Working with Picturebooks in he early EFL classroom by Biblioteca digital VcM USS

Working with Picturebooks in the Early EFL classroom Pre-, While, and Post-Reading Activities for Grades 1–3.

Working with Picturebooks in the Early EFL classroom Pre-, While-, and Post-Reading Activities for Grades 1–3.

Editor: Dr. Gabriel Romero Karlsson Dirección de arte: José Rivas M. Diseño Gráfico: Nicole Huerta U. Alejandra Sepúlveda A. Diseño de actividades: Daniela Acuña - Marco Arévalo - Sarai Villalobos - Genesis Figueroa - Amaro Santos - Laura Barrera - Jorge Villagrán - Naomi Fang - Javiera Reyes Francisca Sandoval - Sofia Lepe Susan Roco - Joaquin Ferrada Pedagogía en Inglés Universidad San Sebastián 2026 ID: 4898

Table of contents Introduction

Proposal 1: Anthony Brown’s My Mom by Marco Arévalo and Sarai Villalobos

Proposal 2: Michael Bond’s The Adventures of Paddington by Daniela Acuña and Francisca Sandoval

Proposal 3: Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat by Laura Barrera and Jorge Villagrán

Proposal 4: Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Genesis Figueroa & Amaro Santos

Proposal 5: Eve Sutton’s My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Naomi Fang and Javeria Reyes

Proposal 6: Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Susan Roco & Joaquin Ferrada

Proposal 7: Robert Munsch’s The Paper Bag Princess by Sofia Lepe

Proposal 8: Philip C. Stead’s A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Susan Roco & Joaquin Ferrada

Proposal 9: Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are by Naomi Fang & Javiera Reyes

Proposal 10: Alan Alexander Milne’s Winnie the Pooh by Daniela Acuña & Francisca Sandoval

Works Cited

Introduction The use of children’s literature in the elementary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom offers significant potential for young learners’ linguistic, cognitive, and affective development. A growing body of international research has highlighted the positive impact that literary reading can have on students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary expansion, critical thinking, and understanding of the world (Arboleda & Castro, 2020; Garzón & Castañeda-Peña, 2015; Masoni, 2018). When literary texts are meaningfully integrated into language instruction, they provide learners with opportunities to engage with language in context, explore multiple perspectives, and develop early interpretive skills. In addition to supporting language development, children’s literature plays a key role in fostering cultural awareness and empathy. Arboleda and Castro (2020) argue that literary texts give learners access to diverse worlds and experiences, promoting intercultural understanding. Similarly, Masoni (2018) shows that working with children’s literature not only equips EFL preservice teachers with classroom language and pedagogical strategies but also enhances their cultural sensitivity and awareness - an essential dimension of language teaching in increasingly diverse educational contexts. Despite these well-documented benefits, the pedagogical use of literature - particularly children’s literature - has historically received limited attention in English as a Foreign Language preservice teacher education program in Chile. For many years, such programs have prioritized linguistic accuracy, grammar instruction, and discrete language skills, resulting in curricula that are predominantly language-oriented rather than literature-based (Barahona & Benítez, 2020; Veliz & Chan, 2024). Consequently, many future teachers enter the profession with little experience in selecting, reading, and teaching literary texts to young learners (Romero-Karlsson, 2016). This book emerges as a response to this gap. It brings together a carefully crafted collection of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities designed for the teaching of English to elementary school learners in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. All activities are based on picturebooks, understood as multimodal literary texts in which meaning is constructed through the interaction of verbal language, images, and visual design. Picturebooks are particularly well suited for early EFL instruction, as they support comprehension through visual cues while simultaneously exposing learners to authentic language, narrative structures, and aesthetic forms (Romero Karlsson & Barahona, 2024).

