Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Year 7
Black Harvest (play based on the novel by Ann Pilling) Goodnight Mr Tom Two Weeks with the Queen Little Soldier Whispers in the Graveyard Nigel Gray Collins Educational
Year 8
Bretevski Street (play) Holes The Ruby in the Smoke Chinese Cinderella The Wind Singer Lin Coghlan Louis Sachar Philip Pullman Adeline Yen Mah William Nicholson NATE Publications Bloomsbury Scholastic Point Puffin Mammoth
Year 9
Witch Child The Tulip Touch Stone Cold Coram Boy Tightrope Teaching material to download Celia Rees Anne Fine Robert Swindells Jamila Gavin Gillian Cross Bloomsbury Puffin New Windmills Mammoth
Puffin
Note: To help teachers make adjustments to the units in order to suit their pupils: times have been allocated to the reading and the group tasks; the material is in both Word and PDF format (Word files can be edited).
Pupil resources Pupil group reading cards to support 11 sessions on each book. Strategy check-card for fiction/drama, designed to help pupils reflect on the reading strategies they use. Prompts for responding to fiction/drama. Questions and reminders that can apply to any text.
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Teacher resources Starter/introductions: a bank of 15-minute sessions each focused on a different reading strategy and objective. Guided reading cards two detailed guided reading sessions per text. Suggestions for group presentations on books to support the last two lessons of each unit. Book tasters: trailers to engage pupils in their group reading books.
Guidance material on web Managing group reading Advice on how to set up, organise and support group reading. Includes suggestions on sustaining independent work while running guided reading sessions and ten top tips on making group reading a success. Targeted support Refers to existing Key Stage 3 National Strategy materials on supporting pupils learning English as an additional language, gifted and talented pupils, and pupils whose reading is below national expectations for their age. Reading targets A suggested process for arriving at reading targets for groups and individual pupils linked to the QCA assessment focuses for reading and the Key Stage 3 Framework objectives. Examples are given for Year 7. Guided reading Reminders on the teaching sequence and rationale for guided reading. Suggestions for plenaries Reading journal Suggestions for a reading journal format and types of entries. Writing book reviews A teaching sequence to support review writing. Pupil self-evaluation Suggestions for encouraging pupils to reflect on what they have learned and what to target next in their reading. Making the most of the school library Suggestions for drawing on the knowledge and expertise of the school librarian and ensuring pupils see the school library as a regular source and resource. Useful websites A list of websites devoted to encouraging reading for secondary age pupils. If you liked then youll want to try Teachers and librarians are invited to submit titles of books for this (NATE website only). Blank group reading planning templates to use with additional texts Teachers are invited to submit these for publication on the NATE website.
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Good readers:
See images Can you picture what is happening? Can you describe these images to the others in your group? Are your visions different to other readers? Hear a voice through the text Whose do you hear? How does it sound? How does it alter as the story ebbs and flows? How do the central characters sound? Do you hear the noises of the action birdsong? Car tyres screeching? Explosions? Laughter? Music? What kinds? Does your soundtrack tell us something about the characters in the story/play? What? Predict what will happen Can you work out where the plot is heading? Be ready to tell where you think this is all leading. Dont worry if youre wrong. Sometimes the author wants to trick you. Try to keep one jump ahead. Share your expectations and revise them in light of what happens. Speculate about characters and events Its the vicars wife who does it and she buries them in the church crypt while her husband is bellringing. Ask questions Why is he doing that? Why does he keep a goldfish in the freezer? What does that tattoo of a rose on his bottom signify? Why has the author presented him like this, what effect is he/she after? Pass comments I hope he gets what he deserves! Not while theres a breath in my body would I do that! Shes so slimy! Why has the author? Feel involved Run! Go on. Get out of there! Watch out! Oh no! How has the writer wanted me to feel? How has he/she achieved this? Empathise Its just like when I Thats just what Id do. Rationalise what is happening So if hes an angel why does he poo pellets? Reread Go back over the best bits, check your suspicions, enjoy it again. Sometimes you need to revisit to make sense. Re-interpret Keep checking and evaluating your ideas. Rework them. E.g. perhaps Doctor Death carried out genetic experiments and Skellig... Interpret patterns Storytellers and playwrights rely on our previous reading experiences to make connections; they use structures which tease our understanding, they lead us down alleyways, they trick us. Readers who can infer and deduce, see the patterns, they keep a lookout for the shape in the shadows they constantly strive to make sense out of the seemingly random nature of events. Relate to your own experience I once saw this television programme where... Pass judgements This is the most confusing load of twaddle Ive ever had the misfortune to... Relate to previous reading experiences I liked that one about the chocolate factory but this is more scary.
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Establish a relationship with the writer/narrator He seems to remember things so clearly even though it was fifty years ago. Its like were there together and hes just explaining whats taking place. Relate to the social, historical and cultural background It sounds sexist, but in those days no one expected a middle-class woman to work.
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Authors viewpoint
Does the writer: openly state a point of view or are we left to deduce it? deliberately avoid stating a point of view? And encourage us to form our own view about characters and events? tell the story from a narrators point of view? Can we trust the narrator? give the reader several different points of view? Have more than one narrator (multiple narrators).
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Starter/introduction sessions
The group reading unit aims to consolidate and develop pupils independent reading strategies and encourage them to be more aware of the strategies they a) already use regularly b) need to develop and refine. This kind of reflective thinking is vital to pupils cognitive development and needs to be taught, not caught. To become more independent learners it is helpful if pupils can explain how they: think; approach problems; reach solutions; make links and connections.
To support this, each lesson in the group reading unit has a 15-minute whole-class starter/introduction session. During this session the teacher demonstrates a specific reading strategy linked to the Framework objectives and QCAs assessment focuses and exemplifies it with reference to the group texts being read in class. Lessons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Aspect Reading strategies Openings, setting Character Structure Themes Authors viewpoint and intentions Narrative style Authorial voice Endings Reading strategies All Visualise, predict, speculate, reread and re-interpret Read between the lines: infer and deduce, empathise, reread See patterns, read backwards and forwards Ask questions, see patterns, read backwards and forwards, summarise Hear an authorial voice, ask questions See patterns, analyse story grammar Hear an authorial voice, infer and deduce Draw on prior reading experiences, speculate, infer and deduce
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 1
Reading strategies Y7 R6 Adopt active reading strategies to engage with and make sense of texts, e.g. visualising, predicting, empathising and relating to own experience Y8 R4 Review their developing skills as active, critical readers who search for meaning using a range of reading strategies Y9 R5 Review and develop their own reading skills, experiences and preferences, noting strengths and areas for development Awareness of the range of reading strategies used by good readers 1. Establishing routines and expectations Before embarking on the group reading unit teachers will want to use Lesson 1 to outline the necessary routines, ground rules and parameters for pupils in a group reading session. Using the website section Managing group reading, use the next 20 minutes of the lesson to explore: i. ii. the aims and structure of the unit; the shape of individual lessons;
iii. group organisation; iv. use of the materials: group cards, Strategy check-card and prompts. Allocate the texts and use the tasters to grab pupils interest in their book and to let the whole class know the range of texts being read in the classroom. 2. Cut up the support sheet for the Strategy check-card (Appendix 1). To ensure pupils have an awareness of what each reading strategy involves, make packs of cards for pairs or threes consisting of: i. ii. the reading strategy headings; the exemplifications of each strategy.
