Overview

Year group: 7 (ages 11–12)
Duration: 60 minutes per lesson
Number of lessons: 7
Class size: 25 students
Subject: English (KS3 SEN)
Book: The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
National Curriculum links:

• Reading: comprehension and inference (Reading – Word reading, Comprehension)
• Writing: narrative and transactional forms (Writing – Composition, Vocabulary, Grammar & Punctuation)
• Speaking & Listening: oral skills, discussion, and presentation (Spoken language)
• SEN Inclusion: Scaffolded, multi-sensory approaches supporting literacy development (English programmes of study KS3, SEN adaptations)

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Weekly Lesson Overview

Week	Focus	Skills Developed	Text Segment
1	Introduction to the text and context	Listening, Speaking, Basic Reading	Chapters 1–2
2	Character Exploration: Parvana	Reading comprehension, Writing	Chapter 3
3	Vocabulary Building and Theme	Speaking, Reading, Writing	Chapters 4–5
4	Narrative Structure & Sequencing	Reading, Writing, Speaking	Chapters 6–7
5	Empathy and Perspective Writing	Writing (descriptive, perspective)	Chapters 8–9
6	Dialogue and Speaking Skills	Speaking, Listening, Writing	Selected dialogues
7	Review and Assessment: Comprehension & Creative Writing	Reading comprehension, Writing	Key passages from book

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Detailed Lesson Plan: Week 1

Topic: Introduction & Context

Learning Objectives

Aligned to National Curriculum KS3 English, SEN

• Beginner: Recognise key characters and setting; listen to and respond to questions with support (English programmes of study: Spoken Language – participating in discussions)
• Intermediate: Identify main events; answer comprehension questions using simple sentences (Reading - comprehension), write 3–4 simple sentences about the story (Writing - composition)
• Advanced: Describe the context of Afghanistan in the story; infer feelings of characters using textual evidence (Reading – inference), create a short paragraph describing setting and characters (Writing – extended composition)

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Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

Section	Time	Activities	Differentiation & SEN Support
Engage	10min	Warm-up: Show images of Afghanistan and discuss what students know. Introduce The Breadwinner and author briefly. Use visual aids, video clips (if accessible).	Beginner: Use simplified vocabulary + picture prompts. Intermediate: Use sentence starters. Advanced: Encourage questioning about political context.
Main Teaching	15min	Read aloud: Teacher reads first two chapters aloud, modelling expression. Pause for clarifying vocabulary and comprehension. Use audiobooks for support.	Beginner: Follow along with illustrated copy; pause after simple sentences. Intermediate: Highlight key events with guided questions. Advanced: Discuss implied meanings and motives.
Share	10min	Group Discussion: “Who is Parvana? What do you think her life is like?” Small groups; use talking chips or sentence stems.	Beginner: Sentence starters and one-word responses accepted. Intermediate: Use 2–3 sentence responses with support. Advanced: Facilitate inference and justification.
Practice	15min	Writing Task:

• Beginner: Label pictures of characters & setting; copy simple sentences.
• Intermediate: Write 3 sentences about Parvana and her family.
• Advanced: Write a short paragraph describing the setting and feelings of Parvana.
  Use writing frames and word banks. | Visual writing frames, graphic organisers, word mats given to all levels but with adjusted complexity. Use assistive technology if available (speech-to-text). | | Review | 10min | Plenary quiz and feedback: Use simple Q&A or matching activities related to characters and setting via flashcards or interactive whiteboard. Rewards for participation. | Reward effort and provide positive reinforcement. Visual cues for correct answers for Beginner level. Encourage peer support for all groups. |

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Assessment Strategies

• Formative: Teacher observation during group discussion.
• Writing samples: Assessed using simplified KS3 SEN-friendly rubrics focusing on content, coherence, and handwriting/typing.
• Oral: Teacher records confidence and participation during discussion, noting use of key vocabulary.

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Differentiation Summary for Week 1

Ability Level	Reading	Writing	Speaking & Listening	Support Tools
Beginner	Picture-supported text, read aloud	Copying, labelling	One-word or short phrase answers, sentence starters	Word banks, pictures, audio books, graphic organisers
Intermediate	Guided reading, highlight key info	Simple sentence writing	Short sentence responses, basic inference	Sentence starters, checklists, peer support
Advanced	Independent reading, infer character feelings	Extended paragraph writing	Longer responses, justifying opinions	Writing frames, dictionary use, group debates

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Weekly Lesson Plans Preview (Weeks 2–7)

• Week 2: Character Exploration
  Focus: Understanding Parvana’s traits and motivations; write character profiles (differentiated adjectives use).
  Skills: Reading comprehension, descriptive writing, oral explanation.

• Week 3: Vocabulary and Theme
  Focus: Key vocabulary linked to context; explore themes such as hardship and courage.
  Skills: Speaking in groups, vocabulary exercises, thematic paragraph writing.

• Week 4: Narrative Structure
  Focus: Sequence of events and cause-effect; use storyboards.
  Skills: Reading for structure, writing sequenced sentences, presenting story summaries.

• Week 5: Empathy and Perspective
  Focus: Writing from Parvana’s perspective and others; use of first person.
  Skills: Creative writing, oral storytelling, listening for detail.

• Week 6: Dialogue and Speaking
  Focus: Practising character dialogue; roleplay.
  Skills: Speaking fluently, listening for cues, writing simple dialogues.

• Week 7: Review & Assessment
  Focus: Comprehension questions, creative writing project based on the book.
  Skills: Consolidated reading, extended writing, presentation of work.

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Innovative Elements to WOW Teachers

• Multi-Sensory Input: Use images, audio clips (e.g., Afghan music), and tactile materials (postcards or artefacts) linked to the book’s setting — engages diverse learners including SEN.
• Tech Integration: Use assistive technology like speech-to-text for writing and text-to-speech for reading; interactive whiteboard quizzes and digital storyboards.
• Peer Teaching: Pair learners across ability levels encouraging cooperative learning — stronger students support beginners, reinforcing skills for both.
• Emotion Cards: Students create “emotion cards” for Parvana to deepen empathy, helping SEN students access deeper themes in manageable ways.
• Flexible Assessment: Ongoing formative assessment through observation, oral contributions, and visual/written outputs — honours diverse strengths.

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Resources Required

• Copies of The Breadwinner (simplified versions for SEN learners if possible)
• Audiobook or teacher read-aloud scripts
• Visual aids: maps of Afghanistan, character flashcards, emotion cards
• Word banks and writing frames for each ability level
• Audio player and/or interactive whiteboard
• Graphic organisers and story sequencing templates
• Assistive writing technology if available

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This 7-week scheme aligns with the KS3 English programmes of study, ensuring the development of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills through the scaffolded and engaging study of a culturally rich text, specifically tailored for SEN learners.