The F Team

Introductory activities

Background and inspiration for the text

Rawah Arja, a writer and teacher from Western Sydney, remembers feeling like an outsider growing up in Australia as a young Muslim woman. She was conscious that people like her were never represented in the books she read at school, which only added to her sense of exclusion.

Arja finally discovered characters whose experiences resonated with her own in Looking for Alibrandi* by Melina Marchetta and Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah. She realised that other young people might be trying to find themselves represented in books, rather than in negative media coverage.

These experiences, coupled with the widespread sentiment among her own students that reading was boring, helped inspire her to write The F Team.

* Reading Australia title

Begin by building students’ understanding of how Arja came to write her novel:

• Read the synopses of Looking for Alibrandi and Does My Head Look Big in This? on the respective publishers’ websites. You might also like to share some book reviews from Mrs B’s Book Reviews and Building Diverse Bookshelves.
• Complete a think-pair-share routine to draw out the ideas in both texts about being a young Australian from a migrant background.
• Record these ideas, then have students write a paragraph that discusses why these novels might have had such an impact on Arja as a young Muslim woman living in Western Sydney.

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Respectful participation in discussions about the text

The F Team deals with some potentially sensitive social and cultural issues, so clear expectations about sharing thoughts and ideas need to be established from the outset. The heightening of tensions in the Middle East, combined with other sources of conflict around the world, may result in some students approaching the novel with attitudes that reinforce stereotypes and/or racist views. It is therefore important to remind students about the place of respectful sharing and listening.

For guidance on teaching sensitive content, see Reading Australia’s teaching resource for The Drover’s Wife* by Leah Purcell, particularly the Safely In and Safely Out Protocols and the information under Approaching the Text (see Initial Response > Introductory Activities > Content Notes).

* Reading Australia title

Migration from Lebanon to Sydney

The F Team is set in Punchbowl in Western Sydney and centres around the lives of four young Lebanese-Australian men. It is important to explore the history of Lebanese migration to Australia as a way in to the text, as well as to understand the racist attitudes faced by young men like Tariq, Huss, Ibby, and PJ.

Lebanese migration to Australia occurred in three main waves. Sources differ on the precise date ranges, but the waves can generally be characterised as follows:

These waves of migration are part of a longer, complex, and multilayered history of events in Lebanon. This includes a period of French administration following World War I, the long journey to independence, and the outbreak of civil war in 1975. Many people who left Lebanon for humanitarian reasons were accepted by Australia, but they did not always receive a warm welcome.

Students can now explore Sydney as a destination for Lebanese migrants. According to 2021 Census data, more than 70% of Australia’s Lebanese-born population resides in NSW, almost exclusively – approx. 97% – in the Greater Sydney area.

• Read the (now archived) Dictionary of Sydney entry about the city’s Lebanese community.
• Use the information in this entry to create a timeline of Lebanese migration to Sydney, along with other significant developments in the community.
• Use Google Maps to locate the suburbs where Lebanese migrants settled in Sydney. In particular, locate Punchbowl, which provides the setting for The F Team. Also examine maps of the Canterbury-Bankstown and Parramatta LGAs, where many people with Lebanese ancestry reside (see also the .id maps here and here).

Students can then respond to the following questions:

• Why did Lebanese migrants make their homes in suburbs so close together?
• Explain some of the reasons Lebanese-Australians have experienced discrimination and hostility over time.
• What experiences do you think Arja wants readers of The F Team to understand?

After reading about Arja’s context and learning about the history of Sydney’s Lebanese community, students should be able to predict what they think The F Team will be about. A thinking routine that can support this process is think-puzzle-explore:

• What do you think the key issues and themes will be?
• What questions or puzzles do you have about the text?
• Which elements would you like to explore in more depth?

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Life in Sydney

Show students the ‘Sydney’ short film from the Life in Australia series produced by the Australian government in the 1960s. The film presents a carefully curated view of life in Sydney in 1966, during the second wave of Lebanese migration to Australia. Students should reflect on this depiction by responding to the following questions:

• What do you notice about the way Sydney is advertised in this short film?
• From whose perspective do we view the film?
• Who is central to the film? Who is marginalised? Who is not represented at all?
• Whose version of Sydney do we see in the film?
• How does the film represent a particular view of Australian culture and values?
• How do people from other cultures fit into this representation of Australia?

Following the 2001 September 11 attacks and the 2002 Bali bombings, many people from Middle Eastern backgrounds (or those who were perceived to be from Middle Eastern backgrounds) became targets for anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia. Tensions came to a head in 2005, when the Cronulla riots exposed underlying racism and ignited public debate about multiculturalism in Australia.

The following resources will assist students to understand how events like September 11 continue to impact Middle Eastern and Muslim communities today:

• ABC News – Growing up Arab: ‘I spent so much time wishing I was white’| The Drum
• Australian Human Rights Commission – Sharing the Stories of Australian Muslims Report (July 2021)
  • See particularly p. 25, which describes attitudes towards Australian Muslims after September 11, and links similar ‘trigger events’ to a rise in hatred and abuse.
• ABC News – How the 9/11 attacks affected the lives of Australian Muslims
• SBS News – What it was like growing up Muslim in Australia after 9/11

NOTE: It is likely that there will be students in your class who have been (or are currently being) impacted by racism. Consult with a relevant staff member, such as a school psychologist or student services coordinator, to ensure that you are effectively supporting students to work through this content.

Cronulla riots

Media representation of Middle Eastern men (particularly young Lebanese-Australian men) before and after the Cronulla riots casts a long shadow over Tariq and his ‘Wolf Pack’ in The F Team. To this day, men of Middle Eastern appearance are often stereotyped as violent extremists, and they continue to experience prejudice and racism in a range of settings – not least in the world of politics.

Show students the 2014 SBS documentary Cronulla Riots: The Day that Shocked the Nation. This documentary tells the story of the riots from multiple perspectives, including that of Lebanese-Australians, journalists, expert commentators, police, and other people who found themselves caught up in the violence. Cronulla Riots is an interactive experience that combines video with text, photos, and a range of multimedia content to shed light on key themes and issues. These include:

• Identity
• Racism
• Punchbowl and Lakemba
• Cronulla and ‘the Shire’
• Symbols
• Language
• Media
• Police and the law

Reinforce the importance of respectful sharing and listening before you continue.

