Using ESL training to help Native Speakers learn new concepts

I want to give an update about analyzing the whale-oriented websites.

Yesterday in class, we watched two short YouTube clips to practice analyzing rhetoric in a multimedia way. I divided the class into three groups so that I could assign each group a specific focus point during the video clips. For example, during the first viewing, one group of students was assigned to look for clues about the author, and the other two groups were focusing on audience and purpose, respectively. During the second viewing, students were watching for appeals to ethos, pathos, or logos, respectively. After each viewing, we discussed the clips and elements of rhetoric as a class. Then, we repeated the process with the other clip.

Whale Wars Intro http://youtu.be/MvfXjeA0Q9M
Round one: watch for content, what’s going on?

1. Author:
2. Audience:
3. Purpose:

Round two: watch for appeals

1. Ethos:
2. Pathos:
3. Logos:

Blackfish Trailer: (A little disturbing--step out if needed) http://youtu.be/fLOeH-Oq_1Y
Round one: watch for content, what’s going on?

1. Author:
2. Audience:
3. Purpose:

Round two: watch for appeals

1. Ethos:
2. Pathos:
3. Logos:

_______________________________________________________________

Students were very engaged in the clips, and our discussion yielded me a lot of insight into how students were grappling with these new terms involved in rhetorical analysis. For example, students had a difficult time identifying who the author of the Whale Wars clip was. I would not have anticipated this difficulty because it seemed straightforward to me that a director/producer from Animal Planet would be behind the clip. However, as student after student struggled to find the author, I was able to explain piece by piece what I was actually looking for when they identify an author--and why the author matters in a rhetorical analysis. Controlled chaos is sometimes a great environment for students to test out hypotheses. My ESL training informed how I included multiple viewings with specific points to listen and watch for. I find that ESL-informed teaching usually benefits all students, regardless of native language, because of its emphasis on clear instructions, purposeful listening/reading, and negotiation of meaning.

In addition to the learning outcomes related to rhetorical analysis, I saw students' thinking critically about their own beliefs, especially when we watched the Blackfish trailer. Many of them had never considered the ramifications of keeping whales in captivity, and some of my students told me that they planned to go home and watch the rest of the film. After the lesson, I felt very proud of the day's instruction. My students definitely thought critically about two issues related to whales, but they also worked together in a discussion to figure out what rhetorical analysis means. 

I look forward to seeing how they analyze the websites for their project. I hope that yesterday's practice proves fruitful for them.