Students read an extract of Esio Trot by Roald Dahl (pp.21–25). They do a reading comprehension and vocabulary exercise. Then they focus on the use of the imperative and adverb. After that they do some activities about describing and looking after animals, and a game of encoding and decoding messages written in a secret language.
The Gifts (T)
This story is adapted from O. Henry’s Christmas classic ‘The Gifts of the Magi’. The teaching procedure illustrates how students are taken step by step to analyse the plot, discuss the characters and respond to the theme. One special literary feature of the language, namely, word inversion, is also focused on.
The Pied Piper of Hamelin(T)
This is a very well-know story for children in the west. In this unit, students are taken through the story. Then they analyse the plot, describe the characters, rewrite and retell the story. The language activities include an exercise on verbs and another exercise where students re-sequence lines spoken by the characters. The highlight is “dramatized reading” (readers’ theatre), which can also be dramatization of the story.
Spaghetti Pig-Out Students follow the story line, study the characters, work on some vocabulary exercises and on activities related to the remote control (key element in the story). The highlight of this unit is activities that develop students’ thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills.
The Wrong Trousers Students watch a cartoon video called the Wrong Trousers. They will engage themselves in some interactive activities which are grouped under 3 stages: previewing; while viewing and post viewing. Worksheets are prepared to help them learn the selected vocabulary items, language functions/structures, and apply the language to different tasks such as designing a pamphlet that explains the functions and operation of the techno-trousers, completing a witness report and reflecting upon the use and misuse of tools and equipment. The students will also be guided in analysing the structure of the story through a story map.
The Chameleon This story is a translated version of the Russian original by Anton Chekov. The story comes with some prompts and questions along the margin to guide students in responding to the story development and characters when they read. The lesson focuses on character study and illustrates how grammar can be taught and practiced in context.
Mark Spark This is a short story with a simple plot. A few messages are conveyed: helping the needy, the close relationship between the young boy, Mark, and his granny, getting recognition from one’s peer. The text itself is not difficult and can be covered in class quickly. Students can then be taken away from the book to look at issues like fund raising activities in school and selection of pets.
The Boscombe Valley Mystery(T)
This story is one of the adventures of the famous fictitious detective – Sherlock Holmes. The teacher can begin by briefly introducing the writer and background of the story and taking students through the first two sections. After that students either read the story on their own or work under the teacher’s guidance through the sections of the story. The story comes with some prompts and questions along the margin to guide students in responding to the story development and characters. They are given practice in reading sensitively and analytically through activities such as looking for clues of the murderer. Students are encouraged to finishing reading the whole story if they are eager to get the answer to the mystery. But they must not tell the ending of the story to their classmates who have not finished reading the story.
There is a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom Students read an excerpt of There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom (Chapters 6 and 7). They do a reading comprehension and vocabulary exercises. Then they focus on language about giving directions. After that they do some activities about going to a new school and friendship. Students are encouraged to finish the story on their own.
The Stone Fox Students are taken through the story chapter by chapter. They take part in various activities which enable them to appreciate the portrayal of character in a story, to understand the importance of a story’s setting in making the story authentic and in creating the mood and atmosphere for the story, evaluate different solutions to a problem. to predict the development of the story and to make reasoned guesses for unknown causes. They also write creatively in the form of a diary, an acrostic poem and an extended story.
