Teaching 911 in the EFL Classroom

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Teaching 9/11 in the EFL Classroom

• Seminar Teaching New York in the EFL Classroom
  (WS 2008/2009)
• Instructor Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Peter
  Freese
• Presenters Kristina Goldberg, Nina Kayser,
  Miriam Kümmel

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Framework

• Teaching Unit 9/11
• Previous Teaching Unit New York
• Following Teaching Unit War on Terror vs.
  International peace-keeping at the turn of the
  century the role of the UN and the USA (Vorgaben
  Zentralabitur)

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Why 9/11 in the English classroom?

• deep impact on the world/ the USA and New York
• effects the life of American people, but also
  people all over the world (even today)
• ongoing war,as a consequence of the attacks
• worldchanging incident

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Agenda of our Teaching Unit

• Structure of the lessons
• 1. 9/11 Introduction, (single lesson)
• 2. 9/11 in Music (double lesson)
• NY Freedom Tower (single lesson)
• Creative lesson for final session (double lesson)

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Mind Map of 9/11
Mind-Map What do you connect with the term
9/11? Attacks New York USA 3000 people
died WTC Twin Towers Al-Qua
eda Terrorists Pentagon War on
Terror hijacking
9/11
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September 11th Tribute Video
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Planung der Unterrichtseinheit
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Task

• Text The September 11 Attacks (Encyclopaedia
  Britannica)
• Exercise Certain historical events leave a
  lasting impression, and the terrorist attacks on
  New York and Washington on 1 September 2001
  certainly belong to this category. Try to remeber
  what you were doing when you learned about these
  events, and how you reacted to the news.

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Homework
Task Many commentators have said that the events
of 9/11 have changed the world. Do you agree or
disagree? Give reasons for your position.
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Methodisch-Didaktischer Kommentar

• Pupils learn about the attacks by reading the
  text The September 11 Attacks
• They reflect on the Attacks and draw a connection
  to their own life

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9/11 in Music
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A Selection of Music related to 9/11

• All-Star Tribute Whats going on?
• Enya Only Time
• Bruce Springsteen The Rising (Album)
• My City of Ruins
• Into the Fire
• Nothing Man
• Paradise

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Springsteen My City of Ruins

• Now the sweet veils of mercyDrift through the
  evening treesYoung men on the cornerLike
  scattered leavesThe boarded up windowsThe
  hustlers and thievesWhile my brothers down on
  his kneesMy city of ruinsMy city of ruins

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Springsteen Into the Fire

• The sky was falling and streaked with bloodI
  heard you calling me, then you disappeared into
  the dustUp the stairs, into the fireUp the
  stairs, into the fireI need your kiss, but love
  and duty called you someplace higherSomewhere up
  the stairs, into the fire
• May your strength give us strengthMay your faith
  give us faithMay your hope give us hopeMay your
  love give us love

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Springsteen Nothing Man

• I dont remember how I feltI never thought Id
  liveTo read about myselfIn my hometown
  paperHow my brave young lifeWas forever
  changedIn a misty cloud of pink vaporDarlin
  give me your kissOnly understandI am, the
  nothing man

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Springsteen Paradise

• Where the river runs blackI take the
  schoolbooks from your packPlastics, wire and
  your kissThe breath of eternity on your lipsIn
  the crowded marketplaceI drift from face to
  faceI hold my breath and close my eyesI hold my
  breath and close my eyesAnd I wait for
  paradiseAnd I wait for paradise

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Planung der Unterrichtseinheit
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Task

• Analyze the Springsteen song given to your group!
  Pay special attention to- the point of view
• - meaningful adjectives
• - allusions to religion

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Expected Results

• Group 1 My City of Ruins
• Dark, sad song blood, cold, dark, rain, down,
  gone, ruins
• Allusion to the necessity of religion in hard
  times - The church doors blown openI can hear
  the organs song

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Expected Results

• Group 2 Into the Fire
• Point of view of a fire-fighters widow whose
  husband died on 9/11
• Dark mood the sky was falling and streaked with
  blood, dust, fire
• Allusion to the necessity of religion in hard
  times - May your faith give us faith

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Expected Results

• Group 3 Nothing Man
• From a rescuers point of view
• Life changed after 9/11 - How my brave young life
  was forever changed in a misty cloud of pink
  vapor
• Helpless, mentally unstable Give me your kiss,
  only understand I am the nothing man

