Gillian Lazar - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Gillian Lazar
ICERI proceedings, Oct 31, 2023
![Research paper thumbnail of An investigation into the dialectic of Academic Teaching Identity: Some preliminary findings [Presentation]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/120076436/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Nov 24, 2017
Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
This chapter discusses the place of poetry in the language classroom. It begins by focussing on t... more This chapter discusses the place of poetry in the language classroom. It begins by focussing on those aspects of poetry which are linguistically distinctive and then asks teachers to examine their own beliefs about the relevance of poetry in the language classroom. Activities for use with students at both lower and upper levels of language competence are presented for discussion. Finally, teachers have an opportunity to plan learning material for use with their own students. Putting a poem back together again In this section, we think about some of the distinctive features of poetry as well as ways of using poetry in the language classroom. We begin by looking at a type of activity which could be used with students. It involves the reordering of the lines of a poem. Task 1 a) Think about the word sea. Write down any associations the word has for you. b) Here is a poem with twelve lines. All the lines have been jumbled up so they are not in the correct order. Try to reorder them so that they make a complete poem. The title of the poem is ‘maggie and milly and molly and may’. and molly was chased by a horrible thing so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles, and went down to the beach(to play one day) may came home with a smooth round stone which raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and it's always ourselves we find in the sea maggie and milly and molly and may and maggie discovered a shell that sang milly befriended a stranded star For whatever we lose(like a you or a me) as small as a world and as large as alone. whose rays five languid fingers were;
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
ELT Journal, 1994
... Latch Key' by Jackie Kay from Two's Company © 1992 Jackie Kay, first published by B... more ... Latch Key' by Jackie Kay from Two's Company © 1992 Jackie Kay, first published by Blackie Children's Books; 'I like that stuff by Adrian Mitchell, from Strictly Private: An Anthology of Poetry, R. McGough (ed.) 1992, published by Puffin Books. The author Gillian Lazar is a ...
A guide for teachers and trainers, 1993
This chapter, which examines the place of plays in the language classroom, begins by discussing t... more This chapter, which examines the place of plays in the language classroom, begins by discussing the distinctive features of plays and how plays can be exploited in the classroom. Ways of using both play extracts and whole plays are examined. A section on using play extracts with learners at lower levels and a section on preparing students for a theatre visit are included. What is distinctive about plays? Following the pattern of the previous two chapters, we will begin by discussing what is meant by a play and its similarities and differences to other literary genres. First let us examine the two quotations below. A. … drama is not made of words alone, but of sights and sounds, stillness and motion, noise and silence, relationships and responses. (J. L. Styan, 1975, Drama, Stage and Audience. ) B. However familiar or unfamiliar the world of a tragedy, comedy, farce or melodrama may be, everything that we experience has its source, in the long run, in words. (Gareth Lloyd Evans, 1977, The Language of Modern Drama. ) Task 1 a) Think about a play that you know well, either in English or another language. If you have seen the play performed, what examples of ‘sights and sounds, stillness and motion, noise and silence’ do you remember from the play? What examples of ‘relationships and responses’ can you remember? If you have read it, were you able to recreate these in your imagination? b) How important were the words in the play? Could you imagine the play rewritten in another style? Would it still have the same effect? […]
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
In this chapter we explore some of the distinctive features of the short story and novel. Examini... more In this chapter we explore some of the distinctive features of the short story and novel. Examining these features will enable us to develop ways of using short stories and novels with our students. Writing your own story We begin this chapter by inventing our own story based on the boxed paragraphs below. Before reading any further, cover all of the boxed paragraphs with a piece of paper. You are going to read these paragraphs, which are extracts from a short story, one at a time. At each stage of the reading ask yourself the following questions as a guide to making links between the separate paragraphs: Who? Why? What? How? Begin by moving your sheet of paper to the end of the first box and reading the first paragraph. Then ask yourself the questions above, using your imagination to answer them. Move your sheet of paper down to the next paragraph, and ask yourself the same questions. Do this until you have read all the paragraphs and completed the activity. She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window curtains, and in her nostrils was the odour of dusty cretonne. She was tired. She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. She was about to explore another life with Frank. Materials design and lesson planning: Novels and short stories The white of two letters in her lap grew indistinct. One was to Harry; the other was to her father.
