MASTER’S THESIS
RISE AND FALL OF A HERO: TEACHING ENGLISH THROUGH LITERATURE AND CINEMA
María Yosiane Badia van Pelt
Master’s Degree in Teaching Training (Specialisation/Pathway English) Centre for Postgraduate Studies
Academic Year 2020-21
María Yosiane Badia van Pelt
Master’s Thesis
Centre for Postgraduate Studies University of the Balearic Islands
Academic Year 2020-21
Key words:
EFL, Literature, Cinema, Content-Based Learning, Competence-Based Learning.
Thesis Supervisor’s Name: Dr Karen Lesley Jacob Abad
Abstract
Multiple approaches to teaching English as a Foreign Language have been implemented. From a communicative perspective, the use of authentic materials in the classroom is key to motivating students and enhancing their language skills. In a Spanish secondary school environment, several competences must also be developed. This paper explores the way a Content-Based Learning approach in the EFL classroom, using literature and cinema as source materials, is effective in teaching both language and competence-based skills.
A review on the use of literature and cinema in EFL is first presented, followed by an exploration of approaches to covering culture, critical thinking, social and emotional learning, and content-based learning in the EFL classroom. A didactic proposal that integrates these approaches is then suggested, including sample activities and materials. In eight sessions, the proposal revolves around the figure of the tragic hero in literature and cinema, as illustrated in the characters of Star Wars’ Anakin Skywalker and Kylo Ren, Shakespeare’s Macbeth and King Lear, Sophocles’ Oedipus, Euripides’ Medea, and Okonkwo, from Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart.
Keywords: EFL, Literature, Cinema, Content-Based Learning, Competence-Based Learning.
1. Introduction ... 1
1.1. Justification ... 2
1.2. Objectives ... 4
2. Literature Review ... 4
2.1. Teaching EFL Through Literature ... 4
2.1.1. Incorporating Literature into the EFL Classroom ... 9
2.2. Teaching EFL Through Cinema ... 10
2.2.1. Incorporating Film and Video into the EFL Classroom ... 13
2.3. Other Approaches ... 14
2.3.1. Culture in the EFL Classroom... 15
2.3.2. Critical Thinking in the EFL Classroom ... 17
2.3.3. Social and Emotional Learning in the EFL Classroom ... 20
2.3.4. Content-Based Learning in the EFL Classroom ... 23
3. Didactic Proposal ... 24
3.1. Introduction ... 24
3.2. Methodology ... 25
3.2.1. Relation to the Spanish Curriculum ... 27
3.3. Sessions ... 29
3.3.1. Session 1. Introducing the Tragic Hero ... 29
3.3.1.1. Activity Description ... 29
3.3.2. Session 2. Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader ... 32
3.3.2.1. Activity Description ... 34
3.3.3. Session 3. Macbeth ... 37
3.3.2.1. Activity Description ... 38
3.3.4. Session 4. King Lear ... 41
3.3.4.1. Activity Description ... 42
3.3.5. Session 5. Oedipus ... 43
3.3.5.1. Activity Description ... 44
3.3.6. Session 6. Medea... 46
3.3.6.1. Activity Description ... 47
3.3.7. Session 7. Okonkwo ... 48
3.3.7.1. Activity Description ... 49
3.3.8. Session 8. Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren ... 50
3.3.8.1. Activity Description ... 51
4. Conclusion ... 52
References ... 54
Annexes... 65
1. Introduction
The presence of English nowadays can be found everywhere. It is not only the main lingua franca to communicate in an international learning or working environment, but also clearly present in other spheres such as music, social media and the arts. Literature and cinema, besides being artistic creations on one hand, and entertainment products on the other, also serve as effective pedagogical tools that teachers can strongly rely on to teach their fields, English as foreign language (EFL) in our case. Especially when the teaching target is an adolescent one, educators must devise engaging communicative methodologies and prepare dynamic activities to attract students. The ongoing search for authentic materials to bring to the classroom also makes literature and cinema an apt source.
Film is without doubt appealing to adolescents, it has a cognitive and affective effect on students (Champoux, 1999, p. 12), it keeps them motivated and interested, and decreases their learning anxiety (Thurn, 2016, p. 10-11,13). One should not forget that cinema, being a narrative language in motion, originates in literature, and shares with its counterpart similar motifs, devices and archetypes. Most of the media products that teenagers consume nowadays (series, comic books and video games) also find their origins in literature, thus its use in the EFL classroom can be equally motivating and useful to enhance the students’ communicative competence and linguistic development.
Harvard professor Doris Sommer argues that when narratives are the source teaching material, desirable 21st century competences can be achieved in the classroom, such as critical thinking, peer and team-work and effective communication (EduCaixaTVcat, 2020). Savvidou (2004) states that achieving communicative competence is not only a question of language structure and form, as it also involves interpreting various discourse types in all kinds of social and cultural contexts, as those that can indeed be found in literature and cinema. Besides communicative competence and critical thinking, other skills and attitudes are expected to be taught, practiced and enhanced in secondary school, such as cultural awareness, and social and emotional intelligence. This
proposal presents an integrated approach to besides teaching English, introducing said competences into the Batxillerat [Spanish Baccalaureate] EFL classroom using literature and cinema as source materials.
1.1. Justification
During my school placement at IES Inca, I found out that the head of the English department and I shared our love for Shakespeare and for literature and cinema at large. When I mentioned that I was planning to do my TFM on the subject of the tragic hero, he categorically stated that literature in the EFL classroom just did not work, that he had tried it in the past to no avail. That statement, which left experimentation out of the question, actually reinforced my decision to design this proposal. As will be seen in the literature review in Section 2, research proves that in reality using literature and cinema in the EFL classroom with the appropriate methodology can be highly motivating for students and beneficial for their foreign language learning purposes.
When studying the Master’s, prominence was given to providing cross-curricular learning to our students, and to achieve an integrated language and content treatment among different language and non-language subjects. In practice, at least during my school placement, I did not find great integration. The Universal Literature curriculum proposes an interdisciplinary approach among the Spanish and Catalan teachers, although it does not mention the foreign language department, and the Spanish and Catalan Literature and Language curriculums also advocate for a joint collaboration only between the two. As one of the general objectives in Batxillerat is to “develop artistic and literary sensitivity and aesthetic criteria as sources of education and cultural enrichment” (Decret 35/2015, de 15 de maig, p. 25306), it stands to reason that the EFL classroom can rightfully undertake this task too, without leaving aside its specific objectives. As will be mentioned in Section 3, this proposal would nevertheless work best if inserted within an interdisciplinary program designed among various subjects.
