Designing Speaking and Writing Tasks Based on Texts— Insights from the ‘Four Resources Model’

1. Designing Speaking and Writing Tasks Based on Texts—Insights from the ‘Four Resources Model’ Dr. Angel Lin, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Chinese University of Hong Kong Email: AngelLin@cuhk.edu.hk

2. Introduction • The ‘Four Resources Model’ has been developed in Critical Literacy research and reading instruction • It helps reading educators to understand the different key processes involved when a reader approaches a text

3. Introduction • Introducing the “Four Resources” model • In this workshop, examples of activities will be provided to help participants to apply the model in designing writing and speaking activities based on texts

4. The Four Resources Model • A very good framework for understanding the existing typologies of reading pedagogies is provided by Luke & Freebody (1990, 1999)’s “Four Resources/Roles” model

5. The Four Resources Model

6. The Four Resources Model

7. The Four Resources Model • It is a way of seeing all the different levels of literacy • The model is a map of possible practices (Luke & Freebody, 1999) • Therefore, it is not an instructional panacea and does not have all the answers • Basically the model can be used as a way to scaffold students towards becoming active users of texts rather than simply consumers

8. Levels of the Model • Leve1: Learning to be a code-breaker • At this level the basic skills of reading may be emphasized • Level 2 : Learning to be a text–participant • At this level students may develop genre knowledge, back-ground knowledge and comprehension knowledge

9. Uses of the Model • Level 3 : Learning to be a text–user • Students use texts to participate in social and cultural activities or for further learning • Level 4 : Learning to be a text analyst • At this level students critically analyse how the text positions (i.e., creates identities for) groups and people and has purposes and objectives

10. Uses of the Model • An important point is that literacy instruction can cover all four levels and one level is not pre-requisite for the next • The aim of a reading programme should be to move students gradually towards a "critical" dimension of literacy and to develop literacy skills in each of the four resource areas

11. Teaching Strategies • All four roles need to be taught systematically and explicitly, and crafted by the professionally well informed teacher • Teachers should explore how all strategies and materials available might be used to build literacy skills at each of the four resource levels

12. Example 1: Printed Fiction • Fairy Tale: Snow White

13. Sample Tasks for Snow White • Level 1: Language decoding (of words, phrases, language features, stylistic features of the text) • Find ten adjectives that describe each of the main characters • Explain how these adjectives help you understand the characters’ personalities, special styles or mannerisms…etc.

14. Snow White • Level 2: Comprehension of key content of the text • What are the main problems encountered by the main character in the text? • How does he/she overcome the problem? • What does this tell us about life or how we should face difficulties?

15. Snow White • Level 3: Tasks related to active use of texts in real-life situations • If you are to meet with the author (director) of this story (movie), what questions are you going to ask him/her?  Why? • If you are to turn this text into a radio drama, what changes will you make (e.g., to include which main problems and solutions; to include which main characters only)? Why? Explain your selections and decisions.

16. Snow White • Level 4: Tasks related to critical understanding of the social and cultural messages (both spoken and unspoken) conveyed by the text • Why are the male and female characters described in such a way in the story/movie?  • What are the cultural and social assumptions about women (e.g., the main female character is to be rescued by a prince and cannot help herself)? 

17. Snow White • If you can get into a time machine and meet with Snow White, what 3 objects  will you bring her and why? • e.g., anti-wrinkle/aging cream for she might lose the love of the prince when she grows old; whitening skin care products for she has to keep her skin white to be beautiful… 

18. Snow White • If you are to write a sequel to the movie or story of Snow White, what would be the storyline? Why do you have such a story as a sequel? • e.g., the sequel might be about what happens to Snow White and her family after marriage, after getting children, and so on… 

19. Hollywood Movie: Music of the Heart (1999) Actors: Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Gloria Estefan Synopsis After her husband leaves her, Roberta Guaspari (Streep) struggles to find a job and take care of her two sons When she bumps into an old friend (Quinn), he tells her of a high school that might need a music teacher She meets with the school's principal (Bassett) and states her desire to teach the children the violin Example 2: Movie

20. The principal rejects her, citing lack of funding as one of the many excuses why it could never happen Persistently, she eventually breaks her down and fights to establish a solid, effective violin program Ten years later, the program has spread to other schools and is a smashing success When funds are once again cut and the program is threatened for real, Roberta uses connections to get the injustice printed in the New York Times A benefit concert ensues at Carnegie Hall, featuring appearances of such luminaries as Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern, and Arnold Steinhardt Music of the Heart

21. Tasks related to language decoding Find ten expressions that Roberta used to praise her students and ten expressions that she used to admonish her students (level 1) If you were her students, which expressions would you like and why? (levels 1,2,4) Music of the Heart

22. Why did her students want her to switch back to her ‘harsh’ speaking style? (level 1) If you were her students, would you like her to use a ‘harsh’ or an indirect speaking style when teaching you? Why? (levels 1/ 2/4) What do you think about the different cultural styles of teaching in other countries (e.g. Hong Kong)? (level 4) Music of the Heart

23. Nick (Son) said to Roberta (Mum), ‘What’s up?’ Roberta, ‘You’re up.’ Please discuss the meanings of the above dialogue (level 1/2) Can you find other word puns / interesting dialogues in the movie? What are their implications? (level 1/2) Can you make up several extra fun dialogues for the movie yourself? (level 3) Music of the Heart

