UNIT II

TEACHING PROSE & DRAMATIC PROSE AND DESIGNING ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

FOCUSED ON PROSE &
DRAMATIC PROSE

Overview

This unit focuses on teaching prose and designing assessment strategies on prose.
Accordingly, it begins with a review on the genres of prose, followed by discussions on ways
of comprehending prose. In addition, it also discusses the aims, strategies and lesson
designs, as well as the sources of materials for teaching prose. The last part offers you ways
of assessing and analyzing prose.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the unit, I am able to:

1. demonstrate knowledge on the genres of prose;
2. identify ways on how to comprehend prose;
3. discuss the different strategies in teaching prose;
4. determine the appropriate materials and resources in teaching prose;
5. identify a range of assessment strategies in teaching prose;
6. craft a learning plan that develops higher order thinking skills of learners through
the use of prose texts;
7. conduct a developmentally-sequenced teaching demonstration showcasing
innovative teaching skills and strategies for teaching prose and dramatic prose.

Activating Your Knowledge

1. Walk down through your memory lane and recall an instance (if there is any) in your
past wherein you were motivated to write a particular literary piece.
Discuss the genre and the conditions that prompted you to write such piece.
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2. Which do you think is easier to read and to comprehend—a short story, a novel, an
essay, or a poem? Why?
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Expanding Your Knowledge

Review on the Genres of Prose

The word prose originated from the Latin one "prosa" meaning straightforward
discourse. In the New oxford American dictionary, it is defined as "written or spoken
language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure." Basically, most of our everyday
writing and conversation that are expressed in common flow of conversation are expressed
in prose form.

However, Chuks (2018) underscores that in writing prose, it is necessary for a writer
to arrange words into correct sentences and in a logical sequence in order to make sense if
the intended message.

Categories of Prose

Prose can be categorized into two: fiction and non-fiction. Please refer to the
succeeding table for their comparison.

Categories of Prose
Fiction Non-Fiction
 Any narrative writing that is a Any writing that is based true

product of author's imagination. events, people, places, and facts.
 Aims to entertain, inspire,  It is designed to inform, and
inform, or persuade. sometimes to entertain.
 Its genres include novels,  Its genres include
novellas, short stories, myths autobiographies, biographies,
and legends, fables, and the essays, diaries and journals,
likes. narrative nonfiction and the
likes
(Adapted from Littlehale, 2020)
Go to the following links to check for more discussions on genres of prose.
https://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/literary-genres
https://literaryterms.net/prose/
https://www.ultius.com/glossary/literature/genres/prose.html

Comprehending Prose

As prose is expressed in an ordinary style of writing and is free from any rhyming
scheme or meter that can be found in a poem, it is easier for a reader to absorb prose
writings. However, as each writer practices a unique writing style, we are to make sense
and construct meanings from those writings to accurately comprehend the story.

Aims, Strategies and Lesson Design in Teaching Prose

To teach prose is to teach reading comprehension. Hence, the skill of reading is to be

taught to the leaners to help them to better understand a passage, to enrich their
vocabulary and to eventually enjoy reading. Madhavan and Sambatcoumar (2011)
underline the different aims of teaching prose.

Main Aims of Teaching Prose

1. Literary
2. Content

General Aims of Teaching Prose

To enable the students:

1. to understand the passage and grasp its meaning;

2. to read with correct pronunciation, stress, intonation, pause and articulation of
voice;
3. to enable students to understand the passage by silent reading;
4. to enrich their active and passive vocabulary;
5. to express the ideas of the passage orally and in writing;
6. to enjoy reading and writing;
7. to develop their imagination; and
8. to prepare the students for world citizenship.

Specific Aims of Teaching Prose

Specific Aims of a Story:

1. The learners learn a few facts through the story.

2. To teach morals.
3. To mold one’s character.
4. Exposure to the style of story writing.

Specific Aims of an Essay:

1. The learners learn a few facts through the essay.

2. To make students curious about the subject of essay.
3. Exposure to the style of essay-writing.
4. To arrange ideas in an organized manner.