During the Master’s I also came across the concept of social and emotional learning, and that it can and should be applied to any subject or field. As Plato
famously quoted, “all learning has an emotional base”. I believe that literature and cinema are ideal tools to enhance the emotional intelligence of students, because they allow the audience to “experience an emotional and mental journey into the fictional world and the life of the protagonist/s” (Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 104). These mediums also provide space for critical thinking, which, as mentioned in the introduction, is strongly encouraged in today’s competence-based curriculums. I believe that any context should offer opportunities for reflection and discussion, because, as Barrow (1990) puts it,
“education is [about] developing people’s way of thinking” (p. 6). Competence- oriented approaches, if combined with social and emotional learning, increase the students’ motivation and performance, so should take place in as many learning environments as possible (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019, p. 15).
The literary figure of the classic hero and the tragic hero are omnipresent in today’s media, although the latter can be confused with the anti-hero or the villain, as the line that distinguishes these archetypes is often blurry. According to Aristotle (ca. 335 B.C.E./2008) in his Poetics, a tragic hero is someone of noble origins, who, frequently out of excessive pride or arrogance (hubris), commits a fatal flaw or error of judgement (hamartia) who leads to their own downfall or destruction, and more often than not, also to the deaths of their beloved ones, and to social instability, war or the end of a political era. This tragic end arouses pity in the audience, who undergo a cathartic experience, reflect upon the deeds and decisions taken by the character, and relate to their own life experiences. The tenets of Ancient Greek tragedy and the Aristotelian concept of the hero have changed, especially since the 20th century, and, following Miller (1949), it could be said that anyone can live through the tragedy of the common man or woman (the Breaking Bad television series is a clear example of a modern take on the tragic hero). I believe the topic of the tragic hero is relevant to 1st of Batxillerat students, as they find themselves in a critical age in which, besides the obvious emotional, physical and psychological changes they undergo, they will soon be young adults that will have to face
decision-making dilemmas about their life, work or career, and these can be mirrored in the actions of the tragic heroes learnt in this proposal.
1.2. Objectives
As stated before, the objective of this TFM is to present a proposal that establishes links of a communicative approach to teaching English through cinema and literature to a Batxillerat class, with a competence-based learning of social and emotional skills, cultural awareness and critical thinking.
This is developed in three ways. Firstly, an introduction and justification of the topic have been provided; secondly, a literature review on approaches of teaching literature, cinema, culture, critical thinking, and social and emotional thinking is covered. A review on current communicative and content-based approaches is also presented; thirdly, the didactic proposal itself.
The didactic part is divided into a) a brief explanatory introduction in which the target group, contents and design are layout; b) the methodology used, linked to the literature review of Section 2; c) the relation of the proposal to the current Spanish and Balearic state curriculum; and d) the description of eight learning sessions. Conclusion, references and annexes bring the TFM to an end.
2. Literature Review
The following state of the art review presents a number of approaches to teaching literature and cinema in the EFL classroom, along with culture, critical thinking, social and emotional learning, and content-based learning.
2.1. Teaching EFL Through Literature
Historically speaking, the way literature has been used in the EFL classroom has changed over time. A detailed description of past approaches to teaching literature in the EFL classroom is out of the scope of this paper, so for a thorough summary, see Bobkina and Dominguez (2014) and Khatib et al.
(2011); both papers offer a historical overview of the use of literature in the non- native language classroom from the beginning of the 20th century onwards.
They also provide an exhaustive chronological summary of methodological
approaches to teaching literature in the EFL classroom, mainly citing: 1) Wellek and Warren’s (1984) intrinsic vs. extrinsic approach; 2) Maley’s (1989) critical literary vs. stylistic approach, and the mid-approach; 3) Carter and Long’s (1991) Cultural, Language, and Personal Growth approaches; 4) Lima’s (2005) intuitive vs. syntactic analysis; and 5) Van’s (2009) traditional approaches to the analysis of literary fiction, applied to the EFL environment (i.e., New Criticism, Structuralism, Stylistic Approach, Reader Response Approach, Language Based Approach, and Critical Literacy Approach).
In any case, the abovementioned scholars have advocated for a combination of these approaches. In fact, as Bobkina and Dominguez (2014) argue, “the last decade has seen several attempts to develop an integrative model towards literature teaching that would include the linguistic, cultural and personal elements” (p. 255). Clandfield and Duncan (2004), and Koutsompou (2015) have solely focused on a combination of the Cultural, Language and Personal Growth models (Carter & Long, 1991); several other combined approaches have also been suggested (see Dhanapal, 2010; Divsar, 2009; Savvidou, 2004;
Timucin, 2001, as cited in Bobkina & Dominguez, 2014; Khatib et al., 2011).
In the present proposal an integrated model has been used, although giving prominence to the following approaches:
a) The Personal Growth approach seeks to engage students to the source materials by relating them to their personal experience, pursuing the students’ personal development and language skills improvement (Carter
& Long, 1991, as cited in Bobkina & Dominguez, 2014, pp. 253-254).
Within this approach, it is thought that literature has the power to stir people’s emotions and to make language more memorable (Clandfield &
Duncan, 2004, para. 10), so students not only learn to read literature in English more effectively, but they also mature and grow as individuals, which helps them build better relationships with others. The choice of texts should prompt students to “use their ideas and imagination creatively” (Koutsompou, 2015, p. 76).
b) The Reader Response approach aims at assigning students an active classroom role, as they are encouraged to make use of their opinions, feelings, experiences and background knowledge when facing literature (Van, 2009, pp. 5-7). As “interpretation is achieved through the interaction between the text and the reader” (Khatib et al., 2011, p. 206), multiple interpretations can arise in the classroom. This can lead to an increase in student motivation and participation, in student-centred communicative activities (Van, 2009, pp. 5-7).
c) The Language Based approach consists of developing literature-based communicative language activities such as brainstorming, making predictions, rewriting ends, summarizing plots, cloze texts, jigsaw readings and debates, so that students can work individually, collaboratively and cooperatively. This approach uses literature as “an excellent vehicle for CLT (communicative language teaching) methods that result in four-skill English language development through interaction, collaboration, peer teaching, and student independence” (Van, 2009 p.