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Use the Cronulla Riots documentary as the basis of a jigsaw activity. Divide the class into eight small groups, each with a whiteboard or large piece of paper. Allocate each group ONE theme from the list above. Students will investigate the interactive components of their allocated theme and summarise the information in dot points. They will then share their findings with the rest of the class.

Alternatively, have students contribute their notes directly to a shared document. This will give them a complete picture of the key themes and issues surrounding the Cronulla riots, providing important context to the events of The F Team.

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Understanding racism

It is important that students have a working understanding of racism and its many manifestations. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s classroom resources are a useful starting point. Have students examine the resources and record what they understand about racism. Also discuss the concept of unconscious or implicit bias. This is particularly relevant to The F Team because Arja shows that the members of the Wolf Pack, who themselves experience racism, are not immune from their own unconscious biases. It would also be worthwhile expanding your conversations about racism to include the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

You will find many resources online to support your exploration of racism, including (but not limited to):

• The Conversation – 9 tips teachers can use when talking about racism
• Reconciliation NSW – Anti-Racism Education
• All Together Now – Racism in Australian Schools
• Australian Anti-Racism Kit and/or The Anti-Racism Kit by Jinyoung Kim and Sabina Patawaran, illus. Emma Ismawi
• Racism. No Way and/or Racism. It Stops With Me

Once they have explored some of these resources, students can develop a shared definition of racism. They should:

• Contribute key words and phrases that you can record on the board.
• Discuss direct (overt) and indirect (covert) examples of racism.
• Agree to a shared definition of racism that they will continue to develop and/or adapted throughout the unit.

Optionally, as a class, examine the Victorian Immigration Museum’s ‘People Like Them’ resource. You may watch the videos on this page, but discretion as advised as some students may find the commentary therein distressing. Should you proceed, discuss the different speakers’ attitudes and language choices, and consider the impact this language has on individuals.

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Personal response on reading the text

As they read The F Team, students will keep notes in a double-entry journal. They will label one side ‘In the Text’ and the other side ‘My Connections’, recording what happens in the story and how they react as a reader. Once they have read the entire text, they can write a reflection on the part that resonated with them the most, OR on a character who reminds them of themselves or someone they know.

For alternative approaches to reading the novel as a class, see Novel Ideas by Erika Boas and Rosie Kerin.

Traditions, customs, and food

Arja weaves many aspects of Lebanese culture into the narrative, giving readers an authentic sense of life growing up in a large and colourful family with strong ties to its cultural heritage. Sharing food at extended family gatherings is an important experience for Tariq, and when he and the Wolf Pack hang out in Punchbowl, they seek out their favourite takeaway meals. It is not just the food that is important here, but the sense of joy and togetherness the boys share around the table.

Just as food is central to the boys’ lives, so is religion. Even though they constantly push the boundaries with their pranks and hot-headed outbursts, their religious upbringing keeps them grounded (Tariq, Huss, and Ibby are Muslim; PJ goes to church). Tariq in particular makes time for prayer with his family, and understands its importance in providing space for contemplation (p. 79).

In small groups, students will share some of the traditions, customs, or foods from their own cultural backgrounds, OR those that have significance within their family, community, or other networks. Following this discussion, they can respond individually to the questions below:

• Which traditions, customs, or foods are important in your family/community/culture?
• Think of a special celebration that is part of your family/community/culture. Write a short sensory paragraph (i.e. appealing to sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, feelings) about this celebration.
• What makes your chosen celebration so special?

Students can reflect on how traditions and customs are passed down in their families, communities, and other social groups to which they belong. Invite them to explore how they have been shaped by these groups, and to consider whether they will carry their inherited practices into adulthood.

Language and slang

Arja has incorporated many Arabic words and phrases into Tariq’s narration, as well as into dialogue. The students at Tariq’s school (Punchbowl Boys) switch between English and Arabic, which not only reinforces their shared heritage, but also allows them to exclude other people from conversations happening right in front of them. Note, however, that PJ cannot speak Arabic either.

The boys are also prone to insulting and swearing at one another. This helps Arja to create credible dialogue that captures the humorous banter of teenage boys.

If you have multilingual students in your class, you could invite them to share their thoughts on the experience of speaking more than one language (this should be voluntary; do not call upon students to contribute if they do not feel comfortable). Also consider what words from other languages have made their way into everyday speech. This may be words that multilingual students use even when speaking English, OR words that students recognise as having an origin other than English (e.g. déjà vu, karaoke, status quo). Share and/or brainstorm some examples. Discuss why people often exchange and/or borrow words from different languages. You may find the following resources useful to support this conversation:

• MasterClass – Code-Switching Definition: 5 Reasons People Code-Switch
• The Conversation – Your personality changes when you speak another language, but that’s not always a bad thing
• Dictionary.com – Which Words Did English Take From Other Languages?
• IELTS Australia – 50 English Words That Aren’t Originally English
• ANU – Borrowings from Aboriginal languages
• ABC Education – Borrowed Indigenous Australian words

Another fun exercise would be to explore slang words. You may find it useful to consult a list of slang by decade or generation, being sure not to forget Gen Alpha! Come up with a list of slang words in English first, then ask if anyone knows any in other languages. You could also quiz students on their knowledge of Australian slang, using a list from Victoria University or Charles Sturt University.

Return students’ attention to The F Team. As a class, identify the Arabic words and phrases that appear throughout the novel. Record these in a table like the one below, then ask students to research the English equivalents. They can then record the same words/phrases in one or more additional languages that they speak OR that they are interested in.