The materials included in this volume were created by preservice teachers of English enrolled in the course English Literature for Young Learners at Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile. As part of their professional training, students were guided to design pedagogically sound, age-appropriate, and engaging activities that support both language development and early literary engagement in EFL classrooms. In total, 22 preservice teachers who completed the 18-week course during the second semester of 2025 (August–December) contributed to the present volume. A central pedagogical principle guiding the design of the activities is the use of read-aloud practices. The selected picturebooks are intended to be read aloud by the teacher using a dynamic and expressive voice (Sipe, 2008; Nilsson, 2023). The rhythmic and melodic qualities characteristic of many picturebooks - such as repetition, rhyme, and predictable patterns - are particularly effective in promoting phonological awareness and early language development among young learners (Kkese, 2020). The post-reading activities included in this volume further invite students to engage in a range of reading practices, encouraging them to interact with texts through discussion, movement, drawing, sequencing, and creative response (Bloemert et al., 2016; Romero, 2025; Sun, 2023). The activities draw on multiple approaches to literary reading. They include textual analysis, where students are encouraged to focus on plot and character development (Bloemert et al., 2016; Langer, 2011; Tengberg, 2009; Fittipaldi, 2012; Sipe, 2008); subjective and personal responses, which invite learners to express preferences, emotions, and opinions (Bloemert et al., 2016; Langer, 2011; Romero, 2025); emotional and empathic engagement (Tengberg, 2009; Sipe, 2008); and opportunities for language development such as vocabulary acquisition and spelling (Bloemert et al., 2016; Romero, 2025). Together, these approaches aim to support the development of early literary competence while maintaining a strong focus on meaningful language use. The activities are organized according to three key stages of the reading process: • Pre-reading activities, which activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and generate curiosity and motivation before engaging with the picturebook. • While-reading activities, which support comprehension, guide attention to the interaction between text and image, and encourage active participation during shared or guided reading. • Post-reading activities, which promote deeper understanding, personal response, creative expression, and opportunities to use language meaningfully beyond the text. Each set of activities has been designed with careful consideration of the cognitive, linguistic, and affective characteristics of young learners, as well as the curricular realities of Chilean primary schools. The proposals are flexible and can be adapted to different classroom contexts, group sizes, and teaching styles. Dr. Gabriel Romero Karlsson

1st grade elementary school

Proposal 1 Anthony Brown’s My Mom Picturebook: My Mom Author: Anthony Browne

Target level: 1st grade elementary school This lesson presents a set of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on My Mom by Anthony Browne, designed for use in 1st grade EFL classrooms. Pre-Reading Activities 1. Warm-up: Family words (5 minutes) • Start the lesson by reviewing family words that students need to know to understand this book: mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother, and grandfather. 2. Introducing adjectives with flashcards (10 minutes) • Tell students they will hear new words that describe people. • Show flashcards below one at a time with the adjectives: nice, fantastic, brilliant, great, good, soft, and big. • For each flashcard: • Say the word clearly. • Ask students to repeat it together. • Use facial expressions, gestures, or simple examples to show meaning (e.g., smile for nice, open arms for big). Then, model very short sentences related to family members. Say the sentence and ask students to repeat: • “My mom is nice.” • “My dad is big.” You may point to yourself or to pictures to support understanding. Keep the sentences simple and oral. 3. Look and predict: Book cover activity (5 minutes) Show the cover of My Mom by Anthony Browne. Give students a few seconds to look at the picture. Ask very simple questions in English: • “Who is she?” • “Is she nice?” • “Is she big?” Accept one-word answers or short phrases (e.g., “Mom”, “Yes”, “Nice”). Help students by repeating their answers correctly and praising participation.

This activity prepares students for the story and builds curiosity before reading. While-Reading Activities (1st Grade) Purpose: To support basic comprehension, model pronunciation, and encourage active participation while students listen to and interact with the story. 1. Shared reading: Teacher read-aloud • Begin reading My Mom by Anthony Browne aloud to the class. Read slowly and clearly, using a calm and expressive voice. • Pause briefly at the end of sentences to allow students to listen carefully to the rhythm, syllables, and pronunciation of new words. • Use your finger to point to the text or the illustrations as you read, helping students connect spoken language with images. 2. Stop-and-look moments • At selected pages, stop reading and give students time to look carefully at the illustrations. Ask simple questions in English such as: “Is she nice?” “Big or small?” Accept short or one-word answers. Reinforce correct responses by repeating them positively (e.g., “Yes, big! Very big!”). Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce vocabulary and comprehension, and to encourage students to interact with the picturebook again through simple, meaningful tasks. Working with the worksheet After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed and given to students, or projected on the board for whole-class work. Explain to students that they will look at the book again to help them complete the activities. • Ask students to complete the worksheet individually or in pairs, depending on their level and classroom dynamics. • Circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling pronunciation when needed, and

praising students’ efforts. • Review the key words together as a class. Point to the pictures in the book or the worksheet and say the words aloud, inviting students to repeat. End the lesson by asking a simple question such as: “Is your mom nice?” and accepting short or one-word answers. Materials Pre-Reading Flashcards

NICE

FANTASTIC

GREAT

Post Reading Activities (Worksheet)

Activity 1

Finish the sentences. Use the words in the box.

