To activate prior knowledge

1. Word association chain around the key word in title/heading or image could
add time limit e.g. 60 second challenge.
2. Spot the genre or text type rom the co!er/title/image used.
". #ill in a $W% grid What do & already know a'out this( What do & want to
know( )hen ater reading* What ha!e & learnt(
Prediction
+. ,iscussion a'out how the text might continue se-uence key e!ents. What
are the clues that lead to this idea(
.. /ultiple choice 0Who wants to 'e a millionaire style game with options o how
the text might continue.
6. 1uess what word/phrase comes next clo2e acti!ity.
Visualising
3. Students listen careully to a passage 'eing read to them and draw what they
see. )hey share pictures and then talk a'out how the author creates those
images in the readers mind.
4. ,esign story'oards or particular passages or key e!ents.
5. ,raw pictures o key e!ents/characters and la'el with key -uotations rom
the text.
10. #ree2e rames/ta'leaux where the students create a silent snapshot o key
e!ents.
Summarising
11. ,e!ise a su'heading or each paragraph summarising the key message.
12. 6ighlight the key sentences/words in each paragraph.
1". 7educe the text to i!e sentences* then i!e words and then one word.
1+. Se-uence a list o points rom most important to least important.
1.. 7estructure key inormation into a dierent ormat e.g. spider8diagram*
'ullet points* low diagram* la'elled picture* time8line.
16. 9ust a minute students talk on a topic or a minute without repetition*
hesitation etc.
13. Write . top tips/golden rules or:
14. ;hoose rom statements on the 'oard. Which are true and alse( Which 'est
summarise the text/chapter/key ideas(
Questioning
15. Write -uestions around the margin o the text -uestions a'out the
meaning* -uestions to the author etc.
20.6ot8seat the author/character.
21. <airs/groups de!ise -uestions to test other pairs/groups.
22.1i!e students the answers what are the -uestions(
Structural Analysis
2".)ext se-uencing reconstructing a text which has 'een cut into chunks.
2+.=arrati!e map/low diagram o e!ents/ideas in a text.
2..1raphs to show the narrati!e structure o a key episode/chapter and the
changing le!els o humour* tension or drama.
26.%og the structure onto a grid e.g point/e!idence grid* cause/eect grid*
argument/counter8argument.
Character Analysis
23.)ension/emotion graph8 the !ertical axis is a continuum o emotions e.g. rom
0irritated to 0in a rage* or 0earul to 0excited. )he hori2ontal axis details
key points in the text and the students plot the graph to chart the change in
emotions/tension.
24.6ot seating a character.
25.;haracter on trial summing up speech or or against.
"0.Write a maga2ine proile o a character.
"1. Stop at a point where a character aces a pro'lem or dilemma. %ist
alternati!e courses o action and the moti!ation 'ehind and conse-uences o
each. 7ead on to ind out what the character does do considering his/her
moti!ation and what will happen as a result.
"2.#ind e!idence to show how the author is creating 'ias either or or against a
character.
"".,raw the character and la'el picture with key words and phrases rom the
text.
"+.Write thought 'u''les or characters at key moments in the text when they
dont speak or perhaps dont say what theyre really thinking. )his can also 'e
done dramatically as 0thought tracking one person reads what the character
says and another says what they might actually 'e thinking.
"..7e8tell a scene rom the !iewpoint o another character.
"6.7ank characters according to a gi!en criteria e.g. most powerul to least
powerul* kindest to meanest.
"3.;reate a relationship grid with characters listed along the top and down the
side. >ach cell represents a relationship to 'e explored.
"4.&n an outline character shape* record all the dierent roles a character
adopts in the text e.g. riend* son* !illain. What insights does this oer(
Thematic Analysis
"5.&nter!iew the author or a )?/radio programme.
+0.,raw a picture to illustrate each o the key themes/ideas and write key
-uotations around it.
+1. $ey -uotation hunt state the theme/idea and challenge the students to ind
a set num'er o -uotations a'out it.
+2.0)op )heme )angle discuss which is the most important theme and why.
+".Write a 'lur' or the 'ook.
++.>xplain a moral or key message gained rom the text.
Relating texts to personal experiences
+..What would you do at certain points in the story(
+6.;hoose the most interesting/surprising/entertaining moment/act and
explain the reason or the choice.
+3.7elate text to other things they ha!e read and/or their own experiences.
Language work
+4.Students keep a personal !oca'ulary 'ook as they read they mark or note
on post8its any words they are unsure o. @ter reading the group discusses
the meaning o unamiliar words and they are added to the !oca'ulary 'ook
along with a !isual clue to remind them o the meaning.
+5.6ighlight the key language eatures in the text e.g. adAecti!es in a persuasi!e
lealet* emoti!e language in a charity appeal* imperati!es in a recipe.
.0.7e8write part o the text in another genre e.g. rom persuasi!e to
inormati!e.