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The migrant experience

Support students, through general discussion, to reflect on:

• The role of sharing stories in maintaining connections to one’s home
• The passing on of language, beliefs, recipes, and religion to one’s children
• The ways that migrants form connections with and in their new countries
• The range of emotions that migrants may experience when settling in a new country

Focus on the importance of shared experiences in expressing identity and maintaining connections to culture and/or family history. Ask students to brainstorm the stories and experiences that are important and recurrent in their own families. These could be:

• Stories about how their family came to live in Australia
• Things their parents remember their elders telling them (‘Dad always used to say …’)
• Important recipes that have been handed down through generations
• Stories about how their parents or grandparents met
• Stories about an ancestor who served in a war
• Stories about family members who escaped war

This would be a good opportunity to discuss the importance of oral history in maintaining and building culture and identity. Make connections to the ways First Nations peoples use oral storytelling to transmit knowledge from one generation to the next. Introduce students to yarning circles and explain how dialogue shared in this space helps to build respectful relationships and preserve cultural knowledge. If you would like to hold your own yarning circle, you can find lesson plans in Reading Australia’s teaching resource for The Boy From the Mish* by Gary Lonesborough (PDF, 120KB; PDF, 105KB; PDF, 87KB). Feel free to consult these and adapt to suit your needs.

* Reading Australia title

Ask students to consider their own background and the ways they have learned about their family and personal histories. They should select ONE of the stories/experiences from the list above (or come up with their own, in consultation with the teacher) and use it as stimulus for a short piece of writing. This does NOT need to be autobiographical, but can be if the student chooses.

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Making connections

Themes

Use a collaborative tool like Padlet to brainstorm the key themes, ideas, and issues presented in The F Team. Students can record any questions they may have under the relevant headings, and work together to group similar ideas together. Examples of key themes from the novel include:

Encourage students to engage with these themes by completing a four corners activity. Use the class Padlet to develop some general statements that invite students to take one of four positions: ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’, ‘disagree’, or ‘strongly disagree’. Allocate these positions to different corners of the room, then display the statements one by one and ask students to move to the corner that reflects their own view. You can then call on them to give their reasoning.

Statements for this activity could include:

• Friends are more important than family in your teenage years.
• Most acts of teenage rebellion are not harmful.
• Team sport is about more than just the activity.
• Children do not appreciate the sacrifices made by their parents.
• Masculinity needs to be redefined.

Cover design

In 2021, The F Team was highly commended in the category of Best Designed Young Adult Cover for the Australian Book Design Awards. The cover provides a way in to discussing some of the key themes in the text.

Revise the metalanguage of visual literacy and read key sections of Canva’s guide to the principles of design. This will prepare students to unpack the features of The F Team’s cover design. Give them the following questions/prompts:

• What do you think the colour green represents?
• Describe the different colours used to illustrate the characters.
• Describe the individual characters’ faces.
• How does the cover foreshadow some of the main themes in the novel?
• What kind of reader is being targeted with this design?
• What kind of reader might NOT be captivated by this design?
• What design elements are being used to attract the reader?

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Characters

Tariq’s voice drives The F Team and he is the focus of the story. The reader is privy to the attitudes and motivations of both Tariq and (to a limited extent) his friends; at times this can be frustrating, as the boys can be slow to learn from their mistakes. The members of the Wolf Pack also have strong connections to their cultural heritage and their hometown, Punchbowl. This provides a rich backdrop for the story to unfold against.

Noteworthy characters include:

Divide the class into five groups, one for each set of characters (combine the ‘Girls’ High School’ and ‘Other’ categories for equal distribution). Distribute the characters and themes table (PDF, 85KB) and have students complete their assigned section. This will allow them to build their knowledge of the characters in The F Team, while reinforcing the notion that characters are vehicles for the exploration of themes, ideas, and issues.

Now place students in pairs and allocate each pair ONE character from the novel. Students will draw the outline of a body on a large piece of paper and U annotate the different parts as follows:

Invite students to share their work with the rest of the class. Display the outlines in the classroom for future reference.

Synthesising task

For this task, students will return to the Immigration Museum website and access the ‘First Impressions’ resource. They will take inspiration from this resource to create their own ‘First Impressions’ page as a way of telling their own story.

Students will construct their own family history (OR another history that is personal to them, e.g. cultural heritage, religious affiliation, local community, social club) by consulting a range of oral, print, digital, and visual resources. They can supplement their own research with stories from their family, though they must seek permission to use these anecdotes as part of the task.

Students should organise their information using the same structure as the Immigration Museum resource. They can use the same headings, skipping any that are not relevant to them. These headings include:

• The way we look
• Where we come from
• What we are called
• What we say and how we say it
• What we wear
• What we eat

Once they have completed their research, students will create their own ‘First Impressions’ page to tell their story. They can use Padlet or a free website builder such as Wix, Weebly, or Google Sites to upload text, images, videos, etc.

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The writer’s craft

Conventions of young adult fiction

Young adult (YA) literature focuses on the challenges of youth. These books often tell ‘coming of age’ stories, exploring the teenage years and the challenges of being caught between childhood and adulthood. There are many examples of YA fiction that students will have come across in both books and films; these will help to inform their study of The F Team.

Present students with a list of YA texts like the one below (you can find more ideas in Reading Australia’s YA archive). Ask them to add FIVE more titles and then brainstorm some characteristics that they think are shared by the books on this list.

* Reading Australia title

Students can share their ideas with the rest of the class. Add their suggestions to a list or mind map on the whiteboard.

Common characteristics

It is important that students recognise the differences between YA fiction and fiction written specifically for adults. The target audiences shape the narratives and determine the appropriateness of the content. YA and adult fiction may share some themes, but there are differences in the way those themes are explored.

The common characteristics of YA fiction have been summarised below:

Tropes

A trope is a pattern of storytelling – a common plot device, theme, character, etc. – that can be easily recognised across texts. Authors often employ tropes to build connections with readers. They signpost what is about to happen and provide a sense of comfort and familiarity, helping readers to become invested in the story. Tropes can also provide a framework for the author to experiment with and innovate on, allowing them to add depth and originality to their story and characters.

Some popular YA tropes are:

• The underdog or outsider
• The ‘chosen one’
• Family tensions
• Rebellion against authority
• First love (and other firsts)
• Love triangles
• Secrets and hidden identities
• Loss of innocence

Invite students to identify other popular tropes from films, television, and books (both YA and other genres) and add them to a class list. Scribophile and Spines may be useful here.