7). Van also suggests that students learn best when they can relate the works to their lives (p. 7).
Some authors point to the fact that literature taught in a traditional, static and teacher-centred approach leads to students’ discouragement and lack of motivation (Gutiérrez & María y Ball, 2007; Appleman & Graves, 2012; Bacha, 2016; Mustakim et al., 2018). Notwithstanding, it has been found that when teaching English-written literature in an EFL/ESL context (Bacha, 2016) or introducing literature into the EFL/ESL classroom, whether as content or main material (Bingham Brunner, 2016; Tsai, 2012), with a careful selection and a student-centred methodology, students not only improve their EFL skills, but their overall communicative and linguistic skills too, native(s) language(s) included.1 Research (Bingham Brunner, 2016; Tsai, 2012), also indicates that learning literature in the EFL/ESL classroom can motivate students towards
“Free Voluntary Reading” (Krashen, 2004, as cited in Bingham Brunner, 2016),
1 In a multicultural and multilingual context as the Balearic Islands, the native or L1 language can be Spanish, Catalan, English or any other language used to communicate at home.
be it in English or in their native language. It is often the case that students learn literature in their first or second language by “drilled” repetition and compulsory memorization of lists of authors and their biographies, narrative genres and historical periods, which results in adolescents’ general disinterest, or even hatred towards literature or the act of reading for pleasure, not to mention in a foreign language. As some authors argue, there are teachers who turn literature into a “dead entity”, which students regard as imposing instead of alluring (Antillano, 1991, as cited in Gutiérrez, M. & María y Ball, M., 2007, p.
100).
In a recent research carried out in Lebanon (Bacha, 2016), first year university students where taught English language and literature under a student-centred approach. Students reported seeing the novel used “not as a subject matter to be studied, but a “mirror of life” and life’s lessons” (p. 165). Various students regretted not having been taught this way in high school, as they would have read more novels (p. 166). Other students complained about having to memorize in secondary school, instead of being given the opportunity to talk and give their opinion in a non-threatening environment (p. 166). The research concludes that “with wise selection of the literary text, the use of films, student presentations and discussions related to real life as support, students become engaged and their vocabulary improves” (p. 167).
A similar research was conducted in Turkey, among university students aged 18-19 (Yilmaz, 2012). This author champions the incorporation of literature into the curriculum as it is a rich resource with which to provide students with interesting and motivating topics, and stimulating language activities, such as, again, classroom discussion. He nevertheless warns teachers that a possible drawback of using literature with EFL learners is the diversity of literary tastes, if any, among the group (p. 87). Most of the students in his study reported small group work, whole-class discussion and student-led activities as useful methodologies (p. 90). Regarding genres, they preferred prose fiction (i.e., novel and short story) over poetry and drama. Yilmaz suggests that teachers should arrange the order of literary sources according to tastes, interests and hobbies, and explore creative ways of sparking student’s interest in all kinds of
genres, by way of student-centred activities, such as role plays, creative writing and discussions (p. 92). According to this research, student’s reading and writing skills improved, although not speaking or listening. To this, Yilmaz concludes that teachers do not devote enough time to “specific listening improvement tasks in treating the literary texts” (p. 92).
The present proposal aims at filling this gap by combining different language activities and assigning sufficient time, inside and outside of the classroom, to all four skills. It also seeks to prove that not only novels or short stories can be successfully used with EFL learners, though scaffolding the materials and thematic concepts is key. Gareis et al. (2009) suggest that even though using authentic literature can be “electrifying” for teachers and students, and that literary texts can supplement textbooks or become a textbook by itself, it is advisable that the difficulty of the texts be slightly above that of the students’
level yet without causing frustration (pp. 136-137). Therefore, in this proposal, some literary texts have been used as source material for content-based teaching and learning, that is, the texts themselves have not been used in all sessions, although the thematic aspects of the texts have, as in session 5 (Oedipus) and 6 (Medea), the reason being that students can read these plays in their native language(s) in other subjects, such as Spanish or Catalan language and literature, and Universal Literature. In any case, a pre-, while- and post-reading method (as will be seen in the following Section) has been used throughout the proposal, as well as engage – study – activate, even when texts have not been used. Literature —and cinema, as it will be seen in Section 3 of the proposal, becomes thus, as Antillano would say, a “living entity” (1991, as cited in Gutiérrez, M. & María y Ball, M., 2007, p. 100).
As seen above, most authors propose the use of methodologies that prompt students to find a relation between the academic contents and their lives. As Caro Valverde (2014) states, to work the “reciprocity between school and life”
(p. 38, my translation). The next section covers different ways of incorporating literature into the classroom.
2.1.1. Incorporating Literature into the EFL Classroom
Bacha (2016) reports that during her research, while teaching American literature in an EFL environment, students quickly made connections between the novels (and film adaptations), and their own lives, which rapidly increased their motivation. Reading out of novels and performing role plays were put in place. Students also made oral presentations and started group discussions about aspects from the texts in relation to real life, thus also practicing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Yilmaz’s study (2012) attempted to achieve an effective integration of literature into EFL, so he focused both on linguistic skills and literary skills. Students were posed questions regarding theme, plot and characterization of the works in order to create group discussions. El Farra
& Abu Zahra (2016) also propose activities in which learners must make predictions and draw conclusions about character’s actions and behaviours, and discuss the end. As per these authors, when students can express their thoughts and feelings, be it in written or oral form, besides improving their foreign language skills, they also develop their personal reflection on various subject-matters. Khdihr and Hasan (2016) sustain that the instruction of all four skills should not be done separately, but in a coordinated way, so they opt for reading activities that lead to, once more, group discussions. Regarding writing, they suggest guided compositions, rewording and rephrasing; to enhance aural skills, various dictations and listening activities using videos or recordings; and to practice speaking, reading out lout and drama-based tasks, such as performance, role-playing and improvisation.
Appleman and Graves (2012, pp. 5-11) offer a comprehensive range of reading activities. They defend an engage – study – activate approach by the implementation of 1) prereading, 2) during-reading, and 3) post-reading activities. Before tackling a text or work, students should 1) first get engaged in the subject by linking it to their previous knowledge; in this stage, the teacher should also provide students with text-specific vocabulary or concepts that might be new to them; 2) teachers should then guide students to specific textual features or contents. This can be done by silent reading, dictation or student oral reading; 3) to finish, students should reflect on the meaning they have
made from the text, as well as relate it to other works or life experiences.
