The Wizard of Oz

Abstract

Reading the classics has always been considered to be very meaningful for a number of reasons. The stories are not only interesting but they often leave lasting impressions upon the reader; the underlying messages that the author tries to convey influence the reader to think about many aspects that pertain to the world and human beings in general. Such meaningful aspects of reading have also influenced the field of second/foreign language teaching; as a result, reading the classics in the target language is becoming one of the most important trends in the field. However, few EFL learners are reading classics in the target language because the texts are not always easy to read and follow. Moreover, children are so accustomed to illustrations and videos these days that they are reading less and less and thus having a hard time understanding what they read and hear in school. In order to help young learners improve their reading skills in English, this textbook will help them to discover the joy of reading by introducing classic stories through fun and interactive activities. For this textbook, I have designed an extensive reading class with a focus on reading classics for Korean 5th and 6th graders whose ages range from 11 to 12 years old. Their proficiency level is approximately intermediate-low (according to ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines)1 in the four language skills. There are about fifteen boys and girls in the class. The class is conducted at a private language academy. Moreover, the stories that the target students will encounter are easy to understand since the books are modified graded readers for second/foreign language learners. Since the selected readers are appropriate for learners at the intermediate-low level, they can enjoy reading masterpieces in English without much difficulty and hesitation. The students will eventually be able to improve the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in a balanced way since the textbook contains communicative activities which can help them to learn vocabulary and understand the meaning of the texts, as well as the background knowledge related to the stories.