Wild+Orchid

//Wild Orchid// is a teen fiction first published in 2005. This fiction is written by Beverley Brenna, who is a special education teacher.
 * //__Wild Orchid__//**
 * __Background Knowledge__**

The protagonist, Taylor Jane Simon, is an eighteen and a half-year-old girl. She is diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a kind of autism. The story is about her experience of being exposed to a new environment. Suffered from the autistic conditions, she was afraid of facing changes and uncertainties. However, she was forced to move to a new place for a summer because her mother wanted to stay with her new boyfriend. In the new place, she had no choice but to explore. During her exploration, she found a nature centre and she gradually befriended with the staff in the center. Though she did not want to experience anything new, she ended up doing a lot of things that she had never done or thought of before. For example, she had almost found a boyfriend and she had got a job in the bookstore of the nature centre. She gradually became brave in embracing new challenges. When her mother suddenly broke up with her boyfriend and required Taylor to move back home with her, Taylor bounced back. She did not want to go back so soon and so she ran away for a night. At last she talked with her mother and agreed to go home. After the experience in the new place, Taylor changed. She no longer felt lost because of changes and uncertainties. Instead, this time, she went home with new plans ahead.
 * __Synopsis__**

- Intended audience: teenagers - First person point of view: the whole story is narrated by the protagonist, Taylor, thus allowing readers to know what is in Taylor’s mind - The story is structured like a journal, full of stream of consciousness. There is a prologue following with journal entries. In each entry, there are segmented memories with headings explaining her actions, thoughts and feelings. - Simple diction and syntax. As it is written in form of journal entries, the language used is rather colloquial, enabling ESL readers to get exposed to another variety other than formal written English. - Allusion: Taylor is like an orchid. ‘to thrive, [orchids] require a balance of heredity and environment. The seed must fall on a special kind of fungus that allows it to germinate. Orchids have a reputation for being difficult to grow – they are usually discerning plants that need a home devoted to their unique needs’ (Brenna, 2006, p. 36) è Both Taylor and orchids are unique. Although they have special needs, they can blossom if they are provided with suitable growing environment and care.
 * __Textual knowledge__**

- People with autism or other mental illnesses are always viewed as freaks, just like Taylor. The kids called Taylor ‘The Freaker’ because she had had a meltdown at school (Brenna, 2006, p. 94). - ‘Everyone gets into new situations sometimes’ (p. 16) but most people are afraid of changes and uncertainty.
 * __Social knowledge__**

- How people view or treat people with special needs is affected by others. Why do we have to discriminate people with autism? Is it because someone starts making fun of autistic people then you have to follow? In //Wild Orchid//, Taylor was being discriminated against when some students began to jeer at her and called her ‘the Freaker’ (Brenna, 2006, p. 94). However, no one ridiculed her in the nature centre when no one knew that she has the Asperger’s Syndrome. Autistic people are always viewed as someone ‘special’ (not in a good way). Even if you do not mean to discriminate against them, you would think they are someone in need and so treat them differently.
 * __Cultural knowledge__**

- Autism: Introduce what autism is and how students can get along with autistic people. - How to write journals. - How people react in the face of changes and uncertainties à Be brave: Taylor taught readers to be brave in the face of something new. Taylor once said, ‘a person has to try and be brave.’ (Brenna, 2006, p. 98) When asked by Paul about how she stopped being afraid, she said, ‘I guess you don’t really ever stop… [b]ut you just have to go on… You just have to get up in the morning and see what happens. Even though it is hard.’ (Brenna, 2006, p. 99)
 * __Topic knowledge__**

Secondary 1 in Hong Kong (equivalent to Grade 7 in Canada) - It is because the text is simple in terms of diction and syntax. The content is also straightforward and easy for junior students to understand. - In addition, secondary 1 students are just promoted to secondary school and therefore they have to face a lot of new things and people in this brand new school environment. This story helps encourage them to be brave when facing changes and uncertainties. - This text can also be used in Liberal Studies lessons, teaching students how to get along with people with special needs.
 * __Target students__**

- The use of foul language: although no real foul language is shown as all swear words are substituted by symbols, the protagonist always says that it is ok for her to use foul language to express herself because she is an adult. Teacher therefore needs to discuss the problem and necessity of using foul language with students. - Little personal connections: as students know little, or nothing, about autism, they may find difficulty in resonating or agreeing with Taylor’s viewpoints or experience. However, it is a good opportunity for students to know more about how others’ think and see things. - The relationship between Paul and Taylor: Paul is a married man working in the nature centre and he has an ambiguous relationship with Taylor. When Taylor came back from running away, Paul was too worried and he could not control himself and kissed Taylor. This action and the ambiguous relationship are inappropriate, if not immoral, as Paul has a wife.
 * __What are the challenges raised by teaching this text?__**

- Role on the wall: students are divided into groups and they are given a paper with an outline of Taylor’s head drawn in the middle. Students have to discuss the characteristics of Taylor and write them inside her head. Then, they have to discuss how other people view or treat Taylor and write down in the space outside her head. This activity allows students to know more about people with autism and how they are viewed or treated by people in society. They can also practise oral English through the discussion. - Individual written assignment: students have to write a journal entry, recollecting an experience when they entered a new environment / encountered something or someone new. They have to describe what happened and how they felt.
 * __Activity/Assignment__**

__Curricular expectations addressed__: The following is from the //English Language Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to Secondary 3)// prepared by the Curriculum Development Council in 2002: Students are expected to read literature and - to respond to characters, events and issues in imaginative and other narrative texts through oral, written and performative means such as… making evaluative comments, explaining one’s feelings towards characters and events, … relating to one’s experience - to give expression to one’s experience through activities such as providing oral or written descriptions of feelings and events (p. 32) //Wild Orchid// is a simple but meaningful story. It is worth introducing to teenagers because the courage of an autistic girl in the face of changes and uncertainties shown in this story is encouraging.
 * __Conclusion__**

Brenna, Beverley. A. (2006). //Wild Orchid.// Calgary: Red Deer. // English Language Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to// //Secondary 3).// (2002). Curriculum Development Council. Retrieved from Education Bureau website: []
 * __References__**


 * Tse, Ho Ming Kitty **