Brian Campbell
Hypertext
Reasoning:
I originally wanted to have students respond to various stimuli (videos, pictures, etc.) by writing vignettes about their own lives. However, after reviewing the MA curricular frameworks and Waltham’s curricular map I decided to focus largely on language, and a bit on identity, rather than focusing on identity for the whole hypertext. Both the MA frameworks and Waltham’s map have clauses/targets about figurative language, and since Cisneros’s House on Mango Street is full of great uses of figurative language, I know this would be a great way to introduce my students to these uses. I also really like that Cisneros uses non-standard English in order to communicate the problems of the main character, Esperanza, throughout the collection of vignettes. I think my students will identify with the way the narrator speaks and be able to understand figurative language easily because she uses language that they do (unlike say, Shakespeare). It also exemplifies the use of the beauty of Cisneros’s natural language and incorporates Spanglish as a valid form of communication. I believe that the hypertext will illustrate some good uses of figurative language, even if the writing may not be considered complex or very academic. My hope is that students will include figurative language in their own writing by completing a 7 vignettes project about people in their lives or themselves. They will learn how to extend their language usage in a comfortable way.
I chose hypertext because it will help students understand that figurative language creates pictures in the mind. By having the pictures, videos, etc. within a click away, students will be able to see the images immediately and create vivid experiences with the text. I also imagine that we would use my school’s computer lab in order to do this. Since I have never done a hypertext in class, it would be beneficial for me to see how it works. If it goes well I could see doing this a lot with my students. I think it will be particularly helpful to my English Language Learners and my Formerly Limited English Proficient students.
References:
Alisonfast. “Spanglish.” Online video clip. Youtube. Uploaded: 08/14/07. Retrieved:
7/10/13
Cisneros, Sandra. (1991). House on Mango Street. New York. Vintage Books.
Journeyintoamerica. “Mexican Immigrants in Chicago.” Online video clip. Youtube.
Uploaded: 9/30/08. Retrieved: 6/25/13.
Knopfgroup. “The House on Mango Street – Inspiration.” Online video clip. Youtube.
Uploaded: 04/01/09. Retrieved: 7/10/13
Usoltsev, Alexander. “Blooming flowers.” Online video clip. Youtube. Uploaded:
03/08/13. Retrieved: 7/10/13
Wikipedia. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 07/10/13.