Ready Steady Read Together
A Romani Story: Non-Fiction Lesson 5
Quiz Time
Start
Questions about the book so far...
A Romani Story: Non-Fiction Lesson 1
Tick Me
Which football teams did Rab Howell play for?
Tick all that apply:
A) England
B) Liverpool
Check
C) Sheffield United
Click if correct
D) Newcastle United
Sequence Me
Order these events in Rab Howell’s life:
A) He moved to Liverpool.
B) He was born in a wagon to a Romani family.
C) He scored a goal for England.
D) He was accused of cheating at Sheffield.
Click if correct
Check
Which One's Right?
Why is Rab Howell described as a pioneer?
B) He was the best ever England football player.
A) He travelled toother countries.
C) He was one of the first Travellers to become a professional footballer.
D) He invented a new game.
True or False?
Rab Howell was a hero to all Romani families.
True
False
Speaking Spotlight
News Reader
Explore
Newsreader
Formal language
Speak clearly
Vary your voice
Practise
Look at the camera
Calm & composed
Finish strong
Be confident
In pairs, produce a news report about an event in Rab Howell's life.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
in the flesh
barbered
clean shaven
reckons
twitched
accomplished
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Let me read today's text
Explore
Once inside, I got the surprise of my life. There in the flesh was Rab Howell.
I couldn’t speak. I just stared at him like he was a statue. I’d looked at his pictures so long so many times that he didn’t seem real. The actual Rab Howell, my hero. He wasn’t as tall as me – he must have been about five foot five – but he seemed like a giant. His short brown hair perfectly barbered, he was clean shaven and wearing an expensive suit. He was smiling at me, and I couldn’t have been more surprised if one of the statues in the city had come alive. I had a million thoughts racing through my head: was I dreaming? Was this real? My heart was beating fast and my mouth had gone dry.
“Rab Howell,” Rab said, holding out his hand to my dad.
“Abe Vesh,” my dad said, taking it. I knew my dad wouldn’t want to be seen to be disrespectful to another Romani man even if he was a footballer he didn’t like.
“I’ve been hearin’ all about this chavo. Jack here reckons you might even be better than me,” he said.
My dad’s mouth twitched, as if he might have wanted to smile, too.
After a slow start, Rab and my dad got on like a house on fire, speaking in a mixture of English and Romanes.
I told him how Uncle Jack had given me the newspaper clippings and told me everything he knew about Rab. “I hope you didn’t believe that rubbish about cheating,” he said in a serious tone.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
“No, Mr Howell, it didn’t make sense to me that you’d do that.” As well as sharing lots of tips, giving me advice on how to improve my game and avoid getting into trouble, he said, “Don’t let anyone stop you from following your dreams. Despite the trouble I had, I wouldn’t have missed being a professional footballer for the world. Sometimes you have to take a risk or you will never know what you could have accomplished. And one more thing, Lijah. You could be the Romani player who makes the game popular among our people and no one else will have the troubles we’ve had. Jack told me about your troubles with your family. Do you want me to have a word with your dad for you?”
I shook my head – just listening to Rab had given me all the confidence I needed to do it for myself.
“Dad, I know you don’t like football, but I know you love me, and I have to play football. I’ll make you proud of me with it. I won’t get into trouble. I’ll stay a Romani – it’s not what you do; it’s what’s in your heart.”
That evening I felt like I was floating. I had met my hero, we’d seen one of the best matches ever and having my dad enjoying football next to me was incredible.
I could never have imagined things turning out like this. It was like a fairy tale. A football fairytale.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
Teach
Your turn
Practise & Apply
Use your text
Practise & Apply
1) How did Lijah feel when he finally met Rab?
Text Mark Evidence I couldn’t speak… he didn’t seem real
shocked
Text Mark Evidence my heart was beating fast and my mouth had gone dry
nervous
Text Mark Evidence the actual Rab Howell, my hero…my heart was beating fast
excited
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
RevealEvidence & Answers
2) What do you think the author means by ‘he seemed like a giant’?
Acceptable Answers:
- Lijah sees Rab as important and impressive, even though he is not physically tall.
- Rab feels larger than life to Lijah because he is his hero.
- Lijah is in awe of Rab and feels small compared to him.
- Rab’s reputation and confidence make him seem powerful to Lijah.
- Lijah exaggerates Rab’s presence because he is excited and overwhelmed.
Reveal Answer
3) Name two languages that Rab and Lijah’s dad speak in.
Acceptable Answers:
Reveal Answer
4) What impressions do you get of Rab and what does he say or do to give you that impression?
kind and encouraging
Text Mark Evidence - sharing lots of tips, giving me advice on how to improve my game and avoid getting into trouble - don’t let anyone stop you from following your dreams
friendly and respectful
Text Mark Evidence - he was smiling at me - holding out his hand to my dad
well-presented and takes care of his appearance
Text Mark Evidence his short brown hair perfectly barbered, he was clean shaven and wearing an expensive suit
Click on the impressions to reveal evidence from the text
RevealEvidence & Answers
5) Find and copy a phrase which shows that Rab faced problems and challenges during his time as a professional footballer.