Students can be asked to consider the author’s stance on a specific matter, or rate the text, according to its message, subject, literary devices or narrative quality. Questions, either orally or in writing and posed by the teacher or peer to peer, promote the students’ higher-order thinking. Pair, small or big group discussions, according to these authors, are and excellent classroom tool, as they help broaden the topic of the text, and students have an opportunity to contribute with their opinions, and hear that of others, that might be completely antagonistic. These authors sustain that the methodology used should result in students appreciating the text’s value and relevance, and building connections between the literary works (and yet again I add cinema too) and their lives.
Clandfield and Duncan (2004) suggest a similar approach, although they divide the lesson plan in five stages: 1) warmer, 2) before reading, 3) general comprehension of the text, 4) understanding the language, and 5) follow up activities. They also propose activities such as discussions, brainstorming, guessing games, character description, role play, and rewriting scenes. As shall be seen in Section 3, a blending of these methodologies has been applied to the proposal. The next section offers a review on why and how can cinema be used in the language classroom. All in all, authors have suggested similar approaches to teaching literature and cinema, which underpins the aforementioned idea that both art forms are equally valuable didactic tools and are indeed compatible.
2.2. Teaching EFL Through Cinema
Although the largest part of the proposal focuses on working with literary texts as source material, film has also been used in sessions 2 (Anakin Skywalker), 3 (Macbeth) and 8 (Ben Solo). As mentioned in the introduction, literature and film are intrinsically intertwined, because, as director George Lucas expresses, “film is a very modern art form, it takes all of the other aspects, the senses, really, of other art forms, be it painting, music, literature, drama, theatre, and puts it into one art form” (Moyers, 1999, 00:33:17). Film is not only an art form but a powerful communicative tool to be used in education, especially in language
lessons, as movie images are narrative texts on their own. Muller (2006) argues that teachers can use “film as film—not as literature—” to teach literary concepts or theories that may be difficult or abstract for students (p. 35).
Champoux (1999) coincides with this idea, as he argues that films help students absorb “powerful metaphorical images of abstract theories and concepts” (p. 7).
Muller (2006) insists that students can learn to appreciate cinema as a distinct
“cultural artefact” (p. 33). As literary works lack cinematic devices such as
“lighting, music, and camera angles” as narrative devices (Muller, 2006, p. 33), it can be thus contented that cinema (and other audio-visual materials) as a classroom tool may be preferred by students. In this proposal, both “serious”
literature and blockbuster cinema have been used as equal mediums to work with the tragic hero archetype, in the hope that students, besides enhancing their English skills, start delving into films with a critical eye, and not as mere entertainment. As Muller (2006) puts it, educators can teach students to be
“more critical —and less passive— viewers” (p. 33). To meet this goal, it is important that films and videos are used as pedagogical tools, and not as time- fillers or rewards. Stoller (1995) points out that watching a film or video in the EFL classroom should be a “catalyst” for further language use, not just a standalone viewing session (p. 63). She also contends that students must actively participate in the film or video-based activities, instead of being, as at home, mindlessly entertained (p. 63).
Not only literary texts and film clips have been used in the present proposal as source material; these have also been strongly supported by a diverse array of video-based activities, since “the use of multiple media to show the same concepts [has] positive cumulative effects” (Champoux, 1999, p. 5). As Norris (2008) puts it, secondary school students constitute a “highly visual, multisensory, multitask-oriented population” that needs to be challenged through what she defines as a pedagogy of “new-” or “multiliteracies”, based on the use of visual, media and film resources (p. 115). So, as Batxillerat students are asked to read and analyse books, likewise can they be able to engage in a critical viewing of a film or video, while learning and taking pleasure in the process. As with their literary counterparts, films and videos can be a strong
motivating element in the classroom, especially if students can relate to these sources personally. Besides, the use of realia diminishes the artificiality of the language instruction setting, and particularly in the case of film and videos, students are exposed to accents, varieties and registers of real-life interaction. It could be said that film offers a “multilingual and multicultural oasis” (Wood, 1992, as cited in Thurn, 2016, p. 10).
In fact, Bottomley and Haill (2009) believe that film is the best medium that teachers can use to stimulate real discussion and debate in the language classroom, and defend its near-authenticity as listening material (p. 7). Stoller (1995) also agrees that the use of film brings “authenticity, reality, variety and flexibility” to the language classroom. She states further that films and videos have traditionally been chosen in the EFL classroom just for “viewing comprehension”, that is, to practice visual and listening skills; she however defends the use of multimedia to develop speaking, reading and writing too, through a content-based curriculum and a communicative, student-centred approach (p. 62). Thurn (2016) promotes the use of film due to its integral blending of the vocal, visual and verbal communicative modes.
Other authors support a multi-skilled approach as well. Ruusunen (2011) contends that 1) besides motivating students, contemporary movies are useful listening material as they expose students to everyday speech, 2) movies are a source for new ideas and thematic variety for writing activities, 3) they constitute an effective tool to teaching specific vocabulary in theme-based lessons, and 4) students learn contemporary language which they can replicate in informal discussions (p. 8).
As with literature, preparing classroom activities based in films or videos can be time-consuming for teachers (Stoller, 1995, pp. 63, 68). These must also take the school’s equipment in consideration, as well as the fact that unexpected technical issues may arise that would affect the intended lesson plan.
Champoux (1999) adds that using cinema in class takes time away from other classroom activities, so he opts for selecting short scenes with which the teacher can focus on specific concepts (p. 12). Ruusunen (2011), following
Krashen’s 1985 input hypothesis, agrees that film or video-based activities should focus on understanding the main points of the input, so the choice of length and difficulty must depend on the group’s level: it should not be too demanding nor too easy (p. 21). Ruusunen further remarks that the topics or themes chosen should be on one side, interesting and student-appealing, and on the other side, pedagogically rich, the combination of which can indeed pose a challenge to teachers (2011, p. 35). All in all, it can be concluded that the benefits of using film and video clearly outweigh any plausible shortcomings.
The next section covers various methods of inserting film in the EFL classroom, as proposed by a series of scholars.
2.2.1. Incorporating Film and Video into the EFL Classroom
Section 2 of this proposal indicates that teachers and scholars have proposed a pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading methodological structure when working with literary texts. Likewise, when dealing with film and video, pre- viewing, during-viewing, and post-viewing activities should be incorporated into the lesson (Stoller, 1995, p. 64). As warm-up, Stoller proposes activities such as problem solving, discussion of the title, brainstorming and vocabulary work (p.
