INFERENCE
Much of the meaning of a text is inferred; hidden amongst clues weaved throughout by the author. To ‘read between the lines’, the reader must identify these clues or references, consider the connotations of vocabulary used and draw upon previous understanding, experience or knowledge.
* Why do you think the author chose to…? Give reasons for your answer.
* How was… (character)… different after… (event/problem)…? Why?
* What do you think will happen to the main character now? Can you give reasons for your opinion?
* Which character would you most like to meet? Explain why.
* Why did the character behave like this?
* What does the word… imply about…?
* What does this tell you about what… was thinking?
* Through whose eyes is this story told? How do you know?
* Using all the evidence available, can you tell me how you feel about…?
* The… (character)… has mixed feelings. Can you tell me about this contrast?
* What impression do you get of the relationship between… and…? Find evidence from the text.
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PREDICTION
To make a prediction, the reader must read and understand what has already happened. They must be able to retrieve and infer, combine this with previous knowledge of the world, weigh up probability, and make a sensible prediction about the next outcome. Using evidence to support a prediction allows for justification of viewpoint.
* Based on what you know about a character/event, how do you think the story will develop?
* Do you think the character will change their behaviour in the future? Give evidence for your ideas.
* Can you think of another story with a similar theme? How do their plots differ?
* What do you think is likely to happen to…?
* Why do you suppose…?
* What will the character do next? What would you do and why?
* At the end of the story, the author leaves you guessing about what will happen – why did they do this?
* Will… (character)… change their ways moving forward in the story? How/why not?
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VOCABULARY
Understanding the meaning of words clearly supports reading. Unknown words in a text will hinder the fluency, comprehension and enjoyment of a story. It is for this reason that the development of an internal vocabulary bank is essential. The ability to decipher unknown words based on the context of the passage – or phrases around them – further supports this.
* Which words/phrases in this text give us the impression that the atmosphere is…?
* The author uses words such as… to describe…. What impression does this give us about the character/setting/atmosphere?
* The author describes the main character as…. Think of another word or phrase that could have been used instead.
* Why did the author use the word… to describe…?
* How has the author’s choice of words created a feeling of…?
* What does this word/phrase imply/suggest/indicate about…?
* Explain what you think this phrase adds to the story.
* What is the effect of writing in the past/present tense?
* What do the physical descriptions of the character tell us about how they are feeling?
* What does… (this word)… mean and why do you think the writer chose it?
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RETRIEVAL
The ability to retrieve and identify key details from fiction and non-fiction should not only be seen as a means of assessing understanding and knowledge, but also as a learning strategy for consolidating and strengthening ideas and themes within the text.
* Where/when is the story set? How does this affect the beginning of the story?
* How does the main character look/behave/speak?
* Find a word or phrase that tells the reader how the character is feeling.
* Which paragraph/section tells the reader…?
* Give one example of… from the text.
* Find an alternative word from the text that means the same as….
* Find a word which tells us that… (character)… is angry/worried/happy.
* Find an example of figurative language. What affect does this have?
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SUMMARY
Summarising is an important skill that enables the reader to select essential ideas and focus on key words and phrases. Reducing the text down to its main points lends itself to a more concise understanding and an improved memory of what has been read.
* What is the main theme/argument in this paragraph?
* Using less than 30 words, can you write a new blurb for this text?
* Can you describe what happened in three sentences?
* Why do you think this might be pertinent?
* Is there anything you know now that you didn’t know before? Explain.
* What is the main message in this paragraph?
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AUTHOR INTENT
It is useful to stop and consider why a particular word or phrase (inc. figurative language) has been written; the author will have wanted to convey a particular meaning when choosing it. For the reader to gain a deep understanding of the story, these subtleties must be explored.
* What was in the author’s mind?
* Who would you recommend this story to? Why?
* What is the author trying to tell you about… by writing this section in…? (e.g. short sentence/excessive detail)
* Do you think the author believes that… exist? How can you tell that the writer has this opinion?
* The author wants us to care about…. How does she/he do that? Is it effective?
* The author uses the word… to describe…. What impression does this give us?
* Why did the author choose the verb/adjective/adverb…?
* How would the views put across in these texts affect your views on…?
* How does this connect to what the author said earlier?
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COMMENTATING
Stories commonly contain interconnected threads within a book, or across a series. Character development is a key example of this. The ability to explain links between ideas and information within a piece of text is a key skill, which enables the reader to make comparisons and comment on the meaning as a whole.
* Explain how the character’s behaviour or appearance has changed throughout the story. Why has this happened?
* Compare one character to another. How are they different or similar?
* How does the organisation of the text help us better understand the information?
* Compare how the characters are reacting to a problem. Who deals best with this and why do you think that is?
* How have your feelings about… changed?
* What can you tell about the viewpoint of the author on this topic?
* How is the beginning and the ending of the story similar/different?
* What would this character think about…? (e.g. a present-day issue)
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