A Year in England 4th Grade

A Year in the UK (Grade 4) is an original work that combines Turkish reading practice with the experience of learning English in the UK within an entertaining story. The happy life of our protagonist Deniz in Türkiye is turned upside down when his family decides to move to the UK. For Deniz, who speaks no English at all, even playing with friends, watching television, and going shopping turn into quite a struggle. As a reader, you directly join Deniz in this challenging yet exciting journey.

The language of this book is neither entirely Turkish nor entirely English. In the story, just like in real life, all characters think and speak in their native languages. Readers who do not know English need not worry at all; our main character Deniz does not know any English at the beginning either. As Deniz discovers this brand-new language step-by-step in the UK, readers become an integral part of the adventure. By reading about the engaging adventures Deniz experiences during his learning process and solving the fun exercises embedded throughout the story flow, readers will both learn English and have the opportunity to practice.

Key Features and Storyline

The book features a rich plot that supports the language skills and reading habits of fourth-grade students. Turning points and educational elements within the story are meticulously crafted:

• Realistic Language Experience — In a narrative where Turkish and English usage are blended together, all characters think and speak in their native language, creating a natural learning environment.
• Exercises Embedded in the Story — Thanks to practical activities integrated into the plot, students reinforce English vocabulary and phrases by solving fun exercises.
• School and Classroom Struggles — It tells the story of an intriguing process that begins when Deniz, deeply upset about receiving a low grade in English class, receives a note written by his teacher Ms. Evans to be delivered to his family. The question of whether Ms. Evans has given up on a student for the first time keeps the reader hooked.
• Balancing the Real World and Virtual DMouse World — Thinking he is being mocked at school because he barely understands his fast-talking peers, Deniz escapes from the challenges of real life and takes refuge in the magnificent virtual world offered by television. As he gets lost in the colorful virtual world, he realizes his real world is fading.
• Friendship and Teaching Experience — When his best friend Utku from Türkiye comes to London, Deniz decides to teach him everything he knows in a single week. However, while this ambition turns him into a bossy teacher, Utku’s desire to only visit tourist spots tests their friendship.
• Fun and Instructive Adventures — It relates how Deniz, fed up with his mother dressing him in layers during winter, rebels and goes on a school trip wearing sunglasses, shorts, and flip-flops; followed by his confrontation with a face he would never want to meet at the wax museum.

A Year in the UK (Grade 4) is a unique reading and practice book that helps children overcome their fear of foreign languages while developing their abilities to empathize, adapt, and reflect on their friendships.