66). Besides active listening, students can be asked to gather specific information or make predictions. After the screening, students’ speaking and writing skills can be stimulated by class discussions or group debates, creating alternative endings, ranking of characters, role plays or speed writing (pp. 67- 68).
Champoux (1999) focuses as well on creating class discussions, and he again proposes activities with a “predictive approach” (e.g., guessing the plot or the ending of a movie) that stimulate the student’s imagination, creative-thinking and critical thinking (p. 6). Champoux also refers to “decision approach”
activities in which students in small groups put into practice “problem solving, individual decision making and group decision making” skills in order to achieve consensus (p. 6). This author draws a distinction between showing film scenes before or after tackling a subject or topic. According to him, when watched before discussion, films provide students with a “recallable visual image” that
will help them better understand the ensuing concepts (p. 9). In contrast, teachers can use scenes after describing a given subject matter as an exemplary source that students can analyse and apply their learning to (p. 10).
In any case, film helps students see theories and concepts “in action”, because as Champoux figuratively states, these “leap from the screen” (p. 11).
Finally, Ruusunen (2011) subscribes to the group discussion model. She states that debates are useful activities that encourage students to talk, as these can give their personal opinion on the topic and express their own feelings. She proposes the use of drama-like activities such as role plays, performing specific scenes or alternative endings (p. 26). In Section 2 of this proposal the Reader Response approach to teaching literature (Van, 2009) was highlighted, which focuses on the unique relationship between a text and its reader, and the different effects that literary texts produce on each individual person. In a similar vein, Ruusunen refers to using activities with which students disclose their immediate reactions to the scenes. As warm-up at the beginning of the lesson, and to activate the students’ creative thinking, a silent viewing can be carried out, after which students deliver the dialogue (p. 40). As post-viewing activity, students can be asked to retell the main elements of the plot. Ruusunen offers some examples of writing tasks, such as writing a film review, a comparison between a film and a book, drafting a different ending, or writing letters to characters of the movie (p. 27). Before watching the film, students can be asked what they think it is about according to its title. Regarding vocabulary and grammar, this author suggests working with video drills and traditional comprehension exercises, such as multiple choice, true or false questions and gap-filling tasks (p. 40). Section 3 of this proposal displays a blending of this type of activities.
2.3. Other Approaches
The following four sections briefly cover some cultural, critical thinking, social- emotional and content-based approaches to teaching English, which are implemented in the activities in Section 3 of the proposal.
2.3.1. Culture in the EFL Classroom
As foreign language teachers, our aim is to expose our students to that language in a natural way, and as travelling to an English-speaking country is out of reach for many of them, it is reasonable to wish that the EFL classroom may attempt to mimic a natural language acquisition environment. In that sense, the English lesson can deal with any topic, as soon as the language of instruction is indeed English. On the other hand, as secondary school educators it is our aspiration that students are proficient in all key competences, and this includes the cultural awareness and expression competence.
It is often the case that teachers of Spanish language and literature work with translations of English-written books that are popular among adolescents, such as the Harry Potter saga. In like manner, this proposal suggests that the EFL teacher can successfully use translations into English of any kind of work, be it textual or visual, as soon as they are relevant. For example, if we seek to challenge our students, films in other languages could be watched with English captions. In an ever more globalized world, in which English is without doubt the present and future lingua franca, English can and should be seen as the globe’s communicative medium par excellence, and literature and cinema should be regarded as means by which students can be receivers and transmitters of culture(s). According to Ruusunen, being exposed to different cultures makes students more tolerant, and decreases their pre-existing prejudices (2011, p. 33).
Ruusunen (2011) adds that authentic materials, such as literature and cinema, help students be aware of the usefulness of learning a foreign language, and the contexts where it can be used on a daily basis (p. 16). Valdes (1990) argues that students’ motivation for learning is stronger if they feel close to the speakers of the target language (p. 25). It should be added that English is not only spoken by native speakers, but it is also used regularly for all kinds of communicative purposes among non-natives. During the Master’s school placement in IES Inca, I came across a 1st of ESO student who wondered why he had to learn English, if he only really used Catalan in his everyday life. If not
properly stimulated, students may indeed “get the idea that foreign language only exists inside the classroom and that they do not have to use it anywhere else” (Ruusunen, 2011, p. 16). This author proposes that the language be taught in a “naturalistic environment” so that students are more concerned with communication and less with grammar, so within a communicative approach, learners effectively acquire grammatical rules rather unconsciously. Students this way should focus on meaning over form (p. 18).
In the literature review on teaching literature in the EFL classroom, in Section 2.1. of this proposal, the Literature as Culture Model (Carter & Long, 1991) was pointed as an extended practice among EFL teachers. In this model, literature [and I would add cinema too] is an “ideal vehicle for presenting the cultural notions of the language such as the history, literary theories, theory of genres, biography of the authors, […] geography, custom, politics, art, etc.” (Khatib et al., 2011, p. 205). Although this model is most certainly a valuable one, and I will surely be inclined to follow it in my future teaching career, it has not been used in this proposal as more emphasis has been given to the emotional aspect of the literary and cinematic figure of the tragic hero at large, therefore non- specific cultural sources such as the Star Wars realm have been selected, as well as quite specific ones (i.e., medieval Scotland and England, Ancient Greece, colonial Nigeria), in order to present a diverse cultural, geographical and historical source material.
Culturally speaking, English has traditionally been taught twofold: 1) British culture, customs and idiosyncrasy in Spain, and 2) its North American counterpart (in practice only from the USA) in other Hispanic countries. This approach could most certainly be seen as reductionistic and ethnocentric, as it leaves out the realities of millions of people who live in other English-speaking countries. It also omits the multifarious regional and socio-economical aspects, to name a few, within Britain and the States. Some authors advise teachers to be cautious when including L2 cultural elements, as they risk presenting a
“distorted reality” (Lima, 2005, as cited in Bobkina & Dominguez, 2014, p. 252).
Jacob (2010) argues that Western teaching methodologies and materials are often “micro-culturally based” and have sometimes caused discontent among
learners, depending on their source language and culture (p. 10). For a further review on socio-cultural, intercultural and ethnographic approaches to ELT (English Language Teaching), see Corbett (2003); and for a discussion on cultural and economic domination, social and power relations, imperialism, and ideological colonisation within ELT, see Holly (1990).
