ENGLISH FOR PRIESTS - INTERNET-BASED ESP LESSON PLANS
by Magdalena Mierzejewska
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University,
Lublin, Poland
mierzejewskamagdalena(at)yahoo(dot)com

Level: intermediate and above

Time: 3 classes of 90 min

Aims:

• to learn the common Catholic prayers;
• to practice new vocabulary in context;
• to learn the vocabulary connected with the Eucharist;
• to discover the differences between Polish and English Mass;
• to develop speaking and listening skills;
• to look for the specific information;
• to develop critical thinking and computer skills;

Resources/ materials: a computer for each student, access to the Internet, earphones;

Possible problems: no access to the Internet on the given day;

Meeting 1 - Prayers

Procedure

1. Pre-stage (20 min)

a) whole-class discussion - elicit the answers to the following questions:

• what a prayer is;
• what kinds of prayers they know;
• what people may pray for;
• when people pray;

b) group-work (groups of 4): each group is asked to put in order the jumbled text (Appendix 1) of one of the prayers without telling other groups which one it is:

• Our Father
• Ave Maria
• Gloria
• Guardian Angel

c) Each group presents their prayer to the whole class who have to guess what prayer in Polish it is.

2. While-stage (45 min)

a) pair-work: Students visit the website: CatholicPages.com to find the English equivalents of the following verses from the common prayers (the Polish verses are given in English to make the lesson plan fully transparent):

Check the answers with the whole class.

b) group- work (groups of 4): Students are asked to put the mysteries of the rosary under the appropriate headlines:

1. THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES

   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….

2. THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….

3. THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….

4. THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES

   • ….

   • ….
   • ….
   • ….
   • ….

The Annunciation, The Scourging at the Pillar, The Descent of the Holy Spirit, The Transfiguration, The Visitation, The Crowning with Thorns, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Institution of the Eucharist, The Nativity, The Carrying of the Cross, The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, The Baptism in the Jordan, The Presentation, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection, The Wedding at Cana, The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, The Agony in the Garden, The Ascension, Proclamation of the Kingdom;

Students go to: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary2.htm to check their answers and then each group presents one of the mysteries to the whole class.

3. Post-stage( 25 min)

a) whole class brainstorming activity: elicit the vocabulary and useful phrases to instruct somebody on how to pray the rosary. E.g.:
Start with…
On the first bead say…
Then recite…
Then say…
After the completion of the five mysteries say…

b) pair-work: students write an instruction on how to pray the rosary.

c) assign the homework: students are asked to visit the website AllAboutPrayer.org, choose one question concerning prayers and write an answer to it.

Meeting 2 - Liturgy

Procedure

1. Pre-stage (20 min)

a) whole-class discussion - elicit the answers to the following questions:

• Which religions celebrate the Mass? What are the similarities and the differences?

• What is the Eucharist?
• What is the structure of the Mass? What elements are included?
• Who can celebrate the Mass?

b) pair-work: students are asked to translate the following formulas from the Mass:

1. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
2. The Lord be with you
3. Do this in memory of me
4. Lord, have Mercy
5. Let us pray!
6. A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to….
7. Lift up your hearts!
8. Go in the peace of Christ!

c) Students go to the CatholicResources.org website and check their translations.

d) group-work: students are asked to discuss in the groups of four which phrase was the most difficult/easiest to translate, with which translation they were most/least surprised.

2. While-stage(40 min)

a) group-work (groups of 3): Each group visits the following website and reads the readings for the days (the teacher should choose the days from the week when the classes take place) http://www.usccb.org/nab/

Group 1: 5^thMay

Group 2: 3^rdMay

Group 3: 2^ndMay

Group 4: 1^stMay

b) Students write down the answers to the following questions:

• Where does the first Reading come from?
• What is the Chorus of the Responsorial Psalm?
• According to whom is the Gospel on that day?
• What do you think is the most important message from these Readings?

c) Students visit the website: http://www.atlanticvideo.com/clients/ccom/ and click on the DAILY REFLECTION link. Listen to the priest's comments to your Readings and write down 3 most important sentences. Listen to the recording as many times as you need.

d) Information gap activity: Listen to the groups talking about the results of their research and fill in the table:

Check the answers with the whole class.

3. Post-stage (25 min)

a) whole-class discussion: The Last Supper has inspired many artists. Do you know any masterpieces presenting the Last Supper?

b) pair-work: students go to FoodMuseum.com compare and contrast the Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper and Salvador's Dali Sacrament of the Last Supper. They should find 5 similarities and 5 differences.

c) whole-class discussion: Brendan Powell Smith created the Brick Testament made entirely from LEGO bricks. Visit the theBrickTestament.com website and discuss the questions:

• What do you think of such a way of presenting the events of the Last Supper?
• Is it a blasphemy in your eyes?
• What is the purpose of the Brick Testament?
• For whom do you think the Brick Testament is created ?

d) Assign the homework: find the Readings for the approaching Sunday and write a 10-sentence comment to them.

Meeting 3 - Pilgrimages

Procedure

1. Pre-stage (10 min)

a) snowball activity: Students are asked to list as many places all over the world as they can which are destinations of religious pilgrimages. First they do it individually, then in pairs, groups of 4, 6, and so on. Make the complete list of these places on the board.

What is the purpose of a pilgrimage?

2. While-stage (65 min)

a) pair-work: Treasure hunt - ORGANIZING A PILGRIMAGE:

John Jackson - your Catholic friend from Ohio wants to make a religious pilgrimage in Europe. He has only two weeks off from work. Go through this treasure hunt to find out which places are worth visiting and how to organize such a tour.

1. Go to 206tours.com and BestCatholic.com and find out:

• what are the most common destinations;
• how many days one needs to spend in one place;
• how much does it cost;

2. Visit Special-Pilgrimages.co.uk/ and find out:

• the detailed information on pilgrimage's destinations;
• what is the message of these places;
• what are the main points of the daily programmes;
• what spiritual activities the pilgrimages offer;

3. Now take a trip to JoeWalshTours.ie and go through the COMBINED TOURS:

• What are the advantages of such pilgrimages?
• What are the disadvantages?

4. Now go through the above mentioned websites (and any other you can find) and decide on the best tours for your friend. Don't tell it to your friends from other groups. Go to http://www.altavista.com/image/default and search for the images of the chosen destinations. Copy and save them on your computer.

3. Post-stage (15 min)

a) Information-gap activity: move around the class with your partner and watch the pictures saved by other groups. Guess which pilgrimage destinations they chosen and fill in the table:

b) Students come back to their seats. Check the collected information and give the right answers.

c) Assign the homework: students prepare a Power Point presentation for your friend John Jackson presenting the plan of the pilgrimage with the images of the destinations.

Appendix 1

Prayer 1 :
hallowed be Thy name;
Our Father,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Thy kingdom come;
and forgive us our trespasses
Who art in heaven,and lead us not into temptation,
Give us this day our daily bread;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
as we forgive those who trespass against us;

Prayer 2:
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
now and at the hour of our death. Amen
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Blessed art thou amongst women,
pray for us sinners,

Prayer 3:
world without end. Amen.
Glory be to the Father,
as it was in the beginning,
and to the Son,
is now, and ever shall be,
and to the Holy Spirit,

Prayer 4:
to whom God's love commits me here,
Angel of God,
ever this day (or night) be at my side,
my Guardian dear,
to rule and guide. Amen.
to light and guard,