Teach-Reading-and-Writing-Issue-21

6 El Deafo BY CECE BELL, COLOUR BY DAVID LASKY, AMULET BOOKS 2014 About this book When Cece starts school, she’s the only girl wearing a Phonic Ear. Strapped to her chest, the giant hearing-aid works using radio waves, and Cece hates being different – until she discovers an unexpected benefit. She can hear what’s happening in the staffroom, hallway or wherever her teacher happens to be! Will she rock the world as ‘El Deafo, Listener for All’? Or will she find better ways to make friends and discover who she really is? This perceptive and humorous graphic-novel memoir about growing up in Seventies America is fun to read and prompts thoughtful reflection. Thinking and talking • Why does Cece call herself El Deafo? • What helps Cece make friends and join in with everyday life? What makes things more difficult? • What ‘everyday superpower’ would you want to have? What would your name be? www.teachwire.net | 15 KEY S TAGE 2 BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS Illustrations © 2014 by Cece Bell Try this… n Draw Rav on one sheet of paper and Mandy on another. Add speech bubbles and let them tell Mae why she should choose them as her friend. n List the advantages and disadvantages of staying in Mae’s other world. Use role play to advise Mae on whether to return home. n What does this story tell us about Mae’s asthma? How does she cope? Find out about lungs and breathing, and what to do if someone has an asthma attack. Try this… n Role-play Emmanuel being interviewed by reporters. What will you tell them about your ride? n Emmanuel currently teaches people all over the world, and often says that “Disability does not mean inability”. What does he mean? Draw pictures of Emmanuel on his ride, and add this phrase to turn them into posters. n What does this book show or tell you about Ghana? Find out more and create a display. Try this… n Use words and pictures to tell the story of something that happened when you were younger. What did you learn? Can you weave that into your work? n Make your own warm fuzzies, like Cece. Who can you share them with? n Write from Cece’s perspective, explaining how she likes to interact with other people and how they can help. Is this true for every d/Deaf person? Find out more.