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23 - Write Your Own Story

For some of you, your school days may not be so long ago. For me, elementary school and high school were years and years ago. But I remember some of the difficulties, and I don’t think too much has changed.

Kids today still worry about how others see them. And they’re trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. I wish I could tell all kids to relax because no one is perfect and everyone has questions about themselves… even as adults.

[title] So the text I’m going to share is about how young students might only see themselves one way, or they might worry that others see only one side of them.

A few different characters share their thoughts in this story. Listen to the different voices. I think you’ll understand the worries that each student has. I create these texts with high frequency words, words that people use very often.

But sometimes familiar words may not be used in familiar ways. Let me share some notes with you. Listen in is a phrasal verb. If you listen in on a conversation, you’re not part of it. It may be a private conversation, but you hear it.

In our text, the narrator will ask you to listen in on other people’s private thoughts. That’s something you get to do when you read a story. Come to is another phrasal verb. If you’ve come to think something or come to believe something, then you’ve formed an opinion about it.

In the text, you’ll hear how someone has come to expect something of himself or herself. That means this person has formed an expectation. The text also presents collocations – or common phrases – with a verb and an object.

Listen for these combinations: pay attention…deliver results…play a part As in a part in a movie or a play. To begin, I’d like you to listen and read along silently. Just try to understand the thoughts of the different students. [reads] Okay.

Now it’s your turn. We’ll read the text together three times. This first time listen and repeat after me. Try to follow my stress and intonation. You can do this exercise more than once. Let’s try reading a different way.

This time we’ll read together, but at a slow pace. I want you to read smoothly. We’re going to link our words and pause in natural places. I recommend doing the slow reading more than once. It’s time for the last reading.

We’ll read together at a natural pace. If it’s still too fast, then go back to the slower reading and practice some more. When you’re ready, try this faster pace. Here we go. Did you ever feel that people saw you only one way?

Like they didn’t see all of you? Isn’t it a good feeling, though, to know that each of us can write our own story? No one should tell us what part we have to play. We’re free to be who we want to be. I hope you enjoyed reading with me.