ETEC 512: Lesson Plan Critique

Brett Williams
Student #: 87701124

Thursday, August 8, 2013

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LESSON OVERVIEW
The lesson plan I have chosen to analyze, critique and update is the first of a
series of four 50-minute sessions, with additional time to complete a culminating project.
Written by Scott Filkins (2013) for readwritethink.org (see Appendix 1.1), the
overarching focus of this series of lessons is to have students consider how word choice
is integral to the construction of meaning in poetry, which will be accomplished through
building students understanding of connotation and synonyms, and applied through a full
analysis of a poem. I consider the lesson appropriate for a senior secondary English class,
or an advanced junior secondary English class.
This first lesson begins with students brainstorming what they know of the term
synonym, and from there, generating a number of examples to share with the class.
Students are then arranged in groups to interpret and discuss a definition of poetry as
written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, connecting his ideas about poetry to the earlier
discussion of synonyms and word choice (see Appendix 1.2). The teacher then leads a
discussion on the function of word choice in relation to connotation, register and sound
and the conscious choice that poets make when selecting words that best communicate
the poets ideas and feelings. Students are then paired up and are asked to use an online
word matrix program to classify synonyms based on their connotations, and to provide
explanations for their choices.
To provide an analysis and critique of Filkins lesson plan, I will examine the
sequence of learning activities through three theoretical perspectives: Piagets theory of
cognitive development, aspects of Vygotskys sociocultural theory and the zone of
proximal development, and constructivism.

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THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES & CRITIQUE
According to Piagets theory of cognitive development (Salkind, 2008), children
pass through four key phases of development; the final phase being the formal
operational stage which usually occurs in early adolescence. During this stage, Piaget
posited that the child moved beyond the ability to recognize concrete features of his
environment, and thus developed an ability to hypothesize and consider possibilities
beyond the immediate reality. Filkins (2013) lesson plan relies on a students ability to
consider nuances in language that may be too advanced for a student who is still
operating in the concrete operational stage. That is not to say that it would be
inconceivable for a child in the concrete operational stage to be able to identify useful
synonyms for a word and to use them in context, however, the underlying question
informing the lesson is why and to what effect are some words used over others in works
of poetry. This requires a level of deduction and reasoning, as students are asked to
consider the connotation of specific words and the intent that a poet might have in using
them to convey conventions such as tone or theme. Such inferences require students to
consider multiple possibilities of meaning, a fundamental skill if we are to accept that
several interpretations of a poem are plausible (Carney, 1983).
Filkins lesson plan also relies on two key facets of Vygotskys work: the zone of
proximal development and learning through social interaction. Unlike Piaget, Vygotsky
(2011) rejected the concept of mental age, citing that it is possible for a 8 year-old to
solve a twelve year-olds problem, provided certain conditions are met (guided
assistance, maturity, etc.). Rather, Vygotsky stressed the importance of recognizing a
childs zone of proximal development (ZPD) as a means of gauging their cognitive

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abilities. The ZPD refers to the distance between the childs actual development and what
knowledge or skills she is able to demonstrate after a series of tasks that are assisted or
guided by a more experienced person. This does not necessarily imply that the more
experienced person must be an adult or teacher, for as shown in Filkins lesson, the
inclusion of peer and small group interactions throughout the lesson allows learning to
occur through social interaction amongst students of the same age group. Albert (2012)
states that Vygotsky proposed that when an individual participates in joint activities, the
social situation transforms the cognitive development of the individual. She goes on to
argue that it was Vygotskys belief that through this interaction, learning occurs through
the process of deliberation and negotiation. Filkins allows several opportunities for these
interactions to occur such as sharing definitions and examples of synonyms, to
deconstructing Coleridges definition of poetry, to collaborating in the creation of
synonyms and connotations on the Word Matrix. However, further scaffolding may be
required in order to ensure that students understanding of key concepts allows them to
participate meaningfully in the activity.
Lastly, Filkins incorporates aspect of constructivist theory into the lesson plan.
The constructivist theory of learning can be seen as a response to the preoccupation that
many educators had with what von Glasersfeld (2008) describes as getting knowledge
into the heads of students. Proponents of the constructivist theory argue that knowledge
or truth does not have to conform to a singular interpretation, and that rich learning
occurs as a result of a childs own process of discovery and interaction with their
environment. Von Glasersfeld goes on to argue that the world does not consist of
objective facts or things-in-themselves and that the world we live inis always and

