Reading TEACHER S TOOLKIT. Lorna Pepper

Transcription

1 Reading TEACHER S TOOLKIT Lorna Pepper

2 Introduction to the Achieve Teacher s Toolkit for Reading About the National Tests The National Test for reading from May 2016 will comprise one paper. Details of the test are summarised below. Paper title Number of marks Time allowed Paper 1: Reading test (reading booklet with answer booklet) minutes (including reading time) The reading booklet will contain several texts of total length between 1,800 and 2,300 words. The texts will represent a range of text types and they will not be linked by a theme. About the expectations The National Tests from 2016 will be more challenging for children. This is because they assess learning of the new National Curriculum, which is more demanding. In addition, floor standards have been raised with the expectation that 85% of children taking the tests in a school will achieve a scaled score of 100 or more. In light of these increased expectations, we have produced this Teacher s Toolkit to help you to support children preparing for the National Tests. What does the Teacher s Toolkit cover? The Teacher s Toolkit comprises two elements: this teacher book and interactive lessons to support teaching and revision. The teacher book covers all the elements (or topics) from the content domain of the Key Stage 2 English reading test framework for the National Curriculum tests from 2016 (Standards & Testing Agency, 2015: The content domain sets out the relevant elements from the programme of study for Key Stage 2 English that are assessed in the reading test. These are those aspects of comprehension that lend themselves to paper-based testing; they do not reflect the programme of study as a whole. Over time, the tests will sample from each area of the content domain. 2b 2c 2d 2e 2f 2g 2h give / explain the meaning of words in context retrieve and record information / identify key details from fiction and non-fiction summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph make inferences from the text / explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text predict what might happen from details stated and implied identify / explain how information / narrative content is related and contributes to meaning as a whole identify / explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases make comparisons within the text 4 This book is structured so that each chapter covers an element (or part of an element) of the content domain.

3 How to use this book 1 For each element (e.g. explaining inferences), the performance descriptor is given. This describes what children working at the expected standard (scaled score of 100) should be able to do. Remember that this may have been taught at any point in Key Stage 2. 3 In the classroom provides some suggested activities to do with children to support their revision and reinforce what they know about the topic. The activities are designed to be engaging and may involve oral as well as written work. 2 The In the test section describes what children are likely to be asked to do in the test. It also gives guidance on strategies for earning maximum marks when answering questions on this area. 4 An extension activity is provided for each topic for use with those children who you are confident are working above expectations. 1 Giving the meaning of words in context 2 By the end of KS2: Children working at national standard (a scaled score of 100) show an understanding of the meaning of vocabulary in context. Children are expected to be able to check that a text makes sense to them, by considering individual words or phrases that they see in use within a text. The word may be one that is unfamiliar or challenging, but they should be able to work out its meaning from the other words around it, e.g. from the events leading up to or following after it; from the situation being described; from the purpose of the text; or from a combination of these things. 3 In the test Children may be asked to give the meaning of words. This may be by giving a definition in their own words, by offering a synonym, or by recognising the correct answer from a list of options. To gain more marks, the child needs to give a concise and precise answer when required and be capable of understanding more challenging vocabulary. In the classroom Children can be best helped to develop understanding of words in context by being encouraged to read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, poetry and plays. In this way they will come across a rich variety of vocabulary used in many different contexts. They should be learning the pleasure of reading, and in the classroom a positive attitude to reading and understanding what they read should be fostered. Here are some examples of how this may be done: Oral work Activity 1: Review times The review can be done as an informal talk to a group / partner; alternatively it can be a more formal presentation to the whole class. The review should include a brief reading of the child s chosen extract. Encourage the listeners to ask for an explanation of any unusual or unfamiliar words. Children could go on to write reviews of their chosen book or magazine, perhaps incorporating some of the ideas from their own or from others presentations. Encourage them to include brief quotations that they consider noteworthy in that text. Activity 2: Dictionaries Remind children of what is meant by alphabetical order. Practising alphabetical order can be made into a game with pairs or small groups being given ten or more cards with words written clearly on them. The children have to arrange them in alphabetical order. If appropriate, this can become a timed game where groups try to improve their times from session to session. 4 Explain that children will tell their classmates about the best book they ve read this half-term / term. This can be extended to include other genres, e.g. graphic novels, non-fiction books, magazines, websites, etc. as well as more conventional popular novels for young people. Increase the level of difficulty by including words that start with three, four or five of the same first letters. 6 Remind the children that the aim of their review is to persuade others in the class to read the book for themselves. As a small group / in pairs / individually, the children decide on possible approaches to this, producing a list of prompts, e.g. for fiction: the most interesting character; what kind of story it is. Other prompts will be required for other kinds of text. Ask the children to select a short extract from their chosen book, which they can read as part of their review. Explain that the children should list any unfamiliar words they come across in the extract and be prepared to answer questions about it. Children should be reminded how to use a dictionary correctly to find the meaning of words, and to check the spellings of less familiar words. On a regular basis, ask children to use a dictionary to find ten words that you have selected for them. The children work in pairs to find the meaning and then to produce a sentence using the word correctly. If appropriate, this can be made into a timed activity. More fluent readers should be challenged with more complex words. When the children give the definitions, encourage them to consider the meanings of different parts of the words, e.g. to recognise the use of more sophisticated prefixes and suffixes, e.g. the difference between anti- and ante-. 5

