Grades: 7- 9
2001 NTTI Master Teacher
Tom Paleologopoulos, M. Marcus Kiley Middle School, Springfield, MA

Who Invented English Anyway?

Subject Matter: English Language Arts and Social Studies

Overview: Students will develop an understanding of the origins of the English language. They will be able to explain how English underwent a number of changes before becoming the language they understand today. Students will watch a videotape, investigate sources on the Internet, read selected non-fiction pieces on the history of English, write a short research paper on the topic, and work in small groups to create a PowerPoint presentation on the history of English.

Time Allotment: Five 45-Minute Class Periods

Standards:

State Standards:

Massachusetts English Language Arts Standards

5. Structure and history of the English Language: Students will describe and analyze the

grammatical structure of the English language and the development of its vocabulary.

13. Nonfiction: Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the structure, elements, and purpose of nonfiction or informational material and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding.

19. Writing: Students will write compositions, such as narratives, summaries, essays, letters, or directions, with a clear focus supported by logically related ideas and sufficient detail.

24. Research: Students will gather information from a variety of print and electronic media, evaluate the quality of the information they obtain, and analyze, interpret, synthesize, and use it to solve a problem, make a decision, or complete a task.

27. Media Production: Students will design and create coherent media productions (audio, video, television, multimedia, Internet, and other technologies) with a clear controlling idea, adequate detail, and appropriate consideration of audience, purpose, and medium.

Media Components:

Video – The Story of English: The Mother Tongue Episode 3 (PBS ALS)

Web Site:

History of English Web Site – http://eleaston.com/etymology.html#HistoryofEnglish

This site provides students with multiple non-fiction sources for research on the topic.

Materials:
Microsoft PowerPoint software. This software program allows students to present information using graphics, text, and sound to illustrate their understanding.

Computers capable of running Microsoft PowerPoint, preferably with Internet access. Television for viewing of videotape and display of PowerPoint projects through a hookup from the classroom computer. Note to Teachers: Lesson may be adapted for small groups in a one-computer classroom.

Prep for Teachers:

Teachers should:

Bookmark the Web site: http://eleaston.com/etymology.html#HistoryofEnglish

Preview the Web Site and its highlighted articles to direct students to information they can use in their research.

Preview the videotape The Story of English. They should rehearse the pause points and questions for the videotape.

Familiarize themselves with the basics of PowerPoint to help students choose a template, select appropriate slides, insert text and graphics, etc.

Introductory Activity: Setting the Stage:

Students must begin with the understanding that languages are alive and undergoing constant change. The point is easily made by asking students to think of words that did not exist until a need for them was invented. They can also discuss words or expressions that have fallen out of use.

Students should understand that they will learn about the history of the language by viewing and researching information on the topic. An effective way of doing this would be the creation of a PowerPoint slide show to show them what they will need to do. This should not only make your goal clearer, but also allow them to see the form their end product will take.

Learning Activities:

Focus for Media Interaction: Students must understand the origins of the English Language and the events that changed and shaped its form throughout its history. Special attention must be paid to the groups or individuals that had a significant influence on the language’s vocabulary and structure.

Show students the videotape, The Story of English, with the scripted pause points and questions.

Start tape as a man is banging a gong at the phrase, "A Hindu Temple". Pause tape at a picture of Stonehenge and the phrase, "Dutch and English." Ask the students question #1: What was the importance of William Jones’ discovery? Resume tape at the same picture of Stonehenge. Pause tape at the map with the four names of Germanic tribes.

Ask the students question # 2- What are the four tribes and from where are they coming? Fast forward to start tape at picture of ocean surf and the phrase, "The invading.." Pause at Macneil in front of castle after the phrase, "country of Wales."

Ask the students question # 3- What happened to the Britons when the Anglo-Saxon tribes invaded? Fast forward to start at relief map of England and the phrase, "In England itself." Pause tape at an illustration after the phase, "Meets the Bishop.", is said twice. Ask the students question # 4- How is Old English different from Modern English?

Resume tape after the same phrase, "Meets the Bishop"

Pause tape after the phrase, "every word is of Anglo-Saxon origin. "Ask the students question # 5- How much of English today comes from the Anglo-Saxon?

Resume and fast forward to picture of island monastery and the phrase, "Just off the coast" Pause tape at relief map after the phrase, "Thousands of Viking settlements."

Ask the students question # 6- How did the Viking Invasion influence England, and why was Alfred the Great so important to the English language?

Fast forward to Shippe climbing hillside and the phrase, "When Viking and Saxon lived side by side". Pause at picture of Shippe after the phrase, "places like Warfdale."

Ask the students question # 7- How did Old Norse and Old English combine to form a new version of English? Resume and fast forward to picture of Bayeux Tapestry and the phrase, "Harold Godwindson." Pause tape at castle picture after the phrase, "As they did at home" Ask the students question # 8- What was the Norman Invasion, and what language threatened English?

Fast forward again to picture of the inside of Durham Cathedral and the phrase, "Government, law, and administration". Pause tape at illustrations of English country life after the phrase, "Parish priest". Ask the students question # 9- How did English overcome the ruling French language? Fast forward to picture of a glass roof and the phrase, "The Norman Masters" Pause tape at the phrase, "Menu of words to choose from." Ask the students question # 10- How did English benefit from the invasion of the French language? Fast forward to picture of English countryside through a window and the phrase, "The structure of the English Language" Pause tape at the illustration of the phrase, "The Bishop meets the King." Ask the students question # 11- How is Middle English different from Old English?

Fast forward to the picture of the language map and the phrase, "In the North". Pause tape at the phrase, "20’th century" Ask the students question # 12- What area is the basis for the dialect of English known as Modern Standard English? Stop tape. Resume tape at a picture of a printer setting type and the phrase, "When it came." Pause tape after the phrase, "writers and teachers." Ask the students question #13- What makes spelling the English language challenging?

Address any misconceptions students may still hold after viewing the tape by asking questions about events, groups, and individuals that impacted the language.

Focus for Media Interaction: For the Internet: Students must gather information from the sources provided on the Internet to illustrate their understanding. They must gather text and graphics that they can use in their PowerPoint presentation

  1. Introduce students to the bookmarked Web Site: http://eleaston.com/etymology.html#HistoryofEnglish
  2. Have them visit the different sources of non-fiction research material. Students must visit at least ten sites under the heading "History of the English Language." Explain to them that it is their job to gather valuable information about the following topics:

    They should be able to share information when they find it, as well as ask for help from their classmates. They may print out the information they discover in order to use it in their PowerPoint presentation.

    Focus for Media Interaction: For PowerPoint: Students must demonstrate their understanding of the history of English by synthesizing information from a variety of sources to produce a multimedia report.

  1. Students, alone or in small groups, will use PowerPoint to create a presentation illustrating their understanding of the origins of English. The presentation should reflect a chronology of events and their effects upon the language. The teacher's role in this activity is to facilitate the PowerPoint activity for students or small groups. In moving around the class the teacher may want to ask students questions related to the decisions they have made about content. Identifying students who have experience to act as peer mentors will aid the teacher in getting students the help they need.

Culminating Activity:

Students will take turns displaying their PowerPoint presentations. These presentations should reflect the shared knowledge from the videotape and new information uncovered in their Web search. Students may design their presentation to run independently, but there should be an opportunity to question why students have included information or left it out. Students should be allowed to make comments about their peer’s presentations in a short discussion session that will follow it.

Student Materials:

"Videotape Scripted Pause Points" Worksheet

"Research Data" Worksheet

"PowerPoint Basics" Handout