Ask pupils to quickly match them up into pairs (heading and example). If necessary (and do not labour the exercise unduly) have some of the cards on OHT and use these to review pupils decisions as a class. Alternatively, put the reading strategy headings on cards and place in a closed box or bag in the middle of each group table. Ask pupils in turn to pull one out and ask the person next to them to give an example or explain what the strategy involves, in their own words.
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Appendix 1
See images Can you picture what is happening? Can you describe these images to the others in your group? Are your visions different to other readers?
Hear a voice through the text Whose do you hear? How does it sound? How does it alter as the story ebbs and flows? How do the central characters sound? Do you hear the noises of the action birdsong? Car tyres screeching? Explosions? Laughter? Music? What kinds? Does your soundtrack tell us something about the characters in the story? What?
Predict what will happen Can you work out where the tale is heading? Be ready to tell where you think this is all leading. Dont worry if youre wrong. Sometimes the author wants to trick you. Try to keep one jump ahead. Share your expectations and revise them in light of what happens.
Speculate about characters and events Its the vicars wife who does it and she buries them in the church crypt while her husband is bellringing.
Ask questions Why is he doing that? Why does he keep a goldfish in the freezer? What does that tattoo of a rose on his bottom signify? Why has the author presented him like this, what effect is he/she after?
Pass comments I hope he gets what he deserves! Not while theres a breath in my body would I do that! Shes so slimy!
Feel involved Run! Go on. Get out of there! Watch out! Oh no! How has the writer wanted me to feel? How has s/he achieved this?
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Reread Go back over the best bits, check your suspicions, enjoy it again. Sometimes you need to revisit to make sense.
Re-interpret Keep checking and evaluating your ideas. Rework them. Perhaps Doctor Death carried out genetic experiments and Skellig...
Interpret patterns Storytellers sometimes rely on your previous reading experiences to make connections; they use structures which tease your understanding, they lead you down alleyways, they trick you. Readers who can infer and deduce see the patterns, they keep a lookout for the shape in the shadows they constantly strive to make sense out of the seemingly random nature of events.
Relate to your own experience I once saw this television programme where...
Pass judgements This is the most confusing load of twaddle Ive ever had the misfortune to...
Relate to previous reading experience I liked that one about the chocolate factory but this is more scary.
Establish a relationship with the writer/narrator He seems to remember things so clearly although it was fifty years ago. Its like were there together and hes just explaining whats taking place.
Relate to the social, historical and cultural background It sounds sexist, but in those days it was considered outrageous for a middle-class woman to work for her living.
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 2
Narrative hooks Y7 R12 Comment, using appropriate terminology, on how writers convey setting, character and mood through word choice and sentence structure Y8 R5 Trace the development of themes, values or ideas in texts Y9 R18 Discuss a substantial prose text, sharing perceptions, negotiating common readings and accounting for differences of views Inference and deduction Ask questions Prior knowledge Take one of the following suggestions for the 15-minute session: 1. Use narrative hooks sheet (on the next page) and do a cut-up activity, asking pupils to match the hook to the opening. This could be differentiated according to extract. In pairs, ask pupils to create their own narrative hook, based on examples from the worksheet. Create newspaper headlines based on the opening page of the text, focusing on the key hooks. 2. Activating prior knowledge response partners what makes an effective opening? How do writers get readers involved in their stories? Take the pupils ideas and create a set of criteria for an effective opening. Write these on to strips of acetate and ask pupils to arrange them in a rank order on the OHP: most important at the top, least important at the bottom. Now look at the narrative hooks sheet (attached). Were all the types of hooks covered? 3. Create annotation cards/a chart for pupils to identify the hooks in the opening to the text they are reading, e.g. i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Clear and simple sentences allow me to get on with the story Powerful verbs Short dramatic sentences Dramatic vocabulary Hints and suggestions Clear descriptions
vii. Complex sentences to add layers of meaning viii. Use of questions to draw me into the story ix. x. xi. Use of an adverb to start the sentence to make it more interesting Alliteration/onomatopoeia Imagery
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Narrative hook The outrageous hook this will make you do a double take. Did I really read that? The puzzling hook this immediately makes you ask questions of the story. The quotation hook this can connect you with something you already know and it can make the writer seem more credible. The startling hook this makes you think twice, but isnt as shocking as the outrageous hook. The direct address hook you are spoken to directly and feel involved from the start. The subtle hook a bit like the startling hook, this appeals to your sense of curiosity. Who is she? The atmospheric hook this is descriptive, and could evoke any variety of moods. The visual hook appeals to our sense of sight. The funny hook this is a tricky hook and only works if it appeals to your sense of humour.
Example As Mrs Ebbel went over the correct answers with the class, Bradley took out his pair of scissors and very carefuly cut his test paper into tiny squares. There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom Louis Sachar. Lyra and her daemon moved through the darkening Hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen. Northern Lights Philip Pullman This tale is true and mine. It tells How the sea took me, swept me back And forth ... from The Seafarer, in The Wanderer Sharon Creech I disappeared on the night before my twelfth birthday. Kensukes Kingdom Michael Morpurgo I have a stone that looks like a snake: all curled up. Its my most precious thing. Ive had it since I was born, you see. Do you ever think about being born? The Snake-stone Berlie Doherty She started with the universe. Counting Stars David Almond A cold, wet day in December. The worst kind of day for the backlands. The clouds were so low they seemed to trail their mists in the treetops and already, at half past three it was dark within the forest. The Giant Under the Snow John Gordon Our classroom looked smashing. Lots of silver tinsel and crepe paper and lanterns. A Northern Childhood George Layton When Bill Simpson woke up on Monday morning, he found he was agirl. He was standing, staring at himself in the mirror, quite baffled, when his mother swept in. Why dont you wear this pretty pink dress? she said. Bills New Frock Anne Fine How does one describe Artemis Fowl? Artemis Fowl Eoin Colfer I dont care if your friend Darren has a python, a cockatoo and a marmoset monkey, said mum, the answers still no. Jakes Magic Alan Durant
The question hook you want to read on to find the answer. The direct speech hook this implies lots of action and a fast pace.
