Growing Up Voices

Overview

In this lesson, students explore a personal narrative extract about growing up Aboriginal in Australia. They analyse identity, perspective and how language features shape meaning, then discuss their interpretations using evidence from the text.

Learning intentions

WALT:

• analyse how a personal narrative builds meaning through character, events and setting
• identify and explain how identity and perspective are represented in the extract
• analyse how language features shape meaning for an intended audience
• use comprehension strategies (visualising, questioning, inferring and summarising) to interpret key ideas

Success criteria

Students can:

• explain what the narrator’s identity and perspective suggest about “growing up” in the extract
• identify specific language features (e.g. evaluative words, figurative language, pronouns/point of view, imagery) and explain their impact
• quote or paraphrase evidence from the text to justify interpretations in discussion
• summarise the paragraph(s) using key ideas and monitor their understanding while reading

Curriculum links

• Literature: identify and explore ideas, points of view, characters, events and/or issues in literary texts from wide-ranging Australian and world authors, including First Nations Australian representations
• Literature: identify and explain how characters, settings and events combine to create meaning in narratives
• Literacy: analyse the ways in which language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose
• Literacy: use comprehension strategies such as visualising, predicting, connecting, questioning and inferring to analyse and summarise information and ideas

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook and context. Teacher displays the lesson question: “How does the narrator show identity and perspective in their story?” and models a quick prediction using the title/first line. Students turn-and-talk: What do you expect “growing up” to include (feelings, challenges, family, culture, place)?

2. 8–20 min · Reading with vocab + dyslexia-friendly options. Teacher distributes two versions of the extract: Version A (original layout) and Version B (dyslexia-friendly: larger font, shorter lines, extra line spacing, key words pre-highlighted). Teacher reads once aloud, then students read silently using a “stop and think” routine every paragraph (one question + one inference). Students record in a simple bookmark:

• Visualise: what do you picture?
• Question: what do you wonder?
• Infer: what does the narrator want you to understand?

3. 20–30 min · Annotation mini-lesson (evidence focus). Teacher models one paragraph annotation on the board using three annotation codes:

• Identity (what reveals who the narrator is?)
• Perspective (who is speaking and how do we see events?)
• Language impact (which words/techniques create meaning?) Students annotate their extract with at least 6 marks total (at least 2 for language impact). Teacher circulates and prompts: “Find the word that makes you think that—what is it doing?”

4. 30–43 min · Small-group discussion (structured talk). Students form groups of 4. Each group completes a discussion sheet with sentence starters:

• “The narrator’s identity is shown when…”
• “This perspective is created by…”
• “I think the language feature ___ matters because it makes the reader feel/see…” Students share one quote and one explanation per person. Teacher assigns roles: evidence finder, summariser, explainer, and listener (ensures all voices contribute).

5. 43–52 min · Whole-class synthesis. Teacher collects 2–3 group findings, creating a class chart: Identity, Perspective, Language features → Meaning effects. Students help refine wording so explanations link back to the text (no unsupported opinions). Teacher probes: “How do the language choices shape meaning for the reader?”

6. 52–60 min · Exit ticket (monitor + summarise). Students complete a brief exit ticket:

• Summarise the extract’s key idea in 2–3 sentences.
• Choose one language feature and explain its impact in 2 sentences.
• One “still wondering” question about perspective/identity.

Resources

• Printed extract in two formats (original and dyslexia-friendly with highlighted key words)
• Annotation codes handout (Identity / Perspective / Language impact)
• Discussion sheet with sentence starters and role cards
• Class chart paper or digital whiteboard
• Exit ticket slips
• Timer visible to students
• Highlighters/coloured pens (or annotation sticky notes)

Assessment

• Formative: teacher checks annotations during circulation (language evidence and explanation)
• Formative: group discussion contribution using sentence starter sheet and evidence requirement
• Summative-in-mini: exit ticket (summary + language feature impact + one question)

Differentiation

• Support:
• Dyslexia-friendly extract version with larger font and extra spacing
• Audio read-through before independent reading
• Sentence starters for analysis and discussion
• Annotation scaffold: minimum number of marks by category (e.g. at least 2 language-impact)
• Adjustment:
• Allow paraphrasing instead of exact quoting for students who find quoting difficult
• Provide a “word bank” of evaluative words and meaning verbs (e.g. suggests, implies, contrasts, emphasises, shapes)
• Extension:
• Challenge: explain how perspective changes the reader’s understanding of events (not just what happens)
• Add an “audience and purpose” prompt: “Why might the author use this language for readers?”
• EAL/SEN:
• Provide bilingual support where available for key terms (e.g. identity, perspective, narrator)
• Pre-teach a small set of vocabulary from the extract and review during the read-stop routine

Vocab and reading passages (built into the lesson)

• Pre-teach 6–8 words before silent reading, shown on a class list: identity, narrator, perspective, belonging, memory, contrast, imagery, emotion
• Use a short modelling “think aloud” paragraph to demonstrate how to visualise and infer, then repeat the same strategy for students’ next paragraph.