Angel - Nice - Dancer - Fantastic - Great - Film-star

She´s an _____________, my mom.

My mom´s a _________________ cook.

She´s a ___________ painter.

She can sing like ______________ .

My mom could be a ____________ .

She could be a ________________.

Activity 2

Draw a picture of your mom in the big box. You can draw her face, clothes, or something she likes to do.

Finish the sentences. Look at the words in the box. Choose one word for each sentence. • My mom is ___________________.

• My mom is ___________________.

Nice - Good - Kind - Happy - Funny - Big - Soft - Pretty - Strong Fantastic Great - Clever - Brave - Amazing - Loving - Busy - Friendly

Proposal 2 Michael Bond’s The Adventures of Paddington

Picturebook: The Adventures of Paddington (adapted picturebook edition) Author: Michael Bond Target level: 1st grade elementary school This lesson presents a set of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on The Adventures of Paddington by Michael Bond. The activities are designed to support young EFL learners in developing basic listening comprehension, vocabulary, and oral participation through an engaging and familiar story. Pre-Reading Activities • Show the cover of The Adventures of Paddington. Ask simple questions such as: Who is he? What is he wearing? Support understanding with gestures and visuals. • Teach 5–7 key words using flashcards or real objects (hat, rain, bear, honey, friend, happy). Use Total Physical Response (TPR), for example: point to your hat or pretend to eat honey. While-Reading Activities

1. Guided comprehension Pause at key moments and ask simple questions: Who is this? What color is his hat? What happens next? Use the illustrations to support answers. 2. Language repetition Model a repeated phrase from the story, such as “Hello! I’m Paddington!” Invite students to repeat together. 3. Personal connection Ask yes/no questions to involve students: Do you like bears? Do you wear a hat? Encourage answers with words and gestures.

Explain to students that they will look at the book again to help them complete the activities. • Ask students to complete the worksheet individually or in pairs, depending on their level and classroom dynamics. • Circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling pronunciation when needed, and praising students’ efforts. • Review the key words together as a class. Point to the pictures in the book or the worksheet and say the words aloud, inviting students to repeat. End the lesson by asking a simple question such as: “Is your mom nice?” and accepting short or one-word answers. Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce vocabulary and comprehension, and to encourage students to interact with the picturebook again through simple, meaningful tasks. Working with the worksheet After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed and given to students or projected on the board for whole-class work. Explain to students that they will look at the picturebook again to help them complete the activities. • Ask students to complete the worksheet individually or in pairs, depending on their level and classroom dynamics. • While students work, circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling simple sentences such as “This is Paddington. He is happy,” and encouraging participation. End the lesson by asking a simple question such as: “Is Paddington happy?” and accepting short or one-word answers.

Pre-Reading Flashcards

HAPPY

SCARED

SAD

SURPRISED

Post-Reading Worksheet

Activity 1

Complete the words. Fill in the missing letters.

B_ _R

H_T

H_ _ _ Y

R_ _N

Activity 2

Color the picture. Use the following colors.

• The bear hat

Red

• Buttons

Brown

• Honey pot

Yellow

• Pocket

Blue

• The bear

Brown

• Face

Brown

• Coat

Blue

• Briefcase

Green

Activity 3

Trace the dots.

Activity 4

Read the word. Draw a picture. Then add lots of color!

Hat:

Bear:

Honey:

Rain:

Proposal 3 Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat Picturebook: The Cat in the Hat Author: Dr. Seuss

Target level: 1st grade elementary school This lesson presents a set of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. The activities are designed to support beginner EFL learners in developing listening comprehension, basic vocabulary, and oral participation through rhythm, repetition, and playful interaction with the story. Pre-Reading Activities • Show the cover of The Cat in the Hat. Ask simple guiding questions such as: What animal do you see? What is on his head? Support answers with gestures and visuals. • Introduce 5 key words using flashcards (cat, hat, rain, fun, play). Say each word clearly, ask students to repeat, and encourage them to act out the meaning. • Use a TPR activity: when you say “cat,” students meow; when you say “hat,” students touch their heads. This helps maintain attention and reinforce meaning. While-Reading Activities • Read the story aloud and invite students to repeat the refrain “The Cat in the Hat” together. • Pause at key moments and ask simple comprehension questions: Who is in the house? What is the cat doing? Use the illustrations to support answers. • During action scenes, invite students to make simple sound effects (e.g., boom, splash) to increase engagement and enjoyment.

Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce key vocabulary and basic comprehension, and to encourage students to revisit the picturebook through simple, engaging tasks. Working with the worksheet After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed and handed out to students or projected on the board for whole-class work. Explain to students that they will look at the picturebook again to help them complete the activities. • Ask students to complete the worksheet individually or in pairs, depending on their level and classroom dynamics. • Circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling key words and short sentences (e.g., cat, hat, angry), and encouraging participation. • Review the main characters and emotions together as a class. Point to the pictures in the book or on the worksheet and say the words aloud, inviting students to repeat.

Materials. Worksheet

Activity 1

Play

Hat

Cat

Rain

Draw a line from the word to the picture.

Activity 2

Look at the pictures. Circle the correct word. Then write the word in the sentence.

How does the fish feel? Happy Angry Sad Write: The fish is________________.

How does the kids feel? Happy Angry Sad Write: The kids are_______________.

How does the kids feel? Happy Angry Sad Write: The Cat is_______________.

Activity 3

Draw what you would do with the cat if it came to your room.

2nd grade elementary school

Proposal 4 Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Picturebook: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Authors: Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle Target learners: 2nd grade elementary school EFL students This lesson is designed to support early reading and language development through a highly repetitive and predictable picturebook. The activities focus on helping students recognize colors and animals, develop sight-word awareness, and actively participate in reading through repetition, prediction, and word–picture association. Pre-Reading Activities Purpose: To activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and encourage prediction before reading the story. 1. Predicting with the book cover Show the cover of the book to the class. Ask guiding questions such as: • What do you see? • What animal is this? • What color is the bear? Invite students to predict which animals and colors might appear in the story. Write or draw their ideas on the board to make predictions visible. 2. Yes/No flashcard predictions Show flashcards with different animals and colors (some that appear in the book and some that do not). • Ask students to guess by responding yes or no if they think each animal or color will appear in the story. • Keep a simple class list of predictions to revisit after reading.

While-Reading Activities Purpose: To guide comprehension, build early reading skills, and encourage active participation through repetition and visual support. 1. Guided read-aloud Read the story slowly and clearly, showing each illustration. • Pause on each page and invite students to repeat key vocabulary such as brown bear, red bird, yellow duck, etc. • Point to the written words for colors and animals as you read to model print awareness. 2. Echo reading Model the repetitive sentence pattern: “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?” Ask students to repeat the full sentence together. The predictable rhythm allows students to anticipate language and participate confidently. Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce vocabulary and comprehension, and to encourage students to interact with the picturebook again through structured, meaningful tasks. Working with the worksheet After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed and handed out to students or projected on the board. • Allow students to work individually or in pairs, depending on their level. • Circulate around the classroom, modeling pronunciation and offering support as needed. End the lesson by inviting students to repeat the key sentence from the book together one final time, reinforcing confidence and enjoyment in reading aloud.

Materials Pre-reading Flashcards

Brown

Red

Yellow

Blue

Bear

Bird

Duck

Horse

Green

Puple

Withe

Black

Frog

Cat

Dog

Sheep

Post-Reading Worksheet

Activity 1

Match the animal colour with the colour name.

Pulple

Brown

Black

Blue

Green

Activity 2

Look at the animals in the boxes below, write down the colors and the names of these animals.

PINK __________ PUMA looking at me. I see a _________

I see a _________ __________ looking at me.

Activity 3

Paint the animal the correct color.

Paint The Duck Blue

Paint the cat purple

Paint the snake yellow

Paint the pig brown

Paint the monkey red

Paint the turtle blac

Proposal 5 Eve Sutton’s My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes Picturebook: My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes Author: Eve Sutton Target level: 2nd grade elementary school This lesson is designed to support early reading and language development through a highly repetitive and predictable picturebook. The activities focus on helping students recognize colors and animals, develop sight-word awareness, and actively participate in reading through repetition, prediction, and word–picture association. Pre-Reading Activities • Picture walk Show the book cover and allow students to observe the illustrations. Ask simple guiding questions such as: What do you see? Support answers with gestures and visuals (e.g., a grey cat hiding in a box). Ask personal connection questions: Do you like cats? Do you have a cat? • Country vocabulary Introduce country names using flags and flashcards (see below). Say each country name clearly and ask students to repeat it chorally. • Prediction Ask students: What do you think the story is about? Encourage them to share ideas using words, short phrases, or gestures. While-Reading Activities • Identification and pointing While reading, ask students to point to key elements in the illustrations, for example: Point to the cat or Point to the box. This helps focus attention on meaning. • Choral repetition As country names appear in the story, pause and ask students to repeat them together. • Action and vocabulary focus