Different approaches to teaching “Big C” culture and “Little c” culture have been widely discussed in academia. Some authors have drawn attention to the fact that educators should be cautious when presenting a given culture in order to avoid stereotypes and biases; if the aim is to expose students to a cultural pluralism, then teachers must use, prepare or adapt material that illustrate multiple perspectives (Reimann, 2009, as cited in Thurn, pp. 22-23).
As mentioned earlier, students must acquire knowledge, practice skills and adopt attitudes related to the cultural awareness and expression competence.
According to the European Commission (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019), this competence:
requires knowledge of local, national, regional, European and global cultures and expressions, including their languages, heritage and traditions, and cultural products, and an understanding of how these expressions can influence each other as well as the ideas of the individual. It includes understanding the different ways of communicating ideas between creator, participant and audience within written, printed and digital texts, theatre, film, dance, games, art and design, music, rituals, and architecture, as well as hybrid forms. (p. 14)
Thus, a competence-focused teaching approach prompts students to be creative, curious, assertive, respectful, and aims at making students understand
“how arts and other cultural forms can be a way to both view and shape the world” (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019, p.
14). In this manner, this proposal seeks to move away from the aforementioned conventional Britain vs USA dichotomy by exposing students to a wider array of cultural expressions.
2.3.2. Critical Thinking in the EFL Classroom
EFL classes, especially in secondary education, should become learning environments where students expand their knowledge while developing different skills, among them, critical thinking. As Iakovos (2011) argues, the
ability to think critically does not develop spontaneously and naturally (cited in Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 100), therefore teachers, besides being language instructors, should also guide students towards their search for said knowledge.
In the previous sections, it was concluded that teaching with a focus on the cultural awareness and expression competence, and so exposing adolescents to different cultural expressions helps them become assertive and respectful citizens of the world. In like manner, being able to critically reflect upon oneself and others, to express one’s viewpoint and understand other perspectives are some of the skills involved in the personal, social and learning to learn competence. Critical thinking, developing arguments and engaging in constructive dialogues are also involved in the literacy, multilingual and citizenship competences.2 Likewise, creative thinking, critical thinking and problem-solving skills are expected in the entrepreneurship competence (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019, pp. 5-7, 11- 13). Critical thinking, among problem solving, teamwork, communication, creativity, and intercultural skills, is in fact embedded in all eight competences.
Taking this into account, it can then be assumed that critical thinking is an essential skill that should be an integral part of the EFL instruction.
Üstünlüoglu stipulates that “by means of interactive approaches and materials, teachers can help students be aware of their perceptions, assumptions, prejudices, and values, and can help students break old habits to construct a new point of view” (2004, p. 3, as cited in Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 100).
For instance, by writing argumentative essays and participating in class discussions, learners are invited to raise questions and evaluate their peers’
viewpoints; by teacher-led elicitation activities, students are forced to re- evaluate their own ideas and reactions (Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 100).
Or (1995, p. 186, as cited in Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 102) defends the inclusion of literature in the EFL curriculum, as, according to this author,
2 The Literacy and Multilingual competences, according to The European Commission, are merged merged into one Competencia en Comunicación Lingüística in the Spanish curriculum (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019; Decret 35/2015, de 15 de maig).
traditional EFL textbooks do not prompt students to raise questions and make interpretations; instead, “language is presented in a way that makes minimal demands on effort and thought”. Lazere believes that the blending of literature and language engages students in moral reasoning, and it makes them aware of possible ambiguities and viewpoints (1987, as cited in Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 101). In a study conducted among young undergraduate Persian speaking EFL learners, Pashangzadeh et al. (2016) concluded that using narrative texts enhanced students’ critical thinking, by engaging in cooperative activities and respectful group discussions. According to these authors, the development of critical thinking skills through the use of literature-based activities, moves students away from a limited “self-centered world”, based on stereotypes and prejudices, towards an expanded realm of different values, standpoints and varieties (p. 114).
Dhanapal (2010, as cited in Bobkina & Dominguez, 2014, p. 256) also conducted a study among Malaysian secondary students, in which she used a literature-based integrated approach, combining the aforementioned Reader Response and Stylistic Analysis approaches (Van, 2009), in order to develop reading comprehension and foster the students’ critical thinking skills. With interactive activities, students were made responsible of their own learning; the group also gained a better understanding of both themselves and other human beings.
As mentioned earlier in this proposal, literature and cinema are clearly interwoven, thus, it is my belief that the benefits and outcomes of teaching English through literature, can be applied to cinema as well. In this regard, Thurn (2016, pp. 23, 24) agrees that film helps students become more self- aware, and develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Pashangzadeh et al.
add that the building of self-awareness through critical thinking enables students identify the link between emotions and thoughts (Pashangzadeh et al., 2016, p. 100). The significance of self-awareness, empathy and emotional intelligence, and how can these be enhanced in the foreign language classroom is dealt further in the next section of this proposal.
2.3.3. Social and Emotional Learning in the EFL Classroom
As some authors suggest, an education that focuses on the enhancement of social and emotional skills in children and adolescents, leads to an effective cognitive and behavioural development (Elias et al., 1997, p. viii). Parents, carers, policymakers and other adults expect schools to turn children and adolescents into “knowledgeable, responsible, caring adults” (p. 1). According to the Committee of the Collaborative for the Advancement of Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), by attending and developing the student’s social and emotional learning (SEL), it is possible to motivate students to learn and integrate new information in their lives; SEL also helps students to evaluate risks and opportunities, and to choose consistent actions and healthy behaviours that are beneficial for themselves and for others (p. 1). Thus, when students’ social and emotional intelligence is instigated, not only do they become more empathetic towards their peers, teachers and family, but they also work towards their self-worth and self-concept. By having their set of beliefs questioned, students can learn to come to terms with former damaging attitudes and grow respect towards others.
In Section 2.3.1. of the proposal, the cultural awareness and expression competence, as per the European Commission standards was outlined. This competence requires students to be able to empathetically express and interpret ideas, experiences and emotions, and demonstrate an open and respectful attitude towards others (Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019, p. 14). Other competences involve knowledge, abilities and skills related to social and emotional learning too: the personal, social and learning to learn competence involves self-love, tolerance and empathy, respect towards diversity and the ability to manage conflicts assertively and build
“successful interpersonal relations” (p. 11); the citizenship competence also includes supporting social, cultural and gender diversity, respecting human rights, and promoting a culture of peace and non-violence (p. 12); even the entrepreneurship competence focuses on self-awareness, empathy and care- taking, as well as collaboratively working and effectively communicating and negotiating with others (p. 12). It is clear then that social and emotional skills, as
well as critical thinking, as already mentioned, should be promoted in the EFL classroom, as in any other subject.