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Expected Results

• Group 4 Paradise
• From a suicide bombers point of view - In the
  crowded marketplace I drift from face to faceI
  hold my breath and close my eyes and I wait for
  paradise
• Relatively positive mood breath of eternity on
  your lips, wish for being in paradise

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Methodisch-Didaktischer Kommentar

• Deeper insight
• Students might see 9/11 in a different light due
  to different points of view in songs
• Practice ability to feel empathy
• Intensify analyzing skills

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3rd Lesson The Freedom Tower

• After attacks of 9/11 the demand to rebuild the
  WTC was great
• Rudy Giuliani
• "We will rebuild We're going to come out of
  this
• stronger than before, politically stronger,
• economically stronger. The skyline will be made
  
• whole again."

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The Freedom Tower

• mixed-use center of commerce, public spaces, and
  culture with a Memorial at its heart
• Freedom Tower is the main part

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The Freedom Tower

• 541.3 m high (1,776 feet)
• Expected to be finished in 2013
• Main architect is David Childs, from 2003 on he
  worked with Silverstone
• Design is chosen because it has to fit into the
  skyline

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Freedom Tower is Taking Shape
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The Freedom Tower Symbolism

• Contains symbolism in many ways
• 1,776 feet high (year of independence)
• On the whole complex also two big pools,
  surrounded by ribbons of names of those that are
  deceased, no clear arrangement shows
  arbitrariness of attacks
• By its similarity it reminds of Twin Towers ?
  Concept of Absence
• The towers surface will be covered with
  shimmering glass ? glowing effect, symbolism of
  hope

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The Freedom Tower Meaning

• The act of rebuilding something shows the
  resilience of US
• Name refers to old concept of liberty and freedom
  in America
• Is a memorial, Remembers and honours the
  thousands of innocent people murdered by the
  terrorists in the horrific attacks of September
  11, 2001
• Revitalizing Lower Manhattan, oppress fear and
  frustration among citizens
• Function of symbol and something useful

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Planung der Unterrichtseinheit
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Task

• Explain in how far the author criticizes the new
  World Trade Center project.
• Make up your own opinion. Do you think building
  the Freedom Tower is a good idea? Also think
  about the importance for Americans
• Homework Think again about what you defined as
  freedom. Can you see why the Towers name is
  Freedom Tower?

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Methodisch- didaktischer Kommentar

• Students should know about the Tower as well as
  its meaning for New Yorkers and Americans in
  general
• Pupils should be aware of the fact that the
  Freedom Tower Project is important for Americans
  in order to believe in their country
• Reading and understanding of texts is practiced

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4th Lesson Remembering 9/11
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Lesson on Remembering 9/11

• Task
• Create something that reminds you of certain
  events or consequences of 9/11.Work in groups
  with the material given and additional sources.(
  Internet, School library, pictures, magazines)
  
• You can also choose your own topic! Be prepared
  to present your result to the class next session!
• Make a poster
• Text (short story, poem, song text etc.)
• Interview people
• Write a critique about the book we have read in
  class
• Make a stage performance

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Topic suggestions

• Attacks on September 11 in general
• War in Afghanistan
• September 11 in literature
• The World Trade Center

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Methodisch - didaktischer Kommentar

• Pupils gain Medienkompetenz, practice the usage
  and evaluation of different sources
• Communicative and creative task
• Teamwork
• Pupil reflect the knowledge that they have
  already acquired, they can comment on it,
  evaluate aspects or they can produce their own
  texts
• A result is visible in class, motivation

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Sources

• Hirschkorn, Phil. New WTC tower design made
  public June 29 2005 http//www.cnn.com/2005/US/0
  6/29/wtc.tower.redesign/index.html
• Irsigler, I. C. Jürgensen (Hrsg.). Nine Eleven.
  Ästhetische Verarbeitungen des 11. September
  2001. Universitätsverlag Winter Heidelberg 2008.
• Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
  http//renewnyc.org
• Müller-Hartmann, A. M. Schocker-von Ditfurth.
  Introduction to English Language Teaching. Klett
  Stuttgart 2007.
• The Music Box 9/11 in Song. http//www.musicbox-o
  nline.com/9-11.html
• Scott, A.O. The Poet Laureate of 9/11. Apocalypse
  and salvation on Springsteens new album.
  http//www.musicbox-online.com/9-11.html