Pause at each page to highlight what the cat is doing. Ask simple questions such as: What is he doing? What color is it? What is this called? Use the illustrations to support comprehension. • Page-by-page comprehension checks Ask basic questions on each page to ensure understanding. These questions can be adapted to students’ level and context, for example: o Where does the cat like to hide? (p. 3) o What does the cat from France do? (p. 4) o What does the cat from Spain do? (p. 5) o What does the cat from Greece do? (p. 6) o What does the cat from Norway do? (p. 7) o What does the cat from Brazil do? (p. 8) o What does the cat from Japan do? (p. 9) o What does the cat from Berlin do? (p. 10) o How does the home cat look? (p. 11) o Where is the home cat hiding now? (p. 12) While-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce vocabulary and comprehension, and to encourage students to interact with the story again through meaningful tasks. 1. Working with the worksheet After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed and handed out to students or projected on the board for whole-class work. • Ask students to complete a matching activity, connecting each cat to its country. • Ask students to complete a fill-in-the-blank activity using words from the story. • While students work, teacher circulates around the classroom, offering support, modeling pronunciation, and encouraging participation.

2. Creative activity: “The Cat from Chile” Use a second worksheet with space for drawing. Ask students to create their own “Cat from Chile” by drawing the cat with a Chilean object or symbol of their choice. Encourage students to use the word bank to label their drawings and create their own version of the story character. End the lesson by inviting a few students to show their drawing and say one short sentence about their cat. Materials

Activity 1

Draw a line from the cat to its country.

Greece Spain France Brazil Norway Japan 34

Activity 2

Fill in the gaps with the correct word. Use the from the box. Norway - Japan - Spain - Greece - France

FRANCE The cat from____________likes to sing and dance.

The cat from______________ flew an airplane.

The cat from_____________ got stuck in the doorway.

The cat from_____________ joined the police.

The cat from_____________ caught a very bad chill.

The cat from_________________waved a big blue fan.

Activity 3

Draw a cat from Chile. Write what he does. Use the words in the box.

Chile - Fish - Cueca - Empanada - Concepción - Huaso - Fonda - Barbercue

The Cat From Chile:

Proposal 6 Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Author: Eric Carle Grade: 2nd grade This lesson is designed to support early reading and language development through a highly repetitive and predictable picturebook. The activities focus on helping students recognize colors and animals, develop sight-word awareness, and actively participate in reading through repetition, prediction, and word–picture association. Pre-Reading Activities Purpose: To activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and prepare students to follow the sequence of the story. 1. Cover prediction Show the book cover and invite students to observe it carefully. Ask guiding questions such as: “What do you see?” and “What do you think will happen to the caterpillar?” Encourage students to share ideas using words, gestures, or short phrases. 2. Key vocabulary introduction Introduce the words caterpillar, butterfly, hungry, eat, and grow using flashcards, visuals, and gestures. Model pronunciation and ask students to repeat chorally. Help students connect the words to their own experiences (e.g., eating, growing). 3. Word search warm-up Hand out or project a word search worksheet with the days of the week and numbers 1–5. Explain that these words will appear in the story and ask students to find and circle them. This activity previews important vocabulary and motivates students before reading.

While-Reading Activities Purpose: To support comprehension, reinforce vocabulary, and help students understand the sequence of events. 1. Guided read-aloud Read the story aloud at a steady pace while showing the illustrations. Invite students to count the foods, repeat the days of the week, and predict what will come next. Use the images to support understanding and keep students actively involved. 2. Second focused reading Re-read selected parts of the story to clarify meaning, and allow students to notice details they may have missed. Post-Reading Activities (15 minutes) Purpose: To consolidate comprehension and connect the story to students’ real-life experiences. 1. Working with the worksheet The worksheet can be printed or projected on the board. Ask students to sort foods from the story into healthy and unhealthy categories. • Guide a short discussion with questions such as: “Which foods give us energy?” “Which foods made the caterpillar feel sick?” • Support students with vocabulary and model pronunciation as needed. 2. Reflection and closure Invite students to share one healthy food they like. End the lesson by revisiting the story’s message and asking a simple question such as: “Was the caterpillar hungry at the end?” or “Is it good to eat healthy food?” Accept short answers, gestures, or yes/no responses.