Style

YA writing is often economical (not unlike a short story) as the narrative tends to be conveyed in a concentrated fashion. There is often a sense of immediacy and being ‘in the moment’, which can be enhanced by a first-person perspective. YA authors may choose to write in the present tense and use shorter sentences and paragraphs to propel the story forward. Emotions may be exaggerated or heightened and dialogue plays an important role in conveying the sensitive and impulsive nature of teenagers. Dialogue is also essential for developing credible characters and reducing the need for cumbersome descriptions and exposition.

Summing up

Students can consolidate their learning by considering how The F Team adheres to the conventions of YA fiction. Distribute the YA checklist (PDF, 72KB) and have students mark the characteristics that apply. They should also find examples from the text to justify their decision.

Sport: a metaphor for life

Rugby league is central to the plot of The F Team and is an important catalyst for change. The competition organised by Mr Archie provides opportunities for the boys to learn not only about the game, but also about themselves. Arja has taken up the idea of sport as a metaphor for life, demonstrating how team sports can operate as a microcosm of society while also offering important lessons about teamwork, leadership, commitment, and resilience.

Check students’ understanding of metaphors and come up with a shared definition, along with some examples. Discuss why sport is often described as a metaphor for life.

Use the thinking with images routine to consider how sport and life are connected:

• Place FOUR images side by side: two that represent team sports and two that represent the concept of life (you will need to locate these images ahead of time).
• Have students jot down what they notice about each image, then make connections between them using prompts like:
  • How are the ideas in these images related?
  • How are the ideas in these images NOT related?
  • What new ways of thinking about sport and life do these images create?
• Finish by asking students to locate ONE more image that they feel captures the connection between sport and life.

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Return to the Immigration Museum website and access the ‘People Like Me’ resource. Read and view the stories about people who have discovered a sense of belonging through sports:

• ‘Team players’
• ‘A little faith in the team’
• ‘Fashioning faith and footy’

Make connections to the role of sport in The F Team. Finish by discussing the following:

• What skills and lessons do the members of the Wolf Pack learn from playing footy with the Cronulla boys?
• How does the team provide a place for the boys to belong?
• How does it help to break down the barriers of race and class?

Symbols

Arja uses a range of symbols to create meaning and emotion in The F Team. These symbols add depth to characters and/or events, as well as helping to illustrate abstract ideas. A good example of symbolism from early in the novel is the idea of the ‘Wolf Pack’. Wolves symbolise loyalty and ferocity. They hunt cooperatively, defend their territory, and form strong emotional bonds.

Read Chapter 1 together (pp. 1–12). Have students list the qualities of each member of the Wolf Pack based on Arja’s descriptions. They should think about how the boys are represented, both individually and collectively, and make some notes on why the ‘Wolf Pack’ is an apt name for their group.

Students can then explore other symbols in the novel, reflecting on what they represent and how they add to the story. Possible symbols for exploration are:

• Uncle Charlie’s bees
• Amira’s monkey bars
• Riley’s beanie
• Mr Furners’ car collection
• The Poetry Slam

Setting

Arja evokes a strong sense of place and community in The F Team. It is not just her descriptions that bring the settings to life, but the people within them. There’s Big Haji’s corner shop, Em Zaid’s manoush shop, Nick’s chicken shop, Ginger and Pete’s fish and chip shop, Shadia’s chemist, Abu Habra the butcher, Walid the tobacconist, Bashir the barber, Moey and Abz from the gym, Ming the baker – and Sara Mansour, the real co-founder of Bankstown Poetry Slam.

The main settings in the novel are:

• Punchbowl Boys High School
• The Nader family home
• The Year 10 football camp
• The footy field
• Aaron’s house

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Students will consider the ways that different settings operate in the novel. Place them in pairs and allocate each pair a different setting. Students will complete a Y-chart to document how their allocated setting looks, feels, and smells. If these details are not explicitly stated, students should make an educated guess based on what they know about the environment. They can then share their responses with the rest of the class.

Following this, distribute the setting grid (PDF, 56KB) and have the same pairs of students fill in the blanks for their allocated setting. They should:

• Read the relevant pages to identify language, imagery, and key quotes that evoke the setting.
• Explain how the action in the story is shaped by the setting.
• Make connections to their notes from the Y-chart.

Finally, students will reflect on and respond to the question:

How do the different settings The F Team impact the actions/behaviour of the characters?

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Text and meaning

Characterisation

Tariq is initially introduced as a Year 10 Big Brother Leader (BBL), meaning that he is a role model for his peers. He is charismatic, playful, and loyal to his friends, but has some questionable attitudes towards women. Tariq often gets into trouble but is adept at keeping his record clean. He is proud of his Lebanese heritage, as well as of his hometown, but is also very aware of how his community is perceived in the public consciousness. He rails against the unfairness of these stereotypes, but is prone to reacting to people and situations with anger, and does not always stop to think about the consequences of his words and actions.

The narrative centres on Tariq as he navigates the threat of school closure and the implications this will have not only for him, but for the other students and wider community in Punchbowl. Arja examines the contradictions in Tariq’s character and demonstrates his capacity for growth and maturity over the course of the novel.

Arja constructs her characters through a combination of:

• Physical descriptions
• Dialogue
• Inner thoughts
• Outer actions/behaviours

Close reading of key passages from any text will help students to build their understanding of how authors construct their characters. Language plays a key role in character construction, so it is important that students can identify and comment on an author’s language choices.

Students will work in pairs or small groups to analyse Arja’s language choices and how they contribute to characterisation. Assign each group a pair of passages from The F Team:

Students will read their allocated passages and work together to annotate Arja’s language choices. While annotating their passages, they should bear in mind the following questions:

• What do we learn about this character?
• What difference or change can be identified between the two passages? NOTE: There may not be any.
• How does Arja indicate change or stagnation in the character’s development?