Specific Aims of a Biography:

1. The learners are exposed to the lives of great men.

2. To mold one’s character.
3. Aspiration for better things in life.
4. To inculcate in them desirable sentiments.

Specific Aims of a Play:

1. To provide opportunities for self-expression.

2. To play different roles.
3. To speak English in the conversational style.
4. To mold one’s character.

Steps in Teaching Prose

The following steps that are involved in teaching prose: (Madhavan and
Sambatcoumar, 2011)

1. Introducing the prose lesson. This is done for two purposes: to recollect the past
knowledge; and to win student's attention to the subject. In introducing the lesson,
the teachers may consider various ways to motivate students interests to study the
new lesson. It is also known as the preparation of the lesson.
2. Teaching structures. At this point, the teacher can present students a new
structural item in an easily understood situations.

3. Dividing the text into smaller units. To interestingly and efficiently present the
lesson to the students, the teacher may divide long passages into smaller, more
manageable units.

4. Teaching vocabulary. To make the ideas about the new words and their meaning
clear, the teacher can use an object, a model of a picture. This is done for the
following reasons:
 To clear the meaning of difficult words, phrases & idioms.
 To make the comprehension of the passage easy.
 To promote intensive reading

5. Model reading by the teacher. As the teacher reads the selected passage aloud,
he/she is paying extra attention to correct pronunciation and intonation of words
and intonation. The teacher, however, should not be completely carried away by
reading, but must continue giving instructions on postures and attention.

6. Silent reading by the students. This is now the time for the teacher to give his/her
students time to read the passage silently. Silent reading is helpful for rapid
reading, learning of new words, and a quick understanding of meaning. A short time
of five to ten minutes for silent reading is followed in every session.

7. Testing comprehension. The teacher asks questions among the learners to check
on their comprehension. The questions being asked are taken from the taught
passage, and they are characterized by being short, direct and objective.

8. Testing application. This aims to evaluate learners' achievement through oral or

written type of questions. After the structure or vocabulary has been taught, the
teacher asks the students some exercises at the end of the lesson.

9. Loud reading by the students. The learners will be asked to read loudly and one by
one in the class the taught units. This is done to develop their pronunciation and to
improve their tone, rhythm, and fluency.

10. Giving assignment. The teacher gives learners assignments for the following
reasons:
 To remember the meaning and spelling of new words.

 To use the words in sentences.

 To write the gist of the passage.

 To answer the questions.

 To do the exercises based on the taught units.

Teaching Strategies for Prose

Teaching prose in a classroom aims to guide students to better comprehension and

engagement with texts. Considering that writers may implicitly state the purpose of the
prose, readers are expected to think imaginatively in order to establish a personal
connection with what they are reading (Post, 2018.)

The following are three effective teaching strategies for prose, as offered by Post
(2018):

1. Prose small group discussions. This is done by facilitating class discussions

through which the students share their own thoughts about the reading. The
teacher may consider breaking the class into smaller, more manageable group of
learners to maximize their participation. Hence, everyone will be benefitted by
hearing varied perspectives about the topic.

2. Create Found Poems from Prose. This is done by using "found poems", created by
students based on the prose that they have already studied. Through this, students'
creativity and comprehension skills will be encouraged and improved.

3. The Five-S Prose Strategy. In here, the Five-S strategy (“speaker,” “situation,”
“sentences,” “shifts” and “syntax.”) will be taught to students to help them
analyze prose passages. They will be guided as they record their observation and
interpret each heading of the graphic organizers.
Other Strategies: Silent Reading and Prose & Dramatic Performances

Silent Reading

Silent Reading is sometimes considered as "recreational reading" or "independent

reading" as it is done in a relaxed mood, and that only a single individual remains
concerned about it. Thus, it helps learners to have better understanding because they are
concentrated on what they are reading, instead of focusing on the pronunciation of
individual words (Billah, 2015).

Daniel (2011) offers other more benefits of Silent Reading:

1. It provides deeper insights.

2. It is more effective.

3. It helps avoid distractions.

Accordingly, Sustained Silent Reading, also known as SSR, is an independent, quiet

reading, wherein a 10 to 30 minutes block time is regularly devoted to recreational reading
(Lobello, n.d.).

Advantages of Sustained Silent Reading (Lobello, n.d.).