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 3
Character Y7 R8 Infer and deduce meaning using evidence in the text Y8 R7 Identify the ways implied and explicit meanings are conveyed in different texts, e.g. irony, satire Y9 R12 Analyse and discuss the use made of rhetorical devices in a text Inference and deduction Visualisation Empathise 1. Text-mark on OHT extract A (5 mins). Identify the features of explicit and implicit description of character. As you annotate ask yourself and answer questions like: What does this word imply? What does this phrase make me think? What makes me think that (name) thinks or feels this way? How has the writer told me this? Take the opportunity to model the kinds of language used when writing about inference: The writer is implying that ; By using the word the writer suggests that Although (character) says his actions contradict this and we can deduce that The closing line implies that he might be considering 2. Give pairs extract B to text-mark in a similar way. (5 mins) 3. The characters in extracts A and B are married. They are together in the same place, thinking these thoughts. In pairs decide upon a setting where this action might be taking place. One partner should sketch quickly how they visualise it. Which clues in the text helped you to do this? The other should highlight two key phrases in each extract that helped you to empathise with these characters. How did the writer help you to step into the shoes of these characters? What does the future hold for this couple? (5 mins) Note: Remind pupils that, while inference and deduction is a reading strategy that they use automatically, and continuously, when reading fiction, they need to sometimes make themselves explicitly aware of the writers craft so they can talk and write about how an author uses inference to inform the reader. Extract A John Jennings was angry. He was angry for a number of reasons and he knew who to blame. It wasnt so difficult to read a map was it? Any idiot could follow the simple numbered instructions hed written out for her, so carefully, before they set off. Hed even highlighted, in yellow, the route they were supposed to take on the pages of the A-Z. So what was her problem? Not exactly the first time this had happened. Oh no, not by a long way. He suspected she did it on purpose. She wanted him to feel this way. She wanted him to boil and rage inside. It made her happy. He knew her ways. He knew what she was up to. It was all so familiar. Extract B Her mother had been right all along. Whatever had she seen in him? Forty years of marriage and it had come to this. What a waste of a life. Why had she done it? She ought to have known better. Of all the men in the world, why did she have to choose him? What was she supposed to do now? What choices did she have? Why did he always act this way? What was his problem? Not exactly the first time this had happened. Oh no, not by a long way. She suspected he did it on purpose. He wanted her to feel this way. He wanted her to boil and rage inside. It made him happy. She knew his ways. She knew what he was up to. It was all so familiar.
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 4
Structure Y7 R15 Trace the ways in which a writer structures a text to prepare the reader for the ending, and comment on the effectiveness of the ending Y8 R10 Analyse the overall structure of a text to identify how key ideas are developed, e.g. through the organisation of the content and the patterns of language used Y9 R12 Analyse and discuss the use made of rhetorical devices in a text Mind-mapping Seeing patterns Reread, re-interpret Choose a novel/play that the whole class knows well and model how making a diagram or chart, e.g. a family tree or a map, can be a useful strategy for making sense of your reading by showing: links between characters; conflicting and contrasting themes; high and low points in terms of tension; the journey taken by a character, both factual and metaphorical.
Examples you might choose to demonstrate: Temperature chart a line graph tracking the build-up of tension, identifying climax(es) and falling action through chapters/scenes/sections of the text. Follow this up by modelling reflective questions: What does this tell you about the way the writer has constructed the text? How does the structure compare with other texts you have read? How does it compare with your group reading book? Spidergram place characters name in the middle and place the names of the characters he/she connects with around it, drawing lines to link one with another. Reflective questions: What insights does this give you about a) particular characters? b) the way the author has connected characters? Charts create a two-column chart on characters. On one side discuss and list those characters who have changed and developed as the text progressed and on the other side characters who stayed the same. What conclusions can you draw from this?
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 5
Identifying patterns and themes Y7 R7 Identify the main points, processes or ideas in a text and how they are sequenced and developed by the writer Y8 R5 Trace the development of themes, values or ideas in a text Y9 R7 Compare the presentation of ideas, values or emotions in related or contrasting texts Summarise See patterns Take a book that the class knows well, e.g. a class novel read together. If no text fits the bill, take a film everyone has seen as your example. 1. Identify the main themes for you (the key ideas that are threaded through the plot). Use abstract nouns, e.g. community, family, loyalty, love, betrayal, etc. 2. Have a prepared list of the key events in the book/filmed sequences. Place these on a tracking chart/time line on the whiteboard or OHT. 3. Show how each event/filmed sequence in some way develops, or relates to, one of the themes you have identified.
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 6
Authors craft and intentions Y7 R16 Distinguish between the attitudes and assumptions of characters and those of the author Y8 R16 Recognise how texts refer to and reflect the culture in which they were produced, e.g. in their evocation of place and values Y9 R11 Analyse how an authors standpoint can affect meaning in non-literary as well as literary texts Ask questions See patterns Inference and deduction Select, retrieve information Most writers now have their own websites which contain background information on them and their books. Scholastic and other publishers often include profiles of individual writers. In this starter the teacher models the reading of a biographical piece on an author. 1. Using an interview with an author of one of the group reading books, e.g. Robert Swindells, author of Stone Cold, briefly outline the plot for those who do not know it (i.e. that the book is about a boy who becomes homeless and tries to survive on the streets of London). Life is tough, he finds and loses friends and in the process helps to track down a serial killer. The story is told through two parallel narrations which, by the end of the book, have become one. 2. Model for pupils the reading of such an article. Demonstrate, through speaking aloud the KWL (know/want to know/learned) process, the kinds of questions that are helpful to the reading, e.g. KNOW This is a chilling book which convincingly describes the experience of living on the street. It has two narrators: a young homeless lad and a psychopathic killer. Robert Swindells has written a number of books for young people, often on challenging issues, e.g. WANT TO KNOW How did the idea for this book come to him? What research did he do before writing the book? How did he know what it feels like to be homeless? How did he know where to get a free cup of tea in London? Was there anything in his personal life that influenced his writing of the book? How did he research the way the mind of such a killer might work? Did he write several drafts or did he write it in one go? Does he write by hand or on a computer? LEARNED Demonstrate how to turn the information you have found into a reading journal entry that may be useful to incorporate into a later piece of writing about the book, e.g. a book review or presentation to the class.
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 7
Narrative style Y7 R14 Recognise how writers language choices can enhance meaning, e.g. repetition, emotive vocabulary, varied sentence structure or line length, sound effects Y8 W11 Appreciate the impact of figurative language in texts Y9 R12 Analyse and discuss the use made of rhetorical devices in a text Analyse story grammar See patterns Ask questions 1. Select and model the reading of a particularly rich extract from one of the group reading texts. 2. Elicit from pupils their intuitive and instant response to the short extract. 3. Annotate the extract on an OHT to show how the author has selected and used words, phrases and punctuation to create this effect on the reader. Refer to sections of the Prompts sheet.