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necessarily the world as we conceptualize it. This is not to imply that students cannot
come to similar conclusions vis--vis their understanding and construction of knowledge
from experience, as through testing and future experience students will learn whether or
not their understanding conforms to specific regularities. In his lesson plan, Filkins
provides students with a number of opportunities to develop an understanding of the
concepts of synonym and connotation on their own and through the interactions with
peers and the Word Matrix program. This mirrors the importance of social interaction
that Vygotsky posited in the construction of knowledge, and places a greater emphasis on
the agency of the learner to construct meaning through observation and experience. This
allows students to access their prior knowledge and apply it to the task, with
opportunities to adapt their understanding of these concepts through mediation.
From a constructivist perspective, Filkins avoids a straightforward, didactic lesson
and certainly does provide several opportunities for students to interact, experience and
develop their understanding of key concepts from the ground up. In particular, the
exercise asking students to respond to Coleridges definition of poetry and its relevance
to synonyms and word choice was effective in terms of allowing students to brainstorm,
collaborate and share responses that would most likely differ from one group to the next.
By respecting these different interpretations, the teacher allows students to draw their
own conclusions and potentially gain new insight from ideas presented by other groups.
This exercise also serves as an effective model for what Carney (1983) argues is a valid
aspect of poetry analysis that of multiple interpretations of a given text.
Despite this, however, the overall flow of the lesson is quite teacher-led.
Additionally, aspects of the lesson such as Coleridge activity and the choice of the Frost

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poem for a subsequent lesson limit the opportunities for students to approach the topic
from the context of their prior experiences. The inclusion of the Coleridge quote, for
example, presents students with a specific view of how poetry should be perceived, thus
limiting students opportunities to define what it means to them based on their own
perceptions, and challenging them through class discussion. Similarly, the choice of the
Frost poem to be used in a subsequent lesson also limits students ability to connect with
the text in a meaningful way, as the language and themes conveyed in the poem may be
too obtuse for students being asked to make the connection between the concepts of word
choice and connotation and Frosts verse (especially considering that these lessons appear
to be exploratory in nature).
Additionally, the content and tasks that make up the lesson are appropriate for
students in the formal operational stage, however, most teachers can attest to the fact that
not every student in a class is capable of operating at the same cognitive level, and
variables such as prior education, experience, learning difficulties and language ability
can impede a students ability to fulfill the expectations of a task. Filkins first task,
where he asks students to write down a definition of the word synonym and provide
several examples, may present a stumbling block for students who are unclear as to the
meaning of synonym, or may find the clarity of the instruction to provide several
examples lacking an explicit directive. Furthermore, the task requiring students to
distinguish connotation and register in their list of words might also present a challenge
to students new to these concepts. In both incidents, I feel that it is important that the
teacher takes the time to view the task from the view of his or her students and to
consider ability and maturity over mental age. This is where further consideration of

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Vygotskys zone of proximal development is important in order to provide effective
scaffolding to ensure that all students can meet the objectives of the lesson.

UPDATED LESSON PLAN

In revising Filkins lesson plan, I intend to maintain a focus on the importance of
word choice and connotation as they apply to poetry. Therefore, the objectives for the
lesson will remain the same. I also found that the Word Matrix was a useful tool in not
only reinforcing the concepts of synonyms and connotation, but that it provided a
students with an effective means of integrating technology in a way that encouraged
collaboration and further exploration of the topic. I do, however, hope to address the
following issues that emerged during my analysis of the lesson plan. These include the
need to:
- address multiple learning needs within the classroom.
- clarify and scaffold new or potentially difficult concepts more thoroughly.
- create further opportunities to position students as active agents in their learning.

MATERIALS

A poem or song chosen by students prior to class.

Copies of Coleridges Definitions of Prose and Poetry.

Dictionaries and thesauri.