Materials Prereading activity

Activity 1

Word Search. Identify the days of the week and the numbers in the box below.

Days of the Week

Saturday

Numbers

Sunday

Monday

One

Tuesday

Two

Wednesday

Three

Thursday

Four

Friday

Five

Activity 2

Match the food with the correct day.

Friday

Monday

Thuesday

Wednsday

Activity 3

Sequence the story. Put the images in the correct order of the caterpillar’s story.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Cut and paste the pictures into the boxes above.

Activity 4

Look at the food from the story. Write in the table if they are healthy or unhealthy food.

Sausage

Plum

Cherry Pie

Cupcake

Orange

Chocolate Cake

Ice cream cone

Strawberry

Swiss Cheese

Watermelon

Salami

Pear

Apple

Pickle

Lollipop

Healthy Good for growing strong!

Unhealthy Only sometimes treats!

Proposal 7 Robert Munsch’s The Paper Bag Princess Picturebook: The Paper Bag Princess Author: Robert Munsch Target level: 3rd grade elementary school This lesson presents a set of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. The activities are designed to support elementary EFL learners in developing listening comprehension, vocabulary, and oral expression through an engaging story that encourages discussion about characters, actions, and feelings. Pre-Reading Activities • Show the cover of The Paper Bag Princess and ask simple prediction questions such as: Who is this? What do you think happens? Support answers with gestures and visuals. • Introduce key words using flashcards and actions: princess, dragon, prince, happy, angry, and bag. Say each word clearly, ask students to repeat, and encourage gestures (e.g., dragon roar, happy face, angry face). • True/False prediction activity: Present 3–4 short statements (e.g., The princess is brave. The dragon is kind. The prince helps the princess.). Ask students to predict True or False before reading, using hands, thumbs up/down, or the board. Pre-Reading Activities • Read the story aloud using expressive voices and gestures while showing the illustrations. Encourage students to listen and follow the images. • Pause at key moments and ask simple comprehension questions such as: What happened to the castle? Who is the dragon? Accept short oral answers or gestures. • Invite students to participate by repeating key phrases or making dragon sounds during action scenes. • Encourage brief comparison with familiar stories by asking questions such as: Is this story like Cinderella? Is the princess waiting or fighting?.

Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce comprehension of characters and actions, and to encourage students to reflect on the story using simple language. After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed and handed out to students or projected on the board for whole-class work. • Model one example on the board by focusing on a main character and showing how to complete the activity. • Ask students to complete a guided table, identifying what the characters do and how they behave in the story using simple words from a word bank. • Circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling key words, and encouraging participation. End the lesson by asking a simple question such as: “Is the princess brave?” and accepting short or one-word answers. Materials Pre-Reading Flashcards

Princess

brave - rude - kind - strong fights - helps - laughs at

Post Reading Activities Worksheet

Activity 1

Now that you have read the story, think about the characters in the story and complete the table below. Use the words in the box to complete the table.

CHARACTER

WHAT DOES THE CHARACTER DO?

WHAT IS THE CHARACTER LIKE?

Elizabeth

She________________the dragon.

She is_______________.

Elizabeth

He_______________Elizabeth.

He is________________.

Activity 2

Number the events and then draw them in the correct order (1-4).

The dragon burns the castle.

The dragon falls asleep.

Elizabeth meets the dragon.

Elizabeth talks to the prince.

Draw each of the events in the boxes below:

Activity 3

Read the sentences below. Circle if they are TRUE ( ) or FALSE ( ). Then justify your answers with a short sentence.

A princess must be quiet and pretty.

Being brave is important.

Elizabeth is a strong character.

1 I think number 1 is true / false because:________________________________________. 2 I think number 2 is true / false because:________________________________________. 3 I think number 3 is true / false because:________________________________________.