Decolonial Subversions, 2021
Over the last few decades there have been movements to decolonise universities, which encourage u... more Over the last few decades there have been movements to decolonise universities, which encourage university communities to challenge traditional ways of knowing and representation in order to reverse unequal access and educational outcomes. This Special Issue seeks to interrogate the role of linguistic diversity within universities across different geo-political contexts with the aim of refining current understandings of how multilingual practices can be deployed as a tool for decolonial praxis. We are seeking contributions that draw on a range of different languages, modes, formats and contexts in order to offer new and under-represented perspectives, which are linked to the role of linguistic diversity in universities.
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
In Chapter 1 we touched very briefly on the problems of teaching literature across cultures. It w... more In Chapter 1 we touched very briefly on the problems of teaching literature across cultures. It was pointed out that readers invariably interpret texts in the light of their own world-view and cultural experience (Section 1.3). It was also mentioned that the relationship between a literary text and the culture in which it is produced is highly complex, since few texts are mere factual representations of their culture (Section 1.5). In any teaching situation, there are obviously some literary texts which are likely to present fewer cultural problems for students than others. For example, a text in English by a writer of a similar cultural background to the group of students studying the text may be more culturally accessible than a text written by an author from a culture far removed from the students' own. On the other hand, a text from another culture which deals with themes relevant to the students' own society may prove to be both accessible and absorbing. In other words, the selection of suitable texts (as discussed in Chapter 3) can be quite complicated. And as there are many countries in the world where teachers have little say in the choice of texts, we may sometimes find ourselves using texts which are remote from our students’ own experience. In addition, although students may find it easier to respond personally to a text from within their own culture, there is a strong argument for saying that exposing students to literature from other cultures is an enriching and exciting way of increasing their awareness of different values, beliefs, social structures and so on.
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
In this chapter we think about ways of encouraging our students to enjoy literature by themselves... more In this chapter we think about ways of encouraging our students to enjoy literature by themselves by making use of a self-access literature centre. Setting up a literature self-access centre requires planning and resources, the second of which may be in fairly short supply. But even with fairly limited resources it may be possible, with imagination and initiative, to establish a centre of some kind. We begin this chapter by describing a self-access centre and then listing some of the reasons for establishing one. In the rest of the chapter we consider ways in which a centre can be set up and how we can encourage our students to use it. You will find that Sections 9.3 and 9.4 are best completed through role-playing with colleagues. However, if you are working through this book on your own, then reading these sections should still help you to think about some of the issues and problems involved in setting up a literature reading centre. What is a literature self-access centre? A literature self-access centre is a library or small collection of texts for students to read on their own with minimal supervision. The reading can be done either in class time or for homework. The self-access centre could consist of: – literary texts such as novels, plays, short stories, anthologies of poetry and/or graded readers in a school library, from which students are encouraged to borrow on a regular basis – a box or file of literary extracts, short stories and poems kept in the classroom and from which students select and borrow texts […]
Center for Education Research and Scholarship (CERS), Middlesex University, Mar 10, 2021
In this seminar Dr Gillian Lazar will reflect on her experiences of writing educational resources... more In this seminar Dr Gillian Lazar will reflect on her experiences of writing educational resources over several decades. Gillian will share some of the practical lessons learned about writing for publication, such as meeting the demands of publishers while incorporating one’s own educational vision in the resources. She will also reflect on the creative production of educational resources as an act of scholarship and discuss how this can help to deepen one’s understanding of practice. The session will be of interest to those exploring how to write resources as part of their own career development, and to anyone interested in expanding our appreciation of scholarship for education professionals in higher education
This article focuses on how the internet can be used to exploit the use of literary texts in the ... more This article focuses on how the internet can be used to exploit the use of literary texts in the language learning classroom. Drawing on critical theory, it is suggested that hypermedia and fan fiction are two resources on the internet that can be used to promote the development of interpretive strategies and language awareness among language learners. Two key pedagogic principles, scaffolding and reflexivity, should inform the design of materials to be used with these resources. Bearing these principles in mind, some possible generic activities are proposed, which can be adapted for use with different groups of learners.