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 8
Authorial voice Y7 R16 Distinguish between the attitudes and the assumptions of characters and those of the author Y8 R5 Trace the development of themes, values or ideas in texts Y9 R18 Discuss a substantial prose text, sharing perceptions, negotiating common readings and accounting for differences of view Identify authors voice Inference and deduction Voices in the text Collect four opening paragraphs or extracts from the group reading texts on OHT. A useful one here would be Stone Cold with its triple narration, i.e. Link, the murderer and the author. 1. Talk through one of these on OHT, showing what we mean by voice in a text. (See teacher support sheet.) Model discussion and sentence starters, such as: We can see by the way (name) is described, that we are meant to see him as The author has given (name) the role of the outsider The main character narrates the story, and it is through her eyes that we see 2. Look at two more openings together and ask pupils what voices they hear in these texts. 3. Discuss how many different voices might be heard in a text (i.e. author, narrator, characters). 4. Ask pupils to define the difference between the narrator and the author. (See teacher support sheet.) 5. In pairs ask pupils to brainstorm the different ways in which the authors voice can be heard in a text (e.g. through character, tone, narrative style, direct address, irony). 6. Give pairs the fourth extract and ask them to explore the signs of an authorial voice.
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Narrative voice
The two main points of view are: third person narration (identified by pronouns such as he, she, they) the narrator stands outside the story itself; first person narration (identified by the pronoun I) the narrator participates in the story.
This is where things become complicated, because the first and third person can be used in a variety of ways! Third person The third person narrator, because they are outside the story, can be omniscient (all-seeing and all-hearing). This means that they can: intrude pass comment, evaluate, judge; be neutral describe without commenting, or evaluating or judging.
The story is told as if it is coming directly from the minds of the character(s), but the narrative voice has access to some of these minds and can therefore manipulate the reader to respond in a certain way. First person The first person narrator is usually a character within the story and is therefore limited in their understanding of the story they will only see things from their point of view. They can be: an observer who happens to see (witness) the events in the story or plays a minor role in the action; the main character.
Authorial voice
The characters are not the only ones that have a voice in the story. The impression that the reader has of the author, the teller of the tale, also influences their experience of the story. For this reason, a distinction is sometimes made between the narrative voice and the authorial voice. The authorial voice is a controlling presence regarded by the reader to be a guiding personality behind the story and therefore behind the characters. It can be seen in the authors method of expression and use of language (e.g. direct address, use of brackets). Authorial voice
Narrative voice
Characters
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Starter/introduction session
Focus Objective
Lesson 9
Endings Y7 R15 Trace the ways in which a writer structures a text to prepare the reader for the ending, and comment on the effectiveness of the ending Y8 R5 Trace the development of themes, values or ideas in a text Y9 R18 Discuss a substantial prose text, sharing perceptions, negotiating common readings and accounting for differences of view Prediction Rereading Asking questions 1. Teacher: very briefly take the ending of a story familiar to everyone and put the last paragraph on OHT. Model asking questions of the ending to establish expectations of the genre and the aspects which have been brought to the point of closure. For example: The big bad frog couldnt believe his eyes. The princess was leaning down towards him. Mmmmm. Any minute now and pow! Satin suits, white horses, a mighty castle all would be his once more. i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. What is the princess about to do? What will happen to the frog? How will the story end? How do we know? What type of story is this? Is the outcome certain?
2. Give pupils the endings to two novels or short stories. Ask them to read these in pairs and to briefly jot down for each their answers to: i. ii. iii. iv. what kind of story is this? What is your evidence? what was the main problem in the story? What hints at this? what do you think has happened? How do you know? how might the story have opened (given that endings often go back to the beginning in some way or another)? v. ask pairs to swap their responses with another pair and discuss the differences and similarities between their suppositions. vi. put the endings up on OHT and briefly run through the full story-lines. Ask pupils to consider how close they were to the real story-line and what reading strategies and evidence they had used to ascertain this. Homework suggestion Instead of giving pupils the beginnings of stories to continue, give pairs one of the following endings to mystery stories. Ask them to discuss the clues they are given in the ending on what the story may have been about. How might the story have begun? Ask pupils to write a brief synopsis and draft the first two paragraphs of the story. We discovered he was all alone in the world. A dusty pile of newspapers, a drawer full of broken treasures, all that was left of a life of action. Night falls now and the whispering starts. Believe it or not, I looked out into the garden. Not a soul was in sight, but behind the withered tree, near the old pond, I thought I saw a flicker of blue. Sometimes the light plays strange tricks. And I know that its still not over. One day, a letter will come with a strange postmark, the writing will be spidery and familiar. I shall have to move on. As the light fades, I write these last few words. I do not know if anyone will find the secret of the fallen stones. My tale is a strange one, perhaps better left secret and forgotten.
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ensure you timetable yourself to join each group to guide and steer their work (this will usually involve advising them to cut their material down and keep it simple!); enlist the help of other adults for the preparation session; inform the library/learning centre in advance through the departments long- and medium-term plans and consult the librarian about materials available to support pupils, e.g. websites, author studies from magazines, etc.
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2. 3. 4.
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6. 7.
A school intranet presentation with hotlinks to web reviews and book sites This could take the form of a PowerPoint presentation designed to encourage others to read the book and could be posted on the school library intranet site. This will ideally involve advice and guidance from the school librarian/ICT teacher, e.g. on websites for research, on how much can be included on a PowerPoint slide, etc. 1. As a group decide three areas that your presentation should include (it will be different for different books). Suggestions: an outline of the plot, one or two reviews, facts about the author, taster extracts from the text to encourage others to read the book, interviews, etc. (10 minutes) Allocate each of the three chosen topics to a pair and use the school library resources to research and produce three or four PowerPoint slides on each topic, i.e. 12 slides in all. (40 minutes) You will need to identify one person to compile the material into a presentation and one person to edit the material so that it has an introduction and a conclusion and hangs together (homework is a possibility for this). Each pair rehearses their presentation. (10 minutes)
2.
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The following may be a useful checklist for pupils Guidelines for presentations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Make sure you understand what you are asked to do and stick to it! Prepare well Dont be too ambitious its better to do something simple well Adapt the talk to suit your audience Know what you are talking about dont just read Use Prompts sheets with key words on them to help you Have a clear introduction and conclusion Remember to look at your audience as you speak Practise your presentation in front of a friend or mirror or record it on a tape Check your timing If using equipment (OHP, tape recorder, etc.) check that its working well Smile!
