The rigorous Primary English programme at YCIS Shanghai helps students develop mastery of the language by concentrating on four key areas of study: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Throughout the year, students engage in reading comprehension exercises and discussions in order to learn to understand what they read, and to develop the ability to effectively put their thoughts into words. Blended in with learning, the exercises are a variety of fun-filled and stimulating activities that celebrate reading and writing.

One very fun activity in Primary classrooms at Regency Park and Century Park Campuses is the annual Book Week – when classrooms come alive with the love of reading and the rhythm of poetry. This year’s theme was “Rhythm and Rhyme”, during which “teachers helped guide the students’ writing with enthusiasm and creativity,” noted Ms Lucinda Cancelleri, a Regency Park Campus Teacher Librarian.

Throughout the week, students at both campuses celebrated literacy and reading with an action-packed schedule, featuring special events each day meant to inspire the students to read more. Ms Sheila Seiler, a Century Park Campus Teacher Librarian, summarised some of the exciting activities:

"The week began with a Book Fair, and classroom doors were decorated to match literary themes. The students enjoyed the extra reading sessions in class every day, and we had special visitors to the school – including Geronimo Stilton and Clifford. They also enjoyed a few dress-up days, during which they came dressed up as their favourite book character for our assembly, and one day we all wore our pajamas to school for ‘Snuggle Up and Read Day’. The purpose of each activity was to help encourage our students to read more, and more often.”

As part of the eventful week, parents – appearing as themselves or also in character costumes – delighted classes with read-aloud sessions. One class even had a Star Wars story read to them by Princess Leia and a Storm Trooper!

In keeping with the Book Week theme, the activities were also designed to connect to the poetry units the students were studying in class. As a very special highlight, Mr Justin Coe, a performance poet from the UK, came to YCIS to deliver workshops and performances throughout the week, and he inspired students to get writing!

At the end of the week, students took to the stage to recite some creative and funny poems. Several classes, and even a teacher shared poems they had written during the performance poet’s workshops. An example of one of the clever class poems that were written during the week is included below. Enjoy!

Class Poem by Year 4B

Mars is not the futureIt's penguins piping PortugueseIt's elephants elaborating in EnglishChihuahuas chatting Chinese

Saturn is not the futureIt's clouds tasting of candyIt's vegetables like chocolateSandwiches so sandy 

Neptune is not the futureIt's walls furry as peachesIt's beanbags of mashed potatoesSkin slimier than leeches 

We'll zoom to the sunon our shoes that hoverWe'll sleep on airwhile watching soccer 

We'll sit on strawberry chairsand write in jello booksWe'll play Lego chess with alienswhile our personal chef cooks 

Mars is not the futureSaturn is not the futureNeptune is not the futureWe are!