Remind students to examine not only what the characters say, do, think, and feel, but also how (i.e. through verbs, adverbs, adjectives, etc.). Once they have annotated their passages, students should respond to the above questions in writing. They should begin by:

• Introducing the character.
• Introducing and providing context to the assigned passages (i.e. a brief explanation of what happens and where it falls in the story).

Students can add their responses to a shared document or other collaborative platform. Be sure to establish expectations around the use of this platform so that any discussion remains respectful and relevant.

Representation of women

The representation of women in The F Team is affirming and positive. Arja resists the stereotype that Muslim women are silenced and oppressed. Instead, she assembles a cast of female characters who are strong, intelligent, and comfortable in their own skin. They operate in a range of spheres and have a powerful and lasting impact on Tariq.

Students will form pairs to explore the representation of women in The F Tean. Have them read key sections of the novel and take notes on the female characters. They should use these notes to complete a table like the one below:

Masculinity

Arja presents a complex picture of life for teenage boys in Punchbowl. At the beginning of the novel they are unable to take anything seriously, even though their school has been threatened with closure if they fail to improve its reputation. The boys’ behaviour demonstrates their lack of maturity, which spills over into banter and escalates into brawls. It also exposes a culture of disrespect towards women. Note how the students speak about the photographer, Maxine (p. 3), as well as the Channel Nine reporter (p. 9). There is even a reference to the Wolf Pack egging the local girls’ high school (p. 11).

Tariq in particular starts out with sexist views, but these are not shared by other men in his life. In fact, his views are frequently challenged by men and women alike. His father Mustafa extols the importance of respecting women (p. 26), while both Matt and Captain Black call him out for his comment about ‘women’s work’ (pp. 122–123). Despite their machismo, the members of the Wolf Pack do maintain and even improve their relationships with women throughout the novel. Huss is close with Tariq’s sister Feda (p. 89), and both he and PJ have strong attachments to their grandmothers, Big Haji and Grandma Ceci. Ibby even takes the lead in making amends with Maxine (p. 349). Tariq has his own meaningful connections with his younger sister Amira (p. 15), his English teacher Miss K (pp. 50–51), and his mother Ronda (p. 298). But it is clear from his interactions with Feda, Aunty Salma, Mariam, and even Jamila that he has a lot to learn about healthy and respectful relationships with women.

On top of this, Arja uses the Wolf Pack to interrogate unhealthy expressions of masculinity. Much of the boys’ banter has a veneer of humour, but beneath the surface is a lot of unexpressed anger and pain – particularly for Huss, Ibby, and PJ, who all have complex family histories. Through the Wolf Pack, Arja sheds light on the challenges faced by young men who do not yet have the maturity or tools to manage their emotions. They struggle to talk openly about their feelings and mask their problems with bravado and aggression. Key examples include:

• PJ’s violent reactions to being called a ‘coconut’ (pp. 10, 47–48), and his reluctance to speak up about how it makes him feel (p. 156).
• Huss hiding news about his father from Tariq so as not to be seen as weak (pp. 204, 258)
• PJ’s breakdown, and Tariq’s uncertainty about how to help (pp. 212, 222–223)

Students will now consider the ways that masculinity is expressed in society. Write on the board:

What does it mean to be a ‘good man’?

Frame the discussion by giving students the following scenario:

Imagine you are making a speech about a close male friend or relative on their birthday. You want to describe him as a ‘good man’. What does this look like?

Supporting questions include:

• What qualities do the men you respect and admire have?
• What values and morals do they live by?
• What kinds of things do they say and do?

Allow time for students to brainstorm and share their responses. List their suggestions on the board. Then change the wording of the initial question slightly:

What does it mean to be a ‘real man’?

Supporting questions include:

• What do people mean when they say ‘be a man’?
• What qualities are ‘real men’ supposed to have?
• How are they expected to speak and act? How are they supposed to behave?

Again, allow time for brainstorming, sharing, and listing. Then ask students to compare the two lists. What conclusions can they draw about masculinity? You can use the see/think/wonder thinking routine to help them unpack their ideas.

Now choose at least TWO of the following videos to watch as a class:

• SBS Voices – The truth about masculinity: ‘Why don’t you just man up’? (02:49)
• ABC News – Inside the confidential sessions challenging ‘toxic’ masculinity in teenage boys (02:58)
• SBS Insight – Defining Masculinity (03:04)
• SBS Insight – Walking away from toxic masculinity (03:23)

After watching, discuss the different perspectives on masculinity that are shared in the videos. You can use a table like the one below to record notes:

Finally, direct students to think about the ways masculinity is presented in The F Team. Have them complete the masculinity table (PDF, 52KB) and discuss their responses as a class.

The power of language

An important idea in The F Team is the power of language to do both harm and good. The members of the Wolf Pack cause damage when they use their words carelessly, but – as the Poetry Slam clearly shows – finding the right words enables them to heal the rifts they have created.

Racism and stereotypes

NOTE: It is possible that some of your students may have adopted racist ideas in their personal lives and will bring these into the classroom. It is important to establish an environment at the outset where negative and/or racist commentary is not tolerated. You may wish to revisit and reinforce learnings from the Initial Response section, particularly the Introductory Activities around Respectful Participation and Understanding Racism.

The language that the media uses to describe Lebanese-Australians has a long-lasting impact, both inside and outside the community. Early in the novel (pp. 1–2, 19), Tariq alludes to the various ways he and his peers have been labelled: ‘out of control’, ‘terrorists’, ‘animals’. This language is echoed in the evening news report (p. 24), and exacerbated by the carefully edited footage of Ibby and PJ’s fight.

As the story unfolds, more examples of racist language come to the fore. Hunter and his friends describe the Wolf Pack as ‘mozzies’ (p. 107), ‘cockroaches’ (p. 312), and ‘dirty terrorists’ (p. 195), and Lee as ‘Noodles’ or ‘Noodle Boy’ (pp. 107, 226). These terms are obviously offensive and expose Hunter’s racial prejudices – but he is not the only character who makes use of labels. In fact, the members of the Wolf Pack frequently come up with nicknames based on physical appearance and stereotypes. They refer to their Pakistani classmate Anwar as ‘Uber’ (p. 69), to half-Jewish Aaron as ‘Mayonnaise’ (p. 110) or ‘Yahooda’ (p. 124), and to Lee – who is Vietnamese – as ‘Nintendo’ (p. 97).

