Lesson video

Hello, it's Ms. Henman.

It's our fourth lesson.

It's fantastic to see you.

And today we are going to read the next part of the interview, which is when Kevin goes and meet and talks to Mr. Go.

Let's get reading.

Let's go through our agenda for today.

First, we're going to consider what we already know, then we're going to be the next part of the interview and make some inferences, and then finally, we're going to consider the story arc, so where we are in the short story and make a prediction about what will happen next.

You will need your usual things, so something to write with and something to write on, and you'll need to help your brain by making sure that your learning space is calm and quiet.

Can you pause the video and make sure that your learning space is ready? Great, let's get going.

Think about what we already know about Kevin's perspective in this interview.

So he arrived this narrow street, the office wasn't very obvious, the doors swung shut behind him, when he entered, he had to go down a narrow corridor and up some dark stairs.

How was he feeling when he entered this office? I put six or seven words on the board.

I'll say them and then I'd like you to decide how you think he was feeling.

Uncomfortable, amused, that means to find the funny, uninterested, peculiar, envious, which means jealous and or nervous.

How do you think Kevin was feeling when he entered the office? Can you pause the video and say out loud your answer.

Okay, I think Kevin was feeling a number of things.

I think he was feeling uncomfortable, I think he was feeling peculiar, and I think he was feeling nervous.

I think most people feel nervous when they go for an interview, but I think he might be feeling nervous for some of those other reasons that we discussed.

That his expectations were that the gaming company would have a modern a bit glass office, that it seemed a little bit eerie, a little bit sinister as he entered it.

Okay, its my turn to read to you, it's the first conversation that Kevin and Mr. Go have together.

"What's your name?" Mr. Go asked him.

"Kevin Graham" "Age?" "16" "Address?" Kevin gave it.

"You've left school?" "Yeah, a couple of months ago." This interview is a bit dry maybe, but they're getting the key information.

I don't think Kevin has submitted a CV, which would tell an employer, their experience or their qualifications.

Now does Kevin have any qualifications or experience? No, he doesn't, and that's important for us to remember for later on in the interview.

Then Mr. Go ask him whether he does have any qualifications.

Your time to read that.

Off you go, pause the video as you read this passage.

Okay, I'm going to read it out loud as well.

"No." Kevin was angry now.

"Your ad said no qualifications needed.

That's what it said.

So why are you wasting your time asking me?" We are told Kevin is angry and he asks a questions in a challenging and rude way.

So he asked that question, "So why are you wasting my time asking me?" And I think that's quite a challenging question that he's asking Mr. Go.

It's not certainly a very polite way.

How do you think Kevin is now feeling? So now that Mr. Go asked him, he's asked him his age and where he lives and his name, and that he's asked him about whether he's got qualifications.

How do you think Kevin is feeling now? Pause the video and have a think.

Okay, so this is my answer, and I've actually chosen four words for what he could be feeling, but that are all appropriate.

I think he could be feeling annoyed, irritated, angry, exasperated.

Because he doesn't like wasting his time and only does things if there's a gain for him.

So we know from before that Kevin is quite selfish and he only does things, if he thinks that he's going to benefit from it.

Now Mr. Go asking him this question, does he have qualifications when he doesn't, he's probably feeling quite defensive and angry about it, but also that maybe there's not as wasting his time.

Your turn to read please, can you pause the video and read this passage out loud? Off you go.

Okay, so it's interesting to know that Mr. Go looked up sharply.

Do you think you could try and do that? Look down at your desk now sharp as a pencil might be sharp, so how can look the sharp? Can you try and give me a sharp look, suddenly maybe interested or pointedly, some interesting adverb the writers have used there, I'm trying to picture it in my mind.

It also then says it was hard for Kevin to know how he was feeling because he was wearing dark glasses, which is quite strange that he's wearing dark glasses inside.

But Mr. Go maybe seemed pleased, he seems pleased that Kevin lost his temper or maybe pleased that Kevin doesn't have qualifications.

Then he asks him whether he can supply references.

Now a reference might come from a school or from a previous employer or a family member.

Okay, I'd like you to read this passage too, can you pause the video and read it out loud? And my question for you is this, what is Kevin's body language suggesting? So what's he doing with his body? Kevin was lounging in his chair.

Can you have a go at lounging in your chair? I'm going to get my mechanise ready.

Oh yeah, I'm not, this would be sitting up straight.

Kevin is lounging there.

What does that suggest about Kevin, what he thinks of the job, whether he wants the job.

Pause the video and say your thoughts out loud please.

I think the fact that he's lounging suggests that he's not interested.

He is nonchalant, which means he does not care.

Why do you think he no longer cares, if he's offered the job? Pause the video and have a think.

I think he does actually care whether he gets this job or not, but he doesn't want to fail, so he's almost stopped trying because if you stop trying and then you fail, it doesn't really matter.

Or at least he thinks.

So I think he stopped trying to impress Mr. Go and is pretending trying to convince himself that he doesn't want this job, because he thinks interview is going badly.

Now looking at the same passage, can you find the language that shows Kevin is being unprofessional and a bit aggressive? So the first thing that's a bit unprofessional is that he's landing in his chair.

Can you find anything else that suggests he is being unprofessional or that he's being aggressive? I found three things.

