Roald Dahl
Episode of the series British Children Authors
- Illustrated slideshow (64 images)
- Glossary
- Comprehension quiz (45 questions)
- Cultural notes
Extract · 30 sThe episode
His teachers said he could not write. The man who made Willy Wonka, Matilda and the Big Friendly Giant was told at school that he was bad at English. They were very wrong.
Episode worksheets (2)
- Student sheet In your teacher account
- Teacher sheet In your teacher account
Teaching guide
Objective & content
This documentary tells the life of Roald Dahl, from his birth in Cardiff in 1916 and his years at a strict boarding school to his career as a pilot and his books. It names the characters learners may know (Willy Wonka, Matilda, the Big Friendly Giant) and the writer C.S. Forester, who published Dahl's first notes about his plane crash. The main grammar point is the past simple (was born, went, wrote, crashed), with the present simple used for the characters and for Dahl's ideas. Vocabulary covers famous people, adventure and magic, with invented words such as scrumdiddlyumptious. Learners work on listening comprehension. One line to listen for: "They were very wrong!"
Materials & prerequisites
- Student sheet (`student-sheet.pdf`, with an HTML version).
- Teacher sheet (`teacher-sheet.pdf`, with an HTML version).
- Prerequisites: the present simple and the verb to be in the past (was, were).
Curriculum alignment
Tagged `c3-child-and-imagination` (cycle 3, 6e) and `imagination-tales-and-legends`. The episode targets CEFR A1-.
Possible adaptations
- Lower levels: Offer segmented listening and additional visual aids.
- Advanced levels: Encourage an oral summary and a debate in English on the theme.
- Large groups: Organise group work with differentiated roles.
🔒 Restricted content
This resource requires a subscription to be viewed.
Unlock the resourceIncluded in the subscription