Tying service learning (SL) with English language learning is an exciting and rewarding
endeavor because it promotes meaningful learning (Minor, 2000). According to Minor (2002),
the English learning classroom has not embraced service learning enough and awareness needs
to be raised in the English language education community about SL’s added benefits to learner’s
lives and overall educational experience. The following lesson plan is the first in a series of
lessons which introduce the academic and psychological benefits of SL projects in the language
learning classroom. Students’ interests, availability outside of class, and language learning needs
will be given high priority as they choose the community group they want to provide their
service too, which is a public, persuasive speech. Though the students will be supported and
encouraged if they wish to serve their chosen group further than the persuasive speech, they will
not be required to do so. Throughout the semester, the students’ will meet with the local group of
their choosing various times in order to learn enough about it’s purpose, goal, and constituents.
The goal is to become a voice for the group in order to avoid the problem of the single story, as
introduced by Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie in her speech “The Danger of the Single
In the following lesson, adult ESL students at the Monterey Institute of International
Studies’ (MIIS) EAP Public Speaking course will be presented with an array of community
groups to chose from, and some of the groups will visit the classroom in order to entice the
students’ service. One of the aims of the lesson is to prepare students for their final project: a
persuasive presentation that gives a supporting voice for the marginalized local group they
choose. The final project presentations may take various forms, either live or video form, but
Prior to the lesson, the students were assigned to read about adding a SL component to an
English as a second language (ESL) course (Minor, 2002). During the lesson, social justice and
social change will be discussed in terms of the students’ lives, and the students will watch a
video on the danger of a ‘single story’ and stereotypes. Also, a guest speaker, representing a local
community group, or Seth Pollack, director of the Service Learning Institute at CSUMB, will
come in to talk about the positive effects of SL on the language learning environment.
As mentioned above, this is an introductory lesson that is part off a unit long project on
SL and persuasive speaking. The lesson will intertwine SL and persuasive public speaking and
will encourage students to partner with a local group whom they want to be a voice for in order
Learning Goals:
Cognitive: SWBT show their understanding of the connection between service learning and
Performative: SWBT express in speech and writing the stereotypes placed on them by those
Affective: Students will be encouraged to feel comfortable sharing and discussing their thoughts
on and experiences with the problem of a ‘single story’ by their teachers own sharing and
Metacognitive: SWBT reflect on their place in their community and any responsibilities they
have towards the social fabric by creating a short, in class, reflection speech for homework.
Lesson Outline
Outcomes:
• Ss are quiet and ready to watch the video
Lesson Outline
Materials:
• Projector/Screen
• Internet Access
• Chimamanda Adichie TED Video
Teacher Actions:
• Introduce Chimamanda Adichie, the speaker in the video. Say
Focus Task & something like, “Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many
Understanding overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of
how she found her authentic cultural voice, and warns that if we hear
only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical
misunderstanding. Chimamanda Adichie is an acclaimed Nigerian
writer whose first two novels won literary awards. In 2008 she was
20 awarded a MacArthur Fellowship (nicknamed the Genius Award),
min. which is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation each year to United States citizens or residents, of any
age and working in any field, who ‘show exceptional merit and
promise for continued and enhanced creative work.’ The award is
worth $500,000.”
• Play the video (two options):
• TED Talk’s YouTube website:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
•TED’s main site:
• http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/
chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html
Outcome:
• Ss watch film intently.
Lesson Outline
Materials:
• N/A
• End with the question: What does Chimamanda’s message say about
the responsibility public speakers have when telling a story? What
can we learn from Chimamanda’s persuasive style?
Outcome:
• Ss verbally express the stereotypes placed on them by those who
impose a ‘single story’ on them.
Lesson Outline
Materials:
Break • HW reading: Minor, James (2002). Incorporating service learning into
(5 minutes) ESOL programs. TESOL Journal, 11(4), 10-14.
• Enough copies of CSUMB’s Service Learning Institute brochure and
newsletter for each S.
• Whiteboard and markers
Outcome:
• Ss will show their understanding of the connection between service
learning and persuasive public speaking by collectively listing the
positive aspects of adding an SL component to an ESL class and
whether they agree or not.
Lesson Outline
Materials:
• N/A
Outcome:
• SWBT reflect on their place in a community and any responsibilities
they have towards the social fabric.
• SWBT express in speech and writing the stereotypes placed on them
by those who impose a ‘single story’ on them.
References
Minor, J. (2002). Incorporating service learning into ESOL programs. TESOL Journal, 11(4),
10-14.