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FOREIGN LANGUAGES
&
THE LITERARY IN THE EVERYDAY
open lessons for
L2 literacy

Lessons > Grammar Play

Examples: foregrounded grammar, nouns as adjectives, non-standard grammar in poetry

What’s in a Name?

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Lesson Title: What’s in a Name?
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Instructional Language: English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year
Text Title: C’est tout un poème
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, LLDQ

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Text

Text Title: C’est tout un poème
Text Language: French
Text Author: Luks, Joanna
Genre: Poetry
Topic: n/a

Lesson

Lesson Title: What’s in a Name?
Instructional Language: English
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Level of Activities: College / 1. year
Pedagogical Practices: n/a
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
Reading: Interpreting a writer’s mental images from grammatical metaphors and context. (An introduction to semiosis).
Writing: Expressing mental imagery in word play.
Language Use & Strategies
Reading: Detecting nouns used as adjectives.
Listening: Noticing rhyme schemes for sound-spelling relationships.
Writing: Using nouns as adjectives to characterize someone. / Creating a rhyme scheme.
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, LLDQ

La Technologie composée et imparfaite

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Lesson Title: La Technologie composée et imparfaite [ Composed and Imperfect Technology ]
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Instructional Language: English / French
Level of Activities: College / 1. year
Text Title: Test pour accro d’internet / Le crash
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, LLDQ

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Text

Text Title: Test pour accro d’internet / Le crash
Text Language: French
Text Author: Anonymous / Anonymous
Genre: Narratives
Topic: n/a

Lesson

Lesson Title: La Technologie composée et imparfaite [ Composed and Imperfect Technology ]
Instructional Language: English / French
Lesson Author: Joanna Luks
Level of Activities: College / 1. year
Pedagogical Practices: n/a
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
Reading/ Writing: French internet vocabulary
Language Use & Strategies
Reading: Finding illogical sequencing of events in a dream text.
Writing: Using passé composé and imparfait verbs with illogical (dreamlike) sequencing.
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, LLDQ

La globalización de comida

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Lesson Title: La globalización de comida
Lesson Author: Carol Ready
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate
Text Title: La United Fruit Co.
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title: La United Fruit Co.
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Pablo Neruda
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Food and Drink

Lesson

Lesson Title: La globalización de comida
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Carol Ready
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading
Writing
Grammar Focus: Past participles / metaphor
Main Objectives:
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Students will interpret and question cultural references and ideological perspectives of the global food industry.
Reading
  • Students will recognize layers of meaning in an authentic literary text.
  • Students will identify descriptive language (e.g. metaphorical and past participles as adjectives).
Writing
  • Students will incorporate descriptive language in their writing.
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • reading poetry
  • writing poetry
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • interpreting and questioning ideological perspectives of the exportation of fruit
  • creating poetry as a social critique
Language Use & Language Play
  • analyzing metaphor to convey a particular emotion or opinion regarding the subject
  • examining the use of past participles as adjectives as a unique descriptive tool
  • incorporating metaphor into writing
  • using past participles as adjectives
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Symbolic Play

El mayor premio es compartirlo

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Lesson Title: El mayor premio es compartirlo [ The greatest prize is to share it ]
Lesson Author: Raychel Vasseur
Instructional Language: Spanish
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year, 3. year / Novice
Text Title: Anuncio de la lotería de Navidad 2015
Text Language: Spanish
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Visual Play

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Text

Text Title: Anuncio de la lotería de Navidad 2015
Text Language: Spanish
Text Author: Leo Burnett agency
Genre: Emails, Letters, and Postcards / TV and Film / Image
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships / Holidays and Celebrations

Lesson

Lesson Title: El mayor premio es compartirlo [ The greatest prize is to share it ]
Instructional Language: Spanish
Lesson Author: Raychel Vasseur
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year, 3. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: adjectives as nouns, cognate (and false cognate) recognition, dates, telling time on a 24 hour clock
Main Objectives:

