Press conference
The presenters announce that they organize a press conference with famous celebrities today (the characters from the novel, e.g. Dorian, Basil, Henry, Sibyl, or even Oscar Wilde himself, etc.) and the students thus face a unique opportunity to confront them with their questions as journalists. Each student then picks a piece of paper (a role card) from an envelope containing the description of his/her role during the seminar. One student becomes the celebrity (again, by drawing a respective card from the envelope). Thus, the presenters form new groups of students and fairly distribute the roles among them. In fact, the class is divided into 5 separate groups, each group representing a different magazine, newspaper or journal. The presenters represent the hosts who will guide the discussion.
Students then have few minutes to prepare questions which would interest the readers of their periodical. It is advisable that the prompt cards contain some keywords which would help learners to formulate their questions and direct the discussion. The cards should also contain the name and a short characteristic of their journal – this will limit students to ask questions only from a specific area since they need to write an article that would be interesting for their readers.
The presenters then announce the beginning of the press conference and invite and introduce the famous persons. Afterwards they direct the discussion by inviting certain group of journalists to ask some questions. The discussion continues until all questions are answered. Students playing the novel’s characters should not invent new contexts for their answers but should move within the context of the book. Thus, they will formulate their own interpretations of the events or characters’ behaviour.
Notes:
Even though the speaking is entrusted mainly to the students themselves, the presenters are responsible for keeping the discussion within certain borders and provide further prompts when necessary. At the end of the activity they may sum up and evaluate the activity as such, or they may distribute handouts with the main facts about the novel.
To create a realistic setting, classroom furniture may be rearranged – a special guest table with name-plates and bottles of water for refreshment may be placed in the front of the classroom.
Since the class stands for different magazines and journals, the presenters have the possibility to analyze the novel from different perspectives. Types of magazines may be either invented or the teacher may use titles of real ones. Their selection should also reflect the vocabulary that the students learned recently.
Sample prompt cards:
The Evening Standard is a typical tabloid. This paper is interested in scandals, affairs and private lives of famous people. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: relationships, secret, murder, strange relationships between Basil and Dorian…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
Cosmopolitan is a magazine for women. Its readers are modern women and they write about them and their lives, about famous women, men’s opinions of women, etc. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: women, men’s (Henry, Dorian, Basil) opinions on women, women in this novel, Sybil Vane and her relationships to her mother, brother, Dorian….
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
Granta is a literary magazine. Readers of this magazine are interested in literature, art, lives of famous writers, new and old genres, etc. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: aestheticism, picture, decadence, parallels to other famous literary works, connection between the author and his characters…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
The Gay & Lesbian Review is a magazine for homosexual community. They are interested in the rights of homosexuals, lives of famous homosexuals, references to homosexuality in literature, etc. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: unclear relationships, Basil, Dorian, Oscar Wilde…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
Our Sunday Visitor is a catholic newspaper. Their interest also lies, apart from religion, in moral questions. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: New Hedonism, double life, dangerous books (yellow book)…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
The presenters announce that they organize a press conference with famous celebrities today (the characters from the novel, e.g. Dorian, Basil, Henry, Sibyl, or even Oscar Wilde himself, etc.) and the students thus face a unique opportunity to confront them with their questions as journalists. Each student then picks a piece of paper (a role card) from an envelope containing the description of his/her role during the seminar. One student becomes the celebrity (again, by drawing a respective card from the envelope). Thus, the presenters form new groups of students and fairly distribute the roles among them. In fact, the class is divided into 5 separate groups, each group representing a different magazine, newspaper or journal. The presenters represent the hosts who will guide the discussion.
Students then have few minutes to prepare questions which would interest the readers of their periodical. It is advisable that the prompt cards contain some keywords which would help learners to formulate their questions and direct the discussion. The cards should also contain the name and a short characteristic of their journal – this will limit students to ask questions only from a specific area since they need to write an article that would be interesting for their readers.
The presenters then announce the beginning of the press conference and invite and introduce the famous persons. Afterwards they direct the discussion by inviting certain group of journalists to ask some questions. The discussion continues until all questions are answered. Students playing the novel’s characters should not invent new contexts for their answers but should move within the context of the book. Thus, they will formulate their own interpretations of the events or characters’ behaviour.
Notes:
Even though the speaking is entrusted mainly to the students themselves, the presenters are responsible for keeping the discussion within certain borders and provide further prompts when necessary. At the end of the activity they may sum up and evaluate the activity as such, or they may distribute handouts with the main facts about the novel.
To create a realistic setting, classroom furniture may be rearranged – a special guest table with name-plates and bottles of water for refreshment may be placed in the front of the classroom.
Since the class stands for different magazines and journals, the presenters have the possibility to analyze the novel from different perspectives. Types of magazines may be either invented or the teacher may use titles of real ones. Their selection should also reflect the vocabulary that the students learned recently.
Sample prompt cards:
The Evening Standard is a typical tabloid. This paper is interested in scandals, affairs and private lives of famous people. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: relationships, secret, murder, strange relationships between Basil and Dorian…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
Cosmopolitan is a magazine for women. Its readers are modern women and they write about them and their lives, about famous women, men’s opinions of women, etc. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: women, men’s (Henry, Dorian, Basil) opinions on women, women in this novel, Sybil Vane and her relationships to her mother, brother, Dorian….
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
Granta is a literary magazine. Readers of this magazine are interested in literature, art, lives of famous writers, new and old genres, etc. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: aestheticism, picture, decadence, parallels to other famous literary works, connection between the author and his characters…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
The Gay & Lesbian Review is a magazine for homosexual community. They are interested in the rights of homosexuals, lives of famous homosexuals, references to homosexuality in literature, etc. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: unclear relationships, Basil, Dorian, Oscar Wilde…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
Our Sunday Visitor is a catholic newspaper. Their interest also lies, apart from religion, in moral questions. Try to create questions in this manner.
Key words: New Hedonism, double life, dangerous books (yellow book)…
You can ask anything you consider interesting for your readers.
