This paper will deal with a model lesson on school and education in the Middle Ages (=MA) and Early Renaissance1. It is an approach to show that not only classical topics should have a place in the EFL-classroom. After showing the reader the relevance of teaching the MA in general in class there will be an intense inside look on the educational situation in England in the time roughly between 1000 and 1600. The main focus will not be the exact development of education and educational institutions during the medieval period, but it will be the analysis of the different types of education and ways of teaching different genders. These descriptions and analyses will turn out to be the background for the didactic approach to four model lessons on this topic in the EFL-classroom.
As there are no explicit drafts of how to deal with school and education in the MA in the English classroom the approach cannot be proved on theoretical background. All ideas for texts, exercises and teaching material are purely theoretical and cannot be found as a collection in didactic literature. Therefore it is only speculation if the way the topic is illustrated here will work in real life.
The model lessons presented here will be embedded in a series of lessons dealing with the MA in general because
“(…) the student will benefit from a holistic, integrated picture of the Middle Ages - or of anything else, for that matters - than from a loose collection of assorted but unrelated bits of knowledge. Meaningful learning is based on understanding relationships and contexts, not on the acquisition of unconnected facts. Meaningful learning is contextual learning.”
After talking about different aspects of the MA e.g. about society, literature and history the pupil will have a good impression of this period and may see and understand connections between those days and the time they live in.
Table of Contents
I Introduction
1 Structure
2. Why is teaching the MA in the EFL-classroom of importance?
II Main Part
1 School and education in the Middle Ages
1.1. Why is talking about school and education in the Middle Ages important?
1.2.Historic background
1.2.1.1. Infancy and family life
1.2.1.2. Games and play
1.2.1.3. Church
1.2.2. Schooling
1.2.2.1.Educational system
1.2.2.2. Literacy
1.2.2.3. Basic education
1.2.2.4. Learning to read
1.2.2.5. Didactic material
1.2.2.6. Children’s literature
1.2.2.7. Print
1.2.2.8. Books in use
1.2.2.9. Children-adult-relationship
1.2.2.10. School life in a boarding school
1.2.2.11. The master
1.2.2.12. Universities and colleges
2. The model lessons – an approach
2.1.Setting of the model lessons in the Middle Ages sequence
2.2. Class situation
2.3. Aim of the projected model lessons
2.4. Usage of media
2.5. First double lesson
2.5.1. Structure of projected lesson
2.5.2. Detailed description of projected lesson
2.5.2.1. Homework control
2.5.2.2. Motivation / Introduction to new subject matter
2.5.2.3. Assimilation / Application
2.5.2.4. Homework
2.6. Second double lesson
2.6.1. Structure of projected lesson
2.6.2. Detailed description of projected lesson
2.6.2.1. Warming-up
2.6.2.2. Homework control
2.6.2.3. Application
III Outlook
Objectives & Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to explore the didactic implementation of the topic "School and Education in the Middle Ages" within an EFL classroom setting. By analyzing the historical educational landscape of England (1000–1600) and considering contemporary pedagogical standards, the work aims to develop a theoretical approach for integrating medieval history into English lessons, thereby fostering intercultural and communicative competence.
- Historical analysis of educational structures and institutions in the Middle Ages.
- Examination of the child-adult relationship and gender-specific education.
- Didactic approach for embedding medieval history in English lessons.
- Use of authentic visuals and media to enhance student engagement.
- Comparison between medieval educational experiences and modern school life.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2.2.4. Learning to read
The process of learning to read started with the pronunciation of the sounds and naming of the letters. Later the learner had to relate them to one another. Followed by the formation of syllables by looking and reciting words in prayers the children learnt to read and understand whole words. In most of the cases the first word they had to spell and pronounce was ‘pater’, after that came the basic prayers, the Ten Commandments and other religious texts like psalms and songs. The major problem was that the children did not understand the Latin texts they learnt because at home they used to speak English and only later were they forced to speak Latin at school all the time. This made grammar an important factor in the learning process because without having the knowledge of how a language works it is even more difficult to understand, still today. “Even intelligent boys had to spend months, perhaps, years, in a grammar school to master the grammar and vocabulary of Latin sufficiently to understand what it meant.”34 But sooner or later the pupils got in contact with their spoken language, be it English or in some cases French. After 1400 particularly girls who were taught at home owned books in their native language because poetry, works of advice and romances were meant to be easily understandable for everybody. In Chaucer’s time English books became especially popular, but not until the Reformation did the official language for church books change from Latin to English. The very first ‘Primer in English’ was printed in 1534. Although English was the people’s language, which everybody understood, Latin had a higher status in society.
Summary of Chapters
I Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's focus on teaching Middle Ages topics in the EFL classroom and sets the theoretical framework for the subsequent didactic model.
1 School and education in the Middle Ages: This main part provides an in-depth historical analysis of the child's life, family background, religious influences, and the development of educational systems in medieval England.
2. The model lessons – an approach: This section details the pedagogical implementation, proposing two double lessons that utilize visual media and comparative analysis to bridge the gap between historical contexts and the modern student experience.
III Outlook: The concluding chapter reflects on the viability of the proposed model and suggests that integrating such historical topics, while challenging, effectively promotes intercultural learning and keeps English lessons engaging.
Keywords
Middle Ages, EFL, Education, Literacy, Medieval England, Didactics, Intercultural Competence, Grammar School, History, Child Development, Classroom Methodology, Latin, Model Lessons, Medieval Culture, Education History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
The paper primarily investigates how the topic of school and education in the Middle Ages can be integrated into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms to broaden students' personal and intercultural horizons.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The paper covers the historical background of medieval childhood, the role of the church, the evolution of literacy, and the structure of medieval schooling, alongside a practical didactic framework for teachers.
What is the main goal or research question?
The goal is to demonstrate that historical "outsider" topics like medieval education can be effectively used in the EFL classroom to foster critical thinking and compare modern school environments with those of the past.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a qualitative approach, analyzing historical sources and literature to inform a theoretical pedagogical model, which is then structured into a sequence of model lessons.
What content is discussed in the main part?
The main part analyzes the life of medieval children, the influence of social status and gender on education, the curriculum (primarily Latin), and the role of teachers and institutions like monasteries and universities.
Which key terms characterize this study?
The study is characterized by terms such as intercultural competence, communicative competence, medieval education, didactic material, and the integration of historical contexts into language learning.
How does the author propose to bridge the gap for modern students?
The author uses visual stimuli, such as medieval school scenes, and asks students to contrast these with their modern school life, specifically through a creative "time travel" letter-writing task.
What is the author's stance on gender roles in the Middle Ages?
The author highlights the significant disparity in education, noting that while boys were often sent to grammar schools or monasteries, girls were typically limited to domestic instruction, etiquette, or rare private tutoring.
- Quote paper
- Conny Schibisch (Author), 2003, School and Education in the Middle Ages - A model lesson in the EFL-classroom, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/66873
