Project Gutenberg and Bibliomania
There is no excuse for students and teachers complaining anymore about the inaccessibility or the cost of literature classic texts. Welcome to Project Gutenberg and Bibliomania. We have browsed these sites and here share our views of the impact they have made on us as teachers and readers.
The protocol for our comments is as follows: We browse the range of classics on either one or both of these two archival sites to see whether we can locate texts that we have studied, or texts that we teach. We access an audio book and listen to its quality, saying how we can use both audio and print in our language classroom.
There is no excuse for students and teachers complaining anymore about the inaccessibility or the cost of literature classic texts. Welcome to Project Gutenberg and Bibliomania. We have browsed these sites and here share our views of the impact they have made on us as teachers and readers.
The protocol for our comments is as follows: We browse the range of classics on either one or both of these two archival sites to see whether we can locate texts that we have studied, or texts that we teach. We access an audio book and listen to its quality, saying how we can use both audio and print in our language classroom.
posted by Cynthia James | 8:27 PM
8 Comments:
I have examined both the audio file and word file of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner on Project Gutenberg. I have found that the archive is a marvelous reading and literature appreciation resource.
I chose the human-read audio file over the computer-generated one, because the human-read sounded more authentic. I did not download the print. Instead I read the poem alongside the print copy in the poetry anothology I use at school.
I firmly believe that every teacher should expose his or her students to Project Gutenberg. Both the struggling reader and the ardent literature buff can at last be on the same page in a differentiated classroom! Hooray for technology and for the foresight of Michael Hart.
I listened to Shakespeare's Sonnet #100 and I firmly believe these audio texts can be extremely useful in the classroom. Students constanly struggle with the language of Shakespeare and often despair when they are called upon to read and analyse these texts. However by listening to the language read out loud, especially with the use of tone employed in these readings will definitely make it easier for them to ascertain the meaning the writer wishes to convey.
Since our students thrive in this tech-savvy world I believe this will appeal to them. Often students see Shakespeare as mundane reading but the audio text should make it more interactive and practical. They learn to pronounce words (old english) that might have otherwise been problematic. It also appeals to me as a teacher since it makes my work considerably easier. This is a brilliant idea and one that should definitely be employed in the classroom.
What interests me, is the idea of readily available audio material to take to class. I notice that my students love it when I read to them, especially when I dramatize the vocal intonations with some body language. Class for my students can be made a lot more interesting now and can also provide me with an opportunity to observe my students’ reaction/s to the literature while they listen. It is an avenue to sharpen their listening and comprehension skills as well as to provoke oral expression. I believe that the English language must be used primarily to boost confidence and capacity in expression. This is the demand of the present age. Another thing is that by listening to the literature the opportunity will now present itself to relate the written word with what they heard- through writing letters or reports and other responses to the literature-, sparking a measure of interest.
Most students I’ve met do not like reading and while I know that we are not working solely for the purpose of entertaining them, we must find ways to creatively catalyze their interest in the subjects we teach or they won’t be interested in learning. Project Gutenberg is one such catalyst.
I teach language to the forms two. The audiotexts available in Project Guthenberg may be very useful in my language class.
v It may help kill the monotony of teacher read alouds during a literature study and add variety to reading classes as students listen to a different voice and the oral text.
v Students, and in particular the weak readers will have the advantage of hearing the text in addition to seeing the text as it is read. This will help students process the text as well as understand how the text should be actually read. It will assist the development of students’ oral communication: use of tone, pitch, pronunciation, fluency etc.
v The audiotext may help the teacher gain more flexibility in the classroom as it may be used for whole group reading instruction, shared reading in smaller groups or to conduct individual reading programs. For example a teacher may have a small group of weak readers listen to the audiotext and answer questions as they reflect on their reading in a shared reading experience while she provides different language instruction to another group of students. Another students may listen to repeated practice of a part of the text to improve fluency.
v It may be a welcomed resource for the teacher who is introducing a new or difficult text, plays or poetry. It is a “good” record of how the text ought to be read, helping students in oral pronunciation and delivery.
v It helps to develop students’ language sense as they hear the pronunciation of the words and interpretation of the text. It provides a model for students to emulate.
v It facillitates literature circles as a teacher may set up listening centers and have student groups listen to different texts simultaneously. Thus in a class there may be 3 or 6 different literature circles or text studies happening at the same time as student groups listen to and read different texts and repond to teacher questions. Thus reassuring the teacher that not only are the students reading the text in their circle but also listening to a good reading of the text.