Do you want to have a go to see if you can find them too? You can pause the video and do that now.

So the first one was the phrase, a load of rubbish.

I wouldn't say that, that's really unprofessional.

My teachers would just give you a load of rubbish.

That sort of expression is something that you might say to your friends, but not something that you'd say to someone who could employ you and give you a job.

My parents can't be bothered, I thought that was a little bit unprofessional but also a bit aggressive.

So telling this man, "Oh, they don't care, no one cares about me." It's putting him in a really uncomfortable position.

And then finally shove.

I mean if you shove something, it's a really aggressive push isn't it.

Shove the references who needs them anyway.

Well Mr. Go has asked for them so clearly he needs them.

But once again Kevin is questioning him and challenging his desire for references and qualifications.

So those are my things that suggested to me that Kevin was being quite unprofessional and aggressive in this interview.

From what we've read at the interview so far, we think Kevin might now be feeling.

So of these six words, what do you think he might now be feeling? You've got uncomfortable amused, angry, defensive, uninterested, nervous.

Pause the video and say your words out loud.

Let's see if you chose the same ones as me.

I think he's feeling angry, I think he's now feeling a bit uninterested in this job or is trying to convince and persuade himself that he's uninterested in having it.

And I think he's also feeling defensive since trying to defend the fact that he doesn't have qualifications or experience and didn't do very well at school.

And that is why he's being aggressive and unprofessional, he's trying to defend his reputation.

Okay, it's your turn to read this part, pause the video and read out it loud.

Now it's my turn.

Even as he spoke the words he knew the interview is probably over.

But there was something about the empty room and the small doll-like man, that unnerved him, he wanted to go.

So we thought he was feeling defensive and uninterested and angry.

Can we add any other things that he might be feeling onto this list, having read that extract? Almost all of them.

So there is something about the man and the room that makes him feel also nervous and uncomfortable.

So he's seen in lots of things here, and I know that in real life, I can feel a lot of emotions at once.

And it's important for us to remember the characters in books are really developed the brightest minds, and they can also feel lots of things at once.

What do you think happens next? I'd like you to pause the video and write down your prediction.

You can use my sentence scaffold to help you.

I predict that.

So do you think Kevin's going to get the job? Do you think he'll be offered it? Do you think he'll be kicked out of the office? What do you think is going to happen next? Pause the video as you write down your answer.

Okay, let's see what happens, I'll read to you, follow it with your eyes please.

To his surprise Mr.Go smiled again and nodded his head vigorously.

Can you nod your head? Now do it vigorously, that means really fast and enthusiastic.

Great.

"Absolutely!" he agreed.

"The references can indeed be shoved.

Although you have only been in my office for a matter of 29 and a half seconds, I can already see your character for myself.

And my dear Kevin, may I call you Kevin? I can see that is it exactly the sort of character that we require, exactly." Is there anything strange about this passage? Pause the video and have a think.

So I thought it was a bit strange that this was Mr. Go's reaction, it wasn't what I was expecting, it wasn't what I predicted.

And the other thing I thought was a bit strange is that he knows how long Kevin has been in the office for, he says a matter of 29 and a half seconds.

I don't think I'd know how many seconds I'd be speaking to someone for.

So Kevin and Mr Go continue their conversation, and then Kevin signed the contract.

So Mr. Go formally offered him the job, and Kevin signed the contract to say that he would like the job.

Your turn to read.

So can you pause the video and read this extract out loud? Off you go.

What was strange here? Yeah, his fingers still like their burning.

But there was nothing.

Mr. Go picked up the pen.

It was quite cool again.

He popped it back into his pocket and slipped the sheet of paper to the side of the desk.

Your turn to read.

Off you go pause the video.

What is strange about this part of the story? Pause the video and have a think.

So usually when you start a job or you're offered a job, you would talk about what day you're going to start, or information about starting.

How has Kevin already started? He doesn't know what he's doing, he doesn't know what the role actually involves or requires him to do.

So he doesn't know where to go, what he's doing and when he's starting, apparently he already has, I think that's all a bit strange.

Have you heard of the phrase story arc before, you might not have, you might have heard of a story mountain, very similar things.

This is a picture that I made of a story mountain.

So you've got the opening and the build-up and the climax and the resolution.

And you can see it's shaped like a mountain.

So in the opening you meet the characters and all the sets the scene and tries to get your attention.

In the build-up usually an author will introduce a problem or a challenge and build up the excitement.

Then you've got the climax which is the most exciting part of the story, it's where all the action happens.

And usually we have a resolution where the problem is resolved, where loose ends are tied up, where problems and challenges are resolved, and we see the solution.

So in our short story of a career in computer games, where do you think we're up to, do you think we've had the opening? Thumbs up, or thumbs down? Yes, I think we've had the opening.

Do you think we've had the buildup? Thumbs up or thumbs down? I think we've just read the build-up.

I think him going through the job interview and the interview itself probably was the build-up.

So what's happening next? The climax, the most exciting part.

So bearing in mind that we're expecting the climax to happen next, and that he's just signed this job contract for a games company, what do you think might happen next? I want you to pause the video and write down a prediction.

Off you go.

I cannot wait to see those.

You have completed today's lesson and I look forward to seeing you in our fifth and final lesson next time.

Bye.