Assignment 2:

The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland and Freya Blackwood

Synopsis and purpose of text:
The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland is an early literacy childrens book written to highlight love and
affection within a middle class family dynamic. This book aims to develop childrens understanding
of this through an array of English strategies and illustrations by Freya Blackwood. Bland also places
and emphasis on the idea that if you give love you will receive it back.

Learning outcome 1:
Reading: Students will explore Adjectives and their use in a sentence. With the aim of children having
an understanding of how adjectives are used.
Throughout the book The Runaway Hug adjectives are used to describe the character Lucys actions.
This includes Lucy squeezed the boys tightly oh yuck Lucy skipped away, she gave her a
great big hug (Bland, 2011). These describing words help to build the main idea of affection and to
convey to the reader the emotional response and actions of the characters.
This is reflective of effective literacy because children will be read out aloud to. This engages students
to the use and function of adjectives in sentences, which contributes to language development (Hill,
2015). This outcome will also require students to learn using the four roles of the reader (Hill, 2015).
This being code breaker, meaning maker, text user and text critic (Hill, 2015). As this develops
students to become fluent and flexible readers (Hill, 2015). With this in mind effective teaching
caters to all student learning abilities (Hill, 2015). Therefore this will support variances in students
reading ability by using multiliteracies (Hill, 2015). Which can help students who find this book
beyond their reading ability (Hill, 2015). Though Hill (2015) highlights multiliteracies can support
reading differences Louden (2005) highlights that in order to meet all students needs there must be
differentiation (Louden et al, 2005). Therefore this outcome will foster variation and challenge
students thinking (Louden et al, 2005). This can be demanding and complex but can result in effective
teaching (Louden et al, 2005).

Learning sequence:
-

Students will begin to notice adjectives in The Runaway Hug.

Students will learn and begin to understand adjectives.
Students will create sentences using adjectives.
Students will create their own short story incorporating adjectives.
Students will consolidate their understanding.

Students will begin to notice adjectives in the Runaway hug:

The teacher will first read the Runaway hug for enjoyment which will begin the engagement of
students. The teacher will then engage students to their prior understanding. This will include
questions including, why is it The Runaway Hug? And not just the hug? The teacher will then
highlight that the title of the book is using an adjective. The teacher will then ask students what
they know about adjectives. This will further students engagement by accessing prior knowledge
(Hill, 2015). The teacher will then read the Runaway Hug, stopping occasionally to point out
adjectives such as Lucy leaned over and gave her a peanut-buttery hug (Bland, 2011).

Students will investigate and begin to learn adjectives:

Students will then explore the Runaway hug on IPads where they will listen, read along and interact.
As multiliteracies helps students who find this book beyond their reading ability (Hill, 2015). Students
will then write down words found within The Runaway Hug that they think are adjectives. The
teacher will then explicitly teach that Adjectives are describing words. The teacher will then pull out
words from the Runaway hug to ask students why they think it was written that she skipped away to
find lily and not Lucy went to find Lilly (Bland, 2011). This is when students will use text critic to
understand adjectives (Hill, 2015).
Students will create sentences using adjectives:
Students will then explore with cards that contain adjectives found within The Runaway Hug.
Students will then create sentences from the cards placing adjective word where they feel it belongs.
Students will then read out aloud these sentences to the teacher. Students will then be able to use
syntax such as does that sound right? (Hill, 2015). This may include students thinking whether
skipped Lucy to find Lilly? Or Lucy skipped away to find Lilly is the correct understanding
(Bland, 2011). The teacher during this phase can ask students questions such as how can we change
the words so the adjective describes Lucys actions. This is when the teacher will help the student
make meaning of the adjective sentences (Hill, 2015).
Students will create their own short story incorporating adjectives:
Students will then be given an opportunity to research other adjectives on IPads. Students then create
their own short stories incorporating adjectives other than adjectives found within the Runaway hug.
This is when the teacher elaborates and extends students understanding of adjectives. This is because
it requires students to think beyond the Runaway Hug for adjectives. This therefore challenges
students to thinking by broadening their vocabulary on adjectives (Louden et al, 2005).Once Students
have created their story, they can then read it aloud to the student sitting next to them. The teacher
then can collect the stories and create one big adjective story book.
Students will consolidate their understanding:
The teacher can then create a KWL chart of what students understand about adjectives and what they
want to know about adjectives, while self-evaluating their understanding of adjectives (Hill, 2015).

