Chris, your questions echo mine. Is the time invested worth the learning returned? A good question for students.

Ann, thanks too I did the scrolling text for the reason you mention: to model how M’s incredibly inverted syntax can make so much more sense when read aloud, emphasizing the syntactic elements vocally to make sense of the whole.

I agree about reading aloud/hearing literature: especially epic poetry. I’d love to hook up with other English or speech teachers (hint, hint) and develop a collaborative library of student readings of these things. We could manage it by a two-column list of “perfected” versus “needs new submission” entries, by Book:Lines, for example, so that the high-quality student submissions are true “product,” while those of lower quality sort of “fill in” until a better performer comes along.

That would be cool!

Thanks all

On the blog, the words are fine. It was interesting to compare how it reads versus how it is written with the line markers included in the text. I’d keep the text for comparison purposes.

I am guessing that it took you six hours including recording and scanning images. As the school’s computer teacher, I appreciate that you took the time to figure out what it might take as a student. For some kids, you’d probably have to triple the time frame.

This would make works such as yours, The Canterbury Tales, or Dante’s Inferno so much more accessible. I know the college professor made the stories so much better by reading parts to us back when I was nineteen or so.

Great job!

Thanks for taking a risk for the sake of learning! I am amazed at how many educators will assign this type of work with little to no experience with it themselves. I’m glad you’re willing to eat your own dog food, as we all should be. I wasn’t bothered by the text - although I’m an English major - so I’m probably biased in your defense.

Just wondering about the use of text. From my perspective I’d rather have no text or perhaps more like a closed captioned format on the lower third. I was a bit distracted. Your voice was compelling enough for me.

One of the great values of PL for AP Lit exam is the flood of allusions to Biblical and Pagan mythology. Milton’s rebel army is peopled with the likes of Beelzebub, Belial, Moloch, Mammon, and others. And Milton, of course, demonizes all the pagan gods by literally making them, well, demons also. So Apollo wears horns in Milton’s vision.

The combination of sound, text, and graphics was perfect for my learning style and would probably accommodate many different types of learners (auditory, visual, kinetic, etc.). The somber pictures perfectly suited the dark lines of poetry.

I have to say that it is probably more effective with a male voice, though I’m sure some of your theatrically-gifted female students could do quite a credible job.

I would have guessed two hours to complete the clip, knowing how technically adept you are. Seven hours means I’d be at it for days! Yes, this is something teachers need to consider when giving assignments, as well as the level of access the students have to necessary tools at school and at home.

One little aside: have you ever discussed some of the titles for Satan/the Devil and what type of image they convey? I’m much more partial to the misguided, valiant, tormented Lucifer (”light-bearer”) than the nasty, destructive Beelzebub (”Lord of the Flies”).

diane