Cultural aspects that might affect comprehension and suggestions for teaching ELLs.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Students will need some background knowledge of the Holocaust.
ELL learners could look through texts in their home language in order to recall/gain background knowledge of the events of the Holocaust. They could also watch several videos that are out including Elie Wiesel’s interview with Oprah.The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has many resources available online in several languages.
Students need some information about Hasidic Jewish culture.
Students could make posters or other types of presentations in order to share aspects of their own cultural, religious or otherwise. They could explore similarities of their own feelings of their culture and what they find in Night.
Students could make posters or other types of presentations in order to share aspects of their own cultural, religious or otherwise. They could explore similarities of their own feelings of their culture and what they find in Night.
Students need some understanding of the historically and culturally relevant vocabulary.
Vocabulary could be front loaded and discussed; pictures could accompany the list. This should be pointed out in the book, while reading and maybe even before. Students could use the list to mark where they appear in each chapter. Students could practice using the terms while talking about the book, matching the terms to pictures or to definitions. Audio versions of the book could be used to hear and practice correct pronunciation of all words.
Students need to be able to connect to the story and picture what they read.Here is a list of great children's books with pictures that can be read before reading Night. Many of them contain similar themes that can be used to aid understanding of the more complex themes in Night.
Terrible Things
Hidden Child
Hilde and Eli: Children of the Holocaust
Hiding from the Nazis
Who was the woman who wore the hat
The Feather-bed journey
Luba: The Angel of Bergen-Belsen
The Harmonica
The Cats in Krasinski Square
The Children we Remember
My Secret Camera
Erika’s Story
The Hidden Children of the Holocaust
Don’t Forget
Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Students will need information on the geography, history and politics of South Africa.
Photographs, other texts, maps, and an introduction to Nelson Mandela and "Apartheid" might be best. Nelson Mandela has many spechs that can be found on youtube.com.
Again, much of the vocabulary is rich in culture and time period. Vocabulary could be front loaded and discussed; pictures could accompany the list. The audio version of the book
might be best to hear the words pronounced correctly.
Students will need to be aware of Biblical allusions.
These can be explored before each chapter or as the students read. Since the Bible comes in most all languages, students may be able to read this in their home language and connect to the story that way.BibleGateway is a great searchable tool with many language options.
Because of the social and political issues in pre-Apartheid South Africa during the novel, it contains a complex plot. For this, the movie version might be the best option.
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