NATE Crown copyright 2003 Group reading at Key Stage 3
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Book tasters
Year 7
Goodnight Mr Tom, Michelle Magorian Evacuated from London during the second world war, Willie Beech escapes from an unhappy background. He arrives in a country village, a strange new world for him, and starts living with the recluse Mr Tom who does not easily understand children from the city. Things do not look promising for the characters of Goodnight Mr. Tom. But, the relationships that begin to grow between the people of Little Weirwold and the London evacuee Will, compel the reader to become a part of their world. By the time Wills mum wants him back he dreads going home, and once there he nearly doesnt make it. His only hope is to reach out to Mr. Tom from the darkness of his mind and hope that he is heard. Mr. Tom. I want you, Mr. Tom. This is a heart-warming book about the strength of the human spirit and the love that can grow between very different people. Black Harvest, Nigel Gray from the novel by Ann Pilling An atmospheric play which makes for a tense and gripping performance. A modern family are on holiday in a new cottage on the west coast of Ireland. It soon becomes clear that all is not well the telephone refuses to work, milk and food go bad overnight and Prill is haunted by the vision of a ragged, starving old woman. The play links the modern day to the times of the Irish famine through the character and memory of an old man who lives in a caravan nearby. Two Weeks with the Queen, Morris Gleitzman Its bad enough if your brother is always stealing the show, but what if you found out he was going to die? When Colins brother Luke becomes seriously ill with leukaemia, he is determined to get the best help possible even if it means travelling to England. He decides to go straight to the top and that means the Queen (who unfortunately does not live in Australia!). With the help of the Royal Fish and Chip Bar, this miniature Crocodile Dundee sets off on some hazardous and hilarious adventures. After an uneventful start in the exciting local DIY store, Colin decides to escape from the clutches of his overprotective Aunt and Uncle. Enlisting the help of his timid whale of a cousin, our intrepid hero is soon scaling the walls of Buckingham Palace and planning trips up the Amazon for death-defying drugs. In his search for the best doctor in the world, he meets Griff and his terminally ill friend. Drawn into this tragic circle, Colin begins to rethink his values and reassess his brothers chances of survival. Is he really doing the right thing? Or does the real solution lie closer to home? A laugh-out-loud comedy. This fast, funny and touching story has all the elements of a Corkin good read, Cobber! Little Soldier, Bernard Ashley Kaninda is an orphan from the war in East Africa, where he was a boy soldier, but even in a comprehensive school in south London he finds clan and tribal conflicts are very much alive. When a new African refugee joins his school, Kaninda tries to kill him, literally! Trained as a guerrilla fighter in war-torn Mozambique, Kaninda feels fully justified in seeking revenge on any Ysulu, the tribe that massacred his family. Now far from home, Ken finds his boy soldiers skills yet more vital for survival in the concrete jungle of Londons Docklands. Ken becomes caught up in rough justice as rival Thames gangs hunt down hit-and-run drivers and racist thugs. Helped by the rebellious Laura, Ken plots to return to his homeland aboard a sugar tanker. Before he goes, he has to settle old grudges an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Wielding his stolen knife, Ken confronts his sworn enemy and his future. Weaving the grim reality of war in all shapes and forms with Lauras guilty flashbacks, this book is one you will want to read to the bitter or better end. Whispers in the Graveyard, Theresa Breslin Solomon is full of anger with his father, his teachers, the adults who have failed him. His refuge is one corner of the graveyard where he can feel at peace. When workmen uproot a rowan tree, the only living thing in that corner of the graveyard, an ancient and evil power is unleashed which Solomon must have the strength to fight
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Year 8
Bretevski Street, (playscript) Lin Coghlan I realised what was really important to me about this story. I felt that any one us might do terrible things if we were put in a terrible situation. Neighbours could turn against neighbours and friends against friends. All it would take was enough fear. (Lin Coghlan) Set in a fictional Balkan state, Bretevski Street focuses on two neighbourhood families from two ethnic backgrounds, Samac and Bretev. As the play unfolds, it becomes painfully clear that their coexistence is threatened. The ever-closer rumble of guns of war in the region creates tensions and the loyalties of the young are severely tested. More powerfully still are the unforgiven deeds from past conflicts. Resolution for the families is hard won in this highly topical, thought-provoking play. Holes, Louis Sachar Stanley Yelnats family has a history of bad luck, so he isnt too surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a boys juvenile detention centre. At Camp Green Lake the boys must dig a hole a day, five feet deep, five feet across, as deep and as wide as a shovel, in the dried-up lake bed. The evil Warden with her lizard-venom impregnated fingernails claims that the labour is character building but has her own reasons for making the boys in her charge dig so many holes. Stanley must dig up the truth. This is just the beginning. Other stories unfold and gradually they fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. We learn that fate has been at work in the lives of all of the characters. If you are looking for a truly remarkable novel, then look no further than Louis Sachars extraordinary, awardwinning novel Holes. Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah This book is the moving autobiography of Adeline Yen Mah, a young Chinese girl born into a wealthy and powerful family in China. But her life begins tragically. After her mother dies giving birth to her, Adelines family labels her bad luck, causing her to grow up with the guilt that she alone is responsible for her mothers death. Things become even worse at home when Adelines father remarries. Restricted to one small area of the house, Adeline and her siblings are mistreated while her stepmother favours her own children born soon after the marriage. An outstanding student and the winner of many academic awards, Adeline revels in the praise she receives from her Aunt Baba and grandfather, Ye Ye, and lives in hope that her father might someday be proud of her. This book outlines Adelines struggle to find a place where she feels she belongs. The Ruby in the Smoke, Philip Pullman Sally Lockharts father was an unconventional man. When he dies suddenly on a voyage to the Far East, Sally receives a mysterious letter containing a strange warning. Soon Sally finds herself at the heart of a deep and dangerous mystery, one she is determined to solve at all costs. Sally is a very attractive sixteen-year-old. Her education has been unusual, she knows little about the usual subjects at school, but she has a thorough grounding in military tactics, can run a business, ride like a Cossack and shoot straight with a pistol. When her father is drowned in suspicious circumstances in the South China Sea, Sally is left to fend for herself, an orphan and alone in the smoky fog of Victorian London. Soon Sally finds herself in danger and the mystery all comes from the ruby in the smoke. The Wind Singer, William Nicholson The Wind Singer is the first novel in a trilogy. Set in a world where the people are divided into groups according to how well they perform in The High Examination. If they fail as children, they are de-classed, if they pass they are promoted and allowed to live in the more attractive spaces of the city of Aramanth. Disobedience or behaviour that those in power dislike ends in severe punishment. Kestrel and Bowman Hath are twins, and we first meet them on the day their baby sister is about to take her first test. She fails, but the family is disgraced further when Kestrel is labelled as a wild child and is sent to Special Teaching a place from which she may never escape and her father is banished to the Residential Study Course. But Kestrel has met the Emperor, and he told her the history of the Wind Singer the monument that overlooks the city but no longer has a voice. What follows is an intense adventure as the children go on a dangerous journey beneath the city and through the Underlake a stinking lake of decomposing matter inhabited by the real, and sometimes extremely dangerous, underclasses as they search for the Wind Singers voice.