Proposal 8 Philip C. Stead’s A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Picturebook: A Sick Day for Amos McGee Author: Philip C. Stead Grade Level: 3 Grade Elementary School This lesson presents a sequence of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead. The activities aim to develop reading comprehension, vocabulary related to daily routines and animals, and opportunities for personal reflection. Through multimodal interaction with the picturebook, students are encouraged to make connections between the story and their own experiences, while also exploring themes of empathy, friendship, and care. Pre-Reading Activities Purpose: To activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and prepare students to engage with the story. 1. Cover prediction Show the book cover and ask guiding questions such as: “Who is Amos?” “Is he sick or happy?” Encourage students to make predictions using short answers, facial expressions, or gestures. 2. Key vocabulary introduction Introduce the following words using flashcards and visuals: sick, bed, elephant, penguin, owl, and bus. Model pronunciation and ask students to repeat chorally. Briefly check understanding by pointing to the flashcards and asking students to name the words.

While-Reading Activities Purpose: To guide comprehension, support vocabulary development, and encourage personal engagement with the text. Guided read-aloud Read the story aloud while showing the illustrations. Pause at key moments to ask simple comprehension questions such as: “Who is Amos?” “Where does he work?” Accept short oral responses or gestures. Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce comprehension and vocabulary, and to encourage reflection and creative response. After reading the story, use the worksheets provided for this lesson. The worksheets can be printed and handed out to students or completed gradually as a whole class. Circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling pronunciation, and checking comprehension. End the lesson by asking a reflective question such as: “Who helps Amos?” or “Is it good to help our friends?” Accept short answers and encourage participation.

Materials Post-Reading Worksheet

Activity 1

Amo’s Animal Friends. Write the correct animal in the cross word puzzle according to the descriptions seen down below.

Across:

Down:

2. Stays awake at night 4. Has a runny nose 5.Goes for a walk slowly

1.Play chess 3.Sits quietly

Activity 2

Cut the images and paste them in part 2 according to each text.

Paste the pictures here and order them according to the book.

Amos works at the zoo

Amos feels sick

They play games

Animals visit Amos

Amos stars at home

They have dinner

Activity 3

Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the box.

Visit - Run - Waited - Reads - Lend - awoke - Play - Sits

Everyday Amos___________________for the bus.

He always made time to_________________his friends.

He would__________________chess with the elephant.

Amos____________________races with the tortoise.

Amos___________________quietly with the penguin.

Amos________________a handkerchief to the rhino.

Amos ________________________stories to the owl.

One day Amos ____________________with sniffles.

Activity 4

Answer the following questions.

A. Have you visited a zoo? Where?

B. Do you have a favorite animal? Which one?

C. What do you do on a sick day?

D. How do you feel on a sick day?

E. Who takes care of you when you are sick?

Activity 5

Imagine that you are the author of the book, create the dialogue for this picture.

Proposal 9 Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are Picturebook: Where the Wild Things Are Author: Maurice Sendak Target learners: 3rd grade elementary school This lesson presents a sequence of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. The activities are designed to support early EFL learners in developing basic reading comprehension, vocabulary related to emotions and actions, and oral participation through multimodal and interactive strategies. The lesson also encourages personal response by inviting students to reflect on feelings and imagination. Pre-Reading Activities Purpose: To activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and prepare students to engage with the story. 1. Cover discussion and prediction Show the book cover and ask simple prediction questions such as: “Who is he?” “Where is he going?” Ask personal questions to encourage emotional engagement: “Is he scared?” “Is he happy?” Support answers with gestures and facial expressions. 2. Key vocabulary presentation Introduce 5–7 key words using flashcards: monster, boat, crown, angry, scared, and happy. Say each word clearly and ask students to repeat chorally. Use pictures and gestures to support meaning. 3. TPR warm-up Model simple actions related to the story (roar, jump, stomp). Say the word and perform the action. Ask students to repeat the word and copy the movement.

While-Reading Activities Purpose: To guide comprehension, maintain engagement, and support understanding through interaction. 1. Interactive read-aloud Read the story aloud with dramatic intonation while showing the illustrations. Pause at key moments and ask comprehension questions such as: “Who is this?” “Where is Max now?” “Is it day or night?” “What is Max riding?” Accept short answers, pointing, or gestures. 2. Chants and participation When sound words or action moments appear in the story, model them with gestures and chants. Invite students to repeat together, for example: “Roar! Stomp! Jump!” This keeps students actively involved and supports memory through movement. Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce comprehension, review vocabulary, and encourage creative and personal responses. After reading the story, use the worksheet provided for this lesson. The worksheet can be printed or projected on the board. Circulate around the classroom, offering support, modeling pronunciation, and encouraging participation.