Assessment:
Students are assessed through Formative assessment in which notes will be taken as students discuss
their understanding of adjectives (Rennie, 2015). The teacher will use summative assessment during
creating and reading adjective sentences. (Rennie, 2015). The KWl chart will also provide an
opportunity for students to evaluate their understanding and for the teacher to use the information for
future teaching of adjectives (Rennie, 2015).

Learning outcome 2:
Oral Language: Students will verbally discuss ways humans express emotions to others. The aim of
this outcome is for students to begin to develop their oral language skills.
This outcome builds upon Blands ideas that Lucy expresses her love and affection for her family by
giving every family member hug with the idea of passing it on daddy would you like a hug she
squeezed them both tightly she gave her a great big hug, she ran off to find the twins (Bland,
2011).
This is reflective of effective literacy because the teaching requires students to make meaning of
emotions found within the Runaway Hug verbally (Hill, 2015). It also requires students to make
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meaning through visuals and words presented (Hill, 2015). Requiring students to make meaning of the
book will challenge students understanding of emotions and their correlation to facial expression
(Louden et al, 2005).This outcome will also meet effective student learning as the teaching uses a
variety of cues, reinforcement and requires participation of the learners (Louden et al, 2005).
Although this is reflective of effective teaching practice in order to ensure it meets all students oral
ability standards. There is need to ensure it meets language variances that affect oral language
development such as socioeconomic groups (Hill, 2015). As this helps students who have a large
vocabulary and students who have a low vocabulary (Hill, 2015). Therefore this also activity will also
meet language variances.

Learning sequence:
Students will begin to understand different emotions expressed by others.
-

Teacher engage students using prior knowledge of emotions.

Students look at the pictures in the book and the expression on Lucy and other family
members face.
Teacher use prompts for students to verbally discuss, including what is the expression on
the twins face after Lucy gave them a hug?
Encourages children to talk by attention to the meaning and the visual information
presented (Hill, 2015, pp.177).
Teacher explicitly explains emotions can be expressed through actions such as Lucy
giving her family a hug. This will help students who have language variances (Hill,
2015).

Students will begin to explore emotions.

-

Teacher then places a variety of emotions on cards that are found within the Runaway hug
with facial expressions on to the board
Children explore by picking an expression and placing it with a facial expression.
Students orally explain why they chose to link emotion with chosen facial expression to class.
Assist students to widen their vocabulary, by listening to each other (Hill, 2015).

Students will beginning to develop a wider understanding of different emotions

-

Teacher showcase other emotions on the board other than ones found within The Runaway
Hug.
Teacher is elaborating. This help students understand a deeper understanding of emotions and
how they are used (Hill, 2015).

Students will then reflect on their understanding of emotions

-

Class together creates a discussion using a KWL (Hill, 2015). This can help students who
have language variances as students discuss together (Hill, 2015).

Assessment:
Teacher will use formative assessment of students oral language skills, this includes observations and
informal discussions and recording children while they come to the board to place an expression to a
facial expression (Rennie, 2015). The KWL chart created will provide the teacher formative and
summative assessment of what students know about expressions and whether they can convey using
their vocabulary.

Learning outcome 3:
Interpersonal Development: Students will explore positive relationships with others. The aim of this
outcome is for students to begin to understand positive relationships.
This builds upon Blands idea within The Runaway Hug of relationships. As it showcases Lucy and
her relationships with her family via hugs and love. She ran off to find Lilly, would you like a hug
Lily, she raced off to find Annie (Bland, 2011).
This is reflective of effective teaching because the teacher will scaffold the learning which gradually
allows students to learn without the support of the teacher (Louden et al, 2005). With this in mind
effective teachers use scaffolding extensively within the learning activities to extend childrens
learning in ways that promote their confidence (louden et al, 2005, pp.128). Therefore this outcome
will ensure students progressively increase their understanding of positive relationships through the
activities to promote students confidence (Louden et al, 2005). This outcome is also reflective of
effective teaching because it meets text critic within the four roles of the reader as students are
required to question and think whether they notice positive relationships within The Runaway Hug
(Hill, 2015). This can help students to understand why relationships are used within The Runaway
Hug.
Learning sequence:
Students will begin to understand positive relationships.
-

Teacher writes on the board the question what are positive relationships? And will define the
word positive. (Engages students to their understanding and prior knowledge).
Teacher extend students, ask whether there was positive relationships within The Runaway
Hug and if so why?
Teacher then asks student whether Lucy shows positive relationships to her family through
Hugs. (Building understanding therefore confidence (Hill, 2015).

