Comparar textos de ficción y no ficción: analizar el pasado para aprender hoy

January/February/March Text Selection will be 'I Am Malala (Young Reader's Edition)'. We will read articles on the history of the Afghan and Pakistani people, the Taliban, Islam, US involvement in Afghanistan/Pakistan, current events on the Taliban, and Malala's life after writing her autobiograpy. 

Example of text with Pairings:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Paired Texts- 'Online Identity' after reading chapter 4 of the novel learners will discuss how the characters in the book used masks to change their identity. Learners will make comparisons to the nonfiction article about students hiding their true selves on social media. 
'The Man in the Well' by Ira Sher: after reading chapter 7 of the novel when the boys treat Robert like a pig, students will read and discuss this short story to explore what motivates people to be cruel
'The Stanford Prison Experiment' by Saul McLeod: Learners will examine social roles in the text as well as concepts surrounding leaders versus followers. After reading chapter 11 of the text, learners will discuss how Jack's treatment of the boys after becoming leader is similar to those of the 'guards' in the nonfiction article. 

Goals for the course:
Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details
Provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text- learners will choose either the novel or a provided short story to write a literary analysis essay with a unique thesis
Develop the topic for a literary analysis essay with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

My style of teaching involves providing learners with a weekly study guide with questions that gear a learner's thinking to identifying the central idea of a text by explaining other literary elements such as setting, conflict, characterization, symbolism, motif, and foreshadowing. During the live meetings, students who completed the study guides will be prepared to engage in discussions regarding the author's use of literary elements to build the plot of the novel. If the novel or one of the short stories we analyze has a film adaptation, I provide learners with segments (or entire video if available) in order to discuss how our opinions of the characters changed or stayed the same after watching. 

Text Selections:
I Am Malala (Young Reader's Edition) by Malala Yousef
Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine  
 The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Endless Steppe by Esther Hautzig
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by Kamkwamba