Content Objectives
I am focused on three goals in the creation of this unit. First, I would like for my students to successfully identify and analyze the use of visual imagery in various Calaveras Literarias, exploring how the imagery contributes to the overall impact and meaning of each of the poems. In order to achieve this first goal, I will prompt my students to examine specific examples of Calaveras Literarias and guide them to highlight instances of visual imagery in each of the examples. Then, I will encourage my students to create visual representations, either drawings or digital art, based on the imagery they highlighted in each poem which they will present to their classmates.
Analyzing imagery in poetry in the target language for second-year students of the language will seem quite daunting and almost impossible initially. Hence incorporating visuals, such as drawings or digital art, can be a useful tool for teaching beginning language students, especially those who are visual learners. A picture can clarify meaning and may be a tension diffuser. It is my hope that, with the use of a visual, the students will observe and explore the imagery in poetry, specifically Calaveras Literarias.
Second, I would like my students to investigate the role of sound and rhythm in Calaveras Literarias in creating a humorous and engaging narrative while focusing on poetic devices such as rhyme, meter, and alliteration. I will provide my students with both auditory and oral experiences listening to authentic audio recordings of Calaveras Literarias and reading the texts aloud. These activities will provide my students the opportunity to focus on the rhythmic and phonetic elements of these poems. Using similar sound patterns, my students will write their own Calaveras poems, in the target language, and perform their original poems in small groups. Employing the teaching strategy of peer feedback, my students will focus on how effectively the sound elements of each original poem enhance the satire. Experiential learning such as this motivates language learners. The more ways another language is learned, the more memory pathways are built. Motivated students are more interested which can powerfully influence their learning outcomes.
Lastly, my goal for my students is to interpret and create satirical content, in the target language. Using selected Calaveras poems, students will determine the satirical content within each of the poems. I will facilitate a whole class discussion to guide my students to an understanding of how satire is used in Calaveras Literarias to comment on societal norms, behaviors, and attitudes towards death. In groups, my students will analyze various Calaveras Literarias identifying the satirical elements and the societal commentary emphasized in each poem. Then they will collaborate within their groups to author original poetry, in the target language, containing satirical elements that addresses a contemporary issue such as immigration, inflation, discrimination, or climate justice. It is my goal for each group to present to the class their Calaveras Literarias, explaining the satirical elements and the contemporary issue they chose to address. This type of collaborative learning in a world language classroom fosters the development of higher-level thinking skills, encourages oral communications, promotes self-management, and cultivates leadership skills. These are all skills I desire for my students to develop in preparation of using the target language in real life social and employment situations.6
My three content objectives align with several World-Readiness Standards for Language Learning, including Communication, Cultures, and Comparisons, ensuring a comprehensive approach to teaching the cultural and literary aspects of Calaveras Literarias.
Student Background Knowledge
The year prior to this unit, students completed a nine-week unit of study on El Dia de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead, while reading the TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) novel Tumba. In this unit, my students were exposed to aspects of this holiday such as music, dance, Calaveras Literarias, and ofrendas or altars honoring their dearly departed. through literature in the target language, documentaries in both English and the target language, infographics and maps written in Spanish. Many of my students then took advantage of the opportunity to design and create an ofrenda honoring a family member or pet who has passed. In addition, they wrote a tribute, in the target language, about the person or pet honored.
My students will approach this new unit having the following target language vocabulary already in their Spanish toolkits from their previous year; sweet 16 verbs which are high frequency verbs, connector and transitional words, colloquial phrases and expressions, elements of the Day of the Dead, and vocabulary specific to ofrendas. All of this vocabulary is necessary for them when reading and analyzing Calaveras Literarias, and when authoring their own poems.
Multimodal Learning
According to Yangxue Zang, author of the article The Application of Multimodal Learning to Enhance Language Proficiency in Oral English Teaching, “Multimodal learning is a pedagogical approach that integrates multiple sensory modalities such as visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile, into the teaching and learning process.”7 The employment of multimodal learning in the world language classroom significantly impacts the students’ learning experience in a number of ways, such as improved comprehension, greater retention and recall, accommodation of diverse learning styles, promotion of higher-order thinking skills, and real-world relevance.