International Journal of English Studies, 2011
It is often assumed that the academic genres taught by EAP specialists at universities are fixed ... more It is often assumed that the academic genres taught by EAP specialists at universities are fixed and stable, provide easily accessible exemplars for student writers and feature in programmes running prior or parallel to the students‟ courses. This paper describes a collaborative writing initiative in which these assumptions were challenged. A writing specialist collaborated with a team of academics on a Post-graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) in order to improve students‟ writing of a Masters-level assignment. While the writing specialist was implicitly committed to a genre-based teaching methodology, this was necessarily framed in terms of the aims of the PGCE academics, who were particularly concerned about improving student understanding of both assignment guidelines and assessment criteria. An impact study detailing positive outcomes for this collaboration, suggests that a genre-aware pedagogy can still inform a programme for writing within the disciplines even when the fo...
ELT Journal, 1996
... London: Faber and Faber. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. 1992. Harlow:Lon... more ... London: Faber and Faber. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. 1992. Harlow:Longman. McCarthy, M. and F. O'Dell. 1994. ... Nattinger, JR and JS DeCarrico. 1992.Lexical Phrases and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nowottny, W. 1962. ...
ICERI proceedings, Oct 31, 2023
Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Nov 24, 2017
Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
This chapter discusses the place of poetry in the language classroom. It begins by focussing on t... more This chapter discusses the place of poetry in the language classroom. It begins by focussing on those aspects of poetry which are linguistically distinctive and then asks teachers to examine their own beliefs about the relevance of poetry in the language classroom. Activities for use with students at both lower and upper levels of language competence are presented for discussion. Finally, teachers have an opportunity to plan learning material for use with their own students. Putting a poem back together again In this section, we think about some of the distinctive features of poetry as well as ways of using poetry in the language classroom. We begin by looking at a type of activity which could be used with students. It involves the reordering of the lines of a poem. Task 1 a) Think about the word sea. Write down any associations the word has for you. b) Here is a poem with twelve lines. All the lines have been jumbled up so they are not in the correct order. Try to reorder them so that they make a complete poem. The title of the poem is ‘maggie and milly and molly and may’. and molly was chased by a horrible thing so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles, and went down to the beach(to play one day) may came home with a smooth round stone which raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and it's always ourselves we find in the sea maggie and milly and molly and may and maggie discovered a shell that sang milly befriended a stranded star For whatever we lose(like a you or a me) as small as a world and as large as alone. whose rays five languid fingers were;
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
ELT Journal, 1994
... Latch Key' by Jackie Kay from Two's Company © 1992 Jackie Kay, first published by B... more ... Latch Key' by Jackie Kay from Two's Company © 1992 Jackie Kay, first published by Blackie Children's Books; 'I like that stuff by Adrian Mitchell, from Strictly Private: An Anthology of Poetry, R. McGough (ed.) 1992, published by Puffin Books. The author Gillian Lazar is a ...
