Instructional Series
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Welcome to the English medium literacy instructional series teaching and learning resources for years 1 to 8.
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204 items - Showing 201 - 204
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The River
by Paul Mason
Leo has travelled from New Zealand to visit his father, who has a houseboat in England. Leo and his dad touch briefly on memories of earlier visits to England, when the family was still together and living in New Zealand. The river has changed since the earlier visit, polluted by a factory upstream. Leo’s desire to see the selkie he saw previously causes him to fall into the dirty river. Leo finds that to save himself, he has to “stop fighting the river”, and students may hypothesise that this realisation could help him deal with the changes in his life.
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Helpful
by Feana Tu‘akoi
illustrations by Fraser Williamson
Grandad wants Vika and Kele to help him in the garden, but they don’t share his enthusiasm. Vika manages to come up with an excuse, leaving Kele with all the work, but then the tables are turned and Vika becomes the one who has to help Grandad. The humour in this story arises from the contrast between Vika’s attempts to get out of helping, Dad’s determination to make sure she does her fair share, and Grandad’s lack of awareness that anything is going on. These characters also appear in “Kele’s Car” (Gold 2) in JJ 49.
Gold 1
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The Bullet
by Sarah Penwarden
“The Bullet” has been adapted as a graphic text from the story of the same name in School Journal 4.3.08. In both versions, the story is about a boy who is bullied in his new school and faces decisions that could change the course of his young life. The graphic text format is more accessible and engaging, and provides multiple opportunities for readers to access the sophisticated themes and abstract ideas of the original story. The illustrations use a gritty, raw style that highlights the sense of danger and risk. The text offers opportunities for students to build on the key competencies of managing self and relating to others.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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Bok Choy
by Paul Mason
illustrations by Ant Sang
This seemingly simple historical story carries an important message about discrimination. It is set in a goldmining town in Otago during the 1860s gold rush. Jacob’s mother is glad to buy bok choy (Chinese cabbage) from Ah Sum, but Ah Sum’s presence brings out the worst in their neighbour Mrs Bishop and her son, William. William taunts Ah Sum and leaves Jacob feeling confused about his loyalties. When Jacob slips into the river while fishing, it is Ah Sum who rescues him. The story shows how Jacob becomes aware of the realities of Ah Sum’s life. The ending is left open for readers to infer the longterm impact of Jacob’s encounter with Ah Sum.
Information and tips for using comics in the classroom:
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