Short Story

Name of the Activity: Tales Reimagined

Learning Objective: By the end of the activity, students will be able to create a new short story from an existing story that expressively pictures their imagination on forming their desired narrative. 

Instructions: 

1. The teacher will share a story titled “The Tortoise and The Hare” which is a famous short story among the students. 

2. The teacher shows the visuals of the story on the screen. https://www.sandylands.lancs.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/the-tortoise-and-the-hare-story.pdf 

3. From the presentation of the teacher, students automatically understand the whole storyline of “The Tortoise and The Hare” short story. 

4. The teacher will prepare an activity called “Tales Reimagined” for the students. 

5. Students are required to change any parts they want in the story and write a new short story about “The Tortoise and The Hare” by using their desired storyline.

Material

Justifications: 

This activity is suitable for primary ESL students especially for Year 6 as students have to write a new short story based on the existing story that the teacher has taught. From the activity students will be able to:

• Vocabulary Expansion: Students are required to change any parts of the short story with their own ideas which helps them to develop vocabulary in forming creative short stories. By encouraging students to replace certain elements of a short story with their own ideas, thereby prompting them to use a broader range of words and expressions. For example, they might develop new vocabulary and words from the activity which requires them to create a new storyline from the short story entitled “The Tortoise and The Hare”. 

• Increase Creativity: Fostering creativity in the activity of writing a new short story based on an existing one which is “The Tortoise and The Hare” involves providing students with the freedom to explore their imagination, encouraging unique perspectives, and allowing for creative expression in their writing. Plus, this activity prompts students to explore different settings, times, moods, characters and characteristics for their stories. For example, students can create their desired storyline which can foster their imagination in the process of forming the creative short story. Students would feel free to interpret and reinterpret the existing story in their own way. This freedom allows them to inject their unique ideas and perspectives into the narrative.

Relevant Theories and Approaches in Teaching and Learning

• Constructivism - The activity is designed to propose students to form their own imaginations in creating a new short story by changing any parts they like to meet their desired storylines. This activity is giving opportunities for students to create a new storyline from the story they have learned which aligns with the constructivism theory which emphasised on students using their previous knowledge as a foundation and building on it with new things that they learn (Siti Fatimah, 2022). 

6 C's Components

Researchers and education experts have outlined the Cs about the education in the 21st Century, and they cover: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, citizenship ,and character (Anugerahwati, 2019)

• Critical thinking - From the activity, students are required to create a new plot by changing any parts they would like in order to come up with their own storyline. Students need to brainstorm ideas and their thoughts by changing any parts of the story and have to think critically about producing a new storyline based on how they want the story to look. It requires them to think out of the box and imaginatively in order to write the short story of “The Tortoise and The Hare”. Plus, the activity helps students to increase their abilities in processing ideas and give opportunities for them to choose their own storyline. 

• Creativity - Students are given opportunities to be creative in this activity as they must think creatively in forming the interesting storyline. Students are able to optimise their cognitive abilities from the activity as they have to be creative in changing any parts of the short story entitled “The Tortoise and The Hare”. They have the freedom of making any storylines they want to which encourage their brains processes to be creative. 

• Communication - This activity needs students to write a new short story that can lead to effective communication for them which fosters expressive writing. Students must express their ideas, thoughts, and creativity in a clear and coherent manner. This activity encourages them to use language to convey their imaginative concepts and engage the reader. 

Moving Towards the 21st Century:

• 21st-Century Skills: The activity prepared empowers students with crucial 21st-century skills, including critical thinking, creativity, and communication. These skills are essential for success in both academic and professional contexts. These skills are vital due to the rapidly changing landscape of education and the world at large. Students are able to think critically which allows them to analyse, evaluate, and make informed decisions, fostering independent and discerning learners. It encourages students to approach challenges with innovative solutions, fostering adaptability and resourcefulness.

• Preparation for Real-world Challenges: Beyond academic knowledge, students need life skills such as resilience, time management, and interpersonal skills to navigate the complexities of adulthood. The activity prepared is one of the preparations for students to face the real-world challenge like they have to think out of the box to any challenges coming. Students can ask for opinions and ideas from the teacher as well as their friends in the activity which is helpful for increasing the interpersonal skills to socialise with the classroom people. 

References

Anugerahwati, M. (2019). Integrating the 6Cs of the 21st Century Education into the English Lesson and the School Literacy Movement in Secondary Schools. KnE Social Sciences, 3(10), 165. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v3i10.3898

Siti Fatimah, M. (2022). Student-based Learning in The Perspective of Constructivism Theory and Maieutics Method. International Journal of Social Science and Human Research, 05(05). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v5-i5-10