World Kindness Day Reading Comprehension Workshop
A traditional Taiwanese folktale workshop for Class 6-8 students celebrating World Kindness Day through reading comprehension and public speaking.
- Lengths
- 352w · 463w · 664w
- Aloud
- 3 min · 4 min · 5 min
- Beats
- 6 to retell from
- After it
- 4 questions · 4 words
Good morning, teacher and classmates. Today for World Kindness Day, I will read a famous traditional folktale from Taiwan called Three for Free.
Then: Thank you for listening. Let us all practice thoughtful kindness every day!
The moralTrue kindness and honesty mean treating others with respect and fairness rather than seeking selfish gain.
The beats, to tell it from memory
Hide them, then tell the story beat by beat. Tap a card to check you had it right.
The characters, and a voice for each
Questions after the story
Ask, wait for three hands, then tap for a model answer.
Words from the text
a covered container used to cook food using hot steam
the feeling of not being able to believe something is real
a spiritual being in folklore who lives forever
the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
So the room leans in
Worth knowing
- World Kindness Day takes place every year on November 13th.
- The Taiwanese folktale 'Three for Free' is set near Ban Pin Shan Mountain in Kaohsiung.
- An old man tests the villagers' hearts by offering three steamed dumplings for free.
- Most villagers act out of greed, taking three dumplings without thinking of others or saying thank you.
- A thoughtful young villager named Ah-Ming acts with consideration and pays for a single dumpling.
- True kindness requires thoughtful action and generosity without taking unfair advantage of others.
Where it is told, and why
This reading comprehension workshop features a traditional Taiwanese folktale called Three for Free (the legend of Ban Pin Shan). Designed for Class 6-8 students celebrating World Kindness Day, this workshop helps you practice reading aloud, character expression, and storytelling.
You can choose from three different text lengths depending on your class time and reading goals. Use the short version for quick warm-ups, or the long version for deeper reading practice during morning homeroom or assembly time. Follow the delivery tips to practice your vocal pacing and character voices before presenting to your classmates.
About this piece
- World Kindness Day is celebrated internationally on November 13th each year.
- The date commemorates the 1997 opening conference of the World Kindness Movement in Tokyo.
- The story of Three for Free originates from the legend of Ban Pin Shan (Half-Pint Mountain) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
- The tale explores how selfish greed leads to loss, while thoughtful consideration for others shows true kindness.
- In Taiwan, morning homeroom and assembly time provide an ideal window for character education and reading practice.
How it is done
- Taiwan: Before the first class, students participate in a 40-minute block that can include reading time, school assembly, homeroom check-ins, or cleaning. Reading comprehension is a key part of the curriculum, with an emphasis on building vocabulary and associating symbols with characters.