1. LITERATURE IN FOREIGN
LANGUAGES:
HOW TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS.
Linda Lanis
International School of Florence

2. WHY WE NEED MOTIVATION
IN READING LITERARY BOOKS?
 Motivation is essential in language acquisition.
 Is it essential in reading Literature in the target language as well?

3. TARGET STUDENT
 9-10 grader
 Level B2 of Cefr (usually in the 3rd year of the
language)
 Usually motivated and interested in using the
language in various contests
 Able to speak, enjoying it
 Good interaction with the local community
 Motivation usually high or easy to maintain
Motivation

4. READING LITERATURE
IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE: THE IDEAL SCENARIO
 Students use literature as a window to culture,
history, life and, of course, language.

5. READING LITERATURE IN THE TARGET
LANGUAGE: THE (USUAL)SCARY SCENARIO
 Students not interested
in reading, bored to
death.

6. CLASSIC LITERARY UNIT
 Raising motivation
 First reading
 Focused reading
 Put it in a context
 Connections-links
 Critical reading/ thinking
 Creating personal links
 Synthesis and reflection
 Assessment
•The motivation, usually
high, drops during the
first reading
•Students seem to have no
interest in reading
•The following activities
are difficult for them to
follow
•Lack of interest, frequent
requests to change activity
•Lack of comprehension
m
o
t
i
v
a
t
i
o
n
Critical
point

7. THE PROBLEM: MY EXPERIENCE
 A problem of motivation  A problem of
comprehension
Lack of
comprehension
Lack of
attention
Lack of
motivation

8. THE PROBLEM
 If the problem is not in
the language…
 It has to be in literature!
But why?

9. LITERATURE
 A common cultural need
 Part of communication
 A pleasure to learn, not to
be taken for granted

10. GOALS
 Short term: maintaining
the motivation
 Long term: raising
students’ love of
literature

11. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM
I don’t get the
point : this is
boring and I
don’t like it!
Impossibility of using the language
in their daily life What’s
the
point?
Calp level not reached
I can’t
do that!
Structure and type of the novel/book
It’s
boring!
Spoken language vs written
language
Students’ relationship with
literature

12. CLASSIC LITERARY UNIT
 Raising motivation
 First reading
 Focused reading
 Put it in context
 Connections-links
 Critical reading/thinking
 Creating personal links
 Synthesis and reflection
 Assessment
Critical
point
•Find a new way to
approach the text
•Create something
between the
motivation prompt
and the first
reading
•Connect the text
with the
students’life
•Propose
something new and
varied
•Postpone the first
reading after the
work

13. SUGGESTED LITERARY UNIT
 Raising motivation
 First reading
 Focused reading
 Put in context
 Connections-links
 Critical reading/thinking
 Synthesis and reflection
 Assessment

14. FIRST READING
 After
'internalizing’/creatin
g personal connections
 Faced in a non-traditional
way
 Creating a
communication with the
text, focusing on
comprehension
 Overtaking the distance
between the student and
the text

15. SO…HOW?
 Work with short stories or
with chapters/sequences
 Always give the context
 Create an expectation
before the activity
 Challenge the students to
produce something they
will find in the text
 Compare and contrast
students’ work with the
text
 After every activity,
students should read the
text in order to find what
they have already
produced

16. SAMPLE ACTIVITIES

17. SAMPLE ACTIVITIES
Seating
chart
Work
Text
Modality

18. FILLING IN THE TEXT
Text any sequence/chapter
Work Individual/ pairs/ small groups
Seating chart small islands
Modality
 Give students the beginning and the ending of the chapter/sequence
 Invite them to create the text in the middle.
 Create a poster with the real text in the middle, surrounded by
students’ works

19. COMICS
Text any sequence/chapter
Work Individual
Seating chart one big desk
Modality
 Give students a title, the basic context and three-four important
sentences from the text.
 Invite them to create some comic strips.
 Read the text allowing student to make changes.
 Create an exibition with the real text in the middle, surrounded by
students’ works

25. PLAY
Text Crucial sequences with dialogues
Work pairs/ small or big groups
Seating chart islands
Modality
 Divide students in pairs/small groups.
 Give the students the situation and invite them to write a script.
 Students will have to perform before the reading.
 They can choose the best performance after the reading

26. SAMPLE: TRAGIC LOVE STORY
Dante, “Divina Commedia”

27. DESCRIPTION
Text Sequences describing real or imaginary places
Work Individual /pairs
Seating chart horseshoe
Modality
 Give students a place.
 Ask them to draw the place described in the sequence. They may also
search for images or take pictures
 It is also possible to search for the perfect place to express a feeling.
 Make a poster with the text in the center surrounded by the picture.
 Find the best image matching the description in the text

28. DESCRIPTION
Dante “Divina Commedia”
Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,
ché la diritta via era smarrita. 3
Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa dura
esta selva selvaggia e aspra e forte
che nel pensier rinova la paura!
[…]
Ma poi ch’i’ fui al piè d’un colle giunto,
là dove terminava quella valle
che m’avea di paura il cor compunto, 15
guardai in alto e vidi le sue spalle
vestite già de’ raggi del pianeta
che mena dritto altrui per ogne calle.
.

29. DESCRIPTION
V.Hugo “LesMiserables”
La dalle bleue y est remplacée par une
traverse à laquelle s'appuient cinq ou six
difformes tronçons de bois noueux et
ankylosés qui ressemblent à de grands
ossements. Il n'a plus ni seau, ni chaîne, ni
poulie; mais il a encore la cuvette de pierre
qui servait de déversoir. L'eau des pluies
s'y amasse, et de temps en temps un oiseau
des forêts voisines vient y boire et s'envole.
Une maison dans cette ruine, la maison de
la ferme, est encore habitée. La porte de
cette maison donne sur la cour. À côté
d'une jolie plaque de serrure gothique il y a
sur cette porte une poignée de fer à trèfles,
posée de biais.
.

