TALENDAG Mechelen 2013
WORKSHOP BY JEREMY BOURNE
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
PUPILS’ WORKSHEETS
1. Watching, listening and speaking CLIP 1 : Opening scene
Watch the clip and then summarise what happens in this introductory
scene. Think of characters, setting and storyline.
Some characters do actually appear in the scene, others are referred to.
Include all of them.
Before reporting your summary to the rest of the class, take a few notes in
the space below before you answer.
2. LANGUAGE TASK
Watching, listening, speaking, predicting,
character analysis and vocabulary extension CLIP 2: Toad locked up

2.1.
Watch and when the teacher stops the film, predict what is going to
happen. Take a few notes in the empty space.
2.2.
CHARACTER ANALYSIS and descriptive speaking skills
Look at the list of adjectives on the next page and tick the appropriate ones
to describe the main characters. Some apply to more than one character.
LANGUAGE TASK: DISCUSS YOUR IDEAS WITH A PARTNER. You may
AGREE or DISAGREE with each other. If you disagree, justify your choices.
MAKE SURE YOU DO IT ALL IN GOOD ENGLISH! So remember
how you make your point in a discussion in a polite and tactful way. Also, use
phrases like: in my opinion, I believe, I find, I don’t agree…

Use a monolingual dictionary where necessary.
Recommended :Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, also available
on www.ldoceonline.com
Rat
Silly
Wise
Horrifying
Conceited
Amiable
Timid
Eccentric
Sensible
Industrious
Stodgy
Barbaric
Irresponsible
Volatile
Generous
Shy
Affable
Reckless
Grumpy
Practical
Obedient
Enthusiastic
Friendly
Mischievous
Impulsive
Helpful
Severe
Cunning
Mole
Toad
Badger
3.Some extra language task suggestions
INTEGRATION of communicative skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), and
linguistic skills, intercultural competence and research competence:
a) cultural-historical knowledge

Collect as much information as you can about the BOOK (when, who,
why…?) online and in any other resources. Make notes and then present to
the rest of the class what you believe are the most interesting and
relevant pieces of information you have found before reading and/or
watching the actual book and/or film.

Some very typical English objects are mentioned in the opening scene.
Explain in your own words what they are. Use a dictionary where
necessary.
E.g. a G&T, a cricket bat, togs…
b) culture study on an interactive level

how to greet (new) people. Write down a few possible greetings that you
know or which you have heard in the film. Then make up a short dialogue,
in which you create a similar story as the beginning of the film and which
includes both formal and informal greetings of some people who may, or
may not, have met before. Practise with people sitting near you.
Note: Remember the difference between:
‘How do you do?’ and ‘How are you?’
Add a few more possible openings that you are familiar with.
Include them in your dialogue in the proper way.
Also make people feel welcome (think of Rat and Mole) in your house,
garden, or any other sort of environment of your own choice.

how you make your point in a discussion in a polite and tactful way.

British understatements: What are they? And how do you interpret them?
(cf. Bradley Wiggins, who was often misunderstood by the foreign press).

politeness (e.g. much more frequent use of ‘please ‘ than we do in Dutch!)
5 GROUP WORK Language task: Reflect and speak about yourself to a small
group, using newly acquired vocabulary.
5.1 Who is nicest? Who do you like most?
5.2 Decide who you are most like and give reasons why to the people
immediately around you. Use as many new words as possible. Try this without
looking at your notes.
5.3 Split into 4 groups of rats, moles, toads and badgers.
Be prepared to comment on your choices to the teacher and your class mates.
6 CLIP 3 Trial scene
TRUE or FALSE?
Tick the correct box to indicate if the clip you have just watched is an example
of:
TRUE
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
FALSE
A pastiche
A parody
A caricature
Infotainment
A realistic drama
A spoof
You will find a list of definitions of these text types below to help you decide.
LIST
1. A pastiche: a piece of work purposely made in the style of another piece
of work (not necessarily humorous)
2. A parody: a piece of work intended to amuse, purposely copying the style
of a known piece of work
3. A caricature: a representation of someone or an event by which parts of
their characters are made noticeably odder or more amusing than they
really are, in other words: an extreme form of parody
4. Infotainment: a documentary dealing with important subjects in a way
that people can enjoy
5. A realistic drama: a true dramatic representation of an event
6. A spoof: a funny untrue copy or description
NOTE: An extra language task could be a role-play, in which they re-write
the trial (e.g. Toad has appealed against his sentence and the case has been
re-opened), and play it in front of the class.
7 CLIP 4
Scene 9
Prison scene
8.1 Preparation of language task in 8.2
Language study
-
archaic language: ‘my togs’, ‘gaoler’ etc.
- different accents (standard, regional and class accents)
- register, e.g. informal and informal speech, colloquialisms and slang
8.2 The Actual LANGUAGE TASK: LISTENING and LANGUAGE STUDY