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Year 9
Coram Boy, Jamila Gavin The transaction was rapid. A heavy purse of money went into Otiss pouch and he took the basket with a great show of reverence and concern, as if he would protect it with his life. Meshak knew differently. His father was a master of disguise, deceiving rich and poor alike and his trade was in children. But there is another story weaving its way through this novel, a story of friendship and passion that becomes inextricably linked with that of Otis and Meshak with the most intriguing results. The setting is eighteenth-century England, where who you were when you were born meant everything. Coram Boy is a book about growing-up, struggle, tradition and corruption. Readers can smell the dirty streets and close living of urban London contrasted with the finest country houses. Stone Cold, Robert Swindells (Winner of the 1994 Carnegie Medal) Link, 17 years old and driven from his parental home, has drifted to London, jobless and friendless. He vividly recounts the day-to-day experiences of a homeless person. Because he tells it like it is, his descriptions of sleeping rough shatter any romantic notions. Life is hard, cold and unfriendly, until he meets Ginger. His new friend shows Link how to survive, where to go for shelter and where the best begging places are. Then Ginger disappears and Link makes a new friend, Gail. He stops worrying about everything else, but other kids are still vanishing. Will it be Links turn next? If this was just another diatribe on the perils of sleeping rough, the readers interest would soon wane, but it is far more gripping than that. The author alternates Links tale with that of an unknown serial killer preying on the homeless. Tulip Touch, Anne Fine Nobody wants to be around Tulip, her attitudes to others make people scared. Her outlandish behaviour doesnt matter to Natalie however, who has just moved into the locality. At first she finds Tulip exciting and she doesnt care that other people are the victims of her pranks. But then Tulips games become increasingly sinister, and Natalie realises that Tulip is going too far. Tightrope, Gillian Cross Eddie Beale looks after his friends, people say, as long as they entertain him. At first, Ashley is happy to put on a show for Eddie. Then she realises that someone is stalking her and leaving messages that become uglier and uglier. Can Eddie help? And if he does, at what price? For Ashley, securing his help will mean scaling new and dangerous heights ... Tightrope is a sharply observed, concisely written thriller of a book. There are near-miss action scenes, where time seems to stand still. Each chapter ends with a passage from the point of view of another character perhaps someone known to Ashley, but at other times, complete strangers who have only gained a glimpse of her life. By combining viewpoints from the books major and minor characters, the author makes the reader question the events that have just been witnessed; the tightrope between right and wrong, reality and fantasy is constantly tensioned and flexed. All of this is underpinned with the leitmotif of a circus, and the whole story is set in a city landscape where suspicion and fear rule, and where frost on the litter counts as beauty. Witch Child, Celia Rees In sixteenth-century England Marys grandmother is pursued and executed as a witch. Mary has to leave her home to avoid the same fate; friends help her escape on a boat to America in the hope that she can start again and forget her past. During the journey, she finds it easy to fall under the suspicion of those around her. Witch Child is told in the form of pages from a journal found loosely sewn into an old quilt many years later. The story is told through the eyes of Mary, who shows wisdom and courage in a new world where those she is with have closed minds and the slightest mistake could end in her death. This is a tense and dramatic book about a world where everyone distrusts those who do not fit in.
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Guided reading at Key Stage 3 What is guided reading? The teacher plans and runs a small group session (e.g. 20 minutes) that follows an instructional sequence and involves modelling a key reading skill or strategy targeted at the needs of the group. Why guided reading? It provides a bridge from dependent to independent reading for pupils at all levels of attainment. It allows for valuable responses from peers and teacher in a trusted small-group setting. It enables explicit modelling of how to behave like a reader. It ensures individual assessment and target-setting opportunities.
2. Creating groups
You will have a range of criteria that you already use for creating groups in your classroom. The criteria for group reading may be: reading attainment; reading targets (skills identified for development); appeal of text; length of text; speaking and listening skills.
Note: It is important to remember here that guided reading plays a key part in the units and that, to be effective, the criteria for guided groups need to be levels of attainment and specific reading targets.
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References and hotlinks For more useful guidance on creating and managing groups refer to: Managing group talk module 7 of the Literacy across the Curriculum training folder, Key Stage 3 National Strategy English strand, 2001 (DfES 0235/2001) www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/strands/publications Guided reading in English at Key Stage 3 (DfES 0044/2002)
3. Allocating texts
At Key Stage 3 pupils vary enormously in both maturity and attainment, and choosing a book to suit a whole class can be particularly problematic. Group reading offers teachers the opportunity to allocate texts to specific groups and thereby offer an appropriate degree of challenge as well as appealing to their interests and concerns. There are a number of ways in which you can do this and the method you choose will depend on your knowledge of the class. Listed below are some alternative ways to allocate texts to groups with some consideration of the opportunities and challenges presented by each approach.
Pros The reading level of a text is appropriately matched to pupils reading attainment
Cons Texts may not appeal to all pupils in the group, e.g. boys and girls
Teacher reads out tasters of texts to whole class and groups bid for their first and second choices
Independent choice, groups feel ownership of their text and may as a result have a stronger commitment to the reading process
Groups could choose a text that is inappropriate in terms of challenge for independent reading Groups that do not receive their first (or even second choice) can feel hard done by and demotivated
Possible solutions To ensure titles appeal to groups this may be an opportunity to create, for example, temporary single-sex groups Ensure there is a range of group texts wide enough for the attainment levels in the class so as to ensure a genuine choice and minimise disappointment
4. Who reads
Groups need to set up expectations and routines on how the text will be read at the beginning of the unit (e.g. they will note on the outside of their group folder who read last), otherwise they may waste precious time each lesson deciding who reads. There are a number of ways to undertake the reading and this can depend on the reading ability or experience of group members (in the case of pupils learning English as an additional language, purpose is key, i.e. reading for inference/developing fluency, etc.). The important point here is that the group is responsible for getting through the reading. Ways of organising the reading The text is read aloud by one person as the others follow in their books. This is probably the most likely form of organisation but involves a sub-set of decisions: a different person reads each lesson each chapter or section means a change of reader where there are no chapters, or they are of variable length, the reader changes every two pages
One strategy that has been found to work well, and which speeds up the reading, is if there is an agreement over the maximum and the minimum amount individuals will read (e.g. two paragraphs minimum, two pages maximum) and readers tap the table when they want the next person to take over. Pupils learning English as an additional language will benefit from reading aloud and hearing text read aloud while following, especially if they at are the early stages of fluency in English. As ever, the group composition will be key, to ensure that there is an appropriate mix of pupils. The group undertakes a dramatic reading, i.e. different pupils take the parts of characters. It is usually best if readers keep the same character throughout the reading of the text, with the person reading the more substantial narrators part changing regularly. Pupils read silently to an agreed point on their own and then discuss.