24. Tasks related to social conditions/problems Tell ten problems that Roberta has come across when teaching her students in a poor inner city school in East Harlem, New York (levels 1/2) What do these problems tell us about the family and social conditions of poor minority children in inner city schools in the United States? (level 4) Music of the Heart

25. Why did Nain (the Black schoolboy)’s mum refuse to let her son learn violin? (levels 1/2) Why did she think Roberta is a pompous white woman who thought who had come to rescue her son? (level 1/2) Do you think certain music genres or music instruments belong to one ethnic group and not others, and certain music styles and instruments are seen as ‘higher’ than others? Why? (level 4) Music of the Heart

26. Music of the Heart • Why do some Blacks in the United States hold negative attitudes towards White people and their music? • Does something similar happen in Hong Kong (e.g., among ethnic minorities in HK)? • Can music cut across race lines and social classes and touch the hearts of different peoples? • How can we help make this happen? (all at level 4)

27. Music of the Heart • Tasks related to gender images/ relations Mum, ‘Thank Charles for this.’ Roberta, ‘Why, why thank him for this?’ Mum, ‘If he had not left you, nothing of this would have happened.’ • Discuss this dialogue between Roberta and her mum. What is the message of this dialogue? (levels 1/2/4) • In your views, what counts as a happy/fulfilling life for a woman in modern society? Why? (level 4)

28. Music of the Heart • What’s the difference between Brian and Roberta in their views about love relations? • Why did Roberta ask Brian to leave her and her family? • If you were Roberta, would you do that? • Try to write up a story for Brian and Roberta yourself • What do you think an ideal relationship between a man and a woman should be like? Why? (Levels 1 to 4)

29. Music of the Heart • Why did Roberta’s sons place a dating ad for their mum? • What kind of social expectations do they seem to hold of a single mum? • Do you agree with their social norms and expectations about a single mum? (levels 1/2/4)

30. Music of the Heart • Is Roberta a stronger woman at the end of the movie than at the beginning? • If yes, in what ways is she stronger? • What has made her strong? • What decisions did she make that made her strong? (levels 1/2/4)

31. Music of the Heart • Tasks related to active use and critical analysis of texts • What do you think of the ending? Do you think Roberta should be dating the university professor? Why and why not? • What do you want the ending to be? How will you re-write it and why? • If you are to choose a song for Roberta, which song would you choose and why? (levels 3/4)

32. Your Task 1: Movie I Not Stupid (1999) • Actors: • Jack Neo • Xiang Yun • Huang Po Ju • Shawn Lee • Theme song 1 • Theme song 2

33. I Not Stupid • Synopsis • Kok Pin, Boon Hock and Terry are classmates in EM3 • In Singapore, that means that at the age of 12, the government has decided that they are not as academically inclined as their peers who have been placed in an express or normal stream

34. Kok Pin is creative and a born artist but his parents would like him to focus on his Math and Sciences Boon Hock comes from a poor family and needs to balance school and help out at the hawker stall Terry, a spoilt brat is just too lazy a student I Not Stupid

35. While the three children suffer from the pressure of school, their parents have another set of problems Kok Pin's mother is passed over for a promotion because she does not have a university degree His father, a Chinese advertising copywriter is struggling to move ahead at work where Caucasians and the English language mean authority at most advertising agencies I Not Stupid

36. Terry's father family business runs into a crisis when a competitive "Ba Gua" company from Taiwan sets up a chain of shops in Singapore When Terry's father goes to an agency to seek advertising help for his ailing business due to a newly opened "Ba Gua" (Pork Jerky) store from Taiwan, he opts for a creative plan from the Creative Director rather than a better campaign by Kok Pin's father because of an unpleasant encounter with Kok Pin's father earlier I Not Stupid

37. The Chinese New Year "Ba Gua" campaign ends up in a mess Kok Pin's father decides to help Terry's father and convinces him to try his campaign. It was a big success I Not Stupid

38. Designing Activities • Please design some tasks/activities for the movie, applying the same model • Discuss the objectives of each task you designed for the student • Did you encounter any difficulties in planning the tasks/activities? How did you tackle them?

39. Useful Materials • Online resources for ‘I Not Stupid’ • http://inotstupid.com.sg/inotstupid1/ • http://inotstupid.kingnet.com.tw/ • http://www.hkfilms.com/?http://www.hkfilms.com/Films/2002/INotStupid/INotStupid.shtml • http://www.filmplay.com/html/gallery/g_inotstupid.html • http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166943/

40. Useful Materials • Online resources for ‘Shrek’ (2001) • www.shrek.com • www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=810

41. Your Task 2 • Please choose one printed text (e.g. stories, fairy tales, fables or other genres) and design 4 related tasks/activities, again using the Four-Resources Model • Share your experiences with other participants (e.g. where can you find the resources/materials, what are the limitations..) • How can you teach the ‘4-resources model’ to your students and encourage them to develop tasks based on texts? (e.g., one group designing tasks for another group to do, or as a competition…)

42. References & Websites • http://www.inpoint.org/ (The language of film) • http://www.twghsksk.edu.hk/xoops/html/hp/english/index.htm (School wide literacy programme at TWGHSKSK) • Freebody, P., & Luke, A. (1990). Literacy programs: Debates and demands in cultural context. Prospect: Australian Journal of TESOL, 5(7), 7-16. • Luke, A., & Freebody, P. (1999). Further notes on the Four Resources Model. http://www.readingonline.org/research/lukefreebody.html

43. The EndComments & Feedback Welcome!