Can't believe I didn't write anything in September. Guess I was too busy with birthday celebrations and school.
Anyway, I just finished a really good book written by Shappi Khorsandi. She was born in Iran and came to England as a preschooler with her family. The book is a wonderful window on the homelife of an immigrant. It is full of funny stories from Shappi's childhood. I loved her recollection of starting a fire behind the sofa in her living room. Her brother was the instigator and it was really funny to read about their childish idea of wanting to play firefighter with real fire. I had a student who started a fire in his house but he didn't or wouldn't tell anyone why he did it.
There are some parts of the book that could be very helpful to teachers of ELLs everywhere. I am going to share one or two short parts with teachers in workshops. We forget that just because a child doesn't speak our language doesn't mean the child is not thinking and taking in how we treat them and the other students.
If you can find a copy of this book, it is worth reading.
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