Grammatically the main objectives of this lesson are that students will be able to recognize, false cognates, recognize and understand adjectives used as nouns, to recognize, understand, and produce cognates, students will understand and produce written dates, and students will recognize the 24-hour clock system. Culturally, students will understand the practices and perspectives of the Spanish Christmas lottery and compare them to their culture’s lottery and Christmas traditions. Analytically, students will be able to use multimodal elements to support their interpretation and understanding of an advertisement.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Watching and analyzing a commercial for the Spanish Christmas lottery.
  • Using multimodal elements (visual and audio) to support interpretation and understanding.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Interpreting and understanding “The best prize is to share it” as the overarching theme of the Christmas lottery and how this appeals to working-class Spaniards.
  • Making sense of the importance of social solidarity
Language Use & Language Play
  • grammar play: Using adjectives as nouns
  • grammar play: Recognizing cognates (and non-cognates)
  • culture play: Foregrounding relationships to advertise a lottery
  • perspective play
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play, Visual Play

Das Modalverbengedicht

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Lesson Title: Das Modalverbengedicht [ The modal verbs poem ]
Lesson Author: Trez Norwood and Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Modalverben-Gedicht
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: Modalverben-Gedicht
Text Language: German
Text Author: Unknown
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Wants, Needs, and Obligations

Lesson

Lesson Title: Das Modalverbengedicht [ The modal verbs poem ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Trez Norwood and Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking
Grammar Focus: modal verbs / subordinate clauses (with wenn)
Main Objectives:

In this lesson, learners work with the poem “Wenn ich nur darf…” in order to explore the range of meanings that modal verbs can convey and the ways in which modality can express a particular point of view.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Viewing and responding to a poem that plays with the meaning of modal verbs.
  • Writing a version of the model verb poem based on their own wants, needs, and obligations.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Discussing the relationship between wants and obligations in everyday life.
Language Use & Strategies
  • Grammar Play (model verbs)
  • Perspective play (modality and the expression of point of view)
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

“Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” – eine deutsche Kurzgeschichte

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Lesson Title: “Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” – eine deutsche Kurzgeschichte
Lesson Author: Sina Colditz
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year, 2. year / Novice, Intermediate
Text Title: Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch
Text Language: German
Text Author: Peter Bichsel
Genre: Narratives
Topic: Living Arrangements

Lesson

Lesson Title: “Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” – eine deutsche Kurzgeschichte
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Sina Colditz
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year, 2. year / Novice, Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: Nouns, Case
Main Objectives:

“Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” is a favorite of German language textbooks. This lesson, designed for beginning to intermediate learners, pushes learners to reflect on the disconnect of grammatical accuracy and meaning, and to think about language as a sociocultural system. Peter Bichel’s short story.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and listening to a German short story.
  • Writing a creative end to the story.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Reflecting on language as a shared system of meanings – not simply a set of grammatical rules – and on how communication mediates our relationships with things and people in our world.
Language Use & Strategies
  • The text engages in word play in that the meaning of words is denaturalized to humorous effects. This word play leads to perspective play, because it reveals that words only gain meaning through a shared sense of what they mean; awareness of parts of speech (e.g. verbs, nouns).
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

Что значит семья в нашей жизни

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Lesson Title: Что значит семья в нашей жизни [ What family means in our life ]
Lesson Author: Natalia Sletova
Instructional Language: Russian
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate
Text Title: My family
Text Language: Russian
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play

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Text

Text Title: My family
Text Language: Russian
Text Author: Олеся Астахова (Olesya Astahova)
Genre: Narratives / Essays
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships / Wants, Needs, and Obligations