4 Giving the meaning of words in context By the end of KS2: Children working at national standard (a scaled score of 100) show an understanding of the meaning of vocabulary in context. Children are expected to be able to check that a text makes sense to them, by considering individual words or phrases that they see in use within a text. The word may be one that is unfamiliar or challenging, but they should be able to work out its meaning from the other words around it, e.g. from the events leading up to or following after it; from the situation being described; from the purpose of the text; or from a combination of these things. In the test Children may be asked to give the meaning of words. This may be by giving a definition in their own words, by offering a synonym, or by recognising the correct answer from a list of options. To gain more marks, the child needs to give a concise and precise answer when required and be capable of understanding more challenging vocabulary. In the classroom Children can be best helped to develop understanding of words in context by being encouraged to read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, poetry and plays. In this way they will come across a rich variety of vocabulary used in many different contexts. They should be learning the pleasure of reading, and in the classroom a positive attitude to reading and understanding what they read should be fostered. Here are some examples of how this may be done: Oral work Activity 1: Review times Explain that children will tell their classmates about the best book they ve read this half-term / term. This can be extended to include other genres, e.g. graphic novels, non-fiction books, magazines, websites, etc. as well as more conventional popular novels for young people. The review can be done as an informal talk to a group / partner; alternatively it can be a more formal presentation to the whole class. The review should include a brief reading of the child s chosen extract. Encourage the listeners to ask for an explanation of any unusual or unfamiliar words. Children could go on to write reviews of their chosen book or magazine, perhaps incorporating some of the ideas from their own or from others presentations. Encourage them to include brief quotations that they consider noteworthy in that text. Activity 2: Dictionaries Remind children of what is meant by alphabetical order. Practising alphabetical order can be made into a game with pairs or small groups being given ten or more cards with words written clearly on them. The children have to arrange them in alphabetical order. If appropriate, this can become a timed game where groups try to improve their times from session to session. Increase the level of difficulty by including words that start with three, four or five of the same first letters. 6 Remind the children that the aim of their review is to persuade others in the class to read the book for themselves. As a small group / in pairs / individually, the children decide on possible approaches to this, producing a list of prompts, e.g. for fiction: the most interesting character; what kind of story it is. Other prompts will be required for other kinds of text. Ask the children to select a short extract from their chosen book, which they can read as part of their review. Explain that the children should list any unfamiliar words they come across in the extract and be prepared to answer questions about it. Children should be reminded how to use a dictionary correctly to find the meaning of words, and to check the spellings of less familiar words. On a regular basis, ask children to use a dictionary to find ten words that you have selected for them. The children work in pairs to find the meaning and then to produce a sentence using the word correctly. If appropriate, this can be made into a timed activity. More fluent readers should be challenged with more complex words. When the children give the definitions, encourage them to consider the meanings of different parts of the words, e.g. to recognise the use of more sophisticated prefixes and suffixes, e.g. the difference between anti- and ante-.