Research in cognitive development has evidenced that utilizing multiple senses in the process of learning can lead to improved retention, recall and comprehension. Interacting with content through multiple modalities, students are able to reinforce their understanding of the information through various channels and are thus more likely to remember and internalize the information presented.8
Multimodal learning keeps learners engaged by incorporating multiple methodologies allowing learners to absorb and retain content regardless of their learning styles. This pedagogical approach promotes variety in learning providing opportunities for educators to be creative with course content. It also provides students the opportunity to engage with multiple content types rather than being stuck with one mode of learning. In turn, this inspires creativity in the students as they apply what is being learned to their work. By integrating various modes of learning, educators can create a more dynamic, inclusive, and engaging classroom environment, ultimately enhancing the overall learning experience for students.9
Integrating multiple learning modes ignites critical thinking and problem-solving skills. For example, a project that incorporates visual presentation, written analysis, and oral communication compels students to synthesize information and demonstrate their understanding across multiple formats, thus engaging higher-order thinking processes.10
The real world presents information in multiple formats simultaneously. Multimodal learning reflects this complexity, equipping students to process and analyze information from various sources. This preparedness is essential for success in academic and professional environments in which the ability to navigate multiple communication modes is a valuable skill thus preparing students for real-world scenarios. Our world is ever evolving and our ability to adapt and learn is vital. Employing multimodal learning prepares students with adaptable learning skills that are applicable throughout their lives.
Teaching multimodally in a world language classroom provides numerous benefits that strengthen the students’ overall language proficiency and communication. These benefits include, but are not limited to, enhanced vocabulary acquisition, improved pronunciation and listening skills, increased engagement, real-world application and cultural understanding. Multimodal teaching has been shown to enhance learner experience and improve learner outcomes.
Enhanced vocabulary acquisition is achieved through the use of target language materials such as visual aids, multimedia resources, and interactive activities, which provide context and reinforcement. This method simplifies for the learner the process of remembering and effectively employing the new vocabulary in the target language.
Implementing the multimodal learning strategy in the world language classroom leads to improved target language pronunciation and listening skills. Audiovisual aids enable students to listen to and replicate native speakers’ pronunciation and intonation which is essential for clear and accurate verbal communication. Additionally, exposure to a variety of accents and speech patterns enhances listening comprehension skills.11
Utilizing multimodal learning techniques such as multimedia presentations, interactive apps, role-playing, and immersive target language experiences can lead to increased student engagement. The implementation of these techniques allows for more engaging and enjoyable learning experiences. This heightened engagement boosts student motivation and participation.
Achieving proficiency in the target language extends beyond the mastery of vocabulary and grammar to effective communication in real-world contexts. Multimodal learning immerses students in authentic language use, bridging classroom activities with practical communication scenarios they may encounter in their personal and professional lives. By integrating real-life situations and practical applications, multimodal learning reveals to learners the importance of language studies, making the learning process more meaningful while equipping students for real-world language use.
Authentic target language multimedia materials such as infographics, videos, films, documentaries, audio recordings, and podcasts can expose learners to cultural subtleties of target language countries ensuring they gain a deeper insight into the cultural context of the language. This cultural awareness is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication.12
In the world language classroom, multimodal learning increases comprehension, retention, engagement, and communication skills. It supports diverse learning styles, fosters cultural understanding, and equips students with the skills they need in a globalized, digital world. This productive and practical teaching approach promotes self-directed learning, valuable throughout one's life and career. In addition, multimodal learning exposes students to authentic target language materials and situations, preparing them for real-world communication.13
Calaveras Literarias
Definition
Simply put, the literal meaning of “calavera literaria” is literary skull. According to numerous sources such as National Geographic, the Smithsonian, and the Mexican newspaper El Universal, the Calavera Literaria is a poetic genre that serves as a sort of humorous or sarcastic epitaph. These poems are meant to poke fun at the living as if they are already dead. They are usually written around the time of the celebration of the Day of the Dead, October 31st through November 2nd. The reader of a Calavera Literaria will find it riddled with irony attacking the faults and vices of a specific person, usually a political figure or someone in the public eye. The person’s death is typically narrated in an amusing manner, often involving an unforeseen visit by Death herself. It should be noted here that in Mexican culture death is usually represented as a woman because the Spanish word for death la muerte is feminine.
