F. Biographies: Short, Short Stories Based on “Messages of People’s Lives”

Creative, Motivating, Multi-Level, Multi-Skills Language Activities for, with, & beyond Biographies: Short, Short Stories Based on “Messages of People’s Lives.”  Everything to Know (Now) about Teaching & Learning Language & Content with Biographical Material Resource

 152 "8.5x11" pages

Who It’s For: Instructors & Students Who Want It All in One Volume: Not Only an Abundance of Biography (Reading) Selections to Choose From But Also Preparation, Adaptation, Diversity, Motivating Activities, Games, + Extra Bonuses to Optimize Use of Time & Energy (& Have Fun)

Why You Need It: These 152 pages endeavor to “Deliver the Whole Thing”—Introduction, Rationale, Pedagogy; Beginning, Intermediate, & Advanced Readings (Selections & Articles) with Comprehension Aids; Summarizing Achievement Checks; How-to Instructions for Game-Creations (Item-&-Response Competitions), and Offerings of Even More innovative Ideas. 

What You’ll / They’ll Do:  

[1] Look over the expressive Cover of Biographies: Short, Short Stories Based on “Messages of People’s Lives.”  From the visuals & text, discuss what you expect to find in—or hope to accomplish with—the volume.  Do the same with pages 2-5: the Inside Cover & colorfully illustrative Tables of Contents.  Before delving into the substance of the various sections, survey the entire book.  Share what you think you might (try to) do with these materials—in what order and/or with which (other) Teaching / Learning Tools.  

[2] On pages 6-14, Look over and get what’s useful from Articles on “Sources of Data,” “Adapting Reading Selections” (“Conveying Main Ideas,” “Organizing Important Supporting Info,” “Modifying Material in Other Ways”), “The Subjects of Biographies for Language & Content Learning,” “How-to Instructions for 30 Beginning, 30 Intermediate, & 20 Advanced-Level Biographies & Biographical Articles.” The latter commentary (on tiered Readings 1-30, 31-60, 51-80) may help you to decide which Level of Proficiency in Language & Content you wish to begin from, work with, and/or strive for.  

[3] Two-thirds of the Biographies volume displays Readings with corresponding Learning Aids: 30 three-to-a-screen Beginning and 30 two-to-a-sheet Intermediate Selections, plus 20 full-image Bonus Articles on Bios-Related Topics of general or particular interest.  With or without Vocabulary Practice, Comprehension, Context / Categorization, and Interpretation Aids on their reverse sides, you can work with these 45 two-sided pages in any recommended (or your own) ways—plus re-use / reproduce them to fulfill similar or different aims or aspirations.  “Mastery Quiz Summary Items & Answers” appear on pages 23-24 / 37-40 for Bios 1-30—and on pages 53-53 / 73-76 for Intermediate Bios 31-60.   

[4] Whether you’re teaching / learning English, Language Skills & Strategies, Critical Thinking, and/or Subject Matter such as History, Geography, Citizenship, (Social) Science, & Culture, you / your students might want to approach the 20 Advanced-Level Bonus Articles 61-80 differently from previous Bios Selections.  That’s because the material on pages 83-122 (+ 4 pages of Answers) is distinct in format, organization, and purpose from that of Biographies 1-60.  Instead of targeting individuals’ “Life Stories,” each Article is built around a different Field of Endeavor. It’s filled with Famous Names to recognize, put into (Chronological & Meaning) Categories, use as “Supporting Detail” for concepts, and/or discover more about. These articles are designed to serve as catalysts.   

[5] The last section of of Biographies: Short, Short Stories Based on “Messages of People’s Lives” could be what makes it most unique or memorable among Teaching / Learning Resources.  Its “Activities Based on (Famous) People’s Names,” “Knowledge Items That Do Work” (in Item & Response Activities, Grid- & Path-Board & Playing-Card Games),” “Categorizing Competitions,” “Searches for Visuals & Info,” “Quotations by Famous People (in a Painting),” and “Writing & Reading Activities: (Auto)Biographies” may be unlike any ideas you’ve ever seen—or gotten into—before.