At several points, PJ is also called a ‘coconut’. While this word can be used as a racial slur (see this 2019 SBS Voices article), in the context of the novel it is more likely an analogy for being hard-headed. Given that ‘coconut’ appears alongside references to PJ’s intelligence (pp. 10, 47, 353) – and the fact that he explicitly states that it makes him ‘feel dumb’ (p. 156) – we can assume that this is how the term is being used.

Unlike Hunter, the boys are not necessarily trying to be malicious; banter and roasts are part of how they express their friendship. Lee, Matt (‘Goldilocks’, p. 125), and Riley (‘Ghostbusters’, p. 147) accept their nicknames because they understand them to be jokes. For others, however – including Anwar (p. 69), Aaron (p. 177) and even PJ – the distinction between joke and insult is less clear. The boys throw these nicknames around with little consideration for their impact, and do not seem to realise that they are complicit in reinforcing certain stereotypes.

Divide the class into five groups and provide each group with ONE of the following quotes:

• Mr Archie tells Tariq that words have power, but they shouldn’t define him (p. 112)
• Mr Archie expresses concern about the boys’ nicknames (p. 146)
• Captain Black talks about the power of words (p. 155)
• Ibby shares his views on name-calling (p. 156)
• Jamila challenges Tariq’s use of the word ‘Lebbo’ (p. 184)

Students will work through the take a stand routine for their allocated quote. Once they have finished, regroup as a whole class for a discussion about the power of language – both good and bad.

Humour

Although Arja addresses serious social issues in The F Team, she also suffuses the novel with humour and comedy. This often emerges from the boys’ interactions with each other, and from Tariq’s interactions with his family. The use of humour helps to balance out the more sombre events and themes in the novel, but it can also help to communicate key pieces of information, including lessons that the boys have to learn.

For this next activity, students will consider how humour can be used to explore complex ideas. Divide the class into pairs or groups of three, allocating each group a chapter from the novel. Suggested chapters include (but are not limited to):

• Chapter 1 (pp. 1–12)
• Chapter 2 (pp. 13–17)
• Chapter 3 (pp. 18–26)
• Chapter 4 (pp. 27–40)
• Chapter 7 (pp. 77–91)
• Chapter 9 (pp. 99–113)
• Chapter 14 (pp. 160–168)
• Chapter 29 (pp. 297–304)

Students will:

• Read their allocated chapter.
• Note examples of humour.
• Record the key language and page number of each example.

They should then respond to the question:

What is Arja saying about her characters, or society more broadly, through her use of humour?

Encourage students to think about the role of humour in:

• Painting a picture of the main characters.
• Illustrating different relationship dynamics (family, friends, romantic interest).
• Highlighting teachable moments (e.g. about humility, responsibility, empathy, leadership, teamwork).
• Prompting them to think about their own experiences.

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Use of parallels and contrasts

Arja uses a range of parallels and contrasts to mirror the tensions in the boys’ lives. Tariq’s personal growth, for example, parallels the developments at Punchbowl Boys and within the broader school community. Arja also explores the opposing forces that pull her characters in different directions – particularly Tariq, who juggles a number of competing priorities between his family, his friends, his relationship with Jamila, the footy competition, and the Poetry Slam.

Some examples of parallels and contrasts include:

• Mr Ahmed and Mr Archie
• Tariq and Aaron
• The Wolf Pack and the Cronulla boys
• Lebanese-Australians and white Australians
• Rugby and slam poetry
• Tariq’s treatment of Feda versus Amira
• Ronda and Mrs Furner
• Loyalty and betrayal
• Anger and compassion

Place students in pairs and assign each pair a different set of parallels/contrasts from the list above. Students will work together to find quotes from the novel that illustrate their assigned parallel/contrast. These quotes do not need to be self-contained; students can locate quotes from throughout the novel and place them side by side to highlight similarities and/or differences. Once they have sufficient evidence, they should explain the significance of that particular parallel or contrast in the novel.

Encourage students to think about characters or events that have both parallels AND contrasts. Also challenge them to think of any other parallels/contrasts that have not already been listed.

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Synthesising task

Creative response

Students will draw on their knowledge of the text to compose a creative response to The F Team. In doing so, they should:

• Embed key themes from the novel in their work.
• Create a protagonist who is revealed through their appearance, actions, and dialogue.
• Use literary devices (i.e. structural and language features) that are appropriate to the form.
• Aim to write 500–600 words.
• Proofread and edit their work.

Students will select ONE of the following options to complete this task.

1. A sense of community

Arja demonstrates how the residents of Punchbowl rally to support one another. The passion the boys feel for their community is captured in their performance at the Bankstown Poetry Slam.

In the voice of Tariq, Huss, Ibby, OR PJ, respond to the topic: ‘What I love about Punchbowl’.

2. Bridging the divide

There are some key differences between the boys from Punchbowl and Cronulla, and while Arja does not shy away from them, she also emphasises the things that bring them together.

In the voice of either Tariq OR Aaron, write a reflective piece that explains what that character learned about the other’s hometown.

3. The importance of education

Punchbowl Boys is more than just a place of learning. It means something different to each of the members of the Wolf Pack.

Imagine that a journalist has come to Punchbowl Boys to interview Tariq, Huss, Ibby, and PJ. Write the interview questions, then provide answers from the Wolf Pack to outline what the school means to them.

4. A woman’s perspective

Arja creates some strong female characters who are intelligent and successful in their own rights, as well as being important figures in Tariq’s life.

In the voice of Miss K, Jamila, Feda, OR Aunty Salma, write a reflective piece that considers how Tariq has matured in that character’s eyes.