History of Calavera Literarias
The origins of Calaveras Literarias are somewhat unclear. Some experts believe that this poetic genre emerged during the Viceroyalty of New Spain, with Fray Joaquin Bolaños as its creator. What we do know is that in the eighteenth century criollos and mestizos would anonymously create humorous and satirical texts, sometimes referred to as pantheons, to express discontent or nonconformity with the Spanish authorities. These writings were frequently confiscated and destroyed by the Spanish officials who found them offensive.14
The first official Calaveras Literarias were published in the newspaper El Socialista in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in 1849. Shortly thereafter, these poems were accompanied by etchings and drawings La Calavera Garbancera. Garbancera “was a derogatory term used for Mexicans who denied their indigenous roots and passed themselves off as hailing solely from European pedigree.”15 La Calavera Garbancera is an ironic and amusing personification of Death created by José Guadalupe Posada. This character was later renamed La Catrina by the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera who included her in several of his works. Subsequently, these verses were penned to ridicule the lengthy and ostentatious epitaphs employed by the clergy and noblemen of the time period.16
In modern Mexico, Calaveras Literarias serve as a means of social and political commentary, frequently appearing in magazines and newspapers offering satirical perspectives on public figures and societal issues. This tradition affords people the opportunity to critique and find humor in life’s complexities and political situations.17 Additionally, this tradition has spread beyond Mexico. For instance, they are popular in schools as a creative writing exercise, helping students improve their writing, research, and critical thinking skills while developing an appreciation of Mexican cultural heritage.18 In many cities across the United States public readings and events celebrate Calaveras Literarias during Day of the Dead festivities, highlighting their cultural significance and role in community building. Eduardo Diaz, the director of the Smithsonian Latino Center in Washington, D.C. values the use of this poetic expression to unify people in an increasingly divided world. Diaz says the following about the power and significance of this Mexican poetic tradition, “This is a spirituality-based cultural practice, and if culture can do anything, it can create a space where people of diverse groups can come together. That’s something politics, religion and economics can never do. Even if these poems address hot-button political issues, the arts create a common table where people can pull up a chair and check their baggage at the door.”19
Structure of a Calavera Literaria
Calaveras Literarias are typically written in verse, often composed of short stanzas. They usually follow a specific scheme, either ABAB or AABB, creating a rhythmic and musical quality. The meter can vary, but usually follows a consistent syllable count per line, like eight syllables, contributing to the flow and rhythm of the poem. As stated previously, the content is humorous and satirical intending to mock or critique individuals or societal issues in a light-hearted way. They often speak of the subject as if they were dead, using humor and irony to highlight their traits and actions. Together, these elements create a playfully satirical reflection on life and death, characteristic of the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead.20
Examples of Calaveras Literarias
As a fellow in Feisal Mohamed’s seminar, “Poetry as Sound and Object,” I had the opportunity to visit the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. There I had access to view firsthand original, authentic text Calaveras Literarias written and published in the years 1888 and 1891 in the Mexican periodicals El Monitor Del Pueblo Antes La Politica and Calaveritas y Calavones. I selected one poem from each of these publications to share with my students. Because these works are written by native speakers for native speakers, I was careful to take into consideration the target language proficiency levels of my student and their prior knowledge of this genre. Additionally, I considered the level of difficulty of each work, the topic addressed, and the relevance of the poem to the lesson.
