Additional Lesson Plan for the Learner who wants a Challenge!
Lesson Plan by the NCTE and found @ http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/exploring-languageidentity-mother-910.html
Exploring Language and Identity: Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Beyond
OVERVIEW
In the essay “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan explains that she “began to write stories using all the Englishes I
grew up with.” How these “different Englishes” or even a language other than English contribute to identity
is a crucial issue for adolescents.
In this lesson, students explore this issue by brainstorming the different languages they use in speaking and
writing, and when and where these languages are appropriate. They write in their journals about a time
when someone made an assumption about them based on their use of language, and share their writing with
the class. Students then read and discuss Amy Tan's essay “Mother Tongue.” Finally, they write a literacy
narrative describing two different languages they use and when and where they use these languages.
This lesson focuses on ways to investigate the issues of language and identity in the classroom in ways that
validate the many languages that students use. To help students gain competence in their ability to choose
the right language usage for each situation, explorations of language and identity in the classroom are vital
in raising students' awareness of the languages they use and the importance of the decisions that they make
as they communicate with others.
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
Students will
-develop critical reading strategies.
-discuss and evaluate the impact of language on identity formation and self-esteem of several writers.
-expand their awareness of the role language plays in identity formation.
-write their own literacy narratives.
Common Core Standards:
CA.CC.9-10.RL.
Reading Standards for Literature
Craft and Structure
9-10.RL.4.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone
(e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone). (See
grades 9-10 Language standards 4-6 on page 32 for additional expectations.)
CA.CC.9-10.RI.
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
9-10.RI.1.
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text.
9-10.RI.2.
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the
text.
Craft and Structure
9-10.RI.4.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper). (See
grades 9-10 Language standards 4-6 on page 32 for additional expectations.)
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
9-10.RI.8.
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is
valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
CA.CC.9-10.W.
Writing Standards
Text Types and Purposes
9-10.W.2.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information
clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
9-10.W.2.b.
Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience€™s knowledge of
the topic.
9-10.W.2.c.
Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and
clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
9-10.W.2.d.
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.
9-10.W.2.e.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions
of the discipline in which they are writing.
9-10.W.2.f.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or
explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
9-10.W.3.
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
9-10.W.3.a.
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or
multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression
of experiences or events.
9-10.W.3.b.
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to
develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
Production and Distribution of Writing
9-10.W.4.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in
standards 1–3.)
9-10.W.5.
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing
for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades
9–10 on page 32.)
9-10.W.10.
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CA.CC.9-10.SL.
Speaking and Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
9-10.SL.1.
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others€™
ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
9-10.SL.1.a.
Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on
that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to
stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
9-10.SL.1.b.
Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus,
taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual
roles as needed.
9-10.SL.1.c.
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to
broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or
challenge ideas and conclusions.
9-10.SL.1.d.
Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and,
when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in
light of the evidence and reasoning presented.
CA.CC.9-10.L.
Language Standard
Conventions of Standard English
9-10.L.1.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
9-10.L.1.b.
Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute)
and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add
variety and interest to writing or presentations.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
9-10.L.4.
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on
grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
9-10.L.4.a.
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word€™s position or
function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
9-10.L.4.d.
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the
inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
9-10.L.6.
Acquire and use accurately general academic domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for
reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.
MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY
Copy of "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan
Blue pens, Black pens, and pencils (optional)
Internet Access (optional, teacher can provide all resources)
STUDENT INTERACTIVES
Venn Diagram found @ http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/venn-diagram30973.html
This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling
them to organize their information logically.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES and PRINTOUTS
Discussion Questions for "Mother Tongue" Found @
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson910/discussion-questions.pdf
Literacy Narrative Assignment found @
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson910/prompt.pdf
Essay Rubric found @ http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson910/TanRubric.pdf
Student Self-Assessment found @
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson910/TanSelfAssessment.pdf
WEBSITES
Wired for Books: Audio Interview with Amy Tan Found @ http://www.wiredforbooks.org/amytan/
Academy of Achievement: Amy Tan Interview @ http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/tan0int-1
Amy Tan Bio Found @ http://www.bookreporter.com/authors/amy-tan
FOR THE TEACHER: PREPARATION
Arrange for copies of the essay "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan. The essay is widely anthologized. It was originally
published in The Threepenny Review in 1990.
Make an overhead transparency of the Discussion Questions for "Mother Tongue," or arrange for an LCD projector to
show the questions to the class.
Make copies of the Literacy Narrative Assignment, Literacy Narrative Rubric, and Student Self-Assessment.
Test the Venn Diagram on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools and ensure that you have the Flash
plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.
LESSON ONE
1. Ask students to spend about ten minutes brainstorming a response to this prompt:
What are the different "languages" you use? When and why? Consider both reading and writing, and
don't forget about email! If you speak another language, include it (or possibly them if you know
more than one).
2. Encourage students to read their responses aloud.
3. As they do, keep track on the board or on an overhead transparency of the different "languages" they
are describing.
4. Discuss the interaction of language usage and choice with audience and occasion by focusing on the
examples the students have provided.
5. For homework, ask students to write a journal entry that describes a time when someone made
assumptions or even a judgment (negative or positive) about them based on their language usage
(written or spoken). For those who say they've never had such an experience, suggest writing about
a situation they've observed involving someone else.
