claire Keegan: Close to the Water’s Edge (2007) (17:04)

In groups: answer these questions for the text - prepare to discuss them in class afterwards.

1) Setting: Find information in the text about the physical (geographical) setting as well as the social setting. Conclude: What kind of environment are we in?

2) Characters: What are the three main characters like - the young man, the mother and Richard, the millionaire?

3) Conflicts: How do the characters relate to each other, and what conflicts are there between them?

4) Development: In what ways does the young man try to tackle the conflicts he experiences? Include in this analysis his thoughts in the beginning, his behavior during the birthday dinner, the meaning of his grandmother’s story, and his nightly swim.

5) The ending: Discuss if the young man is taking his grandmother’s advice (not climbing back into the car) or if he is simply taking the easy way out, avoiding dealing with the conflicts?

6) Symbols: Water plays a major role in this short story, not only in the title; what does it symbolize? Discuss other symbols such as the cufflinks, the pink cake, the mirrors, the tie, the first species, the mother’s shopping habits.

8) In your opinion, should gays and lesbians be allowed to join the military, marry and adopt children?

9) In your opinion: to what extent are people free to choose their own lives?

If you finish all 9 questions, discuss the questions in this worksheet and write your group answers or comments in the table.

Fill in this questionnaire - using today's secret code 😊

[We will continue these tasks on Thursday, September 3]