A guide for teachers and trainers, 1993
This chapter, which examines the place of plays in the language classroom, begins by discussing t... more This chapter, which examines the place of plays in the language classroom, begins by discussing the distinctive features of plays and how plays can be exploited in the classroom. Ways of using both play extracts and whole plays are examined. A section on using play extracts with learners at lower levels and a section on preparing students for a theatre visit are included. What is distinctive about plays? Following the pattern of the previous two chapters, we will begin by discussing what is meant by a play and its similarities and differences to other literary genres. First let us examine the two quotations below. A. … drama is not made of words alone, but of sights and sounds, stillness and motion, noise and silence, relationships and responses. (J. L. Styan, 1975, Drama, Stage and Audience. ) B. However familiar or unfamiliar the world of a tragedy, comedy, farce or melodrama may be, everything that we experience has its source, in the long run, in words. (Gareth Lloyd Evans, 1977, The Language of Modern Drama. ) Task 1 a) Think about a play that you know well, either in English or another language. If you have seen the play performed, what examples of ‘sights and sounds, stillness and motion, noise and silence’ do you remember from the play? What examples of ‘relationships and responses’ can you remember? If you have read it, were you able to recreate these in your imagination? b) How important were the words in the play? Could you imagine the play rewritten in another style? Would it still have the same effect? […]
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
In this chapter we explore some of the distinctive features of the short story and novel. Examini... more In this chapter we explore some of the distinctive features of the short story and novel. Examining these features will enable us to develop ways of using short stories and novels with our students. Writing your own story We begin this chapter by inventing our own story based on the boxed paragraphs below. Before reading any further, cover all of the boxed paragraphs with a piece of paper. You are going to read these paragraphs, which are extracts from a short story, one at a time. At each stage of the reading ask yourself the following questions as a guide to making links between the separate paragraphs: Who? Why? What? How? Begin by moving your sheet of paper to the end of the first box and reading the first paragraph. Then ask yourself the questions above, using your imagination to answer them. Move your sheet of paper down to the next paragraph, and ask yourself the same questions. Do this until you have read all the paragraphs and completed the activity. She sat at the window watching the evening invade the avenue. Her head was leaned against the window curtains, and in her nostrils was the odour of dusty cretonne. She was tired. She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. She was about to explore another life with Frank. Materials design and lesson planning: Novels and short stories The white of two letters in her lap grew indistinct. One was to Harry; the other was to her father.
Decolonial Subversions, 2021
Over the last few decades there have been movements to decolonise universities, which encourage u... more Over the last few decades there have been movements to decolonise universities, which encourage university communities to challenge traditional ways of knowing and representation in order to reverse unequal access and educational outcomes. This Special Issue seeks to interrogate the role of linguistic diversity within universities across different geo-political contexts with the aim of refining current understandings of how multilingual practices can be deployed as a tool for decolonial praxis. We are seeking contributions that draw on a range of different languages, modes, formats and contexts in order to offer new and under-represented perspectives, which are linked to the role of linguistic diversity in universities.
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
In Chapter 1 we touched very briefly on the problems of teaching literature across cultures. It w... more In Chapter 1 we touched very briefly on the problems of teaching literature across cultures. It was pointed out that readers invariably interpret texts in the light of their own world-view and cultural experience (Section 1.3). It was also mentioned that the relationship between a literary text and the culture in which it is produced is highly complex, since few texts are mere factual representations of their culture (Section 1.5). In any teaching situation, there are obviously some literary texts which are likely to present fewer cultural problems for students than others. For example, a text in English by a writer of a similar cultural background to the group of students studying the text may be more culturally accessible than a text written by an author from a culture far removed from the students' own. On the other hand, a text from another culture which deals with themes relevant to the students' own society may prove to be both accessible and absorbing. In other words, the selection of suitable texts (as discussed in Chapter 3) can be quite complicated. And as there are many countries in the world where teachers have little say in the choice of texts, we may sometimes find ourselves using texts which are remote from our students’ own experience. In addition, although students may find it easier to respond personally to a text from within their own culture, there is a strong argument for saying that exposing students to literature from other cultures is an enriching and exciting way of increasing their awareness of different values, beliefs, social structures and so on.