1. It enhances reading enjoyment.

2. It increases comprehension.

3. It builds vocabulary.

4. It improves writing skills.

Go to the following links to check for more discussions on silent reading:

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/reconsidering-silent-reading
https://www.literacyta.com/teachingmethods/silentreading#:~:text=%20Silent
%0Reading%20%201%20Pace%20the%20Reading.,everyday%20life.%20You%20could
%20say%2C%20%22How...%20More%20
https://www.pearsonassessments.com/professional-assessments/blog-
webinars/blog/2018/02/how-do-you-measure-silent-reading-fluency--srf--in-the-
classroom.html

Prose and Dramatic Performances

Performing literature requires gestures, utterances, physicalizes, and audience mode

shifts to show the audience the story and characters coming to life. A good performance
causes emotional dynamics in the audience's state of mind, in which the narrator,
characters, and point of view are established for a successful performance (Sedlack, n.d.).

Materials and Resources in Teaching Prose

Examples of Prose in Literature (https://literarydevices.net/prose/):

1. Prose in Novels. This is usually written in the form of a narrative, and may be
entirely a figment of the author’s imagination.

Examples:

“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will
be held by anybody else, these pages must show.”
David Copperfield (By Charles Dickens)

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own
way.”
Anna Karenina (By Leo Tolstoy)

2. Prose in Speeches. This often expresses thoughts and ideas of the speaker.

Examples:

“You can see that there is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will
have to pass through the valley of the shadow (of death) again and again before we
reach the mountain tops of our desires.”
No Easy Walk to Freedom speech (By Nelson Mandela)
“The poor are very great people. They can teach us so many beautiful things.”
Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech (By Mother Teresa)

3. Prose in Plays. This aims to be dramatic and eventful.

Examples:
“You can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it.”
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (By Tennessee Williams)

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. “
As You Like It (By William Shakespeare)

Go to the following links to check for more discussions on prose performances:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA1ykCiSH6E

https://moodle.linnbenton.edu/mod/book/tool/print/index.php?id=414802

Assessment in Teaching Prose: Elements of Plots and Short Stories

Analyzing Prose Fiction

Hood (2010) offers several steps in analyzing prose fiction to better understand the
story and to acquire a better appreciation of it.

The following should be considered in analyzing each element:

1. Plot
 The series of events in the story
 The use of flashbacks and/or flashforward and manner in which they are
used
 The creation of suspense
 The types of conflicts that occur
 The turning point of the story

2. Setting
 The setting of the story
 The function of the setting
 The contribution of the setting
 The use of setting in creating credible story
 The impact of the setting to the protagonist
 The impact of the setting to the plot
 The impact of the setting to the mood

3. Characters
 The dialogues and behaviors of the characters
 The looks of the characters and its effects
 The conflict that characters experiences and how they deal with these
 The changes that the characters are experiencing/undergoing as the story
progresses
 The villain
 The protagonist

4. Theme
 The writer's purpose in writing the story
 The theme of the story
 The message or lesson that writer would like to convey
5. Point of View
 The point of view that the writer used
 The narrator's knowledge about the characters in the story
 The impact of point of view on the story
 The author's manner of using point of view
 The narrator's impact on the story
 The author's reason/s for choosing a particular point of view

6. Imagery
 The types of imagery that the writer used, its impact on the story, and the
reason/s behind its use
 The effect if imagery on the mood of the story

7. Symbolism
 The symbols that are used by the writer
 The characters' act as symbols
 The elements of the story's setting as symbols
 The number of symbols used

8. Style and Tone

 The types of diction that the writer used and its impact on the story and on
the reader
 The types of sentences that the writer used and its impact on the story
 The attitude of the writer towards the events in the story
 The attitude of the writer towards the readers
 The impact of the tone on the readers

9. Figurative Language
 The used of simile and the reason/s for its used
 The used of metaphor and the reason/s for its used
 The used of personification and the reason/s for its used

10. Other Questions/Concerns

 What does the title suggest about the book?
 What did you enjoy about reading the book?
 What did you dislike about the book?
 Would you recommend it?
Analyzing Short Stories and Novels (University Writing Center)

1. Summary. Begin by summarizing the basic plot.

2. Context. Do some research on the author’s background and other work to gain
insight into the author’s perspective and bias, as well as tell the reader what he
might be commenting on.
3. Setting. Consider the place and time that the story takes place and the author's
reasons in making that decision
4. Plot. Determine the essential plot points that will help you analyze, interpret, and
explain the story.
5. Characters. Discover the ways that characters are portrayed in the story and the
reasons behind those.

6. Literary Devices. Identify the literary devices used to help you convey meaning or
create mood, such as the following:
 Allusion
 Foil
 Foreshadowing
 Irony
 Symbolism, and the like
7. Theme. Identify the theme which can be implicitly or explicitly stated.
8. Trying it Together. Try to develop a thesis that makes an arguable claim about the
text.