Computers or wifi access needed for interactive Word Matrix (http://www.read

writethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/word-matrix-30071.html

STUDENT OBJECTIVES
Students will:
define synonym and consider the implications of multiple word meanings for poets
attempting to choose the most effective word in a given situation.
investigate the similarities and differences within a number of word groups on the basis
of connotation and register.
apply their understanding of connotation and register by articulating the relationships
among word choice, speaker, subject, and tone in a poem.

SESSION ONE
1) Students will be asked to search for a poem or appropriate song lyric before this
class. In choosing the poem, students should consider the emotional tone that the
work evokes along with effective use of figurative language. In line with
constructivist principles, the purpose of this change is to allow students an
opportunity to explore poetry on their own terms and to potentially choose a work
that is more meaningful and relevant to them. The two caveats provide a focus for
students in selecting a poem, and will hopefully make the connection between
word choice, connotation, and register more apparent. The poem will not be a
direct component of this lesson, however, its use will become apparent in
subsequent lessons in this unit.
2) The teacher writes the word synonym on the board and invites students from the

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class to collaborate on a definition of the term. This is an alternative to Filkins
decision to have students brainstorm definitions individually, thus ensuring that
students begin the lesson with a shared base of understanding. In line with
Vygotskys zone of proximal development, this gives the teacher a more effective
way to assess the capabilities of students at the beginning of the lesson and how
they might be further supported as they progress through each activity.
3) Students are asked to select three words of their own that describe a feeling and to
write as many synonyms as they can for each.
4) Have students choose one list of synonyms and select which words they thought
were more effective. Generate a word web on the board of the most effective
words students selected. Choose two or three to discuss in greater depth by asking
students to discern what makes them examples of strong, vivid language.
5) Students are placed into groups of 3. The teacher asks them to discuss the
following question: What is the purpose of poetry? As a group, students will
discuss their reactions to the question and record point form notes to share in a
class discussion. This change allows students to access their prior knowledge and
experiences about poetry and to learn from the opinions and perspectives of their
peers. The value of learning through social interaction is evident here, as is the
opportunity for students to collaborate in constructing and refining their views
on the nature of poetry.
6) Once groups have been given a chance to share their opinions with the class, the
teacher will distribute copies of Coleridges Definitions of Prose and Poetry and
ask them to think about how their definitions and examples of synonyms relate to

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his definition of poetry. In addition, groups will be asked to discuss how
Coleridges definition of poetry conforms or does not conform to their own. In
line with constructivist principles, this allows students to form their own opinions
about the role of language and poetry, and how this fits in with their previous
understanding of the concept.
7) After giving groups some time to talk about Coleridge's Definitions, facilitate a
discussion on how a poet might choose the "best word" when there may be
several words in the English language that express the same, or nearly the same,
idea or concept. In order to provide further scaffolding, the teacher will provide
each group with a series of short passages from a variety of poems (3-4 lines) that
evoke a particular feeling. Groups are asked to identify which words they feel
contribute to the overall tone of the poem and discuss why those specific words
were more effective than their synonyms. Discuss as a class and guide students to
an understanding that synonyms do express similar meanings but they also vary
according to
a. connotation-the emotional or personal associations the word carries,
beyond its literal definition
b. register-the level of formality or informality associated with the word
c. sound and rhythm-in poetry particularly, the way words sound can
contribute to their appropriateness.
Continuing to work in a small group, have students explain how one or more of
these concepts was applied to the words they identified in their 3-4 line poem
excerpts. This reverse approach - by identifying words that students recognize as

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having a particular effect, then applying the terminology to those chosen words
requires students to be more active in their thought process as they attempt to
identify and interpret the use and purpose of specific words a task that Piaget
would argue would signify formal operational intelligence.
8) Then inform students that they will be using an online tool to explore the ideas of
synonyms, connotation, and register further by arranging words that mean to
select but vary according to connotation and/or register.
9) Direct students to the Word Matrix tool and ask them to select the word list for
the concept selection. In groups, they should arrange the words according to
relative charge in connotation and formality of register. Point out that there are
not right or wrong answers to this activity. More important than where the groups
end up putting words is the conversations they have about what the words mean
and how they relate to each other. They should indicate their thinking by doubleclicking each word and writing a brief justification for its placement.
10) Explain to students that they can access online resources and get more
information about connotation and register by clicking on the orange question
mark within the tool. They should use the back navigation within the tool (not the
back arrow in the browser) to get back to their work within the matrix.
11) Have students print their completed matrices. Review them before the next
session to gauge student understanding of connotation and register.

