Read through Sebastian's Waddle, use either yourself or a classroom assistant to model the voice of Sebastian using the appropriate intonation and expression! Next ask the class to read the text but choose one child to become Sebastian and speak when he does in a quacking type voice! The rest of the class listening to Sebastian's speaking part.

Choose one of the pages from Sebastian's Waddle and remove the speech marks, print out the text and enlarge it on the photocopier to to A3. Use a highlighter and ask the children to help you mark Sebastian's speech within the text. Then ask children to write in speech marks in the appropriate places. Alternatively you could have some pre-cut speechmarks which the children could stick to the text with blu-tack. (All the text from Sebastian's Waddle can be found under "Big Book Text" in the first page of Literacy Links. There are also instructions of how to transfer this text to Microsoft Word and Talking Textease in order to print them out.)

Choose one of the pages from Sebastian's Waddle, remove the speech marks and print out the sentences. Ask the children to put in the speech marks where appropriate. Alternatively print out the text and change the actual speech to a different colour. Children then place speech marks in the right place using the colour of the words as a guide. Click here to print out an activity sheet - it will need to be enlarged on a photocopier. Once you have printed the sheet, click on the "back" button to return to this page.

Children to read out their sentences individually, putting on their voices for the speech of Sebastian.

Grammar and Punctuation 2)To read aloud with intonation and expression appropriate to the grammar and punctuation (sentences, speech marks, exclamation marks.) Comprehension and Composition 9) to become aware of character and dialogue, e.g. by role-playing parts when reading aloud stories or plays with others.

Session 2 - Recognising and using speech bubbles.

Re-read the story as before, using different children to model the voice of Sebastian while the rest of the class read the remaining text.

Print out the pictures of Sebastian.(These are provided under "Big Book pictures" in the first page of Literacy Links.) Stick pictures on a white board or piece of paper and draw a large speech bubble. Go through each page of the story and ask children to write what Sebastian said in the speech bubbles.

Use the accompanying resource sheet with different pictures of Sebastian to discuss what Sebastian might be saying? Record on the activity sheet with empty bubbles and draw own pictures of Sebastian. Extension - Writing the sentence as it would appear in a story underneath. Click here to print out the sheets - they may need to be enlarged on a photocopier. Once you have printed them, click on the "back" button to return to this page.

Children to read out what Sebastian had said in their speech bubbles.

Grammar and Punctuation 7)to investigate and recognise a range of other ways of presenting text e.g. speech bubbles.

Session 3 - Identify alternative words for "said".

Choose a page from the story, print and enlarge to A3. Stick post-its over "said" and ask children to suggest different words e.g. shouted, whispered, quacked, cried. Each time the word is changed. Re-read text with the appropriate intonation and expression.

Choose a different book and encourage children to identify other verbs which can be used as a substitute for "said".

Ask groups to carry out the above activity using a number of different books. Provide large pieces of paper and pens and ask them to decide how they are going to present their findings to the class. Alternatively give a group a collection of word cards that could be easily divided into those which could replace "said" and those that could not.

Get groups to feedback to the class on all the words they have found. Record all these words as a class word bank for alternatives to "said".

Phonics,Spelling and Vocabulary 10) new words from reading linked to particular topics, to build collections of significant words.