Materials, Worksheet for Where the Wild Things Are

Activity 1 A boy

Activity 2

Look at the book cover. What do you see? Tick the box. A monster

A crown

A boat

Match the word with the picture:

Angry

Happy

Monster

Crown

Boat

Activity 3

Look at the picture. Circle the right answer:

Who is this? A. Max B. Mom C. Monster

Activity 4

Circle Yes or No:

A. Is Max happy?

B. Is Max angry?

C. Is max a monster?

Activity 5 Max is angry

Look at the pictures and write the correct number. Max is on the boat

Max is the king

Max is at home

Activity 6

Look at Max in the pictures. Choose the emotion he is feeling from the word box. Happy - Angry - Scared - Sad

Max is feeling _________________.

Draw your own Wild Thing in the box. Use the words in the box.

Activity 7

Draw your own Wild Thing in the box. Use the words in the box.

Color: Blue – Yellow – Brown – Pink – Orange – Red – Green – Purple Food: Meat – Fish – Vegetables - Milk – Water – Soda – Juice – Ice cream Sounds: Roar – Growl – Snarl – Gnash – Howl Emotions: Happy – Sad – Angry – Scared – Surprised

My monster’s name is __________________________. Its eye color is ________________________________. It eats ____________________________________. It drinks ___________________________________. It’s sound is _________________________________. It is feeling _________________________________.

Proposal 10 Alan Alexander Milne’s Winnie the Pooh Picturebook: Winnie the Pooh Author: Alan Alexander Milne Target learners: 3rd grade elementary school This lesson presents a sequence of pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading activities based on Winnie the Pooh by Alan Alexander Milne. The activities aim to develop basic reading comprehension, vocabulary related to objects, emotions, and friendship, and oral participation through gestures, repetition, and creative response. The lesson encourages students to engage with the story in a meaningful and playful way while making personal connections. Pre-Reading Activities Purpose: To activate prior knowledge, introduce key vocabulary, and prepare students to engage with the story. 1. Cover prediction Show the book cover and ask prediction questions such as: “Who is this?” “What does he like?” Encourage students to answer using short words, gestures, or pointing. 2. Key vocabulary introduction Introduce the words bear, honey, tree, friend, happy, and sad using flashcards or realia (e.g., a bear toy, a honey jar, a small tree branch). Model pronunciation and ask students to repeat chorally. Use visuals and gestures to support meaning. 3. Emotion game (TPR) Explain the game and model the actions: – When the teacher says “happy”, students smile and clap. – When the teacher says “sad”, students cross their arms and make a sad face. Repeat several times to help students internalize the vocabulary.

While-Reading Activities Purpose: To guide comprehension, encourage active listening, and support understanding through multimodal interaction. 1. Immersive read-aloud Read the story aloud while showing the illustrations. Ask students to participate with actions: – When they hear “Pooh”, they wave. – When they hear “honey”, they rub their tummy. This keeps students focused and engaged. 2. Comprehension checks Pause during reading and ask simple questions such as: “Who is this?” (pointing to Winnie the Pooh) “What does he want?” (honey) Accept short answers, pointing, or gestures. Post-Reading Activities Purpose: To reinforce comprehension, review key vocabulary, and encourage creative expression. Ask students to do the worksheet. Circulate the classroom to provide support when needed. Ask students to draw their favorite part of the story and label it with one or two words (e.g., Pooh, honey). Invite a few students to share their drawing with the class. End the lesson by asking a simple closing question such as: “Is Pooh happy?” and accept short answers or gestures.

Activity 1

Draw Winnie the Pooh in the forest. What does he like? Draw it! Write one short sentence in English.

Teddy Bear is in the forest with _______________________________.

honey - Pinky Pig - Tiger - Blue Donkey - a tree - Friends - a bee

Activity 2

Color the picture. Write the name of the character.

• Teddy Bear T-shirt:

• Piny Pig:

• Tiger:

red

pink

orange

• Blue Donkey:

grey

• Teddy Bear:

yellow

Activity 3

Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.

Honey - Depressed - Small - Angry - Shy - Hungry - Sad - Jump 1

Teddy Bear likes to eat ________________________.

Pinky Pig is very __________________________.

Blue Donkey feels __________________________.

Tiger loves to _______________________.

Activity 4

Complete the sentences based on the picture. Use the words below.

Teddy Bear is happy_____________________.

Teddy Bear likes to eat __________________.

3 Teddy Bear lives in the ___________________.

Activity 5

Draw a picture. Teddy Bear is talking to Tiger in the forest. Rabbit is cooking a carrot cake with Pinky Pig.

Works Cited

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