So, as educators, we might wonder how to create safe and caring learning environments where students can build said social, cognitive and emotional skills (Elias et al., 1997, p. viii). This can be formally achieved by the implementation of specific SEL programmes3, such as the CASEL framework (CASEL, 2020) or the INTEMO program (Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional, n.d.; EduCaixa, 2021); by developing coexistence plans; by inserting SEL-oriented subjects, such as Tutoring in Spain; or by taking into account the students’ social and emotional skills when building a competence- based curriculum. Unofficially, we, as secondary teachers, can also be responsible of our students’ social and emotional wellbeing and progression by autonomously SELifying our lessons. This does not mean to ignore or contradict the curriculum, state and specific objectives, but to naturally integrate SEL practices and activities in our lessons, so that students holistically enhance all areas of learning. As Pablo Fernández-Berrocal, vice-president of the International Society for Emotional Intelligence states, emotional learning should not be isolated, but fully integrated into the subject’s content (EduCaixa, 2021). A SEL classroom also involves creating a safe, supportive, fun yet didactic classroom environment in which students feel at ease.
Ruusunen (2011, p. 26) proposes film activities in which students think of images or sounds that have struck them, and express the feelings these have evoked in them. Elias et al. (1997) provide other examples of instructional methods that enhance social and emotional learning, which can be perfectly incorporated into the EFL classroom: storytelling and biography (examining real people’s or character’s feelings); group discussion (by using restorative circles, solving problems, sharing emotions); rehearsal and practice (role play, acting out dialogues, reading out loud); self-awareness and self-regulation (pausing and considering one’s feelings); self-reflection and goal setting; artistic
3 SEL programs being currently used in school environments worldwide can be found in www.evidenceforessa.org/programs/social-emotional
expression (such as drama activities); play (gamification); cooperative and small-group learning (pp. 50-55).
Fernández-Berrocal (EduCaixa, 2021) suggests that a central point of emotional learning is that of empathy. He proposes activities in which students get to really know each other, as it is sometimes easier to identify someone else’s emotions rather than our own. As a means to build complicity and trust, Berrocal asserts that students should understand and express their own feelings and empathize with their teachers’ and peers’ emotions. Sharing their daily struggles and sympathizing with others (e.g., literary or cinematic characters) also helps strengthen the students’ emotional intelligence. For more approaches to implementing SEL in the EFL classroom in particular, see Ee and Cheng (2013), Yagcioglu (2017) and McLean (2018). For a SEL approach to Humanities in secondary school, see CASEL (2017).
Given the strong emotional component that can be found in literature and cinema, and tragedy especially, these mediums have therefore been deemed fit for this proposal. Gutiérrez and María y Ball (2007) remark that despite the fact that students do not normally establish links between what they learn at school and their own life experiences, literature can help them imagine and connect with the experiences of others (p. 100). Literature, these authors argue, becomes a world in which students can get to better understand behaviours, personalities, friendships and family relationships (pp. 104-105). Hernández Ramírez and Fragoso Ruiz (2015) argue that the narrative experience is not only entertaining or pleasant but disturbs and shakes the reader or viewer. By accessing other people’s realities and conflicts, literature, cinema and drama can guide students towards living in community, and help them be more tolerant, understanding, compassionate yet critical (p. 45). To this, Bacha (2016) adds that literary works foster the students’ personal development, as they learn how other people face problems and resolve conflicts, which can help students be aware of life’s issues and be better decisionmakers (p. 159). In this proposal, the figure of the tragic hero has been specifically chosen so that students reflect on dilemmas, choices, behaviours and their consequences.
2.3.4. Content-Based Learning in the EFL Classroom
Against former outdated approaches to teaching languages, which were exclusively teacher-centred4 the overall pedagogical tendency in foreign language (FL) teaching nowadays is communicative language teaching (CLT), whose main goal is, as Ruusunen points out, to develop the students’
communicative abilities (2011, p. 12). Dueñas (2004, p. 74) also refers to attaining communicative competence as the premise of a communicative approach. Students not only learn the formal aspects of the foreign language (vocabulary, grammar, syntax…), but they learn through communication.
Within the scope of a communicative approach, Content-Based Language Teaching, also referred to as Content-Based Instruction (CBI), is among the most widely used approaches in EFL teaching (Dueñas, 2004, p. 74). Content- Based approaches defend that students learn language and communicative skills at best when the target language is integrated with meaningful content in the classroom. Said content can be anything spanning from the academic curriculum to any topic that might be of interest to the students. The foreign language becomes then also a medium to attain general knowledge or for learning a specific subject matter (pp. 74-75). Some characteristics of CBI could be summarized as follows: 1) it should be based on subject matter; 2) teachers should use authentic material; 3) students should acquire and evaluate new information; 4) the topic, content, materials and activities should be relevant to the students and level-appropriate (Leaver & Stryker, 1989, as cited in Dueñas, 2004, p. 75). The focus is then placed on meaning rather than on form, or to quote Krashen, on what is being said and not on how (1984, p. 62, as cited in Dueñas, 2004, p. 77). This is not to say that teachers should not correct the students’ grammar, pronunciation or spelling, but rather that students learn and practice grammar, vocabulary and other linguistic aspects through content, as shall be seen in the activities of the present proposal, described in detail in Section 3. As Dueñas states, “grammar instruction is optimally compatible with CBI methodology” (2004, p. 77).
4 For a view on the paradigm shift from behavioural to natural approaches on Second Language Acquisition (SLA), see Navarro Gil, 2012, pp. 4-5.
