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Language Learning Through Story (3)
Teachers' Resources
by Margaret and Alun Isaac
Based on
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
by Margaret Isaac

Apecs Press 2000
Sb ISBN 0 9537267 7 0  £29.50 TP/LS

These language resources include background information on the story, teachers' notes and language exercises. Due regard is given to whole class work, group work and independent work at text level, sentence level and word level. The resources are where legends may be a focus.

Extracts from Teachers' Resources

Gawain and the Green Knight, written in the 14th century, is a story which celebrates the midwinter festival and incorporates Christmas and pagan traditions.

It was intended to be read aloud to an audience of royalty and nobility as an entertainment on a special occasion which might well have been a Christmas festivity.

When Gawain accepts the challenge of the Green Knight, he is agreeing to take part in a deadly game. The game is one of life and death. Gawain has staked the reputation of Arthur's court and all it stands for on his ability to confront and overcome the Green Knight. To win the game, he must prove himself as a true knight of King Arthur. This means that he must abide by their code of chivalry, namely to show courage in adversity, to behave courteously at all times, to be pure in heart.

Gawain and the Green Knight is an example of an Arthurian Romance.

Role Play leading to writing composition

Prepare the children for role play exercises. The class is grouped in pairs and work on one of the following activities:

1. Morgause expresses her concern to Gawain about his undertaking to meet the Green Knight. Gawain explains why he must face the challenge. Pupils practise a mime to demonstrate.

2 Two of the jesters relive the Green Knight's entrance and his challenge to Arthur. Practise a mime.

Children are allowed several minutes for discussion and several minutes to practise their mime.

The teacher chooses appropriate pairs to demonstrate to the class, the class has to guess what the mime represents.

Each child transcribes her/his mime.

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