5 Written work Activity 3: Design a poster Show the class an example book publicity poster to prompt discussion. Tell the class that they will be making their own poster to promote a book of their choice. Try to elicit suggestions of possible content for other posters. The wording of the poster should be discussed and modelled, perhaps with a template being offered for less confident writers, e.g. one word to sum up the book; what kind of book (genre) the book is; the kind of person who would enjoy this book, etc. Useful vocabulary should be highlighted, such as the different genres, words to describe settings, character, etc. These ideas could be discussed within the classroom and perhaps a list put up on a whiteboard or display board, so the children can pick out the ones they think appropriate for the text they are describing and promoting. Activity 4: Reading journal Encourage the children to keep a reading journal, and to add to it freely throughout the year. Explain that they are to keep a brief record of what they read, perhaps implementing a star grading system for the books they read. This will be seen as a personal contact space between child and teacher so the teacher can have insight into the child s reading habits and interests, maybe recommending new books or magazines, or simply recognising the child s efforts and successes. Tell them that their journals will not be marked or assessed. Explain that the journal can also be used for recording unfamiliar vocabulary. Set aside time each week for recording these words and their meanings, possibly limiting the number to just a dozen or so. Children produce their posters. This could be done as an individual or paired activity. Focus attention on the need for precise wording. The teacher uses the posters to form a display, perhaps alongside some professional posters if a local bookshop or library can be persuaded to hand over any out-of-date examples. Occasionally give class time for children to list their words and definitions, and then to test one another informally on them. Recommend more challenging books for children to read. They can then be asked to produce a list of less familiar words in their journals that can be tested in the same way as before. Children can be given more advanced terminology to research and consider integrating into their posters, e.g. contemporary fiction; anti-hero; structure; climax. 7

6 Explaining the meaning of words in context By the end of KS2: Children working at national standard (a scaled score of 100) show an understanding of words in context. Children are expected to be able to check that a text makes sense to them, by considering individual words or phrases that they see in use within a text. The words may have multiple meanings and the correct meaning has to be discerned from the context. Children should be able to discuss the possible meanings or nuances of words. In the test Children may be asked to select a correct meaning from a list of options. Alternatively, they may be expected to offer an explanation of a word or phrase, e.g. a non-literal phrase, in their own words. To gain more marks, children need to give precise and concise answers, dealing with more challenging vocabulary. The children then make a list of the words / phrases that are being used with two meanings. A blank grid could be given to them for this purpose: Word / phrase Meaning 1 Meaning 2 To draw To make a drawing To close the curtains In the classroom As with 2c, children can be best helped to develop this skill by being encouraged to read and enjoy a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, poetry and plays. They should be encouraged to enjoy playing with words and to recognise that words can have layers of meaning. Here are some examples of how this may be done: Oral work Activity 1: Puns Explain what puns are and share examples of plays on words. Children share their best jokes with the class. More extrovert children may enjoy the opportunity to perform and tell the joke, padding it out, or acting it out if it involves dialogue. Invite children to explain the play on words to ensure everyone is able to share the joke. Ask children to research puns in Shakespeare s writing, using an Internet search. They find a few examples and present them to the rest of the class, explaining which word is being used with which two meanings. Alert them to the way that some words may have shifted their meaning since Shakespeare s day. Jokes will be a good source of puns, and this work can be started by sharing a joke with the class, e.g. Why did the girl take a pencil to bed with her? She wanted to draw the curtains. I m reading a book about antigravity. It s impossible to put it down. Explain that sometimes you have to imagine the word being said aloud before you can understand the joke. When is a door not a door? When it s a jar. The rabbit started crying because she was having a bad hare day. Do you know you have a lizard on your shoulder? Yes. I call him Tiny! Why? He s my newt! Ask children to find some examples of jokes that depend on puns, and then to share them with a partner. 8