Period 1 Lesson 1: How to choose your novel

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Lesson 1: How to choose your novel

How have you chosen what novel/book to read so far?

What to take into account when choosing a novel

Genre

Themes

Who is the protagonist (=main character)?

Writing style

Who is the author?

How is the text presented?

What book genres do you know? Try to mention 3.

Most common genres

Fantasy-Science Fiction-Dystopian-Action and Adventure-Mystery-Horror-Thriller and suspence-Historical fiction-Contemporary fiction-Romance-Young Adult-Graphic novels-Nonfiction-Humor and comedy-Literary fiction

Dystopian novel

A popular genre of science fiction, dystopian novels offer a bleak and frightening vision of the future. Authors writing dystopias imagine a grim society, often in the aftermath of a disaster, facing things like oppressive governments, Black Mirror-esque technology, and environmental ruin. 

Themes

Coming of age- Good versus evil - Death - Friendship - Courage and Perseverance - Hope - Freedom - War - Identity - Love - Beauty - Human nature - Survival - Loneliness - Faith - Power and corruption etc. 

The protagonist (main character)

What age is the protagonist?

Can you identify with the situation the protagonist is in?

Are you interested in the situation the protagonist is in?

What can you learn from the protagonist's choices?

Different writing styles

Poetic language - Long sentences - Short sentences - A lot of dialogues/conversational - Diary style - Changing narrators/POV's (person who tells the story) - One narrator - Plain/daily life use of language - Literary use of language - Repetitive vocabulary - Use of slang/dialect - Creative in creating own vocabulary - low-frequent/difficult vocab.

Name the author of the book you last read or your favourite author.

How is the text presented?

On paper - big/small letters - spoken support - e-book 

spoken support: esl-bits.net  (choose novels in the menu)

Activity (on the worksheet):

Read the three fragments of books you can choose from this period. Choose a favourite one and explain your choice. 

Life of Pi (youtube)

The great Gatsby (+audio esl)

Frankenstein (youtube)

The handmaid's tale (+audio esl)

Do Androids dream of electric sheep? (youtube)

The catcher in the rye (+audio esl)

How to be good 

Butcher's crossing (youtube)

Farewell to arms (youtube)

Emma (youtube)

ePub files in Somtoday

esl-bits.net (easy to read along/learn pronunciation)

youtube: type name novel (and author)+ reading/audiobook (ideal to listen to while cycling etc) 

Keep track of where you ended!

How to keep track of reading?

epub: your e-reader will keep track of where you ended

pdf/esl-bits/youtube: write down what chapter/page you read last.

Write short summaries (English or Dutch) you can study before the test.

Homework next class

Read in your novel