We’ve been having a great time watching the 2006 “Charlotte’s Web” movie in class this week. I think it’s a great reward for the students behaving so well throughout a very difficult Term 1. At any rate, it does give a nice break from the regular routine in the lead-up to the final exams.
I do think the kids are ready for the exams next week. On Monday, they will sit for two Thai language exams before the combined Listening/Reading tests, which will be followed by their Chinese language test. I’m happy that the easiest of the English-language exams will be on the first day so it will lessen the pressure on the students. I quizzed many of them over the past two weeks whenever I saw them – in the classroom (pointing out differences between the book and the movie and reminding them of certain scenes/chapters), during Extra Lessons (we spent this week revisiting some of the vocabulary words), and in the hallways during breaks and lunch. Right now, they all seem to remember the important parts of the story and can keep the various characters straight. And I think they have greater confidence than they had right before the mid-term tests. At least now they know what to expect from the P4 Reading (and Listening) exams.
I am really looking forward to Term 2 and have been already done a lot of preparatory work for the lessons. The book for the second half of P4 is a lot more fun and there is so much more we can do away from the standard read-and-answer questions format that Charlotte’s Web requires.
What is that book, you ask? Why it’s the fantabulous, utterly glumptious novel by Roald Dahl called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Roald Dahl is my favorite children’s book author and each of his books are a lot of fun to read. (I also happen to think it’s really cool that my baby daughter – Anda – was born on Roald Dahl Day, 13th September.) I hope that the students will have so much fun with the adventures of Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket that they will seek out Mr. Dahl’s other books such as The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, George’s Marvelous Medicine, etc. All of these (and many more) are now available at B2S in Central Festival Phuket in honor of Roald Dahl Month (September).
I’ve already started the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory blog to help the P4 students in Term 2. The site is called T. Mark’s Chocolate Factory and I hope you like reading it as much as I enjoy making it. See you there!
