Overview

This 1-week unit (3 lessons, 45 minutes each) is designed for Year 7 SEN students, focusing on The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis. It aligns explicitly with the National Curriculum for England’s Key Stage 3 English objectives, emphasising reading comprehension, empathy development, and creative expression. Activities are highly scaffolded with three levels of differentiation (emerging, developing, and secure) to address diverse SEN needs within a small class of 8 students.

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National Curriculum Links

• Reading - comprehension:
  • Engage with texts imaginatively and critically (NC KS3 PoS: Reading - A3)
  • Make inferences and justify these with evidence (NC KS3 PoS: Reading - A4)
• Writing - composition:
  • Write imaginative narratives showing a range of sentence structures (NC KS3 PoS: Writing - B1)
• Spoken language:
  • Participate in discussions, presentations and performances (NC KS3 PoS: Spoken Language - SL1, SL2)
• SEN focus: Adapted teaching strategies to support literacy, language development, and social-emotional understanding.

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Lesson 1: Character and Context

Learning Objectives

• Identify key characters and setting details from The Breadwinner. (Reading A3)
• Demonstrate understanding through visual and oral responses. (Spoken Language SL1)
• Develop contextual knowledge of Afghanistan relevant to the story.

Resources

• Excerpt from The Breadwinner (adapted for reading level)
• World map and short visual presentation on Afghanistan
• Character profile templates
• Colouring and drawing materials

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Differentiation	Notes
0-10 mins	Brief introduction to The Breadwinner and Afghanistan using images & map	All students	Use multisensory input: images, spoken narration, and map pointing.
10-25 mins	Read excerpt aloud with teacher, pausing to explain new vocabulary. Group discussion about Parvana’s family and setting	Emerging: Picture-supported word cards and repeated sentences. Developing: Guided questions and sentence starters. Secure: Independent note-taking with word banks.	Emphasise vocabulary related to family, gender roles, and setting.
25-40 mins	Character profile creation: students fill simple templates (name, role, feelings) with drawing and/or keywords	Emerging: Fill-in-the-blanks and draw emotions. Developing: Short written sentences supported by word banks. Secure: Full sentences including inference about character feelings.	Use graphic organisers to support writing.
40-45 mins	Quick group sharing of profiles to enhance spoken confidence and peer learning	All students	Encourage use of new vocabulary.

Assessment

• Teacher checks completed profiles for comprehension and expression.
• Oral participation quality noted, focusing on confidence and use of key terms.

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Lesson 2: Themes and Empathy

Learning Objectives

• Explore main themes: family, courage, and identity. (Reading A3 & Writing B1)
• Express empathetic understanding through discussion and writing. (Spoken SL2, Writing B1)

Resources

• Theme cards with pictures and key words
• Empathy role-play scripts simplified
• Writing frames for differentiated creative responses

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Differentiation	Notes
0-10 mins	Recap previous lesson; introduce themes with visual cards	All students	Pause to connect themes to students’ experiences or familiar stories.
10-25 mins	Empathy role-play: students act as Parvana facing challenges, supported by scripts	Emerging: Role-play with simple lines and gestures. Developing: Add internal thought prompts. Secure: Role-play plus short discussion responses.	Break scenes into manageable chunks; model emotions clearly.
25-40 mins	Creative writing: Using writing frames, students write a short diary entry from Parvana’s perspective	Emerging: Label pictures combined with key words. Developing: Simple sentences using sentence starters. Secure: Paragraphs with descriptive language and emotions.	Allow verbal dictation where writing is difficult; use assistive technology if available.
40-45 mins	Share writing with group or teacher for positive feedback	All students	Celebrate all efforts, focus on empathy conveyed.

Assessment

• Informal teacher observation of role-play engagement and expression.
• Review diary entries for understanding of Parvana’s feelings and theme linkage.

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Lesson 3: Creative Responses and Reflection

Learning Objectives

• Use imaginative skills to retell part of the story with own ending. (Writing B1)
• Reflect on the narrative and personal learning through discussion. (Spoken SL2)

Resources

• Storyboard templates
• Creative materials (coloured pencils, paper, stickers)
• Recording device (optional) for oral storytelling

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Differentiation	Notes
0-10 mins	Brief discussion: What might happen next in Parvana’s story?	All students	Supported by visual prompts and questioning to scaffold ideas.
10-30 mins	Storyboard completion: design scenes for own version of story’s next part	Emerging: Use pictures and captions. Developing: Mix pictures and simple sentences. Secure: Detailed sentences with cause/effect language.	Encourage creativity; cross-modal expression (writing, drawing).
30-40 mins	Students share their storyboards orally or record their oral story	Emerging: Single words, gestures or pictures. Developing: Short sentences. Secure: Full oral narrative.	Allow peer support and use of prompt cards.
40-45 mins	Reflection: Circle time discussion on what they learned about Parvana and different lives	All students	Use emotion cards and sentence starters to facilitate contribution.

Assessment

• Evaluate storyboards for narrative understanding and creativity.
• Teacher notes clarity and coherence in oral sharing and reflection.

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Differentiation Strategy Summary

Level	Reading	Writing	Speaking	Support Strategies
Emerging	Picture support, repeated readings	Labels, captions, sentence starters	Gestures, single words, short phrases	Visual aids, scaffolding, one-to-one support
Developing	Guided reading with questions	Simple sentences with word banks	Short sentences, sentence frames	Small group help, prompt cards
Secure	Independent reading, inference exercises	Paragraphs with descriptive language	Full sentences, extended explanations	Extension tasks, peer discussions

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Reflection and Feedback

• Incorporate student self-assessment tick sheets (e.g., “I felt confident reading today,” “I used new words”).
• Use emoji or smiley face scales to gauge emotional response to content (important for SEN engagement).
• Offer parents/carers a summary sheet detailing progress and suggested home activities (e.g., sharing stories, discussing family themes).

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This carefully structured unit connects literary understanding with empathy and creative skills, delivered through multisensory, scaffolded approaches tailored for SEN learners. It promotes accessibility, engagement, and deeper personal connection to The Breadwinner, ensuring that all students meet Key Stage 3 expectations in reading, writing, and speaking.