3.2 To write for personal reflection

12 “Ooh! this tastes exceptionally good ! There is just something in here . . . I can’t say exactly what, but it gives the strangest bitter-sweet sensation on the tongue. I’ve never noticed it in other curries.” This was often the comment Gram received for her curry. She would acknowledge the compli­ment-question with a nod and grin and cast a warning eye towards Mila.

13 Mila wished she could once more taste that wonderful dish covered in true affection. She could even make it herself. But there was never time and there were never proper ingredients or money to buy them. She gave up on the idea entirely and conditioned her tastebuds to be satisfied with the monotony of bread, peanut butter, porridge and the occasional dried fish and thin soup. Besides, she did not want anybody to know this special recipe. It was hers and hers alone.

Now answer the following questions about the part of the story you have just read.

Paragraph 9, 10

1. Why did Mila know how to make Gram’s curry?

2. Which precautionary measure did Mila take when working with chillies?

3. Why did she do this?

Paragraph 12

4. What prevented Mila from trying Gram’s recipe at Sara’s house? Find FOUR reasons.

5. What was wrong with the meals in Sara’s house?

Activity 4:

To write creatively

[lo 4.4]

Many people tasted the wonderful curry Gram made. One such person said, ”This is the most amazing curry I have ever tasted.” These are the person’s direct words . We therefore use quotation marks.

• However, when we write a dialogue (a conversation between two people in written form), we use different punctuation marks and writing rules.

Look at the following example of a written conversation between Gram and Mila on market day.

Gram : Come, Mila darling. We’d better hurry up. We cannot lose our favourite spot.

Mila : Yes, Gram. I just need to brush my teeth. Then we can go.

Gram : Have you marked all the bundles of herbs clearly?

Mila : Yes, Gram. I have put labels on all of them. All the bundles are in your big market basket.

What TWO differences in punctuation and writing rules did you spot in the above dialogue?

Now write your own dialogue

• Write the conversation between Mila and a customer at the market on the island.
• The customer is trying to find out what special spices Gram uses in her curry.
• The total number of words should come to approximately 80 - 100.

Do this written assignment in the same manner as you did the previous ones, i.e. plan, draft, edit and then complete your final draft.

• Use the following checklist for your editing:

Assessment

Memorandum

ACTIVITY 1

It might be a good idea to find more examples of well-known diaries e.g.

The diary of Anne Frank

The diary of Adrian Mole

The diary of Lady Anne Barnard

The diary of Samuel Pepys etc

Encourage learners to find and read some diaries written by and about children in their age group. One could ask somebody to read it for a recording. Learners could also be asked to read extracts from these diaries as a reading or listening comprehension exercise.

• Use the given rubric in the learner’s manual to assess the writing.

ACTIVITY 2

Learners need to understand how knowledge of prefixes and suffixes helps to develop vocabulary. Also, they need to see how words change in a specific context.

1. a) hurry; shopping

b) specializes

c) successful

d) breathe

2. un friendly

dis liked

familiar

permanent

unappetising

colour ful

ACTIVITY 3

We need to allow the learners to read silently or aloud or you can take a few to read to you at the desk while the others are reading silently.

1. Mila had always helped to prepare the curry. She was also very attentive.

2. She would never touch her face.

3. They would make her eyes itch and water.

4. There were no ingredients.

There was no money to buy them.

There was no time.

She did not want Sara to know about the recipe.

5. They were always the same.

Suggested assessment for this section 1.3 of Mila’s Magic:

As with section 1.3, the questions are awarded marks and the learners’ percentage

calculated.

ACTIVITY 4

Pay particular attention to the punctuation in a dialogue. Let learners practise this roughly beforehand.

Remind the learners that the characters they use in the dialogue must be strictly according to the story i.e. they must behave and speak like these characters.

For stronger classes, the skill of including ‘stage-directions’ can be added to the exercise. It will make their writing more interesting, realistic and rewarding.

• Rule: When adding emotions and directions about actions, put them in brackets.

To instil pride and self-confidence in their own writing, let the learners ‘perform’ their completed dialogues.

They could also decide which dialogue they liked best and discuss why.