Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

5 minutes

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

40 minutes

Part B: Reading Skills

15 minutes

Reflection

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

Step 1

Begin by asking students the question ‘Why do we read?’ and inviting them to share their responses.

Students may make suggestions such as:

To practise reading/get better at it.
To learn new information.
For enjoyment.

Step 2

Once you have a range of ideas on the board, summarise by stating that no matter what the purpose of reading is, we need to make sure that we can understand what we are reading properly or there is no point reading at all.

Step 3

Invite students to share strategies that you have already explored as a class to help make sure that reading is understood.

These may include strategies such as:

Finding the Main Idea
Finding evidence
Identifying word meaning in context
Distinguishing Facts and Opinions
Summarising.

Step 4

Once you have identified the strategies you have already used as a class, explain to students that this session will focus on revising the strategies:

Identifying directly stated facts
Finding word meaning in context
Understanding implied meaning
Identifying the Main Idea.

Note: You may use different terminology for similar strategies. Do not change vocabulary students are already familiar with for the purpose of this lesson. It is recommended that you use the terms the students already know to maintain consistency.

Part B: Reading Skills

Step 1

Explain to the class that they will now be exploring recycling and waste through a reading task.

This step involves modelling the reading process using the Think Aloud method. Explain to the class that they will be observers watching you read and listening to your thinking. You are to read the text National Recycling Week aloud without interruption.

Once you have read through the text, read and answer the questions. While reading the questions and searching the text for the answers, you should verbalise all of your thinking.

If you are unsure about what to say, a sample script has been provided to support you. Be sure to demonstrate how to fill in the multiple choice bubbles and provide evidence to support your answer.

Step 2

Hand out a Protecting the Planet Stimulus Text and Protecting the Planet Question Sheet to each student. It may be easier for students to complete the task if the stimulus text and question sheets is printed on two different pieces of paper.

Step 3

Explain to students that they will now read their own text ‘Protecting the Planet’ and answer the questions just like you have done. Emphasise that they will need to use similar thinking strategies to work out the most correct answers.

They will need to think about:

Checking for proof of their answer in the text.
Finding extra information to help them work out the meaning of words they don’t know.
Think about all of the information together to try and work out the main idea or purpose.

Step 4

Ensure all students understand how to fill in the multiple choice bubbles demonstrated in the National Recyclin g W eek teacher example, and that evidence is required for selected each answer.

Note: You can decide if you would like to have students work under silent conditions, just as NAPLAN would run, or if you would like them to work at the regular class volume. If it is one of the first times the students have completed this form of comprehension activity, it is recommended that they are given the opportunity to discuss with their peers and yourself to become comfortable with it. If it is a familiar form of task, you may wish to have them practise working independently.

Reflection

Invite all students to bring their worksheets to a class circle.

Work through the following steps to support students to reflect upon and develop their thinking and understanding:

Invite students to share what the text was about, what parts were of interest to them and anything they didn’t understand.
Work through each question, inviting students to suggest what they thought the answer was and how they decided that was correct. During this discussion, be sure to allow plenty of time for students to explain the reasoning for their responses. This allows them to share how they are applying comprehension strategies which others can learn from or support them to develop.
Invite students to think about a reading skill they would like to work on improving. Provide them with the opportunity to share it with the group (if they would like to).

Differentiated Learning

Extension – Students who complete the task with time to spare can find someone else who has finished to compare and discuss their responses with.

Provisions for Learning Support – Students who may have difficulty decoding the text can come to a designated area of the room where the teacher works with a group of students to support them.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

National Recycling Week - I Have The Answer - NAPLAN Style Reading Practice

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