Ready Steady Read Together
A Romani Story: Non-Fiction Lesson 1
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
‘Three-nil down!’
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Explore
Author’s Note
‘Three-nil down!’
One of the reasons I wanted to write this book is because I love the game of football. The other reason is because former England player Rab Howell is a real-life hero of mine and also the hero of Lijah, this book’s lead character.
Although a hundred years apart, Rab and I, we have a number of things in common. We both worked in professional league football – he was a player and I was a trainer. And we were both born and brought up in traditional nomadic Romani communities in the north of England.
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sometimes these challenges also come from within your own community, if you’re trying to achieve something unusual for the community – perhaps from your parents or other family members who disapprove on cultural grounds or simply don’t understand why you have chosen such a path. These can be the biggest obstacles to overcome as you are now starting the game three rather than two-nil down. Just like Lijah, I too had to deal with challenges when it came to being involved in football, but also like him I found my desire for the sport was too much to deny. As tough as things can sometimes seem, remember that, just as in every football game, no matter how many goals down you are – until the final whistle blows, you are always in with a chance of winning.
I hope Lijah’s journey provides inspiration for your own journey.
Richard O’Neill
PS If you come across a word or phrase that you’ve never heard of before, flick to the back of the book for a dictionary of Romani terms.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
traditional
marginalised
nomadic
analogy
cultural grounds
deny
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
traditional
Explore
Find Read Talk
Although a hundred years apart, Rab and I, we have a number of things in common. We both worked in professional league football – he was a player and I was a trainer. And we were both born and brought up in traditional nomadic Romani communities in the north of England.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
traditional
Your turn
nomadic
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
marginalised
analogy
cultural grounds
deny
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
Author’s Note
‘Three-nil down!’
One of the reasons I wanted to write this book is because I love the game of football. The other reason is because former England player Rab Howell is a real-life hero of mine and also the hero of Lijah, this book’s lead character.
Although a hundred years apart, Rab and I, we have a number of things in common. We both worked in professional league football – he was a player and I was a trainer. And we were both born and brought up in traditional nomadic Romani communities in the north of England.
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
Sometimes these challenges also come from within your own community, if you’re trying to achieve something unusual for the community – perhaps from your parents or other family members who disapprove on cultural grounds or simply don’t understand why you have chosen such a path. These can be the biggest obstacles to overcome as you are now starting the game three rather than two-nil down. Just like Lijah, I too had to deal with challenges when it came to being involved in football, but also like him I found my desire for the sport was too much to deny. As tough as things can sometimes seem, remember that, just as in every football game, no matter how many goals down you are – until the final whistle blows, you are always in with a chance of winning.
I hope Lijah’s journey provides inspiration for your own journey.
Richard O’Neill
PS If you come across a word or phrase that you’ve never heard of before, flick to the back of the book for a dictionary of Romani terms.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
What did you notice?
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football
from a unique angle.
It reminded me that,
if you come from a marginalised community,
you often have a number of challenges to overcome.
Or to use a football analogy:
you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Read Between the Lines
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Be a detective and look for clues!
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Reveal Explainer
This suggests that because the author, Rab and Lijah all come from a marginalised community - Romani community - they face obstacles such as discrimination and fewer opportunities, so it’s like already being a couple of goals down when you start playing a game of football.
Teach
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence one of the reasons I wanted to write this book is because I love the game of football
the author uses a football score because football is central to the book and his life
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Text Mark Evidence your parents or other family members who disapprove…can be the biggest obstacles to overcome
the title shows that challenges from within their own community make life even harder
Text Mark Evidence - if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome - you’re starting the game a couple of goals down
the title represents starting life with more difficulties than other people
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence no matter how many goals down you are – until the final whistle blows, you are always in with a chance of winning
the title also shows that even when you start at a disadvantage, you should not give up
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Tick Me
Tick all of the things that Rab Howell and the author have in common.
A) working in professional league football
B) playing football for England
C) writing a book
Check
D) growing up in a traditional Romani community
Click if correct
Find Me
Find the word which means left out and treated unfairly.
It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome.
Discuss then check
marginalised
Which One's Right?
...I found my desire for the sport was too much to deny.
What does this mean?
A) he had to stop playing football
B) he loved football so much that he couldn’t say no to playing it
D) he pretended to like playing football
C) he loved all sports
True or False?
The author believes that if you’re three-nil down and facing tough challenges, you have no chance of winning.
True
False
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
explore audiobooks.
Reveal
Listen to books during walks or while relaxing.
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
RSRT Y5 L1 A Romani Story
Literacy Counts
Created on January 30, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Essential Business Proposal
View
Project Roadmap Timeline
View
Step-by-Step Timeline: How to Develop an Idea
View
Artificial Intelligence History Timeline
View
Mind Map: The 4 Pillars of Success
View
Big Data: The Data That Drives the World
View
Momentum: Onboarding Presentation
Explore all templates
Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
A Romani Story: Non-Fiction Lesson 1
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
‘Three-nil down!’
