I've been working on a particular projec for awhile now, and would like some of your ideas on it if you'd like.
Part of the project most of you could not help me with at all since it involves teaching French-language literature to non-native speakers of French.
The other part of the project though involves teaching English literature to non-native speakers of English 11 years and older. What books would you recommend? Among the criteria would be:
1. that it be accessible to the developmental ability of an 11-year-old native English speaker.
2. that it be no longer than about 20 Microsoft Word pages when all set at 12-point Times New Roman. If it's a few pages more than that, i could consider it. And if it's significantly shorter, that does not matter.
3. It must be literature that could be worth memorizing (such as poetry, songs, hymns, anthems) or at least studying in sufficient depth (a bill of rights or some other significant document or book, etc.). I realise that this last point creates a difficult balancing act since it then involves finding content with depth yet which is still accessible to a younger audience.
And please don't worry about the level of difficulty for non-native speakers. If it's accessible to native speakers, it's good enough, since making it accessible to non-native speakers is in fact part of the project.
Among some that I'm looking at already include:
Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake.
Quite honestly, that's the only one I'm currently looking at as far as English literature goes. However, if it's intended to be used in Canada, it would be nice for it to include some Canadian content too. Among some I've considered are the national anthem, or perhaps even historical anthems too, such as the Mapleleaf forever, and the Royal Anthem (not so historical). I must admit that while the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, while not too bad, is still a littlelong and heavy for a younger audience. I suppose I could select portions of it, but ideally I'd rather present entire documents as opposed to parts of them. But that's my personal bias and I may be open to ideas there.
Also interesting would be pre-confederation patriotic songs, from Canadians writing poetry and songs as Britons. I'd found a few on the internet.
To give some other examples, for the French-language side of it, I'm looking at some Fables de la Fontaine. Perhaps some Canadian and Quebec patriotic songs and poems n French might work too. I have a few in mind, but still haven't decided which to select.
Anyway, please feel free to share your ideas. Thanks.
As for Canadian poets, I've considered Charles G. D. Robert's poems, especially since he's considered by many to be the father of Canadian poetry. He does have some good poems online too, some of which I think my target age group would especially enjoy.
As for Quebec literature, I've also considered Octave Crémazie. He' generally considered to be the father of French-Canadian poetry, but I must admit that I have not been able to find any of his poems online yet.
Part of the project most of you could not help me with at all since it involves teaching French-language literature to non-native speakers of French.
The other part of the project though involves teaching English literature to non-native speakers of English 11 years and older. What books would you recommend? Among the criteria would be:
1. that it be accessible to the developmental ability of an 11-year-old native English speaker.
2. that it be no longer than about 20 Microsoft Word pages when all set at 12-point Times New Roman. If it's a few pages more than that, i could consider it. And if it's significantly shorter, that does not matter.
3. It must be literature that could be worth memorizing (such as poetry, songs, hymns, anthems) or at least studying in sufficient depth (a bill of rights or some other significant document or book, etc.). I realise that this last point creates a difficult balancing act since it then involves finding content with depth yet which is still accessible to a younger audience.
And please don't worry about the level of difficulty for non-native speakers. If it's accessible to native speakers, it's good enough, since making it accessible to non-native speakers is in fact part of the project.
Among some that I'm looking at already include:
Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake.
Quite honestly, that's the only one I'm currently looking at as far as English literature goes. However, if it's intended to be used in Canada, it would be nice for it to include some Canadian content too. Among some I've considered are the national anthem, or perhaps even historical anthems too, such as the Mapleleaf forever, and the Royal Anthem (not so historical). I must admit that while the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, while not too bad, is still a littlelong and heavy for a younger audience. I suppose I could select portions of it, but ideally I'd rather present entire documents as opposed to parts of them. But that's my personal bias and I may be open to ideas there.
Also interesting would be pre-confederation patriotic songs, from Canadians writing poetry and songs as Britons. I'd found a few on the internet.
To give some other examples, for the French-language side of it, I'm looking at some Fables de la Fontaine. Perhaps some Canadian and Quebec patriotic songs and poems n French might work too. I have a few in mind, but still haven't decided which to select.
Anyway, please feel free to share your ideas. Thanks.
As for Canadian poets, I've considered Charles G. D. Robert's poems, especially since he's considered by many to be the father of Canadian poetry. He does have some good poems online too, some of which I think my target age group would especially enjoy.
As for Quebec literature, I've also considered Octave Crémazie. He' generally considered to be the father of French-Canadian poetry, but I must admit that I have not been able to find any of his poems online yet.
