Title: Can words change the world?

Lesson plan elaborated by: Magdalena Trysińska

Topic:

Magic language function.

Target group:

7th‑grade students of an eight‑year elementary school.

Core curriculum

II. Language education.

1. Grammar of the Polish language. Student:

3) sees the role of the verb in the utterance, distinguishes between verbs made and imperfective, recognizes the impersonal forms of the verb: forms ending in -no, -to, constructions with themselves; understands their meaning in termination and functions in the text;

11) recognises the types of denominations, including the purpose of the statement: declarations declaring, asking and commanding – understands their functions and applies them.

2. Differentiation of language. Student:

3) uses a style appropriate to the communication situation;

6) recognises neutral and evaluative vocabulary, understands their functions in the text;

7) adapts the way of expressing the intended purpose of the statement.

3. Language communication and language culture. Student:

2) identifies the sender and recipient of the statement;

3) defines the communication situation and understands its impact on the shape of the statement;

6) uses correct intonation because of the purpose of the expression.

The general aim of education

The student recognises and creates texts that have the magic function.

Key competences

• communication in the mother tongue;

• communication in foreign languages;

• social and civic competences;

• cultural awareness and expression.

Operational objectives

Student:

• explains what the magic function of language consists of;

• defines the function of the text;

• indicates which texts have a magical function;

• recognises: blessing, curse, wishes, spells, prayers;

• creates a text that have a magic function.

Teaching methods / techniques

• problematic: elements of drama, directed conversation, discussion;

• programmed: using a computer and e‑textbook;

• practical: subject exercises.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• collective activity.

Lesson plan overview (Process)

Introduction

1. The teacher displays on the board the fragment from the St. Jonhn's Gospel. The students give the Polish translation of the fragment. Then, together, they reflect on the interpretation of these words. They should come to the conclusion that this quote indicates the power of God who created the world with words.

2. Determining the purpose of the class, which is to find the answer to the question: Can words change reality? Together with the students, the teacher formulates the criteria for success.

Realization

1. The teacher displays the photographs from the gallery (exercise 1 from the abstract). He/she teacher asks students if there are any sayings that can be associated with the illustrations and at the same time express the belief that we can change reality with words. These include the proverb: Nie wywołuj wilka z lasu and the saying: Nie kracz, nie kracz, bo wykraczesz.

2. The teacher displays illustrations of known fairy tales (ex. 2). He/she asks students to recognise their titles and recall the words used by the characters to change reality, e.g. Open Sesame! (Sezamie, otwórz się!); Cudgel‑out‑of‑the‑Sack! (Bijcie, kije samobije). The teacher asks the students what function these expressions played, how they could be called.

3. The teacher divides the class into five groups. Each team draws the task of inventing the text and staging the scene of casting a spell with:

1. Make a car – in which the petrol has run out – start.

2. Bring a specific person or persons into the air.

3. Turn the prince into a toad.

4. Make an unhappy person happy.

5. Reconcile people who are conflicted with each other.

4. Presentation of scenes and spells. Discussing the presentation on the class forum.

5. Reading information in abstract about the magical function of language. Exercises 3‑5.

6. The teacher points out that the magical function of language can also be associated with names. The teacher asks the students to do ex. 6 from the e‑textbook, which consists in combining wishes with selected names.

7. If there is enough time, the students do ex. 7 and 8 from the abstract: they check whether their names are connected with a wishful function; they complete the wishful names list.

Summary

1. At the end, the students do ex. 9 from the abstract, thus checking what they have learned, whether they can distinguish texts with a magical function from texts that do not have this function.

2. Students write down in their notebooks the key words to the lesson they consider to be the most important (task 11 from the e‑textbook).

Homework

Remind yourself and write down five magical advertising slogans in a notebook. Indicate the appropriate wording. Specify their function.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Can words change the world?

The above fragment is the beginning of the Gospel according to St. John. It suggests the power of God who created the world by His word. Can the words spoken by an ordinary person change reality? During today’s lesson we will try to answer this question.