Authors differ on the divide between language and content, as to which item should have more prominence in the instruction. Some refer to CBI as dealing mostly with content (Peachy, n.d.), others suggest that it might depend on the teacher’s objectives (Shang, 2006). Met proposed a continuum with content- driven and language-driven instruction on each end (1999, as cited in Dueñas, 2004, p. 80). Thus, in between one might find all kinds of approaches placing more emphasis on one or another. In EFL instruction, a theme-based model is commonly used, in which language aims and objectives are given more relevance than the content learning (Dueñas, 2004, p. 84). The present proposal, which is based on the tragic hero as portrayed in literature and cinema but does not teach said fields, fits into this model. Theme-based topics act as a “springboard” to practice all four skills, which are integrated in a
“meaningful, coherent and interlinked way” (Dueñas, 2004, pp. 84-85). The adjunct model, on the contrary, aims at simultaneously teaching content and language skills equally (Dueñas, 2004; Shang, 2006). That would be the case of a literature, cinema, history or cultural studies subject instructed in English to Spanish students, which is, by now, not contemplated in the Spanish and/or Balearic secondary state curriculum.
3. Didactic Proposal
This section is divided into an introduction to the topic of the proposal, the methodology used, as connected to the literature review, the relation of the proposal to the current Spanish and Balearic regulations, and the depiction of the sessions. A brief state of the art to the tragic heroes presented is also provided. The materials linked to the sessions can be found in the annexes. To facilitate reading, bookmarks have been placed linking the activities with their corresponding materials in the annexes.
3.1. Introduction
As outlined in the previous sections, the main aim of this proposal is teaching English to a small 1st of Batxillerat class (fifteen students) through literature and cinema. The topic chosen is the figure of the tragic hero, as the secondary aims are enhancing the student’s critical thinking and social and emotional skills, and
increasing their cultural knowledge, not to mention improving the students’
communicative abilities. Although the proposal is strongly based on literature, it is not aimed at extensive reading, but to expand the students’ notion of the tragic hero, to instil in them a curiosity toward literature and humanities in general, and as said, to improve their communicative skills.
The proposal is fundamentally interdisciplinary therefore it could be carried out by sharing content or concepts along with subjects such as Spanish and Catalan Language and Literature, and Philosophy and Citizenship, which are 1st of Batxillerat core subjects, French, and German, which are optional subjects, and Latin, Greek, History of the Contemporary World, Universal Literature, Audio-Visual Culture, or Art Foundation, which are specific subjects of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts tracks.
This theme-based proposal has initially been conceived to be implemented during the second term of the year. It consists of eight consecutive sessions (a duration of two months), that would take place every last lesson of the week (e.g., Fridays), to set apart from the regular (grammar-focused) classes. Each session is equivalent to one Batxillerat lesson of 55 minutes. All sessions have been accordingly scaffolded: the first introductory sessions are more focused on language and the linguistic aspects of the texts. As the proposal progresses, the last sessions deal with increasingly complex aspects and place the focus on competences, in order to practice social-emotional and critical thinking skills, but clearly without leaving aside the language and the strengthening of the four skills, especially block 2 (oral production).
3.2. Methodology
As outlined in the previous sections, this proposal is grounded on a content- based approach, with a focus on competences, thus practicing critical thinking, and social and emotional learning, while involving other relevant issues such as cultural diversity, gender and ethnicity. For this purpose, an integrated or cross- model approach to teaching literature in the EFL has been used, mainly based on the a) Personal Growth; b) Reader Response; and c) Language Based approaches (Carter & Long, 1991; Van, 2009; Van, 2009), intended to
a) increase the students’ literary and cultural knowledge, leave a memorable imprint on them, and provide them with topics they can ruminate about and bring to their own lives, present and future, well beyond their time at secondary school.
b) motivate students to share their interpretations, and to speak about and deal with feelings, emotions and decisions, leading to productive and respectful discussions.
c) enhance the students’ communicative abilities, strengthening all four skills and increasing their vocabulary.
Although literature and cinema used as pedagogical tools are perceived differently, they share many similarities, and so the same approaches have been chosen when using film and video. Especially as the figure of the tragic hero in film and series stems from literature.
Multimodal authentic materials have exclusively been used, such as play and novel excerpts (adapted, modernized or unabridged), film fragments, film trailers, infographics and an ample selection of YouTube videos. As adolescent students are nowadays considered digital natives, I believe that no teaching can be accomplished without entering their digital reality, and so the use of ICTs should be inherent to the EFL classroom. These multisensory materials have also been chosen as a way to accommodate to the students’ various learning needs, in terms of multiple intelligences, learning styles and diversity.
Therefore, all worksheets and materials would also be uploaded to Google Classroom after each session, so that students can have access to them at their own pace. Students with dyslexia, ADHD, Autism or any other learning or attention difficulties have been taken into account and would have adapted materials, if needed. Various pair and group activities have been designed, in which students of different levels can support each other, thus fomenting partnership in the classroom.
Sessions 1-3 are explained in full in the proposal, while in sessions 4-8 samples of activities are given. Ideas to reduce or extend the sessions or adapt activities to other levels are also provided. In each session, activities are described briefly
and can be consulted in the annexes. The following final task is also included: in the week after finishing the proposal, students do a five-minute performance in pairs, whether from one of the plays (Macbeth, King Lear, Oedipus and Medea), a dialog from a novel (Things Fall Apart), or a film (any of the Star Wars prequel or sequel). The enactment must feature at least one of the tragic heroes studied during the eight sessions, and it can be a) an accurate representation of the work, or b) a genuine reinterpretation based on the original text or script, produced by the students. This last option would positively affect the mark.
Students have the instructions from the first session of the proposal, work autonomously at home, and have a full week between sessions 8 and 9 to finish it. The teacher offers materials, guidance and recommendations on choosing and finding the selected act, chapter or scene to dramatize. The final task is assessed and counts as a 20% of the term’s final mark.
3.2.1. Relation to the Spanish Curriculum
As stated before, the proposal focuses on the improvement of all four blocks of the curriculum, together with the broadening of literary and cultural knowledge, and the enhancement of critical thinking and social and emotional skills, which are all encompassed in the following key competences: Linguistic competence, Personal, social and learning to learn competence, Citizenship competence, Entrepreneurship competence, Cultural awareness and expression competence, and Digital competence. The proposal also follows the guidelines, general and specific objectives, and contents laid down in the current regulations (see LOMCE 8/2013, de 9 de diciembre; Orden ECD/65/2015, de 21 de enero; Decret 35/2015, de 15 de maig; Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, 2019).
The general Batxillerat objectives included in the proposal, are, among others:
to acquire a responsible civic attitude, with respect to others, show tolerance and engage in cooperation and solidarity with individuals and groups; to refuse gender discrimination and engage in non-discrimination of people of whatever condition or personal or social circumstance and to reject stereotypes; to reinforce and promote affective skills at a personal and social level, and the