Lesson

Lesson Title: Что значит семья в нашей жизни [ What family means in our life ]
Instructional Language: Russian
Lesson Author: Natalia Sletova
Level of Activities: College / 2. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Dative case
Main Objectives:
  • Students will be able to:
    • Identify and master the use of the Dative case in Russian;
    • Recognize and use new vocabulary for describing feelings, emotions and basic needs.
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • An autobiographical essay written by an 11-year Russian student is used for students to discuss basic needs and what family means in their life, practicing some grammar patterns and new vocabulary, used in the text.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Family is important in all cultures and is necessary for people.
Language Use & Language Play
  • The narrative is very emotional, as it was written by a formerly abandoned girl, who was adopted be a new family.
  • The text includes a lot of grammar patterns on the Dative case which has to be covered in the Intermediate level of Russian.
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play

Qual Pessoa?

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Lesson Title: Qual Pessoa? [ “Which person?” ]
Lesson Author: Mariana Sabino Salazar
Instructional Language: Portuguese
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate
Text Title: Ricardo Reis — vida dele / Notas para a recordação do meu mestre Caeiro (algunas delas) / Correspondência (1923-1935) Álvaro de Campos por Fernando Pessoa
Text Language: Portuguese
FLLITE Form: Genre Play, Grammar Play

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Text

Text Title: Ricardo Reis — vida dele / Notas para a recordação do meu mestre Caeiro (algunas delas) / Correspondência (1923-1935) Álvaro de Campos por Fernando Pessoa
Text Language: Portuguese
Text Author: Fernando Pessoa / Álvaro de Campos / Fernando Pessoa
Genre: Portraits and Biographies / Poetry / Music and Music Videos
Topic: Personalities and Physical Attributes / Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: Qual Pessoa? [ “Which person?” ]
Instructional Language: Portuguese
Lesson Author: Mariana Sabino Salazar
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: Introducing Continental Portuguese while reviewing the difference between indicative and subjunctive.
Main Objectives:

Students will be introduced to the work of one of the most important Portuguese writers of the 20th century, Fernando Pessoa, and reflect on different literary styles and how they convey different personalities and lusophone cultures of reception. In particular, students will be able to identify and reflect on the effects of literary elements. They will get familiarized with some literary concepts such as autobiography, heteronym, metaphor, narrator, and pseudonym. They will analyze a variety of biographies in indicative signed as Pessoa’s best-known heteronyms. Later, students will produce written and spoken discourse related to Pessoa’s alter egos, in which they will distinguish linguistically and conceptually between who we are and who we think we are using indicative and subjunctive moods.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • The poet Pessoa will be represented through texts, portraits, signatures, and sketches. This will help students visualize different aspects of his distinct literary personalities. Students will read different literary styles that will expose them to different sentence and paragraph structures, spelling, and punctuation. They will also listen to Brazilian and Continental Portuguese and will get to compare both.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • One of the most salient features of the Portuguese way of being is “saudade,” which is represented in some of these texts. Although Pessoa is Portuguese, his poems have been adapted by famous Brazilian singers and songwriters, which expresses the feature of “lusofonia.” Another important cultural aspect included in this activity is geographical. For instance, the relevant place the city of Lisbon has in Pessoa’s work.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Starting with the title, this activity questions assumptions about who do we think we are and how many personalities we have. Reviewing the difference between the use of the indicative and subjunctive moods based on who we are and how many personalities coexist within the self is central to this lesson. Students will engage with those two moods creatively.
FLLITE Form: Genre Play, Grammar Play

„Begrenzte Unmöglichkeiten“ – Was kann man, wenn man nur will?

