Icebreaker

Sunday morning at Urdu High School
Trying to make friends at the first sessions of the Reading Program

ME: Filme Dekhte ho?
KID: Haan
ME: Kaisi filme dekhte ho?
KID: {No reply, stupid question}
ME: Hero kaun sa acha laga hain
KID: Salman Khan
ME: Salman Khan Kyon Acha Lagta hain
(This is my favorite question to ask children. It is a good way to learn what drives the child, what is it that he/she looks up to in life, what he dreams. I usually use it with great success to drive the point that people ho beat up other people are not always the greatest and what they show in films is not what you should aspire....)
KID: Wo bhi musalman hain, hum bhi musalman hain.
ME: ______________{NOTHING. Somebody, please fill in the blanks for me}

He is in seventh standard, can not identify the English alphabet, works in an ice factory after school and says he will come to the reading class every weekend if he can sit next to me in the class.