Narrative (Story)

1. Structural Dissection: The Narrative Arc

A Narrative isn't just a list of facts; it’s a journey with a peak.

• Interactive Task: The teacher reads the text. Students must draw a "mountain" in the air with their hands as they listen. They start at the base (Orientation), move up as the story gets more serious (Complication/Climax), and move down as things get better (Resolution).

• Analysis:

  • Orientation: Paragraphs .......................

  • Complication: Paragraphs .......................

  • Climax: Paragraph .......................

  • Resolution: Paragraph .......................

  • Coda/Moral: Paragraph .......................

2. Linguistic Feature: "Time Travel" Grammar

Narratives rely heavily on the Past Tense to transport the listener to another time.

• Interactive Listening Hunt: The teacher reads paragraph 5. Students must clap every time they hear a Past Tense Verb.

• Focus Words: happened, felt, had to, took, was, would vanish.

• Discussion: Why do we use "was sitting" vs "took"?

3. Sensory & Evaluative Language

To make a story "Interactive," the author uses words that describe feelings and atmosphere.

• The "Vibe" Check: The teacher reads the phrases below. Students must respond with a facial expression or gesture that matches the "vibe":

  • "Thick forests and mysterious swamps"  : .......................

  • "The air was thick with tension" : .......................

  • "Golden rice fields" : .......................

• Grammar Point: These are Adjective Phrases. They don't just say "forest" or "air"; they add color to the listener's mental image.

4. Direct vs. Indirect Sound (Saying Verbs)

While this specific text is more descriptive, it implies voices and messages.

• Listening Task: "Listen to paragraph 3. Sheikh Quro brought 'messages'. : .......................

• Teaching Point: In Narratives, we often see Saying Verbs (shouted, whispered, commanded). Even when they aren't written, we can "hear" them in the tone of the story.

Step 1: Listening for Structure (The Hand Mountain)

The teacher reads the text at a moderate pace. Students do not look at the text; they only listen to the teacher’s intonation.

• Instruction: "Keep your hands at chest level when the story feels calm (Orientation). Raise them higher as problems arise (Complication). And raise them as high as possible when the whale swallows them (Climax)!"

• Joint Analysis: The teacher explains that a narrative always has a peak.

  • Orientation: .............................

  • Climax: .............................

Step 2: The "Verb Clap" (Hunting for Action Verbs)

The teacher re-reads paragraph 6 (the scene inside the whale’s belly).

• Instruction: "Clap your hands every time you hear an Action Verb in the past tense!"

• Text being read: "Pinocchio dove (clap!), found (clap!), started (clap!) a fire."

• Explanation: The teacher explains that in stories, we use Simple Past Tense (V2) to make the reader feel that the event has happened and concluded dramatically.

Step 3: Sensory Listening (Adjectives)

The teacher reads several descriptive phrases and asks students to provide a "sound effect" or a matching expression.

• Teacher: "...in a small, quiet village." / Students: .............................

• Teacher: "...a giant whale." / Students: .............................

• Teacher: "...dark belly." / Students: .............................

• Explanation: Adjectives are used to build a "picture" in the listener's head.

Step 4: The Logical Connectives (Time Markers)

The teacher writes these words on the board: Once upon a time, However, Every time, One day, Finally.

• Task: Students match the words with their functions.

  • Once upon a time = .............................

  • However = .............................

  • Finally = .............................