Listen carefully to each of the characters in the clip. They all have their
own variety of English.
Tick the correct box to indicate who speaks with either a standard accent,
some kind of regional accent, a class/education-related accent (also known
as RP, or the Queen’s English) or a combination of any of these.
If any are regional, where do they originate? Discuss with others.
Neutral/
Standard
Regional
Class
/Education
related
Mole
Badger
Rat
Gaoler’s
Daughter
Toad
The Weasels

Try and produce some of the different accents (sounds) and any other
speech varieties that you picked up from the clip you have seen.
8.3. LANGUAGE TASK: persuasive dialogue + acquiring and activating (new)
vocabulary
Pair work
a) Do you sympathise with Toad? Tell your partner why (not). Give at least
three good reasons that could persuade other people to share your point
of view.
b) Would you like him as a friend? If so, why? If not, which of the others
would you prefer to be friends with?
Before you answer the question in b), discuss with a speaking partner
what makes a good friend (in general). Which characteristics should they
have? Name at least 4, and write them down in the space below.
Preparation:

Think about the way Toad comes across in this scene. Use as many of the
words and phrases in the chart below as possible.

Again look up any you don’t know in a monolingual dictionary.

Tick the ones you are going to use:
Applies to Toad
Doesn’t apply to
Toad
Humble
Whingeing
Snobbish
Grateful
Spoilt child
Appreciative
Moaning
Depressed
Funny
Dignified
Docile
Unreasonable
Petulant
Independent
Arrogant
Kind to other people
Sensible
1
Selfish
1
Warning! ‘Sensible’ has a different meaning from French.
9 CLIP 5
Final scene
9.1 LANGUAGE TASK: forming and expressing an opinion + reading, listening
and watching, writing, vocabulary and grammar
a) Listen to the ending of the story as it appears in the book, read by a
famous English writer, called Alan Bennett (He also produced it for the
theatre in 1991).
b) Compare the differences in adaptation between the original book and the
film (Monty Python). Which is the most fitting, exciting, satisfactory, or just
simply feeling right,… in your opinion? Express that opinion to the rest of the
class and compare it with other ideas by your schoolmates.
c) Based on what you said in b), now write a short review of between 120
and 150 words.
9.2 LANGUAGE TASK: communicative skills (esp. writing) + linguistic skills
(vocabulary, grammar, appropriate structures for persuasion)
Write an e-mail to a friend to persuade them to buy the DVD for a friend whose
birthday comes up next week. Choose the adaptation that YOU prefer (either the
Monty Python version, or the one with Matt Lucas).
Give a few reasons why you are convinced the birthday boy or girl will like it. Use
as many arguments as possible.
The e-mail should be between 100 and 120 words and may be informal,
but you must use full words and cannot use the language of texting or twitter.
Summary:
Mole has a sudden case of spring fever, gives up on his house-cleaning, and
wanders in the fields and meadows. He finds himself by a river (he has been
such a stay-at-home that he has never seen it before) and meets the Water Rat,
who invites Mole into his boat, something else he has never seen before. "Believe
me, my young friend," Rat says dreamily, "there is nothing —absolutely nothing
—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
A world of friendships, the joy of carefree wandering, of picnicking, and playing
has opened for Mole. Half way through the book, the Mole, the Water Rat and the
Badger go to Toad Hall to try to help their friend Mr Toad who has a bad habit of
reckless driving. Toad has quite a few adventures. His irresponsible living and
extravagance lead to the loss of his home to the barbaric stouts and weasels.
The four friends go to battle to regain Toad Hall. The book ends with a banquet
where all the friends rejoice at Toad’s return.