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Ways of reading the text

The White Australia policy

As discussed in the Initial Response section, Lebanese migration to Australia occurred in three main waves (see Introductory Activities > Migration from Lebanon to Sydney). The second wave coincided with the gradual relaxation (and eventual dismantling) of the White Australia policy, which had limited non-British migration to Australia since 1901. The Whitlam government brought about its legal demise in the 1970s, with the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 marking an important turning point. The legacy of this longstanding policy of discrimination, however, has been ongoing racist attitudes from white Australians towards people of colour, including those of Arab descent.

Although The F Team was written more than 30 years after the abolition of the White Australia policy, its characters still contend with deep-seated racial prejudice. The derogatory language levelled at Tariq and his friends is just one manifestation of this (see Close Study > Text and Meaning > The Power of Language). Additionally, by placing the Punchbowl boys in proximity with the Cronulla boys, Arja deliberately invokes the memory of the 2005 riots (see Initial Response > Introductory Activities > Life in Sydney > Cronulla Riots). This is just one of many rifts in our society that is yet to fully heal, and it is clear that we still have a long way to go. However, as Arja’s novel shows, there is hope for the next generation of Australians. The members of the F team initially approach each other with an ‘Us vs Them’ mentality (p. 66), but as they learn to accept and embrace their differences, they discover the true meaning of brotherhood (p. 358). Their friendship provides a blueprint for the rest of the country: a future in which all people treat each other with mutual understanding, empathy, and respect.

Share the following resources with students:

• ABC Education – Reflections on ending the ‘White Australia’ policy
• National Museum of Australia – Postwar immigration drive
• The Conversation – Australian politics explainer: the White Australia policy
• The Guardian – Australia’s multiculturalism lives mostly on the surface. Inclusion without voice is tokenism

Allow time to watch and read through the information. You could also show students key sections of the ‘Populate or Perish’ episode from the Australia In Colour miniseries (accessible with a ClickView subscription). Following this, lead a discussion about the ways the characters in The F Team are impacted by the legacy of the White Australia policy. Encourage students to think beyond the immediate aftermath and consider events and developments in Australia since the policy ended. You can expand this conversation to talk about other groups who have been marginalised as a result of official government policy, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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Postcolonialism and othering

Postcolonial theory is concerned with the past, present, and ongoing effects of colonialism. As has been alluded to earlier in the unit (see Initial Response > Introductory Activities > Migration from Lebanon to Sydney), Lebanon has a complex history of occupation and intervention by foreign powers. It was ruled by the Ottoman Empire until the end of World War I, when it was occupied by victorious Allied forces and placed under French military administration. From 1923–1946, Lebanon operated as a mandated territory. A mandate was a legal status given to former German or Turkish colonies that were not considered ‘ready’ for self-government. Instead, they were placed under the administrative control of a member of the League of Nations (1920–1946). In the case of Lebanon, this was France.

You may be able to make connections here with colonial settlement in Australia, and with the experiences of First Nations peoples, but be cautious about drawing too many parallels. These countries have distinct histories. Lebanon is now fully independent and no longer subject to the French mandate; in Australia, colonisation is ongoing because the coloniser has not departed (Wiradyuri writer Anita Heiss has explored this at length in ‘Post-Colonial – NOT!’).

Provide students with some resources about postcolonialism:

• Poetry Foundation – Postcolonial theory
• University of Washington – An Introduction to Post-Colonialism, Post-colonial Theory and Post-colonial Literature
• Fiveable – Key Concepts in Postcolonial Theory
• Wikipedia – Postcolonial literature

They can use the information therein to develop their own definition of postcolonialism. Invite students to share their ideas about this concept and allow them to refine their work based on class discussion.

In Critical Encounters in Secondary English: Teaching Literary Theory to Adolescents (3rd Edition), Deborah Appleman presents postcolonial theory as a framework for examining the imposition of colonial practices and worldviews, as well as the reassertion of pre-colonial cultural identities. Consider the idea of cultural identity in relation to The F Team. Tariq himself has a strong cultural identity as a Lebanese-Australian, but he still feels that he and his community have been othered by parts of Australian society. He is constantly reminded of this otherness by skewed media reporting, overt racism in the footy competition, and the reactions of people in the wider community to both his school and his family (pp. 19, 24, 66, 85, 94, 164).

Students will respond to the following questions in writing:

• How does The F Team explore ‘otherness’?
• What does it reveal about the ways race, class, and gender shape individual identity?
• How does it deal with the relationship between personal and cultural identities, and cultural hybridity?
• How does it speak back to labels imposed by the dominant culture?
• In what ways does The F Team reinforce or undermine colonial ideologies through its representation of the ‘other’?
• How are oppression and racism presented in the text?

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Comparison with other texts

Texts dealing with similar ideas

There is a growing body of YA fiction that explores diverse cultural identities, including those of Arab-Australians and Muslim-Australians. These stories challenge assumptions and stereotypes, providing opportunities for the study of diverse texts that more readily reflect the lives of the students reading them. Arja wrote The F Team for this exact reason, and there are many other authors who have contributed to this space.

Other titles that explore similar themes to Arja’s work are:

• Arab, Australian, Other: Stories on Race and Identity Randa Abdel-Fattah and Sara Saleh
• Coming of Age in the War on Terror by Randa Abdel-Fattah
• Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
• You Must Be Layla by Yassmin Abdel-Magied
• Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi
• Hate is Such a Strong Word by Sarah Ayoub
• The Hijab Files* by Maryam Azam
• The Hate Race* by Maxine Beneba Clarke
• Half My Luck by Samera Kamaleddine
• Meet Me at the Intersection* ed. Amelin Kwaymullina and Rebecca Lim
• A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
• Brontide* by Sue McPherson
• Here Come the Dogs* by Omar Musa
• Growing Up Muslim in Australia Amra Pajalic and Demet Divaroren
• This Is How We Change the Ending* by Vikki Wakefield
• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

* Reading Australia title

Students will:

• Select ONE title from the list above.
• Read the publisher’s synopsis OR locate a review online.
• Compare the ideas presented in their chosen novel with those in The F Team.
• Share their findings with class.

