INTERCULTURAL, TRANSDISCIPLINARY AND MULTICULTURAL

EDUCATION
INTRODUCING MARK TWAIN TO MY STUDENTS
-ABSTRACT-

BOGDAN-VICTOR FEREȘTEANU
SECONDARY SCHOOL “AUREL SEBEȘAN” FELNAC

I. Introduction

In The Purpose of Education Martin Luther King, Jr states that “Intelligence is not
enough. Intelligence plus character [...] that`s the true goal of education”.

Twain’s books are filled with authentic humor, but they are also relevant even to today’s
society. They speak about adventures and interpersonal relationships and their heroes’ pleasure
derives from their forgetfulness of trouble.

II. The importance of family and of friendship in the works of Mark Twain

It is essential for each and every one of us to feel love and accepted, sometimes
unconditionally.

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer we have the example of a child who lives in a pleasant
home, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, on the other hand, we have the example of a
dysfunctional family.

Someone once said: „If you want to find a good friend, be one.” Children’s friendships
are at the center of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

II. The aim and methods of teaching literature

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary
competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts
that our lives have already become." C.S Lewis
 Literature is a motivating material. It represents a useful tool for language acquisition,
but it also helps with the development of the student who will be integrated in society after
school, to his personal growth.

o Teaching reading
o Listening Activities
o Oral communicative techniques
o Developing writing skills
o Talking about heroes. Practical tasks.
1. How famous?

The students are given a list of personalities of the 20 th century and, with the help of some
extra information, they are asked to identify them and study at least one of them in detail.

2. Putting them in order

Now try placing the ten in order, with the most important first.

 Who are you going to put first? It is a matter of deciding which qualities are the
most significant and who you think made the biggest contribution to their time.
IV. Conclusions.

We teach in a time unprecedented in the history of education. The years ahead of us are
full of opportunities and responsibilities far beyond those that we have experienced before or can
even appropriately imagine in the present.

The challenge we as teachers are facing is to do our best in providing our students with a
great variety of information, but at the same time to make sure that the formative aspect is
enforced at least at the same rate.

V. BIBLIOGRAPHY