The first poem I selected is from Calaveritas y Calavones and is an example of a traditional Calavera Literaria. This work exhibits a flexible structure with an emphasis on maintaining rhyme, and a somewhat consistent, though irregular, rhythm. It is written in the form of a quatrain, a four-line rhyming poem. The rhyme scheme of this poem is ABBA.
Las E.y Cervantes
“De su padre la conciencia, La de estas ninas atrajo A ser nobles por trabajo Lo mismo que por herencia.”21
“From their father’s conscience, The conscience of these girls was drawn To be noble through work As well as inheritance.”
In his work, the poet broaches the topic of nobility, a complex and multifaceted hierarchy, a common subject of traditional Calaveras Literarias. He discusses nobility as a source of inheritance. The girls are noble by birth or lineage, “por herencia”. He also addresses nobility as source of effort; they achieve nobility through their own hard work, “por trabajo”. This dual source of nobility highlights the importance of both nature, inheritance, and nurture, effort and hard work, in shaping one’s character.
My second selection, a political Calavera Literaria also written in the form of a quatrain, was published in El Monitor Del Pueblo Antes La Politica. The rhyme scheme in this example is ABAB, which is typical for this genre. While the syllable count per line in this poem is not consistent, there does exist a definite pattern. Lines one and four of the poem are each made up of nine syllables while lines two and three are made up of ten syllables each creating a 9 10,10,9 pattern. This meter pattern along with the ABAB rhyme scheme contribute to the poem’s musical quality.
Daniel Cabrera.
“En un calabozo oscuro Y en medio de noche fria Murio comiendo pan duro, De infernal hipocondria.”22
Daniel Cabrera.
“In his dark dungeon And in the middle of a cold night He died eating stale bread, From infernal hypochondria.”
To better understand the irony of this poem, I believe that it is important to know its subject. Daniel Cabrera was a notable political figure in nineteenth-century Mexico. He was a prominent lawyer, politician, and writer who played a significant role in Mexican politics during a time of major upheaval and reform. Cabrera was a supporter of the Mexican Independence movement and was involved in the drafting of many legal reforms. He was a respected legal scholar and a critic of colonial administration. Late in his life, Cabrera experienced deep personal and professional difficulties, including poverty and chronic health issues.
The poet employs dramatic irony to reflect on the harsh reality of Cabrera’s later years and death in the form of a Calavera Literaria. Through the use of satire and dark imagery the writer reflects on Cabrera’s fall from prominence and how he suffered at the end of his life. “En un calabozo oscuro” refers to suffering that Cabrera faced when he fell from prominence. The desolation and loneliness that he experienced at the end of his life is emphasized in “Y en el medio de noche fria”. “Murio comiendo pan duro” symbolizes the loss and severe circumstances he endured due to his fall from societal grace. Finally, “De infernal hiocondria” implies that Cabrera suffered emotionally and/or mentally during the end of his life. The word “infernal” adds a tragic element to his condition. The author uses this Calavera Literaria to mock and mourn Cabrera, demonstrating how even the most prominent figures can fall from grace and suffer obscurity.23
As previously mentioned, the practice of this poetic Mexican tradition has recently spilled over into the United States, as well as other countries. I would be remiss if I did not include an example of a modern Calavera Literaria. The poem I selected is from a collection titled 16 Poemas Despues de la Muerte written by poet Hector Gonzalez, pen name, Abuelita (grandma) Hector. Like the previous two poems, this is written in the form of a quatrain with an ABAB rhyme scheme. This rhyme scheme provides a rhythmic flow and creates an engaging and playful tone. The meter of this work is slightly varied which contributes to its humorous and conversational nature. The inclusion of a familiar cultural reference, Pat Benatar, adds to the satirical and contemporary feel of the poem.
“Solo aprendi la guitarra después de mi deceso. ¿Mi favorita? Pat Benatar. Su catálogo está grueso.”24
“I only learned the guitar after my death. My favorite? Pat Benatar. Her catalog is dope.”
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