To work or not

To work or not

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about making inferences from texts.

Read the four posts taken from an online comment section and answer the questions that follow.

Everyday after school I have to go straight to my job at the supermarket. I do this everyday. Sometimes they ask me to work later. My parents think I need to work to help the family. I am very tired every night. I sometimes even fall asleep at my desk. Life is hard.

Kirsten
 I don't agree with students who complain about an after-school job. I deliver newspapers 6 days a week and I still have time to watch TV and play games with my friends. Lots of students have jobs to do. When our teacher questions our effort some of the class say they are too tired. I think they are lazy.

Jabez
supermarket aisle

Image: NZCER, 2006 (c) NZCER
Having an after-school job is very important. It's a good change from school and I like my job at McDonalds, it's fun and interesting. My Mum and Dad appreciate my working and not asking them for money, but they sometimes worry that I am missing out on other school activities. I like it when I can help the family.

Hue
 I think having an after-school job is a bad idea. We need time to do other important things. I play basketball twice a week and that keeps me fit. I am also learning the guitar and in the future I want to be a musician. If I worked I'd have no time for sport and music. It's also important to have time with our friends.

Nick

Question

a)  Who thinks that an after-school job is a bad idea?
    Tick one or more of the names below.

    • Kirsten

    • Jabez

    • Hue

    • Nick

Question

b)  Which student is finding working after school hard?
     Tick one.

    • Kirsten

    • Jabez

    • Hue

    • Nick

Why?

Question

c)  Which student discusses other students' opinions?
     Tick one.

    • Kirsten

    • Jabez

    • Hue

    • Nick

Question

d)  Imagine you have to give a talk to your class about the four online posts.
     Tick the best title for your class talk.

    • Why after-school jobs are important.

    • What students think about after-school jobs.

    • What we can learn from after-school jobs.

    • How after-school work helps parents cope financially.

Question 1Change answer

e)  Circle the student's name that matches the main idea stated.
Student Main ideas
NickKirstenJabezHue After-school work is useful and enjoyable.
NickKirstenJabezHue Students must have time to do a range of things.
NickKirstenJabezHue After-school work is demanding and tiring.
NickKirstenJabezHue Concerns about after-school work are not serious.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed by pencil and paper or online with some auto-marking.
Copyright: 

supermarket aisle Image source: NZCER, 2006

Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Reading
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
comprehension, inference, main idea, opinion
Description of task: 
Students read opinions written by four different students and make inferences to answer comprehension questions.
Curriculum Links: 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • use comprehension strategies
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Making sense of text: processing system, set 4
within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
 

Y7 (03/2003)
a) Kirsten and Nick. both correct - very difficult
b) Kirsten
Any 1 of:

  • She is tired all the time.
  • She works late.
  • She doesn't have much time to do her thing – she works all the time.
 both correct easy
c) Jabez very easy
d) What students think about after-school jobs (B). easy
e)
Hue – 1
Nick – 2
Kirsten – 3
Jabez – 4
 all 4 correct - difficult