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English Online. Every child literate - a shared responsibility.
Ministry of Education.

Learning task 5

Learning intention(s) We are learning to explain the significant connection across texts.
KCs/Principles/Values focus Manage self- self assess
Participate and contribute- transfer learning
Think –explore connections
Use language, symbols and texts – use writing scaffold
  1. Here is a model of a paragraph which explains the effect of using a naïve or innocent narrator in “Once”.
    In “Once” the narrator is a young boy who is living in an orphanage in Poland in 1942. Because the narrator is a young child he doesn’t understand his situation. We realise a lot of things that he doesn’t know. For example when he mentions “1942” and “Poland” we make links with World War 2. He also refers to “ Adolf Hitler”, and his parents as “Jewish booksellers”. The boy is given a carrot to eat and because it’s his favourite vegetable he sees this as a sign from his parents to say that they are coming to collect him soon. Because we know what happened to a lot of Jews in World War 2 we realise that his parents probably are dead or in a concentration camp and probably won’t be coming back.
  2. Ask students use two different colour highlighters to highlight
    • Information about the significant connection of using a naïve narrator
    • Details/ examples from the text which support the connecting factor of a naïve narrator
  3. Discuss with students the use of linking words and phrases. ( The list of comparison words will be particularly useful) to join the paragraphs about the texts they write about.
  4. Read this extract from “To Kill a Mockingbird” or ask students to choose a second text that they have identified as having the same narrative perspective (ie naïve narrator).
  5. Ask students to list what the reader knows or understands that the narrator doesn’t. Discuss how writers sometimes use this technique of a naïve narrator to create humour or to make social comment.
  6. Ask students to use a linking word/ phrase to begin a paragraph about the narrative perspective in that text. The paragraph must include
    • Information about the narrative perspective connection
    • Details/ examples from the text which support the connection
    Below are some possible sentence starters:
    • In ….. the narrator is…..
    • The narrator……
    • The readers….
    • An example ……
    • Another example…….

As an extension exercise, students could explore some texts which are connected through having a contrasting narrative perspective.

Published on: 26 Dec 2010

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