EAL Nexus: Teaching notes

AN INSPECTOR CALLS JB PRIESTLEY DICTOGLOSS

KEY STAGE(S): 3-4 SUBJECT(S): English

TOPIC: An Inspector Calls LANGUAGE LEVEL: Developing competence -

Fluent

RESOURCE CONTENTS
• Dictogloss text (word)
• Dictogloss images and text (PPT)
CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES
• To consider J B Priestley’s life and views in the context of An Inspector Calls.

Language functions Useful Language

Recounting • …was/went/saw/worked/wanted/believed/learned/
visited/wrote/contributed/supported
• … was wounded/were responsible
Vocabulary
• Working class, free school milk, First world war, Second World war, the Welfare State,
equal rights, unselfish, responsible, wounded, officers, generals, National Health
Service, United Nations, Hitler, fascism

PREPARATION

You will need:

• Dictogloss text (word) for teacher only.
• Dictogloss images and text (PPT).
You will need to:
• Print out and laminate picture slides to provide visual clues

IDEAS FOR USING THE RESOURCE

This resource could be used:

• as part of a whole class activity. (Suitable for all pupils)
• small group work to develop understanding of the theme.

What to do:
This activity is a slight variation on the dictogloss. Learners are expected to gather
as much information from the text as possible, and rewrite in full, correct sentences.
• Hand out the visual clues to EAL learners. If learners have already been taught about the
welfare state and have knowledge of the United Nations and the wars the images can

EAL – Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials www.bell-foundation.org.uk

EAL Nexus: Teaching notes

facilitate revision of these ideas. If they are not familiar with any of these areas this is an
opportunity to teach aspects vital for understanding of the play.
• Ensure EAL learners have been given clear instructions about the task.
• The teacher reads the text at normal speed stopping at the end of each sub- heading to
give pupils plenty of time to take in the information, order the visual clues, and write. (If
preferred, depending on the whole group and level of the EAL learners, the text can be
divided at the sub- headings (see powerpoint slides of the text) into 2/3 different
dictogloss activities.
• The learners listen to each section of the text and take notes.
• Ensure EAL learner understands how to make notes; for example using a spider
diagram. Give an example.
• The learners form pairs and share their notes.
• The teacher reads the text a second time at normal speed, again stopping at each sub-
heading to give pupils plenty of time to write and take in the information.
• The learner pairs form fours to produce a final written version of the text. The aim is to
get as much information from the original as possible, and as close to the original as
possible.
• The teacher may read the text a final time to enable pupils to check their notes, and to
fine tune.
• Use the powerpoint copy of the text to enable pupils to compare their version to the
original, and for discussion.
Dictogloss is really good for mixed-ability classes in any subject. The collaborative
nature of the activity means that EAL beginners can be paired with more fluent peers
and hear good models of English.

POSSIBLE EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

Following the activity, learners could use the dictogloss text and the play (or summary for
EAL learners), to decide how far Inspector Goole is the ‘voice’ of J B Priestley. (i.e.
represents the views of J B Priestley).
Provide a sentence starter for this activity for EAL learners.
For example:
• Inspector Goole often represents J B Priestley’s views.
• In Act 1/2/3 we see this when the inspector says…….. During his life, J B
Priestley…………

EAL – Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials www.bell-foundation.org.uk

EAL Nexus: JB Priestly dictogloss text

J B Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in 1894. Bradford

was a working class town and J B Priestley saw how difficult life
was for a lot of people. They worked long hours, and had poor
housing. He wanted to write about how hard life was for ordinary
working people.
_______________
JB Priestley’s father was a Headmaster of a school. The school
was the first school to offer free school dinners and free milk. J
B Priestley’s father believed that it was important to be unselfish
and to help other people. J B Priestley learned a lot from his
father.
J B Priestley went to fight in the First World War 1914-1918.
Nearly all of his friends died in the war, and J B Priestley was
wounded. J B Priestley believed that the upper class officers and
generals were responsible for the deaths of so many young men,
because of the bad decisions they made in their war plan.
_______________
After the war, J B Priestley went to study in Cambridge
University. As a writer, he visited many of the poor areas of
Great Britain and he wrote about the need to improve working
people’s lives. He contributed to the setting up of the Welfare
State, the National Health Service and the United Nations. He
also believed in equal rights for women.
J B Priestley hated the First World War, but he supported the
Second World War. He believed it was important to defeat Hitler
and fascism.
J B Priestley died in 1984

EAL – Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials www.bell-foundation.org.uk