RANCHEZ, Jan Karlo Thomas V.

December 16, 2023

MALED 209

FINAL EXAM
Principles, Trends, & Techniques in Teaching English as a Second Language

The "Bookends" Technique.

A lot of people often hear the word "bookends" when they refer to a support
placed at the end of a row of books. Its denotative meaning is a material made of wood
or metal used to hold a row of books and hold them in place. While its connotative
meaning, it means the beginning and end of something. Nevertheless, the "bookends"
technique does not fall far from its denotative and connotative meaning because it also
has something to do with beginnings and endings. This technique can be utilized across
disciplines and courses but it can be best contextualized in Literature courses. The
author is writing in the perspective of an Educator at a tertiary level where he teaches
students taking up a degree in Secondary Education, particularly majoring in English.
Thus, he teaches major subjects for English major students such as Literature and
Grammar classes.

The "bookends" technique can aid the teacher in putting the class discussion in
order just like how "bookends" function in real life. Before utilizing this technique in the
class, an orientation to the class shall be made so that they will be aware of how this
works and can be able to actively participate in the effective implementation of the
technique. It is advisable to inform the students about this technique at the beginning of
the semester/classes so that when formal lecture begins, they know what to do. This is
a routinary technique in class that teachers across the globe may have already been
using. The technique goes this way:

At the beginning of the lesson, which will be called "The Prologue", the teacher
will call someone to speak (not necessarily in front of the class, but the one who will be
called will stand up) to recall the previous lesson/activity that they have done in that
subject and to mention what is his/her expectation in today's lesson/activity as well. If
their agenda for today's class is a continuation of what they did last meeting, then the
primary premise of the student who will speak would be a recall of what they had the
last time. On the other hand, if the agenda for today is a new lesson or activity, then a
short recall will still be made by the student but the major premise of the student shall
be his/her expectations of today's lesson or activity. The student who will be called may
be assigned by the teacher beforehand or may do a random calling of a student who will
speak. The teacher shall ensure that all of the students will be assigned throughout the
semester to do this "prologue" so that they may all have the chance to speak and
experience doing the task.

At the end of the lesson, after the discussion or activity has been carried out,
"The Epilogue" will happen. In this task, a student will be called again to speak (make
sure that this is not the same student who did the Prologue on the same day), to do a
synthesize of what was done in class and most especially, their realizations about the
lesson they have discussed or the activity that they have done and the relevance of the
lesson or task to their degree so that they may be able to see that the lessons taught or
the activity implemented are not just made for the curriculum's sake but to prepare them
in their future career/field. The teacher may also assign a student beforehand or may do
a random calling to do the epilogue. Just like in the Prologue, the teacher shall ensure
that all of the students will be assigned throughout the semester to do the epilogue so
that they may all have the chance to speak and experience doing the task.

The primary language that the students will use in doing the prologue and
epilogue will be English. This is a way for them to hone themselves in speaking in class
using the said language. This is also a way for them to be exposed to speaking not just
during recitations but on an assigned task. Teachers must not just simply rely on graded
or random recitations during discussions and reporting or presentations, for us to
witness and train our students to speak. However, code-switching can be allowed but
the teacher should emphasize that students must refrain from doing so as much as
possible. By implementing this technique religiously in class, the students will be able to
train themselves to be prepared in class to speak at any time especially when the
teacher decides to do random calling instead of assigning beforehand who will speak a
day before so that each student will prepare.

It was also mentioned that this technique will help the teachers put the class in
order just like the function of bookends in real life. How? Through this technique, both
the teacher and the students will be conditioned that before they start and end the
lesson, a prologue and epilogue of the class will be made. Recalling previous lessons,
setting expectations, and presenting the objectives in the "prologue" part will help both
the teacher and the students to connect previous meetings' proceedings to the present.
They can also monitor the things that they will be tackling on that particular day since
expectations and objectives were set at the beginning of the class. Thus, this will make
the discussion nor the task go astray to the real objectives of the day and the lesson.
On the other hand, conclusions are also essential. By ending the class with a sharing of
realizations and stating how the lesson or activity may have helped them in any way in
preparing to become future teachers. This technique will also make the students pay
attention to the class for they have to be aware of the class proceedings to be able to
share something either in the prologue or epilogue. Teachers may also allow volunteers
(if there are any) to do either the prologue or epilogue, given that the student who did
the prologue should not be the one who will do the epilogue in the same day.

This will be fruitful especially if this is implemented in Literature classes since

most (not all) college students particularly English majors find Literature subjects boring.
The teacher can incorporate this technique in starting to teach a literary piece. However,
this technique can also be applicable in other disciplines, depending on how a teacher
will contextualize this technique to the field that he/she is handling. For instance, if the
teacher is teaching Creative Writing, then he/she can make this "bookends" technique
specific to the said subject by making the prologue and epilogue sound like a diary entry
or an informal letter entry that they will be reading before and after the class. In this
case, the students will not just be challenged on speaking but also in terms of being
creative in preparing their prologue or epilogue statements. On the other hand, if one is
teaching Campus Journalism, then the teacher can make this technique a broadcasting
or news update type of presentation, to make this task more exciting and relevant for
the students. In this case, the students will utilize the English language in a more
exciting and yet still relevant way. Or if one is teaching Business Administration
students, then the teacher can contextualize this technique by making it seem like the
students are talking with a client.

To end, this technique can be compared not just with the bookends that hold a
row of books for them to be in order, but it can also be compared to a book itself where
there is a beginning and end. Teaching a class is like a book, whether it is an hour or
more or less than an hour class schedule, it can be compared to a book or a story, that
has a beginning and an end. It may end hanging for now, but the next meeting will serve
as a continuation of the unfinished chapter of the class. Thus, this technique will signal
whether the class will start a new chapter (a new lesson or activity) or a continuation of
the previous chapter (continuation of the lesson), or will end the chapter for good (the
lesson is done and a new lesson will be tackled next meeting). The “bookends”
technique may be a common “routinary” technique for some but through contextualizing
this technique to the specific field of the students, this “common routine” of the class will
not be as “common” as it is anymore. It will be filled with anticipation and excitement
given that the teacher will effectively execute this in cooperation with the students. Just
like bookends, it also holds the class together. It makes the class intact and organized.