Speeches “I Have a Dream” in Secondary
During the last week, a group of second and third grade students were working actively on one prominent illustration of great oratory in American history. Being written and delivered in English, the eloquent and highly influential speech called “I Have a Dream” by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. was analysed in terms of vocabulary and use of rhetorical devices. After some lessons, our students made sense of this impressive message by means of the knowledge they already have of the English language.
The immediate goal was to engage these learners with the concept of emphasis, especially in the written language. Three different ways to achieve it through varied grammar devices were presented to them. The words contained in “I Have a Dream” contributed to help students see the magic of using what they learn at school to make their messages remarkably clear and purposeful. Not only did they have the opportunity to use English to decipher the message, but they also appreciated the value of Spanish as a tool to thoroughly understand rather abstract words and expressions.
It is important to mention that there was a broader aim. The lessons had to make students realise that language is powerful; because language induces. And learning English enables them to manipulate words to mobilize and to persuade; and, ultimately, to alter the world.
In order to rehearse that faculty, in pairs they chose a cause and created their speech. And it is by reading what they write that one observes if they understood how to use what they learnt about the language. However, and more importantly, one also regards how they describe their ideals, their causes and concerns. How they construct and deconstruct life into creative possible solutions to the problems of our time. This experience has been personally gratifying and I hope these learners will build on it to see the language as a goal; and as a mean to an end; being this end their capacity to act on their reality.
Discursos “I Have a Dream” en Secundaria
Durante la última semana, un grupo de estudiantes de segundo y tercer grado estuvieron trabajando activamente en una muestra prominente de gran oratoria en la historia de los Estados Unidos. Al ser escrito y presentado en inglés, el discurso elocuente y altamente influyente llamado «I have a dream» por el Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. se analizó en términos de vocabulario y uso de recursos retóricos. Después de algunas lecciones, nuestros estudiantes entendieron este impresionante mensaje por medio del conocimiento que han desarrollado sobre el idioma inglés.
El objetivo inmediato era comprometer a estos estudiantes con el concepto de énfasis, especialmente en el lenguaje escrito. Se les presentaron tres formas diferentes de lograrlo a través de formas gramaticales variadas. Las palabras contenidas en “I have a Dream” contribuyeron a que los estudiantes se hagan conscientes de la magia de usar lo que aprenden en la escuela para hacer que sus mensajes sean contundentemente claros y propositivos. No sólo tuvieron la oportunidad de usar el inglés para descifrar el mensaje, sino que también apreciaron el valor del español como herramienta para comprender a fondo palabras y expresiones bastante abstractas.
Es importante mencionar que había un objetivo más amplio. Las lecciones debían hacer que los estudiantes se dieran cuenta de que el lenguaje es poderoso; porque el lenguaje induce. Y aprender inglés les permite manipular palabras para movilizarse y persuadir; y, en definitiva, para revolucionar al mundo.
Para ensayar esa habilidad, en parejas eligieron una causa y crearon un discurso. Y es al leer lo que escriben que uno observa si entendieron el uso de lo que aprendieron sobre el idioma. Sin embargo, y lo que es más importante, también uno nota la manera en que describen sus ideales, sus causas y preocupaciones. Cómo construyen y deconstruyen la vida en posibles soluciones creativas a los problemas de nuestro tiempo. Esta experiencia ha sido personalmente gratificante y espero que los estudiantes la aprovechen para concebir el lenguaje como una meta; y como medio para un fin; siendo este fin su capacidad para actuar sobre su realidad.
Nancy Mancera
Profesora de inglés – Secundaria
Lack of drinkable water
By Ximena Flores and Karla Arroyo
3rd grade
What if one day you and your family did not have access to water or had to travel many kilometres to get it? We are talking to you today because the truth has to be told: all around the world millions of people die because of the lack of drinking water.
I have a dream that one day every person in the world will have an easy and secure access to safe water. I have a dream that one day the clean water will reach the poor communities all around the world. I have a dream that one day no kids or adults will die from dehydration or waterborne diseases such as cholera, hepatitis A or E, diarrhoea and typhoid fever. I have a dream today!
I am here with you today to share my dream with you. And my dream is about making safe, drinking water an unalienable right of all of all.
Every person can make a change in the life of others. In some years, perhaps our children will not have water; not even to wash the dishes or have a shower and they will say “I have a dream of a world with water. “Regrettably, a lot of people are saying this now, but all we have to do is make a change by making sustainable use of water.
Once a teacher told an anecdote to us- “Years ago a friend and I went to a park by bicycle. We stopped to drink water in a drinking fountain and my friend told me -imagine that one day, drinking water is bottled- years later that happened.” Our class got shocked because all we know is bottled water; and no water fountains in parks.
So I have a dream today that water bottles don’t exist and free drinking water is available for everyone in parks and streets.
Drinking water has become a privilege and not a right. Our parents drank free water everywhere and now most people are paying through the nose to get safe water.
So I have a dream of a world, a world with free drinking water for our children for our grandsons, four the next generations, for all the people, for all of us.
It is Africa that suffers the most from lack of drinking water. 91% of people there drink polluted water. Children, pregnant women, the elderly or ill people drink water that can kill them. Just, imagine your child drinking polluted water, how would you feel about it?