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Pygmalion Act 2 Lesson Plan

Prompt

Suppose you're cleaning out Higgins's desk and you come upon his lesson plan for Eliza. Write what you think Higgins's lesson plan would say.

Essential Question – what question is the unit/transformation trying to answer?

Objectives – write two objectives for the individual lesson. What are you trying to achieve? How will you know if you achieve it?

Instructional Model – How will you teach/model the information you are communicating to Eliza?

Guided Practice – How will you walk through examples with her? What examples will you complete together?

Individual Practice - What will Eliza need to complete outside the "classroom"?

Mirror both Tone & Language choices of Higgins in your Lesson Plan.

Be sure to identify and label each section. You can do them in bullet points, but again make sure you are using the language and tone of Higgins and are directly engaging with Eliza.

Response

Essential Question

Why is proper English pronunciation crucial for societal acceptance?

Objectives

  1. To transform Eliza's rough and unrefined accent into one befitting high society.
  2. To demonstrate the power and opportunity that comes with speaking the English correctly and properly.
    1. Use examples from history and current times to show times when individuals have raised their social status by communicating in a more refined manner.
    2. Once Eliza can speak properly, take her to places where she can use her refined English to her advantage. By doing so, she may be able to witness the reactions of others when she speaks with her new accent.

Instructional Model

  • Begin with a no-nonsense lecture on the importance of speaking proper English in London's elite circles.
    • In London's elite circles, speech is more than just communication; it's a badge of one's upbringing and education. A single mispronounced word can close doors, while the proper accent can open pathways to unimaginable opportunities.
  • Use a phonograph to play examples of various accents, emphasizing the superiority of the received pronunciation.
    • The phonograph will showcase the diverse tapestry of English accents, each telling its own story. The received pronunciation stands out, not just for its clarity but for the prestige it commands. Listening and contrasting will help Eliza discern the nuances. Additionally, This is where Higgins is able to show off his own mastery of the English language, providing a model for Eliza to emulate.
  • Introduce the technicalities of phonetics, emphasizing the precision and importance of each sound.

Guided Practice

  • Ask Eliza to repeat certain phrases, correcting her harshly and immediately when mistakes are made.
    • To Higgins, Eliza is more of a project, a challenge, than a person. Driven by his bet and the prospect of showcasing his prowess in phonetics, he'd choose phrases designed to test and stretch her capabilities. As she struggles with them, his corrections would be un-empathetic, more concerned with proving his point than her feelings. Each mistake she makes is a mark against his expertise, prompting him to correct with an almost impersonal detachment, seeing her less as a student and more as an experiment in progress.
  • Constantly compare and contrast her current speech patterns with the desired ones, ensuring she recognizes her errors.
    • Higgins, ever the perfectionist and driven by his wager, would regularly juxtapose Eliza's current articulations against the ideal pronunciation. Using recordings or perhaps even mocking her original accent, he'd highlight the vast chasm between where she started and where she needs to be.

Individual Practice

  • Hand Eliza a list of challenging sentences and phrases she must practice. No excuses.
  • Instruct her to listen to recordings of proper English speakers and emulate their pronunciation.
  • Task her with engaging in conversations outside, not to gauge reactions, but to ensure she's using the proper accent consistently.

Higgins's Tone & Language Choices

"Eliza, your current way of speaking won't get you anywhere in life. If you want to be someone, you need to sound like someone. The importance of speaking the King's English in high society cannot be overstated. It's not just about the words, but how you say them. So let's not waste any more time and get straight to work. And remember, I won't tolerate laziness or half-hearted attempts."