ADVENTUROUS LISTENING
The following series of activities are all centered around the recent BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. The format of a whodunit allows for instructors to utilize a jigsaw listening structure, which can be a nice change of pace for learners. Though I have not yet used the below activities, I do plan on using them when given the chance.
ACTIVITY ONE: DISCUSS THE GENERAL TOPIC
Teacher writes the word “whodunit” on the board. Teacher asks students if they have ever seen this word before. Teacher then pronounces word for students and asks students if they have ever heard the word before. Teacher then shows series of pictures relating to murder mysteries and asks students what they think “whodunit” means.
Sources: http://ow.ly/4nhMzI, http://ow.ly/4nhMBn, http://ow.ly/4nhMDX, http://ow.ly/4nhMFf and http://ow.ly/4nhMG1
ACTIVITY TWO: PREDICT THE SPECIFIC CONTENT
Teacher asks the students what they think happens in a whodunit. What happens first? Then what? When do we learn who the murder is?
During this section, teacher makes sure to pre-teach “red herring” concept. Tells students in a “whodunit,” the author often introduces a red herring, or an event or character that draws the reader’s attention away from the true killer.
ACTIVITY THREE: PREDICT THE STRUCTURE
Teacher provides students with a copy of the poem Ten Little Soldier Boys.
Source: http://ow.ly/4nhMK3
Teacher divides students into pairs. Teacher instructs students to read the poem aloud with their partner, alternating stanzas (teacher briefly explains stanza: Grouping of lines in a poem. In this poem, each stanza has 2 lines.). Teacher then has pairs discuss what they think is happening to the ten little solider boys in the poem. Teacher then calls class together to come to consensus about what happened to the ten little soldier boys.
Possible leading questions if needed: Is this a happy poem? Or is this a sad poem? Are the soldiers still alive?
ACTIVITY FOUR: GIST LISTENING FOR OVERVIEW
Teacher provides students with context. Ten people have been invited to Soldier Island. Each person is hiding something from the others. No one has met their hosts, Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen. Teacher provides students with cast of characters.
Source: http://ow.ly/4nhMJ8
Teacher asks students what they think all of the characters may be hiding. Teacher tells students to listen to the video for what all the characters have in common. Teacher shows first video introducing crimes of all of cast.
ACTIVITY FIVE: GIST LISTENING FOR ATTITUDES
Teacher creates context. Someone on the island is killing off the characters one-by-one, just like in the Ten Little Soldier Boys poem. Teacher shows slides 1 through 10 of WHODUNIT slide show while explaining how people were murdered.
Mr. Marston choked to death on poison. Mrs. Rogers was killed in her sleep. General MacArthur was bludgeoned (hit with something hard) to death on the shore. Mr. Rogers was killed with an axe. Miss Brent was stabbed with knitting needles (gesture for knitting if students don't appear to understand).
Teacher breaks class up into four groups. Each group is assigned a possible suspect: Philip Lombard, Detective Blore, Doctor Armstrong or Judge Wargrave. Each group is sent a link to a video of other characters discussing why that person could be the killer.
The teacher instructs the students to watch their video and determine why their suspect could be the murderer. In other words, the students are instructed to come up with the motive for their suspect.
Once the groups have determined their suspect’s motive, each group presents to the class.
ACTIVITY SIX: MORE CAREFUL LISTENING FOR COMPLEX MEANINGS
The teacher instructs each group to re-watch their video and determine if they believe their suspect is the “best” suspect. In other words, if they believe their suspect is indeed the murderer, or if another group’s suspect is the murderer. Each group then gives their pick for murderer to the class.
ACTIVITY SEVEN: LISTENING TO PICK OUT SPECIFIC SMALL LANGUAGE DETAILS
Teacher creates context. Teacher shows slides 11 through 21 of WHODUNIT slide show while explaining how people were murdered.
Judge Wargrave was shot. Doctor Armstrong was pushed off a cliff. Detective Blore was shot. Philip Lombard was shot. Vera Claythorne was hanged. So…whodunit?
Teacher tells the students one of the suspects’ deaths was fake – so one suspect is still alive. Teacher reminds students of red herring concept from Activity Two. Who do they think it is? Teacher then tells the students to listen to the murderer reveal himself. Write down the words that are given extra emphasis. Teacher then plays the audio only.
Students are instructed to compare the words they wrote down with their group. Each group then comes up with who they think the murderer is. Each group presents their murderer.
The teacher then plays the video with visuals. The teacher asks the groups who guessed correctly what made them select Judge Wargrave as the murderer. The teacher asks the groups who didn’t guess correctly if they were surprised.