Teaching a Class Using O. Henry’s Short Stories

Incorporating classic literature like O. Henry’s short stories into your ESL classroom can be a powerful way to enhance language learning while also engaging students with timeless themes and relatable characters. Reading books allows students to expand their vocabulary, improve grammar, and deepen comprehension through exposure to authentic texts. Utilizing audio-aligned versions, such as those available through WholeReader, offers additional benefits, such as improved pronunciation, listening comprehension, and the ability to pause and replay passages for better understanding. By integrating audio with text, students can develop a more holistic grasp of the language, combining visual and auditory learning. The following lesson plans, based on O. Henry’s beloved stories The Ransom of Red Chief, The Gift of the Magi, and The Last Leaf, focus on building vocabulary, practicing grammar (such as modal verbs and past tense), and encouraging thoughtful discussion, all while immersing students in the rich language and humor of these literary classics.

Why O. Henry’s Stories Are Ideal for ESL Learning

O. Henry’s short stories are rich in themes such as love, sacrifice, and irony, offering opportunities for discussions about language and culture. The vocabulary ranges from basic to more challenging, allowing learners to build their language skills. The format of the stories is short, making it possible to work through the story within one lesson. O.Henry's stories are often humorous or sentimental, keeping students engaged and motivated.

Benefits of Using WholeReader

WholeReader provides audio-aligned versions of these classic stories, which means students can listen to the text while reading along. This is particularly effective for ESL learners because:

• Improves Pronunciation: Students hear how words and sentences should be spoken, improving their own pronunciation.
• Enhances Comprehension: Reading and listening simultaneously helps learners understand the context of words and phrases more easily.
• Fosters Confidence: Listening to native speakers builds confidence in understanding spoken English and conversational flow.
• Interactive Learning: Students can also listen to separate passages, pause and repeat key sections, and revisit challenging parts of the text at their own pace.

Story 1: The Gift of the Magi

Objective:

To introduce students to basic English sentence structures and everyday vocabulary, as well as to explore the theme of love and sacrifice.

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim’s gold watch that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s. The other was Della’s hair.

The Gift of the Magi, O. HenryOpen book

Lesson Plan Overview:

The lesson plan focuses on enhancing vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills through O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi. The primary goals are to introduce new vocabulary related to the story (e.g., parsimonious, sacrifice), practice grammar using past simple tense, and improve students' understanding of the plot through reading and listening exercises. WholeReader’s audio-aligned version is used to support pronunciation and comprehension. Activities include matching vocabulary, fill-in-the-gap exercises, plot sequencing, and group discussions.

Lesson plan with printable materials can be downloaded here: Gift of Magi Lesson Plan

Story 2: The Last Leaf

Objective: To help students practice modal verbs, while also exploring themes of hope and friendship.

The day wore away, and even through the twilight they could see the lone ivy leaf clinging to its stem against the wall. And then, with the coming of the night the north wind was again loosed, while the rain still beat against the windows and pattered down from the low Dutch eaves.

The Last Leaf, O. HenryOpen book

Lesson Plan Overview:

This ESL lesson plan for O. Henry's The Last Leaf focuses on enhancing vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension while exploring key themes such as hope, friendship, and sacrifice. The primary goals include introducing new vocabulary (e.g., pneumonia, masterpiece, vine) and practicing modal verbs using examples from the story. Through WholeReader's audio-aligned version, students improve their listening and pronunciation skills. The lesson features activities such as vocabulary matching, fill-in-the-gap exercises, plot comprehension tasks, and modal verb practice in various forms (affirmative, negative, and questions). This comprehensive lesson plan ensures students develop language skills while engaging with literature in a meaningful way.

Lesson plan with printable materials can be downloaded here: The Last Leaf Lesson Plan

Story 3: The Ransom of Red Chief

Objective: To explore humor in English and how tone and dialogue contribute to storytelling. This story is also excellent for teaching idiomatic expressions and conversational English.

We selected for our victim the only child of a prominent citizen named Ebenezer Dorset. The father was respectable and tight, a mortgage fancier and a stern, upright collection-plate passer and forecloser. The kid was a boy of ten, with bas-relief freckles, and hair the colour of the cover of the magazine you buy at the news-stand when you want to catch a train. Bill and me figured that Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two thousand dollars to a cent. But wait till I tell you.

The Ransom of Red Chief, O. HenryOpen book

Lesson Plan Overview: This ESL lesson plan focuses on enhancing vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills through O. Henry's The Ransom of Red Chief. The primary goal is to introduce new vocabulary related to the story (e.g., “ransom,” “kidnap”), practice grammar structures using those words, and improve students' understanding of the plot through reading and listening exercises. Activities include matching vocabulary, fill-in-the-blank exercises, plot sequencing, and group discussions.

Lesson plan with printable materials can be downloaded here: Ransom of Red Chief Lesson Plan

Using WholeReader to Reinforce Learning

Incorporating WholeReader’s audio-aligned texts can help reinforce learning in the following ways:

• Pronunciation Practice: Assign students to listen to short sections of the story and mimic the pronunciation.
• Homework Assignment: Each story can be assigned as homework to be conveniently read and listened to in WholeReader before the lesson. Students can revisit key passages and repeat as necessary.
• Listening Comprehension Quizzes: Play a passage from the audio and ask comprehension questions.

Conclusion

O. Henry’s short stories are a fantastic resource for teaching ESL students about vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, grammar, and cultural themes. By using WholeReader’s audio-aligned versions, students can strengthen their listening skills, improve pronunciation, and enhance comprehension. These classic stories will not only help learners master English but also introduce them to important cultural and literary themes. Role-playing activities and interactive listening options make the stories both engaging and educational for students of all levels.