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APPENDIX 1.1 Original Lesson Plan by Scott Filkins (2013)
MATERIALS

Copies of Choose Something Like a Star by Robert Frost.

Copies of Coleridges Definitions of Prose and Poetry.

Dictionaries and thesauri.

Computers or wifi access needed for interactive Word Matrix.

STUDENT OBJECTIVES
Students will:
define synonym and consider the implications of multiple word meanings for poets
attempting to choose the most effective word in a given situation.
investigate the similarities and differences within a number of word groups on the basis
of connotation and register.
apply their understanding of connotation and register by articulating the relationships
among word choice, speaker, subject, and tone in a poem.

SESSION ONE
1.

Begin the session by asking students to write down a definition of the word
synonym and provide several examples.

2.

Then arrange students in groups of three or four and ask them to share their
definitions and examples. As they share, ask them to look for similarities and
differences in their definitions and examples. Does anyone present examples that
complicate or contradict the definition of another group member?

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3.

Provide each group a copy of Coleridge's Definitions of Prose and Poetry and
ask them to think about how their definitions and examples of synonyms relate to
his definition of poetry.

4.

After giving groups some time to talk about Coleridge's Definitions, facilitate a
discussion on how a poet might choose the "best word" when there may be
several words in the English language that express the same, or nearly the same,
idea or concept.

5.

Guide students to an understanding that synonyms do express similar meanings

but they also vary according to

connotation-the emotional or personal associations the word carries,

beyond its literal definition.

register-the level of formality or informality associated with the word.

sound and rhythm-in poetry particularly, the way words sound and scan
contribute to their appropriateness.

6. Give students a few minutes to look at their examples of synonymous words and
think about how they actually differ in regard to connotation and register. Ask
students to share examples and explain the differences they see.
7.

Then inform students that they will be using an online tool to explore the ideas of
synonyms, connotation, and register further by arranging words that mean to
select but vary according to connotation and/or register.

8.

Direct students to the Word Matrix tool and ask them to select the word list for
the concept selection. In groups, they should arrange the words according to

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relative charge in connotation and formality of register. Point out that there are
not right or wrong answers to this activity. More important than where the groups
end up putting words is the conversations they have about what the words mean
and how they relate to each other. They should indicate their thinking by doubleclicking each word and writing a brief justification for its placement.
9.

Explain to students that they can access online resources and get more
information about connotation and register by clicking on the orange question
mark within the tool. They should use the back navigation within the tool (not the
back arrow in the browser) to get back to their work within the matrix.

10.

Have students print their completed matrices. Review them before the next
session to gauge student understanding of connotation and register.

APPENDIX 1.2 - Coleridges Definitions of Prose and Poetry

I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and
poetry; that is, prosewords in their best order; poetrythe best words in their best
order.

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References
Albert, Lillie R. (2012). Vygotskys sociocultural historic theory, a primer. Rhetorical
ways of thinking: Vygotskian theory and mathematical learning. Dordrecht:
Springer Netherlands, 5-30.
Carney, James D. (1983). Interpreting poetry. Journal of aesthetic education. 17(3), 5360.
Carpendale, J., Mller, U., & Bibok, M. (2008). Piaget's theory of cognitive
development. In N. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of educational psychology.
Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 799-805. doi:
10.4135/9781412963848.n215
Filkins, Scott. (2013). Choose, select, opt, or settle: Exploring word choice in poetry.
Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lessonplans/choose-select-settle-exploring-1175.html?tab=1#tabs.
Von Glasersfeld, E. (2008). Learning as a constructive activity. AntiMatters, 2(3), 3349.
Vygotsky, Lev. (2011). The dynamics of the schoolchilds mental development in
relation to teaching and learning. Journal of cognitive education & psychology.
10(2), 198-211.