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Explore
Author’s Note
‘Three-nil down!’
One of the reasons I wanted to write this book is because I love the game of football. The other reason is because former England player Rab Howell is a real-life hero of mine and also the hero of Lijah, this book’s lead character. Although a hundred years apart, Rab and I, we have a number of things in common. We both worked in professional league football – he was a player and I was a trainer. And we were both born and brought up in traditional nomadic Romani communities in the north of England. Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sometimes these challenges also come from within your own community, if you’re trying to achieve something unusual for the community – perhaps from your parents or other family members who disapprove on cultural grounds or simply don’t understand why you have chosen such a path. These can be the biggest obstacles to overcome as you are now starting the game three rather than two-nil down. Just like Lijah, I too had to deal with challenges when it came to being involved in football, but also like him I found my desire for the sport was too much to deny. As tough as things can sometimes seem, remember that, just as in every football game, no matter how many goals down you are – until the final whistle blows, you are always in with a chance of winning. I hope Lijah’s journey provides inspiration for your own journey. Richard O’Neill PS If you come across a word or phrase that you’ve never heard of before, flick to the back of the book for a dictionary of Romani terms.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
traditional
marginalised
nomadic
analogy
cultural grounds
deny
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
traditional
Explore
Find Read Talk
Although a hundred years apart, Rab and I, we have a number of things in common. We both worked in professional league football – he was a player and I was a trainer. And we were both born and brought up in traditional nomadic Romani communities in the north of England.
Reveal Vocabulary
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
traditional
Your turn
nomadic
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
marginalised
analogy
cultural grounds
deny
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
Author’s Note
‘Three-nil down!’
One of the reasons I wanted to write this book is because I love the game of football. The other reason is because former England player Rab Howell is a real-life hero of mine and also the hero of Lijah, this book’s lead character. Although a hundred years apart, Rab and I, we have a number of things in common. We both worked in professional league football – he was a player and I was a trainer. And we were both born and brought up in traditional nomadic Romani communities in the north of England. Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
Teacher Note: Re-read if time allows.
Sometimes these challenges also come from within your own community, if you’re trying to achieve something unusual for the community – perhaps from your parents or other family members who disapprove on cultural grounds or simply don’t understand why you have chosen such a path. These can be the biggest obstacles to overcome as you are now starting the game three rather than two-nil down. Just like Lijah, I too had to deal with challenges when it came to being involved in football, but also like him I found my desire for the sport was too much to deny. As tough as things can sometimes seem, remember that, just as in every football game, no matter how many goals down you are – until the final whistle blows, you are always in with a chance of winning. I hope Lijah’s journey provides inspiration for your own journey. Richard O’Neill PS If you come across a word or phrase that you’ve never heard of before, flick to the back of the book for a dictionary of Romani terms.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
What did you notice?
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football
from a unique angle.
It reminded me that,
if you come from a marginalised community,
you often have a number of challenges to overcome.
Or to use a football analogy:
you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
Writing this book allowed me to look at the history of professional football from a unique angle. It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Read Between the Lines
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Be a detective and look for clues!
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome. Or to use a football analogy: you’re starting the game a couple of goals down.
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Reveal Explainer
This suggests that because the author, Rab and Lijah all come from a marginalised community - Romani community - they face obstacles such as discrimination and fewer opportunities, so it’s like already being a couple of goals down when you start playing a game of football.
Teach
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence one of the reasons I wanted to write this book is because I love the game of football
the author uses a football score because football is central to the book and his life
Why does the author use the football score ‘Three-nil down!’ as a title for his Author’s Note?
Text Mark Evidence your parents or other family members who disapprove…can be the biggest obstacles to overcome
the title shows that challenges from within their own community make life even harder
Text Mark Evidence - if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome - you’re starting the game a couple of goals down
the title represents starting life with more difficulties than other people
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence no matter how many goals down you are – until the final whistle blows, you are always in with a chance of winning
the title also shows that even when you start at a disadvantage, you should not give up
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Tick Me
Tick all of the things that Rab Howell and the author have in common.
A) working in professional league football
B) playing football for England
C) writing a book
Check
D) growing up in a traditional Romani community
Click if correct
Find Me
Find the word which means left out and treated unfairly.
It reminded me that, if you come from a marginalised community, you often have a number of challenges to overcome.
Discuss then check
marginalised
Which One's Right?
...I found my desire for the sport was too much to deny. What does this mean?
A) he had to stop playing football
B) he loved football so much that he couldn’t say no to playing it
D) he pretended to like playing football
C) he loved all sports
True or False?
The author believes that if you’re three-nil down and facing tough challenges, you have no chance of winning.
True
False
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
explore audiobooks.
Reveal
Listen to books during walks or while relaxing.
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.