However, I felt that there are some drawbacks to the teacher that uses Project Guthenberg.
v The project excludes Caribbean texts. Thus the student may unavoidably receive the message that the classic Caribbean text and situation are not as important as the classic English, the American etc. those regions represented in Project Guthenberg.
v Another effect of using audiotexts that exclude the Caribbean text is that the very students that the teacher is trying to assist may in fact experience alienation from the literature used. Thus, instead of achieving reader ideals (such as reading engagement, lifelong reading, critical literacy) in the student, the teacher thus builds an alliterate or even a weak reader. The teacher must be very wise in her use of the audiotext in a Caribbean setting.
v The audio texts are quite limited given the variety of texts that students are expected to experience in the classroom. Indeed the teacher’s use of the audiotext is limited to those titles available online.
v The voice used in the audiotext may seem strange, sterile and stiff in sound to a classroom of Caribbean students (in some classrooms, it may be viewed as downright funny) and thus thwart the teacher’s efforts to build a classroom of engaged readers. The teacher will have to be very selective in the choice of the audiotext.
v Purchased audiotexts do have a better quality in sound.
After consideration, I feel that I can use the audiotexts available in Project Guthenberg. It is a cheap resource, brings variety to the classroom and may prove invaluable given time constraints and teacher spontaneity. With the added benefit of sound, it may definitely be used to assist language instruction. However, I prefer the quality of purchased audio texts. If I am using audiotexts, I will also want to include Caribbean audiotexts. Shoud these be difficult to source, the teacher may tape, or arrange to have taped, Caribbean selections.
Well said, Michelle!
How can we get Caribbean texts to have more visibility online? Do you think that this is necessary in the first place? Most of the texts on Gutenberg have passed into the public domain and don't need copyright permissions.
Since most of our recorded and archived cultural corpus is less than 99 years old, how do we deal with mass technological availablity of Caribbean literature for schools and for the young? Can this be left to the individual teacher with the tape?
Jilly Ann, you make two intriguing comments:
(1) They learn to pronounce words (old english) that might have otherwise been problematic.
(2) It also appeals to me as a teacher since it makes my work considerably easier.
With regard to the first, what's the merit in students learning to pronounce Old English?
As for the second comment, how do your students benefit when your work is made considerably easier?
Thank you for your comments Dr. James. Your questions and comments have enlightened me and pushed me further to delve into the whole issue. Still, I must declare I am by no means “technologically inclined”.
The lack of “technological availability of Caribbean literature” is a very complex issue … it runs through and through how we see ourselves & our values as a people. I do think that it is an issue not only for the Caribbean icons of literature but also for the young and upcoming authors, our universities and businessmen, the governments and the region’s people as a whole.
I see a lot of possibilities though if we consider the oral traditions of the Caribbean people.
I often compare ourselves too, to other international artists who have also had to re-strategize to combat technology. For example, a couple of weeks ago a young, black, American hip hop artist (I can’t recall his name) was featured on the BBC. He made history by being the first black artist to enter the mobile network. Apparently, he’s downloading hip hop music videos onto cell phones. (There was a time not so long ago when black music videos was not easily available, if you remember.) He claims that there is some money to be made but not a whole heap; he invested in the technology to help the hip hop industry and its young artists. I think that there are lessons to be learnt here. Even Hollywood is rethinking its strategies so as to offset financial losts caused by the ease of technological piracy. We have the added bonus as a young people to stand aside, view and learn from other foreign cultures … an added hi-tech advantage.
I dare say that the teacher/tape technology is not enough, and we must use our resources to technologically advance Cariibean literature and education. I think there is definitely a need to propel Caribbean literature towards visibility online if we are to even interest the upcoming generation of Caribbean readers.
I definitely need more time to navigate around all the resources that are on offer to our curriculum group before I can make a more informed comment.
I have to admit that I am a bit overwhelemd by the technology, though I use my computer everyday.
There are some internet resources that I have shied away from for one reason or another. Right now I am not even sure that I am posting my comment in the right place!
My first impressions are as follows:
(i) the blog is a useful tool that will allow very busy people with clashing schedules to stay in contact and share ideas and grow professionally - but I hope it does not supplant our person to person contact.
(ii) Project Gutenburg is a massive undertaking that can have many, many positive implications for classroom practice. I could just imagine having Chaucer's canterbury tale read with authentic pronounciation etc. But doesn't project Gutenberg work to reinforce canonicity? Not many Caribbean texts seem to be available - but then there is a broader picture - I would prefer to have students reading than not reading as we wait for our texts to be included!
(iii) I am hesistant to introduce IT resources to the classroom as it may prove to be a means of exclusion to students who do not have resources at their disposal. I have many such students.
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