Something came up in one of my classes today that got me started thinking. We were talking about the difference between an oral culture and a literary culture. For those of you that are in HDEL, you will understand and remember this. The idea was brought up that orality is the passing on of stories and lessons through speaking with each other and that this tradition is being lost, if it isn't already, in our literate culture. I personally find it a shame that such a thing could even happen. When I think about it, though, I can see the outward presentation of this in our society every day. You can hear the elders of our our society often saying that the yound have lost their way and that things just weren't the same back in their day. Well that might be true.
What I am suggesting is that, as teachers, we make a move in our classroom to try to reinstate some of that oral culture where stories and ideas are passed from generation to generation, respected and remembered with fond memories.
An activity that we could have our students complete within our classrooms is an expository speech where they are told to think of a time in their lives where they learned something valuable from another person by just being a part of an action. This could be cooking with their grandmother, hunting with their father, or sitting around the dinner table listening to those old family stories and memories that came from a lifetime of experience.
Maybe their bits of wisdom were something like this:
"The more make up a woman wears the more she's tryin to hide. Make up can hide a lot of evil."
- Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty
What do you all think? Would you do this in your classroom? And, if so, how do you think that you would do it? Do you think that it would even work?
"The more make up a woman wears the more she's tryin to hide. Make up can hide a lot of evil."
- Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty
What do you all think? Would you do this in your classroom? And, if so, how do you think that you would do it? Do you think that it would even work?
I really like your idea of an expository speech. I think that sometimes teachers forget the importance of speech. Or sometimes speech is only used to present an argument. I am all for this expository speech. I'm thinking the podcast readings may influence you to create something for your final project?
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you are talking about Lauren! I remember this from Pitard's HDEL class last semester and i remember feeling the same way. It is true that orality may have decreased but I still feel like we do a fair amount of it-or at least i try to do. Hearing stories is one of my absolute most favorite activities to do! Whenever my Dad tells a story, even if it is one i have heard a thousand times, I still actively listen and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI think you absolutely should do an orality project or assignment in your classroom! That kids would have such a blast and might learn things they never knew. Besides, who doesnt love a good story!