Introducing the Book
Show children the book. Ask: What do you think this book will be about? Do you think it will be a fact book, or fiction? Why do you think so?

There should be a lot of predictions from children. Write their predictions on the board and see if they match up later. Explain that predictions cannot be wrong, because they are only guesses. They might not be true, but a prediction is only what could possibly happen. Scientists use prediction all the time, and while they are sometimes not true in the end, they are often a good start to understanding ideas.

Have children look at the cover of the book. Ask: What do you think the trouble with English might be? Did you ever have any trouble with English? Do you think spelling is easy or difficult? Do you think there are some words that are hard to read or decode?

Building Background
Start a discussion with children about words. Ask: Can you name some words that might be difficult for a non-English speaker to read? Ask: Can you name some words that might be difficult for a child learning to read to decode?

Book Walk
Have children look at the pictures on pages 11 and 12 and describe what is happening in each of these pictures. Ask: Have you ever felt that someone was laughing at you? How did that make you feel? Look at the pictures on pages 15 and 16. Ask: What do you think Ting is thinking in these pictures?

Reading Strategies
Discuss reading strategies, such as sounding out and using picture and context clues to decode the text. Ask:

• How will the pictures help you read the words?
• What can you do when you come to a word you cannot read?
• What can you do if you don't understand a part you have just read?

Think Aloud
Read page 14. Have children look at the second sentence. Ask: What does this sentence mean? Can you name another idiom? What does it mean?


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