CHAUCER –an interview

This morning I introduced Chaucer in an unusual way.

I didn’t read his biography. I didn’t explain his life to the students. I didn’t choose a video on youtube about him. I didn’t have them see some slides I could find everywhere.

Instead I decided that the best way was an interview.

I gave three students some materials about Chaucer and I told another group of five students to prepare some questions.

They had to imagine to interview Chaucer’s “ghost”  about his life. The students having the information were asked to take notes about the basic things on Chaucer’s life.

I asked the students, who had to prepare the questions, “What would you like to know about the author?”

The students wrote down the following questions:

1.       Which century did you live?

2.       What was your social status?

            3.       Did you work? What job did you do?

            4.       What was your most important work?

          5.       Who were your works addressed to?

                           6.       What themes did you deal with in your works?

7.       When did you die?

One of the students answered the questions, using the first singular person and adding some more information on the basis of his information.

Another student told about Chaucer’s life using the third singular person.

I think it was a good exercise to ask questions and give answers using the Past Simple and the first and the third singular person.