Teacher: Nadia Akhtar

This course is designed to develop the communication skills needed for

success in secondary school academic programs and in students' daily lives. Students will

develop critical and creative thinking skills as they analyze texts, interpret ideas and

information, and create texts in a variety of forms. An important emphasis throughout the

course is to develop strategies that contribute to clear, correct, and effective communication

through debates, discussion and writing.

This course will involve a debate-based on the true story - The Long Walk to Water

Novel:  The Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

Cherished by millions of readers, this #1 New York Times bestselling novel is a powerful tale of perseverance and hope. Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park interweaves the stories of two Sudanese children who overcome mortal dangers to improve their lives and the lives of others.

A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay.

Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way. Includes an afterword by author Linda Sue Park and the real-life Salva Dut, on whom the novel is based, and who went on to found Water for South Sudan.

Refund Policy

If you choose to withdraw from the course, please see below:

March 10th:  90% refund

April 1st:  50% refund

After the first class:  50% credit or 25% refund

Please note Monday May 20th is  a public holiday