The Maasai Teacher

The Maasai Teacher

LO: In this lesson, you will learn how to understand and process information from a documentary and a passage.

SC: After this lesson, you are able to use the information from the documentary / passage to: (a) decide if the statements given are true; (b) complete a summary; (c) answer comprehension questions

(Reference: Close-up B1, pp. 146)

Before you engage with the video / passage, activate your prior knowledge.

What do you know that can help you understand it better?

Open Ended

Activating your prior knowledge

What do you think is the most important skill you learn in school? Why?

Poll

Do you want to learn more about the world?

• Yes

• No

Open Ended

If you have the opportunity to learn more about the world, what would you like to learn?

Part 1: Watch a Documentary

You're now ready to watch the documentary entitled "The Maasai Teacher". While watching, decide if these statements are True or False.

So, read through the statements first so that you know what to take note of while watching the video.

Statements

• Joseph Lekuton was born in a small village in Northern Virginia.

• Lekuton used to look after his family's cattle when he was a young boy.

• The book Facing the Lion is about his life in Kenya.

• The title of the book Facing the Lion refers to an event in his childhood, when he came face to face with a lion.

• Lekuton believes that not all people face challenges in life.

• Lekuton encourages children to have hope, determination and courage, to try to conquer their 'lions'.

Watch the documentary entitled "The Maasai Teacher". Always try to watch without the subtitles first.

https://youtu.be/Hi10JzcaiNI

(Please copy and paste or type the link below into your browser address bar.)

Multiple Choice

Joseph Lekuton was born in a small village in Northern Virginia.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Lekuton used to look after his family's cattle when he was a young boy.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The book Facing the Lion is about his life in Kenya.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The title of the book Facing the Lion refers to an event in his childhood, when he came face to face with a lion.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Lekuton believes that not all people face challenges in life.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Lekuton encourages children to have hope, determination and courage, to try to conquer their 'lions'.

• True

• False

Open Ended

What are the main ideas of the documentary?

Watch the documentary again.

https://youtu.be/Hi10JzcaiNI

(Please copy and paste or type the link below into your browser address bar.)

Fill in the Blanks

Joseph Lekuton is a teacher in Northern Virginia, USA. He gives (1)

to his students about American history.

Fill in the Blanks

Maasai children lead a very different life from American children. For example, a ten-year-old's day consists of taking care of

(2)

all day long.

Fill in the Blanks

Maasai children also learn various (3)

like how to survive in the wild.

Fill in the Blanks

With his ability to speak (4)

, he was able to study and then teach in America.

Fill in the Blanks

Lekuton shared stories from his Maasai childhood in a book called Facing the Lion. His aim is to help kids learn about a (5)

that’s very different from their own.

Fill in the Blanks

He also wants to teach them (6)

like strength and hope

Fill in the Blanks

He also wants to teach them principles like strength and hope, which they can (7)

in their own lives.

Fill in the Blanks

Joseph hopes that his first (8)

will help children face their own ‘lions’.

Part 2: Read a Passage

You're now ready to read an extract from the book Facing the Lion. While reading, answer the following comprehension questions.

So, read through the questions first so that you know what to take note of while reading the extract.

Questions

• Why did a lot of kids drop out from school?

• Who wanted to take the writer out from school?

• In paragraph 3, where does the word 'here' refer to?

• In paragraph 4, why did the writer's mother say 'we can't have him stay here' ?

• What was the toughest part of the writer's childhood?

• What was the writer's priority?

• Why did the writer wear his traditional clothes when he got home?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was NOT the reason why a lot of kids dropped out from school?

• They ran away from school.

• They did not return to school after holidays.

• Their families took them out from school.

• The government officials made them leave school.

Multiple Choice

Who wanted to take the writer out from school?

• The writer himself

• His brothers

• His father

• His mother

Multiple Choice

We want him here.

Where does the word 'here' refer to?

• school

• home

• field

• village

Multiple Choice

Why did the writer's mother say 'we can't have him stay here' ?

• She did not like the writer.

• She did not want the writer to go to school.

• She wanted the writer to go to school.

• She knew that the writer wanted to go to school.

Multiple Choice

What was the toughest part of the writer's childhood?

• The school

• The food

• Walking home

• Becoming different

Multiple Choice

What was the writer's priority?

• His cattle

• His family

• His culture

• His school

Multiple Choice

Why did the writer wear his traditional clothes when he got home?

• His brothers made fun of him if he did not do so.

• His family made him wear it.

• He did not have other clothes to wear.

• He was proud of his culture.

Open Ended

Would you rather lead the life of a Maasai child or of a Malaysian child? Why?

Open Ended

What 'lions' do you face in your life?

Today's Task

Read Lekuton's book Facing the Lion here: https://archive.org/stream/facingliongrowin00leku?ref=ol

OR

Watch Lekuton's talk A Parable for Kenya here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGIBN2gEIeU

THEN, write an essay on what you have learnt from Joseph Lekuton.

Poll

Do you enjoy today's lesson?

• Yes

• No

Open Ended

Why do you say so? Do let me know how I can make your online learning experience better.