Literature and Language Teaching, 1993
In this chapter we think about ways of encouraging our students to enjoy literature by themselves... more In this chapter we think about ways of encouraging our students to enjoy literature by themselves by making use of a self-access literature centre. Setting up a literature self-access centre requires planning and resources, the second of which may be in fairly short supply. But even with fairly limited resources it may be possible, with imagination and initiative, to establish a centre of some kind. We begin this chapter by describing a self-access centre and then listing some of the reasons for establishing one. In the rest of the chapter we consider ways in which a centre can be set up and how we can encourage our students to use it. You will find that Sections 9.3 and 9.4 are best completed through role-playing with colleagues. However, if you are working through this book on your own, then reading these sections should still help you to think about some of the issues and problems involved in setting up a literature reading centre. What is a literature self-access centre? A literature self-access centre is a library or small collection of texts for students to read on their own with minimal supervision. The reading can be done either in class time or for homework. The self-access centre could consist of: – literary texts such as novels, plays, short stories, anthologies of poetry and/or graded readers in a school library, from which students are encouraged to borrow on a regular basis – a box or file of literary extracts, short stories and poems kept in the classroom and from which students select and borrow texts […]
Center for Education Research and Scholarship (CERS), Middlesex University, Mar 10, 2021
In this seminar Dr Gillian Lazar will reflect on her experiences of writing educational resources... more In this seminar Dr Gillian Lazar will reflect on her experiences of writing educational resources over several decades. Gillian will share some of the practical lessons learned about writing for publication, such as meeting the demands of publishers while incorporating one’s own educational vision in the resources. She will also reflect on the creative production of educational resources as an act of scholarship and discuss how this can help to deepen one’s understanding of practice. The session will be of interest to those exploring how to write resources as part of their own career development, and to anyone interested in expanding our appreciation of scholarship for education professionals in higher education
This article focuses on how the internet can be used to exploit the use of literary texts in the ... more This article focuses on how the internet can be used to exploit the use of literary texts in the language learning classroom. Drawing on critical theory, it is suggested that hypermedia and fan fiction are two resources on the internet that can be used to promote the development of interpretive strategies and language awareness among language learners. Two key pedagogic principles, scaffolding and reflexivity, should inform the design of materials to be used with these resources. Bearing these principles in mind, some possible generic activities are proposed, which can be adapted for use with different groups of learners.
International Journal of English Studies, 2011
It is often assumed that the academic genres taught by EAP specialists at universities are fixed ... more It is often assumed that the academic genres taught by EAP specialists at universities are fixed and stable, provide easily accessible exemplars for student writers and feature in programmes running prior or parallel to the students‟ courses. This paper describes a collaborative writing initiative in which these assumptions were challenged. A writing specialist collaborated with a team of academics on a Post-graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) in order to improve students‟ writing of a Masters-level assignment. While the writing specialist was implicitly committed to a genre-based teaching methodology, this was necessarily framed in terms of the aims of the PGCE academics, who were particularly concerned about improving student understanding of both assignment guidelines and assessment criteria. An impact study detailing positive outcomes for this collaboration, suggests that a genre-aware pedagogy can still inform a programme for writing within the disciplines even when the fo...
ELT Journal, 1996
... London: Faber and Faber. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. 1992. Harlow:Lon... more ... London: Faber and Faber. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. 1992. Harlow:Longman. McCarthy, M. and F. O'Dell. 1994. ... Nattinger, JR and JS DeCarrico. 1992.Lexical Phrases and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nowottny, W. 1962. ...
Decolonial Subversions, 2021
Over the last few decades there have been movements to decolonise universities, which encourage u... more Over the last few decades there have been movements to decolonise universities, which encourage university communities to challenge traditional ways of knowing and representation in order to reverse unequal access and educational outcomes. This Special Issue seeks to interrogate the role of linguistic diversity within universities across different geo-political contexts with the aim of refining current understandings of how multilingual practices can be deployed as a tool for decolonial praxis. We are seeking contributions that draw on a range of different languages, modes, formats and contexts in order to offer new and under-represented perspectives, which are linked to the role of linguistic diversity in universities.
Decolonial Subversions Special Issue, 2023
This Special Issue of Decolonial Subversions on the theme of decolonising the university and the ... more This Special Issue of Decolonial Subversions on the theme of decolonising the university and the role of linguistic diversity is motivated by a desire to expand critical conversations on the potential of linguistic inclusion in higher education. The Special Issue is multi-/trans-disciplinary, multilingual and multimodal with contributions from authors living and working in Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia and South Africa. Contributors are teachers, comedy writers, poets, and university researchers. This diversity enriches the Special Issue as a whole, as authors address the issue of decolonising the university and the role of language in the diversification of knowledge in ways that are sensitive to their own histories, contexts and positionality.