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Lesson Title: „Begrenzte Unmöglichkeiten“ – Was kann man, wenn man nur will? [ Limited Impossibilities – Can you have it all if you really want to? ]
Lesson Author: Patrick Ploschnitzki and Chelsea Timlin
Instructional Language: German
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Müssen nur wollen
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play

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Text

Text Title: Müssen nur wollen
Text Language: German
Text Author: Wir sind Helden
Genre: Music and Music Videos
Topic: Wants, Needs, and Obligations / Jobs and Professions / Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: „Begrenzte Unmöglichkeiten“ – Was kann man, wenn man nur will? [ Limited Impossibilities – Can you have it all if you really want to? ]
Instructional Language: German
Lesson Author: Patrick Ploschnitzki and Chelsea Timlin
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening / Viewing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Modal verbs
Main Objectives:

Students will be able to reflect on and express their own associations with the concepts of possibility, impossibility, and motivation and how these are shaped by the cultures within which we live; compare and contrast these ideas to the perspectives expressed in a popular song; understand and interpret the use of modal verbs and other markers of modality as a means of expressing possibility (especially in the form of wishes, needs, and obligations); and express personal and professional motivation(s) in the form of other popular media, e.g. a motivational poster, a meme, or an email signature.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Listening to and viewing the music video for “Müssen nur wollen” by Wir sind Helden, a song which plays with modal verbs in order to express a critical view on expectations and obligations placed on individuals in society;
  • Analyzing and interpreting key phrases in the lyrics through the use of translation;
  • Designing a motivational poster, meme, and / or an email signature, which expresses a belief or value about possibilities and opportunities.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Comparing and contrasting beliefs and values surrounding possibilities, opportunities, and motivation as expressed in German and American popular media, including a pop song, motivational posters, memes, etc.
  • Play with cultural expectations, beliefs and values about personal and professional motivations and the limits of opportunity.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Grammar play with modal verbs and other expressions of modality as they are used to express wants, desires, abilities, and opportunities, and with intended meanings.
  • Culture play with intended meaning in varying phrases and cultural values associated with desires and opportunities.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play

Chante l’amour, chante !

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Lesson Title: Chante l’amour, chante ! [ Sing love, sing! ]
Lesson Author: Marylise Rilliard
Instructional Language: French / English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Carmen
Text Language: French
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Grammar Play, Perspective Play, Sound Play

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Text

Text Title: Carmen
Text Language: French
Text Author: Stromae
Genre: Music and Music Videos
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships / Media and Technology

Lesson

Lesson Title: Chante l’amour, chante ! [ Sing love, sing! ]
Instructional Language: French / English
Lesson Author: Marylise Rilliard
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Listening / Viewing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Imperative
Main Objectives:

Students will listen to, and read the lyrics of, the song L’amour est un oiseau rebelle by Georges Bizet as an introduction to the theme “love/relationships”. Then, they will watch the video clip and analyze the lyrics of the song Carmen by Stromae, which is directly inspired by the previous song. Students will be able to analyze the effects of the use of lexical fields, borrowings, poetic devices, grammatical tools, music and visuals on a written text. They will make inferences about the intertextuality between the two texts. Students will be able to apply what they learned in their own tweets in the target language to defend a cause or denounce an issue they care about.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading songs as poetry and recognizing stylistic devices typical of the genre.
  • Analyzing how different elements of a song (sounds, visual, etc.) add meaning to/reinforce the meaning of the written text.
  • Reflecting on intertextuality and what it brings to a text.
  • Writing tweets to support a cause/denounce an issue. Being impactful in few words.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Connecting texts to social practices and question one’s own social (media) practices.
  • Reflecting on the cultural and social values behind the use of foreign words.
  • Reflecting on appropriate and relevant usage of borrowings.
  • Capitalizing on the affordances of social media practices.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Identifying lexical fields and poetic devices and reflecting on their effect.
  • Analyzing the use of tense and pronouns in a warning message.
  • Examining and reflecting on the use of borrowings in a text.
  • Exploring how grammar, lexicon, and sound can be combined to convey meaning effectively.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Grammar Play, Perspective Play, Sound Play

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  • Project
    ▼
    • Team
    • Editorial Board
    • Collaborators program
    • About the FLLITE Approach
    • Further Reading
  • Lessons
    ▼
    • Lessons by Language
    • Lessons by Language Play
  • Example Texts
  • How to Participate
  • Connect
  • Provide feedback

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