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Accelerating the reading will be appropriate for more able groups. It may also be appropriate to give each group member another title by the same author to read for homework, which they then present to the group.
Reading aloud Reading aloud is an important life skill, and group reading provides an opportunity for all pupils to practise this in the relatively unthreatening context of a small group. It is vital that as teacher you establish at the outset the golden rule that groups will be supportive and that it goes against the whole principle of group reading to express impatience if a group member falters or miscues. We need to acknowledge to pupils that even for experienced readers it is hard to read aloud with fluency if you have not first skimmed the text. Wherever possible we suggest you set preparation for reading aloud as a homework, particularly for less confident readers and those learning English as an additional language. It is important that all pupils have an opportunity to read the text aloud at some point in the unit. The selfevaluation proposed for the end of the unit includes a section on reading tone, expression and fluency.
Groups will need to nominate a rotating chair to keep a check on the time, read out the group task and allocate different pairs to tasks as suggested on the group cards.
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This group finishes the task as quickly as possible, but not in depth. List clear, specific outcomes and share the assessment criteria for the task with the group. Establish routines and expectations of group work in advance. Present the task in stages. Provide a stepped frame (scaffold) to work from. Establish individual responsibility. Establish peer and self-assessment processes. Intervene and join the group midway through sessions. Establish a rotating group leader and give them a checklist of questions to cover.
This group wont stay on task. Read the group tasks so as to pre-empt any problems. Be clear, be firm but let the group know you will join them for a few minutes each session. Build the practice of independent group work gradually. Start small. Train them. Build accountability into the task, ask the group to lead the plenary. Offer rewards for specific outcomes until work ethic established. Establish a rotating group leader for each lesson.
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Ensure consistent department and whole-school expectations of group work. Set targets for concentration and contribution.
This group is not confident enough to be left unsupported. Provide carefully staged, scaffolded tasks. Give the group one task at a time, e.g. in envelopes, so that they only focus on one activity at a time. Bump start give teacher time as the group begins working. Provide support in the form of a Prompts sheet, writing or discussion frame or checklist. Provide a bank of key words and high-frequency words. Give the group time to prepare a task, e.g. give it to them the day before. Allocate a teaching assistant to the group for specific sessions. Consider support in the form of a cassette, or tasks related to the text on ICT.
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Targeted support
This section contains suggestions on making group reading work for a range of pupils. 1. The benefits of group reading for pupils learning English as an additional language. 2. Supporting less confident readers in group reading lessons. 3. Prompts to use with less confident readers. 4. Prompts to use with fluent readers. 5. Group reading with more able readers. 6. A checklist to use when planning group reading for more able pupils. 7. Template for a Year 8 guided reading session with a group of able pupils. 8. Using group reading to develop thinking in able pupils. Note: Group reading lessons, when differentiated groups will usually be formed around a particular text, are among the best lessons to focus support from additional adults such as teaching assistants, support teachers and trainee teachers.
1. The benefits of group reading for pupils learning English as an additional language
(Note: Most of these references are also relevant to all readers) The group reading lessons outlined in this unit are supportive of pupils learning English as an additional language since: the starter/introduction sessions: draw all pupils in from the start and the group tasks establish an explicit, shared objective for each group; introduce and exemplify appropriate language conventions and the vocabulary of specific reading strategies; involve the teacher actively demonstrating the reading strategy focus for the lesson;
speaking and listening are central to the group reading tasks and pupils have an opportunity to rehearse their ideas within a small supportive group; all group members are expected to contribute, often in pairs this allows greater opportunities for purposeful talk; group reading provides an ideal opportunity for an additional adult to support the whole group while at the same time ensuring that pupils learning English as an additional language are actively included. Note: All additional adults supporting in either group or guided sessions need to be made aware of the specific reading targets for the group.
Pupils learning English as an additional language may need particular support with the following in group reading: English idioms (phrases and expressions which have particular reference other than literal meaning), e.g. I take my hat off to you; cultural references these may need explaining using some visual reference, such as photographs, that will help access the text to pupils; dialect.
It may help if teachers: access pupils prior knowledge of topics or ideas to sort out misunderstandings that interfere with comprehension and meaning-making, see cultural references above; check for understanding of: particular content words; referents which carry meaning, e.g. who is the she at this point?
References/hotlinks
Access and engagement in English, DfES 0609/2002 Active reading, Key Stage 3 National Strategy, Literacy across the curriculum
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Prompts for questions in shared and guided reading, Appendix 8.1 from Key Stage 3 National Strategy English department training 2001 Reading between the lines, Literacy progress unit, Key Stage 3 National Strategy Year 7 Speaking and listening bank, Key Stage 3 National Strategy
Some suggestions for using and adapting the group reading tasks
Go through the group task with pupils before they start reading. In this way they know what the purpose of the reading is and what they will be expected to do afterwards. It will make their reading more focused and purposeful and help them know what to look for. Remind pupils that, in this group reading unit of work, the reading of the text is more important than the tasks (which are solely designed to support active reading). If useful therefore forget the task and allow time for a second reading. Adapt the group tasks so that there is an even more active reading approach. For example: include an underlining or highlighting task on relevant sections of a photocopied extract; ask pupils to make up a suitable heading for each chapter so that they have to summarise the key points; ask pupils to draw a diagram, map or floor plan from the information in the passage.
Give pupils time to assimilate the passage in pairs by giving them regular tasks such as: decide what you think is the main idea in this chapter; in your own words pick out four key points about the book so far.
Before reading ask different pupils in a group to read for different purposes, e.g. one to summarise the section read, one to think of questions to ask the author, etc. Share with the group your own clear summary of the chapter or where they are up to in the book so far. This will probably be a verbal summary. A list, diagram or other visual representation can be very supportive for weaker readers and pupils who are learning English as an additional language. Use taped readings to provide support, see publishers details for those texts which are on cassette. The school library may be happy to purchase these. Select priority passages for reading if you feel the group may not get through the whole text.
Ideas adapted from Handout 3.5 English department training 2002/03, Year 8
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It could be but look at Check it Does it look right and sound right to you? Try that again
I like the way you found out what was wrong all by yourself You made a mistake on that page/sentence/line. Can you find it?
Foster phrasing and fluency Teacher demonstration Reading phrased and fluent Stilted reading Look out for opportunities for pupils to model
Read it so it sounds like talking How do you think would say it? Shout it out! Read the punctuation Read it without your finger pointing
Foster independence Teacher demonstration Praise when pupils are reading Look out for opportunities for pupils to model
You are almost right but You had a really good try. Now Do you know a word that starts that way? How did you know it was ? What could you try? Do you know a word like that?
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Is it effective as an opening? What clues did I use? How would the rest of the story need to be changed?
Why? (give evidence) Why? (give evidence) Why? How does the reader know? If so, what is the effect?