Acceptable Answers:
- despite the trouble I had
- no one else will have the troubles we’ve had
Reveal Answer
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
staycurious.
Reveal
Explore topics you've never considered before.
If you like this book, you might like...
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.
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Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
A Romani Story: Non-Fiction Lesson 5
Quiz Time
Start
Questions about the book so far...
A Romani Story: Non-Fiction Lesson 1
Tick Me
Which football teams did Rab Howell play for?
Tick all that apply:
A) England
B) Liverpool
Check
C) Sheffield United
Click if correct
D) Newcastle United
Sequence Me
Order these events in Rab Howell’s life:
A) He moved to Liverpool.
B) He was born in a wagon to a Romani family.
C) He scored a goal for England.
D) He was accused of cheating at Sheffield.
Click if correct
Check
Which One's Right?
Why is Rab Howell described as a pioneer?
B) He was the best ever England football player.
A) He travelled toother countries.
C) He was one of the first Travellers to become a professional footballer.
D) He invented a new game.
True or False?
Rab Howell was a hero to all Romani families.
True
False
Speaking Spotlight
News Reader
Explore
Newsreader
Formal language
Speak clearly
Vary your voice
Practise
Look at the camera
Calm & composed
Finish strong
Be confident
In pairs, produce a news report about an event in Rab Howell's life.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
in the flesh
barbered
clean shaven
reckons
twitched
accomplished
Explore
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Let me read today's text
Explore
Once inside, I got the surprise of my life. There in the flesh was Rab Howell. I couldn’t speak. I just stared at him like he was a statue. I’d looked at his pictures so long so many times that he didn’t seem real. The actual Rab Howell, my hero. He wasn’t as tall as me – he must have been about five foot five – but he seemed like a giant. His short brown hair perfectly barbered, he was clean shaven and wearing an expensive suit. He was smiling at me, and I couldn’t have been more surprised if one of the statues in the city had come alive. I had a million thoughts racing through my head: was I dreaming? Was this real? My heart was beating fast and my mouth had gone dry. “Rab Howell,” Rab said, holding out his hand to my dad. “Abe Vesh,” my dad said, taking it. I knew my dad wouldn’t want to be seen to be disrespectful to another Romani man even if he was a footballer he didn’t like. “I’ve been hearin’ all about this chavo. Jack here reckons you might even be better than me,” he said. My dad’s mouth twitched, as if he might have wanted to smile, too. After a slow start, Rab and my dad got on like a house on fire, speaking in a mixture of English and Romanes. I told him how Uncle Jack had given me the newspaper clippings and told me everything he knew about Rab. “I hope you didn’t believe that rubbish about cheating,” he said in a serious tone.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
“No, Mr Howell, it didn’t make sense to me that you’d do that.” As well as sharing lots of tips, giving me advice on how to improve my game and avoid getting into trouble, he said, “Don’t let anyone stop you from following your dreams. Despite the trouble I had, I wouldn’t have missed being a professional footballer for the world. Sometimes you have to take a risk or you will never know what you could have accomplished. And one more thing, Lijah. You could be the Romani player who makes the game popular among our people and no one else will have the troubles we’ve had. Jack told me about your troubles with your family. Do you want me to have a word with your dad for you?” I shook my head – just listening to Rab had given me all the confidence I needed to do it for myself. “Dad, I know you don’t like football, but I know you love me, and I have to play football. I’ll make you proud of me with it. I won’t get into trouble. I’ll stay a Romani – it’s not what you do; it’s what’s in your heart.” That evening I felt like I was floating. I had met my hero, we’d seen one of the best matches ever and having my dad enjoying football next to me was incredible. I could never have imagined things turning out like this. It was like a fairy tale. A football fairytale.
From: A Romani Story by Richard O'Neill © 2023. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
Teach
Your turn
Practise & Apply
Use your text
Practise & Apply
1) How did Lijah feel when he finally met Rab?
Text Mark Evidence I couldn’t speak… he didn’t seem real
shocked
Text Mark Evidence my heart was beating fast and my mouth had gone dry
nervous
Text Mark Evidence the actual Rab Howell, my hero…my heart was beating fast
excited
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
RevealEvidence & Answers
2) What do you think the author means by ‘he seemed like a giant’?
Acceptable Answers:
Reveal Answer
3) Name two languages that Rab and Lijah’s dad speak in.
Acceptable Answers:
Reveal Answer
4) What impressions do you get of Rab and what does he say or do to give you that impression?
kind and encouraging
Text Mark Evidence - sharing lots of tips, giving me advice on how to improve my game and avoid getting into trouble - don’t let anyone stop you from following your dreams
friendly and respectful
Text Mark Evidence - he was smiling at me - holding out his hand to my dad
well-presented and takes care of his appearance
Text Mark Evidence his short brown hair perfectly barbered, he was clean shaven and wearing an expensive suit
Click on the impressions to reveal evidence from the text
RevealEvidence & Answers
5) Find and copy a phrase which shows that Rab faced problems and challenges during his time as a professional footballer.
Acceptable Answers:
Reveal Answer
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
staycurious.
Reveal
Explore topics you've never considered before.
If you like this book, you might like...
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.