30. USING COLOURS
Text complex sentences or sequences
Work collective + pairs/ small groups
Seating chart small islands
Modality
 Students have a discussion on what is difficult or important in the text.
 They choose a colour for each phrase.
 Form small groups, giving each group one or two colours.
 Tell the students to colour the text according to the colour-meaning.

31. USING COLOURS
Characters
Descriptions
Quotes
Good
sentences
Sequences
Important
sentences
Sentences I
cannot
understand
Different
colours for
Vocabulary
-words

32. USING COLOURS
Pratolini, “Le ragazze di San Frediano”

33. A LOVE LETTER
Text A love letter written by a character
Work Individual/pairs
Seating chart horseshoe
Modality
 Mind maps: write the set for a love letter, exploring parts, places and
feelings.
 Give students some tips if they do not know the characters
 Ask students to reflect on what the character may be writing.
 Ask them to write the letter.
 Put all the letters in a box. Randomly, each student reads a letter.
 Compare the letters with the original one

34. A LOVE LETTER
Buzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti
purpose
Love
letter
who
what
words
Romantic
sentences
Other
relevant
info
where when

35. A LOVE LETTER
Buzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti
 Phisical places  Mental places
• Mall
• Waiting room Physical
places
• Dream
• Imaginary
setting
Mental
places

36. A LOVE LETTER
Buzzati, Una lettera d’amore, from Sessanta racconti
Feelings
•lost •Passion
Love stress
discourage attempting
•determination •jealousy

37. UNA LETTERA D’AMORE
BOX READING

38. DIARY ENTRY
Text Sequences on main character’s reflection
Work Individual/pairs
Seating chart horseshoe
Modality
 Give students the situation.
 Ask students to reflect on what the character may feel in that
context
 Students have to write a diary entry.
 Find out what the character feels. Is it so different?

39. READING IN COLOURS
Text Long dialogues between 4 or more characters.
Work small groups
Seating chart small islands
Modality
 Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards
 Use different coloured cards per character.
 Give students all the cards.
 Each group should try to put the dialogues in order
 Read in colour!

40. READING IN COLOURS
Text A long dialogues between 4 or more characters.
Work small groups
Seating chart small islands
Modality
 Preparation: cut all the sentences spoken by characters, creating cards
 Use different coloured cards per character.
 Give students all the cards.
 Each group should try to put the dialogues in order
 Read in colour!

41. READING IN COLOURS
Buzzati, Lo sciopero dei telefoni, from Sessanta racconti
" E smettetela, pettegole! " (era una donna). " Pettegola sarà lei, se mai, che ficca il naso in
casa d'altri “Io ficco il naso? Si vergogni! Io non... "
[…]
"Be', siamo sole?... E allora, Franchina, cosa dici che
mi metta domani? ".
Si udì a questo punto una voce d’uomo, nuova, bellissima, giovanilmente aperta e
autoritaria, che stupiva per la sua eccezionale carica di vita: “Clara, se mi permette glielo
dico io, domani si metta la gonna blu dell’anno scorso con il golf viola che ha appena dato
da smacchiare…e il cappellino nero a cloche, intesi?” “Ma lei chi è?” La voce di Clara era
cambiata adesso, e aveva un’incrinatura di spavento. “Mi vuol dire chi è?” L’altro tacque.
Allora la franchina “Clara, Clara, come fa questo qui a sapere?” “Io molte cose so”.
[…]
Il Marcozzi, intimidito: “Ma lei chi è? Come si permette?” L’altro: “Non se la prenda.
Piuttosto, cerchiamo di stare

42. Some more tips

43. RAISE CONSCIOUSNESS IN STUDENTS
 Raising students’
consciousness of the
situation, both before
and during the process
 Ask for cooperation
 Have your students be
part of the academic
process
 Incourage them in
comparing

44. TOOLS
 Mind maps
 Questionaires
 Interview
 Diary
 Field notes
 Observation form
 Reviewing grids
 Class discussion
 Personal reflection
 Peer coaching
 Graphs

45. Diary
“I liked it when
we tried reading
in different
colours. It made
the lesson more
alive. We should
always do so.”

46. Mind map
Reading
is useful
when
Italian
Reading
is boring
when
When I
read it is
difficult
What
I read in
other
language
The
teacher
should...
s
Readin
g is fun
when
I
need/I
would
like

47. DESKS
 Try to modify your seating chart regularly.
According to the activity you can arrange the desks
in small islands, one big table, a horseshoe.

48. Raising students’ love of literature
 Literature is a pleasure
to learn
 Have an open window
to literature
 Work with the first
language teacher

49. Conclusion
“Dietro una lingua ci sta una letteratura, e dietro una
letteratura c'è un gusto, una civiltà.”
“Beyond a language there is a literature, beyond a
literature there is a taste, a culture.”
Luigi Russo (1892 – 1961), Italian literary critic

50. Images from:
HT T P : / / S A R O L T A G R A P HI CWO R K S . B L O G S P O T . C OM
HT T P : / /WWW. THE N EWS . C OM. P K /
HT T P : / / B C S S L A N G U A G E S .WE E B L Y . C OM/
HT T P : / / J O E R A P I S A R D A . C OM

51. For any questions/suggestions:
l.lanis@isfitaly.org