Shared and independent reading

Australian Curriculum: English sub-strands: Literacy – Interpreting, analysing, evaluating

Negotiate with students chapters for reading and timeframes for completion. Include both independent and shared reading strategies. Ideally each student should have a copy of the book.

Read Chapters 1 and 2 of Thai-riffic! with students. Ask students about the high school that they expect they will be attending when they complete primary school. How do they expect it will differ from primary school? How do they think they will feel on their first day?

During reading

Ask students to recall a difficult or embarrassing experience they have had at school and write a journal entry about the event and their feelings. Place students in groups to share their writing and select one event to role play. Tell students that their dramatisation should emphasise how the participants felt and reacted. Instruct students to read Chapters 3 and 4.

Students will: Negotiate independent reading timeframes. Complete shared reading of the first two chapters. Independently read next two chapters. Discuss their feelings about being a new student at high school. Write a journal entry about a difficult or embarrassing experience they have had at school. Students share their experiences in small groups and each group will select one incident to role play. Role play of incident with emphasis on feelings and reactions.

Exploring context

Australian Curriculum: English sub-strands: Literacy – Creating texts

After students have completed reading Chapter 4, brainstorm special events, days and festivals that students and their families celebrate. Ask students to describe these events. Students continue reading.

Students will: Using ICT (Glogster), students create a poster about their family and special events they celebrate together, such as. birthdays, Eid, New Year, Festival of the Lights, Moon Festival, Christmas or Hanukkah.