Listening to a story  (Page 2/2)

Questions for discussion:

a) What is a talent?

b) Which talents are easily recognisable in people?

c) Which talents are not obvious or easy to recognise?

d) How does one discover one’s talents? What is a talent?

e) Whose responsibility is it to develop them?

f) Does everyone have a talent?

g) How can developing our talents benefit our lives?

h) How can developing our talents benefit the lives of others?

i) Give examples of talented people who have enriched the world.

j) Tell stories about talented animals.

k) Can handicapped people be talented?

l) Can prisoners be talented?

Assessment Rubric

• More hidden treasures have definitely come to the fore; plot your X ’s!

• You can make notes here:

a) I think a talent is the God-given ability to do something really well

• More hidden treasures have definitely come to the fore, so plot your X ’s- remember, only if you have mastered the skills!

(Hint: X: Hearing Haven; Reasoning Ranch )

Assessment

Learning Outcomes(LOs)

LO 1

Listening

The learner is able to listen for information and enjoyment, and respond appropriately and critically in a wider range of situations.

Assessment Standards(ASs)

We know this when the learner:

1.1 understands and appreciates stories, in

cluding those told by other learners;

1.4 listens actively in discussion.

LO 2

Speaking

The learner will be able to communicate effectively in spoken language in a wide range of situations.

We know this when the learner:

2.2 interacts in additional language;

2.4 debates social and ethical issues by arguing persuasively and responding critically;

2.6 gives a short formal talk or presentation.

Memorandum

ACTIVITY 1

2. This being the learners’ first activity, help them to plot their X . Explain to them that if they scored 5/5 on the check list, and feel they enjoyed the story and gained from it, then they can make their X at Auditory Apex (Explain that ‘auditory’ has to do with hearing!)

READING PASSAGE

(Read it TWICE, fairly slowly)

Life is a circus for this high-flying performer

A once troubled teenager has been turned into a disciplined trapeze artist after joining South Africa’s last remaining travelling circus.

The meeting that changed Martin Davis’s life took place four years ago, when he met Stan the clown.

Davis left school after Grade 9. As thin as a rake and sporting orange locks and a couple of earrings, he left home and found a job in a neighbouring town. It was here that he was given free tickets to the circus.

‘I was looking forward to the show as I had only been to the circus once before and that was when I was six.’

He was surprised to learn that the trapeze artist clown in the circus was the same man he had seen perform when he was six. As a child, he had been ‘blown away’ by the man’s agility and strength and, 16 years later, he was just as impressed. Since that day he had harboured the desire to do something special like the trapeze artist.

So after the show he went to see the trapeze artist and told him he was interested in joining the circus. He was promised a phone call should an opening ever arise. Three months later the call came.

As a boy Davis had hated school and was always ’in trouble’. He admitted he had been an angry and difficult young man who had never bothered to find, never mind develop, his talents.

With no gymnastic background and a fear of heights, which he only discovered at the circus, he had to work very hard to master his art. He now has his own act and teaches learners to become trapeze artists.

But his introduction into circus life was not all plain sailing. ’I thought it was going to be easy, but boy, was that a mistake!’

Before he was even allowed to try his hand at the art, he had to do 200 sit-ups and 100 pull-ups a day for four weeks. ’I used to feel sick while my stomach muscles were screaming in pain.’

Once he was able to pull himself up to the top of the rigging, he would shake violently. ’I was so scared and just could not do it but Stan never gave up on me and so I went from strength to strength.’

Six months and many scraped shins and bleeding ankles later, he became a leading performer in the circus, not only on the trapeze but also as a juggler and plate-spinner.

The circus has now become his life. He has met so many interesting people in so many places.

He is eternally grateful that he discovered his hidden talent. He says his ambition now is to perform at the annual Monte Carlo Festival.

(adapted from the weekend Argus)

X: Auditory Apex

ACTIVITY 2

• The fishbowl discussion is similar to a panel discussion. Half the class sits in a circle- these are the ‘fish swimming in the fishbowl ’They discuss the questions posed in this activity. The self-evaluation checklist will provide guidelines for their discussion.
• Each of the rest of the class (the outside circle) is assigned to monitor one participant in the inner circle (his/her partner in the fishbowl). The listening checklist can be used here. The outer circle needs to listen and observe carefully during the discussion. From time to time they may be given an opportunity to ask questions or the educator may step in’ to swirl the water’ or ‘add a little food for thought’ e.g. “All right, let us stop here. Are there any questions the ‘partners’ would like to ask?”
• This activity allows the learner to illustrate speaking, listening and communication strategies, which can easily be assessed. The educator records responses on an anecdotal map. (See below) All parties learn to wait until they are asked to contribute but also learn to wait before offering their views. (To learn how to interrupt politely)

X’s: reasoning ranch

• Hearing Haven