Memorizing the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, at least a part of it

[momee]

Is this reasonable, worthwhile? Do you have a recommendation for a version? This is for a small group of early high schoolers. All BOYS:)

 

 

http://www.bartleby.com/40/0101.html

[momee]

Duh! I found where our curriculum tells me what to memorize. Did you have your students do this? Can they still remember though, that's a good question :)

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

Not teaching high school yet, but I had to memorize it in public school high school -- 12th grade I believe; I still remember it up to 6th or so line. ... that was almost 25 years ago.

[momee]

Thanks Alane. When your teacher taught it do you remember meter and the pronunciation being gone over or were you just told to memorize it? Just curious. One of those days I'm feeling like the kids would be better served by a "real" teacher.:tongue_smilie: I know I'm a real teacher, but ykwim?

[momee]

Here's something I found helpful when trying to first understand the Prologue before attemtping to memorize parts of it.

 

http://www.ronaldecker.com/preface.htm

[Leanna Tomlinson]

In our co-op last year one girl(age16) memorized the prologue in Middle English. She recited it at our Medieval Feast. The room exploded in applause. It was amazing! Her mom said she got a recording and listened to in 2 times a day for 3-4 weeks.

 

Have fun!

Leanna

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

Yes, we learned the meter and pronunciation.....it was a blast to learn and a right of passage (of sorts) in our high school to final "speak" old English.

[jengjohnson]

We had to learn it and I still remember it! My kids think it's really cool. We learned it from a cassette recording.

[Laura in CA]

We had to learn it and I still remember it! My kids think it's really cool. We learned it from a cassette recording.

 

I also learned it in English Honors, 12th grade, going on (wow) 30 years ago now -- and I still remember it, and impress the kids also ;-)

It *is* cool . . . knowing it, and saying words like "droghte" in the second line! (and as an aside, in a small way I'm sure wrapping my tongue around the pronunciation helped later when I learned German!).

We learned it from a scratchy record -- I can still hear it . . .

[Kim in Appalachia]

I learned it in HS over 20 years ago, and I still remember most of it. Now, ask me if it's worthwhile and I would not know what to say. :tongue_smilie:

 

I didn't have my dd memorize it when she did it in 8th grade (with Omnibus II).

[PinkInTheBlue]

My senior year in high school we learned the prologue in Old English, or whatever it was written in. (sorry, can't remember, :) ) It was fun because it was completely memorizing in a different language. Completely bizarre and I still remember almost of it now. So cool.

[Chris in VA]

My hubby had to memorize it. Nice cool factor, but not particularly useful. One of the "this will help you show you are educated" type of bits of knowledge!