Go to the following links to check for more discussions on steps in analyzing fiction:

http://www.criticalreading.com/fiction.htm

https://writingcenter.tamu.edu/Students/Writing-Speaking-Guides/Alphabetical-List-of-
Guides/Academic-Writing/Analysis/Analyzing-Novels-Short-Stories

https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Literature_and_Literacy/Writing_and_Critical_T
hinking_Through_Literature_(Ringo_and_Kashyap)/04%3A_About_Fiction-
_Short_Stories_and_the_Novel/4.05%3A_How_to_Analyze_Fiction-_Elements_of_Literature

Lesson Design in Teaching Prose

Designing a lesson in prose is almost the same with other topics or subjects in
different subject areas. However, for this part you will focus on two designs which are
traditional lesson plan, and lesson plan with focus on macro-skills (reading, writing,
speaking, listening and viewing).

Basically, the major parts are still the following

a. Objectives;
b. Subject Matter;
c. Procedures/Learning Activities;
d. Evaluation; and
e. Assignment.
Traditional Lesson Design

For student-teachers or beginning teachers, they are required to use a “detailed

lesson plan” as presented and discussed in the example given below:

I. Objectives
 In the objectives, you will write at least three objectives (one for each
domain – cognitive, psychomotor and affective) that you want your
students to achieve at the end of the lesson or taken from the curriculum
guides.
 These objectives should be aligned in every activity that you will design
especially in the “evaluation” part.
 It is important to note also that since you have three objectives,
sometimes it is difficult to design one activity in the “evaluation” part
which covers all of these three objectives. That is why sometimes, you can
have activities in your “procedure/learning activities” part which will lead
to the achievement of psychomotor and affective objectives and the
cognitive objective will be achieved in the “evaluation” part.

II. Subject Matter

 You will include in this part the following:
a. Topic
b. References (books and online references should follow APA citation)
c. Instructional Materials
d. Value Focus (this is important part especially in teaching of literary
texts)
III. Procedure/Learning Activities
 This will serve now as your guide/script in executing and delivering your
instructions and activities as you teach your learners.
 It will be divided into two columns namely – Teacher’s Activities and
Students’ Activities/Responses
 It is consisting of the following parts:

A. Preparation/Classroom Management
1. Opening Prayer
2. Greetings
3. Attendance
4. Review (of the past lesson)
B. Motivation
This is the first activity that will set the mood of the learners to
be ready and excited to the lesson that they are about to learn.
C. Presentation of the Topic
This part will be the transition from your motivational activity
to lesson. You need to build connection between your motivation and
discussion so that learners will easily understand it.

D. Unlocking of Difficulties
Because poetry uses highfaluting words, it is important to
define its meaning first so that when the learners read the poem, they
will easily understand what it means.
E. Discussion
This part now is the discussion of the poem or concept
intended to be learned by the learners. As a teacher, you have to make
sure that this discussion part is not the traditional discussion where
the teacher provides all the information. It is suggested to use
inductive approach in this part, so that you can create your class a
“thinking-class”. Make sure also to use your “art-of-questioning”
techniques to elicit responses from the students. You can also a short
activity in this part which will lead to the understanding of the
concept being taught. Remember that your role here is “facilitator” so
make sure that active participation of learners is still present in this
part.
F. Application
This is another activity where you will require your learners to
apply what they have learned from the previous parts of your lesson
especially in “discussion”. It can be an individual, pair, small groups or
depending on the design of your activity.
G. Generalization
This can range from sample “question-and-answer” regarding
the important concepts learned or another activity which will lead
them to generalize on their learning from that session.
IV. Evaluation
This part is an activity which will assess whether they achieve to objectives
or not. It can a collaborative activity but it is better to have individual activity in this
part.
V. Assignment
This will serve as an additional or remediation activity to further improve
learners understanding of the lesson discussed or it can also be a preparation for the
net lesson.

Sample Format:

I. Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students can:
a. Objective 1 – cognitive;

b. Objective 2 – psychomotor; and

c. Objective 3 – affective.