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Evaluation of the text

The F Team focuses on the experiences of young men – particularly young Lebanese-Australian men – living in Western Sydney. Arja shows her readers that, despite Australia’s reputation as a successful multicultural society, there is still much prejudice and stigma based on how people look, what they believe, and where they live. The teenagers at the heart of the story are acutely aware of the unfairness of this situation. They mask their hurt with aggression and bravado, but also manage to form genuine friendships throughout their struggles. Each character has a unique perspective on what it means to be marginalised, and Arja highlights this for her readers. Ultimately, while the novel tackles some serious issues, the narrative is upbeat, positive, and suffused with humour – an authentic and powerful story for young adults.

At the start of this unit, students set up a double-entry journal to record key events and personal connections with The F Team (see Initial Response > Personal Response on Reading the Text). They should now return to that journal and add an extra column labelled ‘From Class’. Invite them to make notes on the things that have most influenced their understanding and supported their thinking about the characters and main ideas in the novel. They can draw on any of the previous lessons and activities to complete this task.

Additional questions for reflection include:

• What is the central concern of The F Team?
• What do you think Arja wants her readers to understand about life for young Muslim and Arab men in Australia?
• Is the ending to the novel realistic? Why or why not?
• The F Team presents some serious issues, but it is never depressing. Do you agree? Explain your thinking.
• What have you learned through the study of The F Team?

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Rich assessment task 1 (receptive and productive modes)

Return to the Cover Design activity from the start of the unit (see Initial Response > Personal Response on Reading the Text > Making Connections). Review students’ work and refresh their understanding of the metalanguage and principles of design.

The cover for The F Team was designed by a cartoonist named Ben Juers. Display his design rationale and read it to the class. Also provide some resources about the artist Lyonel Feininger (1871–1956) and the ligne claire drawing style:

• National Galleries of Scotland – Lyonel Feininger
• Artnet – Lyonel Feininger
• Comic Book Glossary – Ligne Claire
• Inspiration Grid – Nostalgic Ligne Claire Style Illustrations by Thomas D. Jensen

Students will:

• Read the information about Feininger and ligne claire.
• View examples of Feininger’s art and ligne claire
• Summarise the artistic style of each in 50 words or less.
• Annotate a copy of The F Team’s cover to identify the influences from both Feininger and ligne claire.

Finish by asking students to design their own front cover for The F Team. This can be done digitally or on paper. Encourage them to consider the colours, images, and fonts that will help convey the themes at the heart of the story.

Students should annotate their new design and explain the rationale behind their decisions. They can use Juers’ original design rationale as a model for their own response.

Rich assessment task 2 (productive mode)

Students will develop a pitch for an imagined stage adaptation of The F Team. This will be a multimodal presentation that pitches key scenes from the novel for inclusion in a performance.

Students should aim to produce a TWO- TO THREE-minute presentation that includes 10–15 images (sourced or created) AND a 250-word sample script. The presentation should combine visual and audio material (e.g. soundtrack, voiceover) with appropriate and correct attribution.

Steps for producing the presentation may include:

• Brainstorming the key ideas and scenes from the original text
• Developing a storyboard for the presentation
• Writing and editing a sample script
• Making decisions about which tools to use (i.e. equipment, software)
• Selecting and/or preparing images (including researching the necessary attributions)
  • Most images from websites like Pexels, Unsplash, and Pixabay can be used freely
• Recording a voiceover (if narrating the script) or locating a soundtrack
• Producing the presentation using an appropriate app or program
• Delivering the presentation in class

As part of their pitch, students should address The F Team’s major themes and demonstrate their importance to the story AND the key scenes they have selected for adaptation.

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Synthesising core ideas

Multiculturalism in Australia

Arja explores the challenges faced by minority communities in a majority white country, and the impact of racial stigma on both individuals and groups. For young people like Tariq, who feel that they are ostracised or demonised simply for who they are, community and culture are instrumental in building support systems and a sense of personal pride. Arja does not idealise Australia as a perfect multicultural society, nor does she suggest that there is an easy fix for social discord. Rather, she encourages readers to reflect on their own behaviour and consider the impact they want to have on the people and the world around them. By the time the reader turns the final page of The F Team, they will have formed their own views about multiculturalism and social responsibility, and the ways these concepts have been presented by Arja in her novel.

To help students consolidate their learning about The F Team, divide the class into pairs or small groups and have them select ONE of the following questions:

• What have you learned about Lebanese migration to Australia?
• What examples of direct and indirect racism do Arja’s characters experience?
• What role does the media play in shaping perceptions about certain groups of people?
• How does Arja represent multiculturalism in The F Team?
• What have you learned about the power of words and actions in promoting social cohesion and/or social discord?

Students will work together to answer their chosen question, using evidence from the text to support their response. You might ask them to prepare a short oral presentation (THREE TO FIVE minutes) to share their ideas with the rest of the class.

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Gallery walk

Students will complete a gallery walk to synthesise their ideas about The F Team, make some final comments, and share any outstanding thoughts with their peers.

Set up some stations around the room using large pieces of paper. Label each station with a key element from the novel, such as:

Place students in groups of three or four with some sticky notes. Allocate each group FIVE bullet points (or more, depending on the size of your class) from those listed above. Feel free to mix and match from different categories.

Students will work together to record what they have learned about these points on the provided sticky notes. Upon completion, invite them to attach the notes to the relevant stations. Students can then begin the gallery walk, moving around the room to read their classmates’ contributions. As they do so, they should add new sticky notes to extend on the ideas, add their own questions, or offer praise.

Students could also conduct this activity using a platform like Pear Deck or Padlet instead of physical stations.

Rich assessment task

For their final task, students will compose an analytical essay that draws together their knowledge and understanding of The F Team. They should aim to write 400 words in response to ONE of the following topics:

• Tariq allows stereotypes about young Lebanese-Australian men to dictate his behaviour. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Apart from Tariq, the members of the Wolf Pack demonstrate little growth or maturity. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• In The F Team, Arja presents a hopeful story about multiculturalism in Australia. Discuss.
• Jamila is central to Tariq’s growth in The F Team. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• ‘Words have power’ is a recurring phrase throughout the novel. How does Arja show this?

You can allocate the same topic to the whole class OR allow students to choose the one that most appeals to them.

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