Class Discussion

Class 5: Unit 6 

Poem: Class Discussion 

Picture-Based Interaction 

Show this picture to the students and elicit responses from them regarding the following questions: 

1. What do you see in this picture? 

2. Where are the students sitting? 

     BB (blackboard): “The students are sitting in the classroom.” 

3. What is the teacher doing? 

4. Whom do you think all the students are looking at? Give reasons for your answer. 

Narrative 

Jane is a very quiet girl. She is not at all talkative in her class. When all her classmates talk in class, she keeps silent. You know what happened one day? 

I will tell you. Listen carefully. 

Once, it was “classroom discussion” time. Jane and Sonu were sitting in the front row. 

The class was talking about personal hygiene, such as the importance of taking a bath, brushing one’s teeth, and so on. 

“Can you name some good habits?” the teacher asked. 

The students started to give different responses all at once. 

“Brushing your teeth daily.” 

“Taking a bath in the morning and evening.” 

“Washing your hands before and after every meal.” 

“Using toilets properly.” 

All the students were voicing their opinions. 

“Don’t shout in class. Raise your hands if you want to answer.” 

Interaction 

1. What activity was going on in the class? 

BB: “The teacher and students were engaging in a classroom discussion.” 

2. What did all the students do when the teacher asked the question? 

BB: “They gave their opinions together.” 

3. How do you interact in class during such discussions? Do you participate or remain quiet? 

Write the elicited responses on the BB. 

Narration 

All the students raised their hands, obeying the teacher’s instructions. 

However, Jane did not raise her hand. 

The teacher looked at her. “Jane, can you tell me some other good habits?” she asked. 

Jane did not say anything. She just stared at the teacher. 

“She won’t open her mouth, Miss,” Sonu told the teacher. 

“She never opens her mouth,” said Karthika. 

“It seems as if she is dumb!” Gopi shouted. 

Everybody started laughing. The students’ chatter surrounded Jane. But, Jane still sat in silence. 

The teacher moved towards Jane.Page Break 

Interaction 

1. What did Jane do? Did she say anything? 

BB: “She sat and stared in silence.” 

2. What surrounded her? 

BB: “The other students’ chatter surrounded her.” 

Narration 

The teacher came close to Jane. “Jane, why do you always keep so quiet in class?” she asked. “Tell me what’s the matter with you? Is anything wrong?” 

Interaction 

1. What did the teacher ask Jane? 

BB: “The teacher asked Jane what was the matter with her.” 

2. Do you think people who do not talk have nothing to say? 

Elicit free responses. 

Narration 

“Jane, say something,” the teacher said. 

As Jane stood up, the entire class fell silent. All the students stared at Jane. 

Jane started to speak. Her voice was low but clear. “Teacher, there are many people in the world who are quiet by nature.” 

Interaction 

1. What did Jane say? 

BB: “She said that there are many people in the world who are quiet by nature.” 

Reading Practice 

Ask the students to do the following: 

Read the poem individually; 

Sit in groups and read the poem together; 

Read the poem aloud. 

Interaction Questions 

The following questions can be asked at the end of the lesson, after the individual reading practices have been completed or while the students are sitting in groups. The teacher can show the first picture once again if required. 

1. What was the name of the student who kept very quiet in the class? 

2. Which one of the students is Jane in this picture? Why are all the other students looking at her? 

3. Can you identify some words in the poem that highlight the fact that Jane does not say anything in the classroom? 

4. Which word in the poem indicates that Jane’s classmates are all very talkative? 

5. What is the similarity between the sounds of word and heard as well as Jane and plain. Are there any other similar words in this poem? 

6. Why do you think Jane keeps quiet in the classroom? 

1. She was afraid to voice her opinions. 
2. She hated the noise in the classroom. 
3. She did not like the activity “classroom discussion”. 
4. She was quiet by nature. 

7. What do you understand from Jane’s reply to her teacher? 

8. If you were Jane, what would you have told the teacher? 

Choreography 

A Sample 

Characters: Teacher, Jane, Jane’s Classmates (4–5 students) 

Setting: A classroom 

Scenes and Actions to be Included 

1. The teacher enters the classroom; 
2. The students get up to wish the teacher and sit down; 
3. The teacher discusses personal hygiene with the students; 
4. All the students, except Jane, raise their hands and get up to tell the answers; 
5. The teacher places her finger on her lips, asking the students not to shout; 
6. The teacher looks at Jane and moves towards her; 
7. Each one of Jane’s classmates watches her as the teacher does so. 
8. The teacher talks to Jane. 
9.  Jane stares at the teacher. 
10.  Jane gets up and talks to teacher. 

While these actions take place, some students can act as the chorus and create the setting of a classroom, wherein the singers sing the poem in the background. 

Home Assignment 

1. Describe Jane on the basis of the following clues: 

       a. Her nature; 

       b. Her appearance; 

       c. Her interaction with the teacher and her classmates; 

       d. Her reply to the teacher.