Students will explore and understand positive relationships.

Small groups students explore with cards. Scaffolding learning students work together
rather than apart (Louden et al, 2005).
Presented with positive actions a negative actions and will have to pick out the positive
actions from the negative actions found within the book.
Teacher then explicitly teach to students positive relationships and what negative relationships
are.
Defining words such as positive.

Students will begin to understand ways in which they can have positive relationships
-

Extend students exploration through elaboration.

Students using cards individually with positive actions and negative actions which are not
contained with the Runaway Hug.

Students will then apply their understanding of positive Relationships.

-

Extend students understanding of positive relationships

Required to write down one way they can do something good for someone, and why this
shows positive relationships. (extends on the elaboration)

Assessment:
The outcome will be evaluated through formative assessment through discussions and teaching of
positive and negative actions. The teacher will then observe and write down notes during the
elaboration process to asses wether students have progressed in their understandings (Rennie,
2015).The teacher will then use the last task of writing about relationships as the summative
assessment.

Learning outcome 4:
Writing: Students learn to become aware of the use of punctuation in a sentence and when it is used.
The aim is for students to begin to develop how to use punctuation when writing a sentence.
This outcome builds upon Bland (2011) use of wide range of punctuation marks to convey the
messages of the book, including questions marks and exclamation marks. This includes she gave
them a great big Hug! and would you like a hug Annie? (Bland, 2011).
This is reflective of effective literacy because it promotes the development of punctuation through the
teacher reading The Runaway Hug, which helps the child to learn the use of punctuation when writing
a sentence (Hill, 2015). This will include teaching strategies such as guided, shared, modelled and
independent writing. This allows children to see a purpose to their writing when using punctuation
(Hill, 2015). Oral language development will also be imbedded within writing and understanding
punctuation to add value to the language experience (Hill, 2015). With this in mind Louden et al
(2005) highlights that effective teaching incorporates differentiation into the teaching including
connecting community knowledge, and class knowledge. Therefore this outcome also addresses the
use of connecting students knowledge to learning Punctuation, in order to meet student differences
(louden et al, 2005).

Learning sequence:
Students will begin to learn what punctuation is
-

Teacher ask students what they already know about punctuation.

Connecting community knowledge to learn punctuation (Louden et al, 2005).
Engage students prior understanding of punctuation.

Students will begin to understand how to use punctuation

-

Teacher writes on the board sentences found within the Runaway Hug with punctuation.
punctuation removed from the sentence
Students explore writing where they think the punctuation belongs.
This is when students do shared and guided writing with the teacher (Hill, 2015).
Teacher explicitly explains what a question mark, full stop and coma is, and where they
should go.

Students will begin to use punctuation.

-

Students explore with punctuation

Writing down sentences from the book and figuring out where the correct question marks, full
stops and comas go. (Elaboration)
Students write own sentence using correct punctuation.

Students will then write a story including all four learning outcomes.
Students will then create the culminating text in which students are required to create a story about
how they have expressed positive emotions and actions towards others. Students will be required to
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use punctuation, adjectives and their understanding of emotions and facial expressions, explored
throughout The Runaway Hug. This will also extend students knowledge.

Assessment:
The teacher will take notes during the beginning of the lesson when engaging students of their prior
knowledge of punctuation. This is when the teacher will use formative assessment to determine
students level of understanding of punctuation (Rennie, 2015). After the elaboration phase the teacher
will use students written punctuation sentences as the Summative assessment of what students have
understood about punctuation (Rennie, 2015). The culminating of the text will be the summative
assessment of students understanding of all four learning outcomes.

By Annaliese Collison
Student ID: 25958186

References

Bland, N., & Blackwood, F. (2011).The Runaway Hug. Gosford New South Wales: Scholastic
Publishers

Hill, S. (2015).Developing Early Literacy Assessment teaching (2ed).South Yarra, Melbourne:

Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Louden, W., Rohl, M., Pugh, B.C., Brown, C., Cairney, T., Elderfield, J.,Rowe, K.(2005).In
Teachers Hands: Effective Literacy Teaching Practices in the Early years of Schooling.
Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth Australia.

Rennie, J., (2015). Lecture 11: Assessing young literacy learners [Power Point Slides]. EDF2020,
Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.