II. Subject Matter

Topic:
References:
Instructional Materials:
Value Focus:

III. Procedures/Learning Activities

Teacher’s Activities Students’ Activities/Responses
A. Preparation/Classroom Management
IV. 1. Opening Prayer
2. Greetings
3. Attendance
4. Review
B. Motivation
C. Presentation of the Topic
D. Unlocking of Difficulties
E. Discussion
F. Application
G. Generalization
Evaluation

V. Assignment

Lesson Design focused on Macro-Skills

Another design can focus on the macro-skills - reading, writing, speaking,
listening and viewing. It has almost same format with that of traditional lesson design but
some parts have added/replaced to highlight that it has focused on specific macro-skill. It
has the following parts:

I. Objectives

II. Subject Matter

A. Topic
B. References (books and online references should follow APA citation)
C. Instructional Materials
D. Value Focus (this is important part especially in teaching of literary texts)

III. Procedure/Learning Activities

A. Pre-Reading (just change the term depending on the focused macro-skill)
1. Preparation/Classroom Management
a. Opening Prayer
b. Greetings
c. Attendance
d. Review (of the past lesson)
2. Motivation
3. Presentation of the Topic
4. Unlocking of Difficulties

B. Reading Proper (just change the term depending on the focused macro-
skill)
For this part, the learners will just focus on the improvement of the macro-
skills. You can also include comprehension questions for better
understanding of the poem.

C. Post-Reading (just change the term depending on the focused macro-skill)

1. Application
2. Generalization

IV. Evaluation

V. Assignment

Sample Format:

I. Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students can:
a. Objective 1 – cognitive;

b. Objective 2 – psychomotor; and

c. Objective 3 – affective.

II. Subject Matter

Topic:
References:
Instructional Materials:
Value Focus:
III. Procedures/Learning Activities

Teacher’s Activities Students’ Activities/Responses

IV.
A. Pre-Reading
1. Preparation/Classroom Management
a. Opening Prayer
b. Greetings
c. Attendance
d. Review
2. Motivation
3. Presentation of the Topic
4. Unlocking of Difficulties
B. Reading Proper
1. Comprehension Questions
C. Post Reading
1. Application
2. Generalization
Evaluation

V. Assignment

References:

Chen, G. (2019). A Literature Review on Prose Study. Advances in Social Science,

Education and Humanities Research, volume 378

Chuks, J. (2018). Prose Fiction: An Overview. Pat Computer Institute. Retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/36339699/Prose_Fiction_An_Overview

Daniel, H. (2011). Benefits of Silent Reading. Retrieved from http://benefitof.net/benefits-

of- silentreading/#:~:text=Benefits%20Of%20Silent%20Reading%201%20Provides
%20deeper%20insight,who%20use%20oral%20reading.%20...%203%20Avoids
%20distraction

Hasbrouck, J. (2006). For Students Who Are Not Yet Fluent, Silent Reading Is Not the
Best Use of Classroom Time. American Educator, Summer, (2).

Hashemipour, S. (2019). Genres of Prose in English Literature. Journal of Social and

Humanities Sciences Research, Forthcoming, Available at
SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3451521\

Littlehale, K. (2020). Literary Genres. Retrieved from

https://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/literary-genres

LoBello, K. (n.d.). The Advantages of Sustained Silent Reading. Retrieved from

https://education.seattlepi.com/advantages-sustained-silent-reading-
1638.html

Madhavan and Sambatcoumar, (2011). English Learning and Teaching: A Blog for
Teachers and Students who aspire for Teaching/Learning English. Retrieved at
https://englishinternship.wordpress.com/tag/prose/

Prudchenko, K. (2020). "Why Is Character an Important Element in Short

Stories?" Retrieved from https://penandthepad.com/character-important-element-
short-stories-1981.html.

Other Resources:

Department of Education. (2016, January 21). Hiring Guidelines for Senior High
School (SHS) TeachingPositions Effective School Year (SY) 2016-2017.
https://www.deped.gov.ph/2016/01/21/do-3-s-2016-hiring-guidelines-for-senior-
high-school-shs-teaching-positions-effective-school-year-sy-2016-2017/

Poetry and Prose: What's the difference?

file:///D:/2020%20Modules%20and%20Lectures/Module%20in%20SEE
%2019%20(Teaching%20and%20Assessment%20of%20LIterature
%20Studies)/Module%20for%20Unit%202/2%20comprehending
%20prose/PoetryandProse.pdf

Prose Appreciation. Retrieved at https://phdessay.com/prose-appreciation/