Lesson Two
1. Open the class by asking volunteers to share their journal entries.
2. Look for similarities among the experiences students describe, and discuss them as a group. Ask
whether they notice stereotypes at work in the situations they describe.
3. If students have access to the Internet, introduce Amy Tan by sharing audio and video clips of her
talking and reading (see Websites section for these resources). Biographical information about
Amy Tan can be found at Bookreporter.com.
4. Hand out copies of "Mother Tongue," and read the first two paragraphs aloud.
5. Discuss why Tan opens with an explanation of what she is not.
6. Read the next two paragraphs. Ask students to explain what Tan means by "different Englishes."
7. Shift the discussion by asking why Tan speaks a "different English" with her mother than with her
husband. Ask students to consider whether doing so is hypocritical.
8. Assign the remainder of the essay as reading for homework.
LESSON THREE
1.
Divide students into groups, and assign one of the following questions to each group:
o
What point is Tan making with the example of her mother and the hospital?
o
What point is she making with the example of the stockbroker?
o
Tan says that experts believe that a person's "developing language skills are more influenced by peers,"
yet she thinks that family is more influential, "especially in immigrant families." Do you think family or
peers exert more influence on a person's language?
o
Why does Tan discuss the SAT and her performance on it?
o
Why does she envision her mother as the reader of her novels?
2. After about 15 minutes, ask each group to explain their responses to the questions. Encourage them to
support their responses with specific reference to Tan's essay.
3. Ask them to write notes and ideas in their journals using the Literacy Narrative Assignment (found in
Additional Resources section). Stress that students are only gathering ideas. They are not creating the
polished essay at this point.
LESSON FOUR
1. Open by discussing the Literacy Narrative assignment itself. Explain that a literacy narrative tells a
specific story about reading or writing. Tan's article is essentially a literacy narrative because it
discusses events about language use from her past (whether good or bad) and reflects on how those
events influence her writing today.
2. If desired, ask students to choose examples from the essay that connect writing from Tan's past to
her present.
3. Pass out copies of the Essay Rubric (in Additional Resources section), and discuss the required
components for the finished paper.
4. Discuss the possibilities that students raised in their journal entries.
5. To begin developing ideas further, ask students to use the Venn Diagram (in Student Interactive
Section) to map and compare the two "languages" that they will explore in their essays. Ask them to
think creatively about the qualities and characteristics of the "languages."
6. Allow students time to work on their literacy narratives in class.
7. Assign a draft of the literacy narrative as homework; each student should bring his or her draft to the
next class session (on a disk if you are working in a computer lab, or a printed copy otherwise).
8. Additionally, if you are not working in a computer lab, ask students to bring a pencil, a black pen,
and a blue pen to class.
SESSION FIVE
1. Begin with a discussion of the problems students are encountering with the assignment.
2. Brainstorm ways to address one or two of the challenges.
3. Remind students of the criteria for the assignment in the Literacy Narrative Essay Rubric. For the
peer review, ask students to compare the drafts that they read to the characteristics described in
the rubric.
4. Explain the organization of the peer review:
o
Each student will read three papers, each written by someone else.
o
On the first paper that you read, make your comments with your black ink pen or in bold.
o
On the second paper, make your comments with the blue ink pen or in italics.
o
On the third paper, make your comments with your pencil or with underlined letters.
o
Finally, you'll return to your own essay and read over the comments.
5. Arrange the students in small groups of four, having students rotate the drafts among group members
as they read and respond. Adjust groupings as needed to accommodate the number of students in
your class.
6. Once students have read and responded to all the drafts, discuss questions, comments, and concerns
students have as they prepare to revise.
7. Encourage students to pay particular attention to comments that all of their peer readers agreed
upon when reading their drafts.
8. For homework, have students create their final, polished draft of the literacy narratives. Collect the
papers at the beginning of the next session.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT/REFLECTIONS
Observe students for their participation during the exploration and discussion of Tan’s essay and
their own language use. In class discussions and conferences, watch for evidence that students are
able to describe specific details about their language use. Monitor students’ progress and process as
they work on their literacy narratives. For formal assessment, use the Literacy Narrative Rubric. Ask
students to complete the Student Self-Assessment (Found in Additional Resources) to reflect on
their exploration of language and their literacy narratives.
EXTENSIONS
To explore a more controversial response to language usage, students might read "If Black English Isn't a
Language, Then Tell Me, What Is" by African American author James Baldwin. Written before the term
"Ebonics" came into usage, it is a brief but highly political argument about the link between language
and identity and the damage school systems can cause by privileging one language (or dialect) over
another. It can be found in the New York Times archives (29 July 1979, page E19).
Students also might examine a passage from the fiction of Cormac McCarthy, Sandra Cisneros, or
another author who includes Spanish in his or her work—without translating it. What is the effect on a
reader who does not know Spanish? What might be the purpose of an author making the decision to
write whole sections in Spanish?
To pursue the link between power and language, students might read the poem "Parsley" by Rita Dove.
It explores the historical incident in which the Dominical Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo used the
pronunciation of the word "parsley" to separate Dominicans who speak Spanish from the persecuted
Haitians who speak a French Creole (a topic Edwidge Danticat takes up in her novel The Farming of
Bones).