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6. A checklist to use when planning group reading for more able pupils
Use the following checklist when adapting the material you are offering for more able pupils so as to: add breadth Expect each group member to read at least one other title by the same author during the group reading unit and compare them. Ask for a profile of the author (this could be framed as an interview for a TV book programme, using their own questions as they read the book). give depth (e.g. in terms of voice) Expect more definition and understanding of the difference between the voice and attitudes of the author, the narrator (if different) and individual characters. Adjust the group tasks so as to ensure higher-order reading and response skills are used, e.g. analysis and evaluation as well as recall and recount. accelerate the pace of learning Look at the objectives for the next year group if those for their own year group have already been tackled successfully. Adjust the unit tasks to include more reading in the time allocated. promote independence Expect pupils to take more responsibility for group organisation, especially for planning and organising for the presentation of their book to the class. support reflection and self-evaluation Share the objectives you are setting with the group and expect them to be able to assess themselves against these (provide a self-assessment sheet for this). Consider asking the group to use the self-evaluation checklist at the end of each session rather than just at the end of the unit. Give a range of suggested entries for a reading journal and expect a wide range of exploratory writing in response to their group reading text. Adapted from Teaching Able, Gifted and Talented Pupils self-study material for English departments www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/strands/publications
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7. Template for a Year 8 guided reading session with a group of able pupils
Objectives Teaching sequence Introduction Teaching intention To focus on and explain the objective(s) To make connections between selected texts and prior reading experience To help pupils identify the range of strategies they already use and explain them. They could be: Semantic (looking at choice of vocabulary) Syntactic (analysing style and variety and sentences) Schematic (making connections within and between texts) Inferential (text inference) Pragmatic (sharing and exploring responses with others Analytical (linking options with historical and textual evidence) Evaluative (critical judgement which has a personal dimension) Set an independent reading task with a specific focus To draw the group together and go back to the text, encouraging pupils to identify elements that may require clarification, exemplification or discussion To give pupils opportunities to review and develop their reading strategies To establish an authentic dialogue around the texts, exploring personal preferences, probing and extending comprehension and critical appreciation To reinforce the learning objectives To develop critical and reflective recall To prepare for the next reading session Example Draw attention to the objective, suitably displayed and say that the session will focus on Discuss what pupils know about Review the strategies which could help to make critical judgements about
Strategy check
Review
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This kind of reflective thinking is vital to pupils cognitive development and can be particularly relevant for more able pupils. Many able children use higher-order thinking skills without a conscious understanding that they are using them. To become more independent learners it is helpful if pupils can explain how they: think; approach problems; reach solutions; make links and connections.
In ensuring the group reading material is appropriate for more able pupils it is important to remember that more challenging content on its own does not always improve the effectiveness of pupils thinking. Equipping such pupils with the vocabulary and methods by which they may appraise their learning and progress can be more effective in improving their performance. Research (Vygotskys work in particular) stresses the role the teacher can play in helping pupils to develop an awareness and analysis of the thinking processes they use. In the starter/introduction and guided sessions of this group reading unit the teacher demonstrates the use of specific reading strategies. Even for more able pupils such skills need to be taught, not caught. The main higher-order thinking skills have been identified as: prediction; visualisation; generalisation; reflection; evaluation.
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Applying these skills to group and guided reading with more able pupils
Know Ask pupils what questions they would ask if they were trying to find out how much was known about the context or subject of a book. Understand Ask pupils what is meant by the word comprehension and ask them to come up with alternatives (understanding, grasp, knowledge). Ask them how questions are usually prefaced if we want to ascertain whether something is understood or not (how, why, what, describe). Pupils could, using response partners, ask questions to ascertain whether their partner has understood a specific extract. This could then be developed through discussion as to whether their understanding of events is the same, or different (this could be located in lessons 5 and 6, when pupils are searching for patterns in themes and narrative style). Apply Provide pupils with a range of questions, e.g. How could you use? Where else does this occur? What else could you connect this to? Model the use of such questions within the guided reading sessions to engage and deepen pupils responses to the texts they are reading. Analyse Ask pupils to think of subjects where they need the skills of analysis. Pupils could brainstorm key words that they use to encourage analytical thought, e.g. cause and effect, results, similarities and differences. Ask pupils to apply these forms of analysis to questions they can use when exploring character, tracing themes and defining authorial voice in a text, e.g. What caused...? What are the benefits/disadvantages of...? What is the effect of...? How are... similar/different? Synthesise Ask pupils to predict and then look up the definitions of thesis, antithesis and synthesis. Can they find examples of each in their book? Using mind-mapping, ask pupils how the elements of the text are a synthesis, e.g. does the setting support characterisation? How does the narrative style complement the thematic structure in the book? Evaluate Ask pupils what the purpose of evaluation is (acquisition and consolidation of knowledge, increased understanding, improved skills). Ask pupils to consider the range of evaluations they undertake (e.g. science, design and technology, art and design, English, and the different forms these take, i.e. written, oral). Which type of evaluation do they find most effective? Ask pupils to apply this to their work in this unit, i.e. to devise an evaluation for others to complete on their group reading. Each pupil should share his or her findings with a partner. How might they challenge themselves? This could be completed at any stage in the group reading project, but a final evaluation would be an obvious place for a detailed evaluation.
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Use questions to encourage self-evaluation and reflection. Develop a culture of challenge in the plenary session.
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Reading targets
Guided reading sessions are an ideal setting for reviewing and setting reading targets for groups and individuals. 1. Pupils appreciate being given targets which itemise a strategy or skill they need to acquire or develop for the next stage in their learning. 2. Targets ensure that pupil progress can be tracked specifically. 3. Achieving a realistic and manageable target gives pupils a sense of achievement and increases motivation. Your department may have already devised target statements to use with pupils when reviewing their reading development. If this is the case, we are not suggesting you replace them, but you may find it useful to look at the suggested process for arriving at reading targets below.
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Guided reading
For each group reading text two lessons are outlined which involve the teacher working in depth with the group on a specific point in their text. 1. Reminders about guided reading 2. Why use guided reading? 3. Managing independent work
The experience of teachers through the National Literacy Strategy in primary schools has shown that such targeted support and attention given to individuals in a guided group can be highly effective in raising pupils achievement. In secondary schools guided reading can provide a focused context for developing pupils independent reading strategies and motivate wider reading. Each guided reading session in Group reading at Key Stage 3 is outlined for teachers in detail and follows the sequence outlined below:
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The familiar small-group context provides a safe zone for pushing thinking skills further, e.g. hypothesis and speculation. Provides a focus for wider reading an opportunity to discuss prior reading experiences. No pupil can sit back and be passive. No groups or individuals are missed every pupil is listened to.
This group finishes the task as quickly as possible, but not in depth. List clear, specific outcomes and share the assessment criteria for the task with the group. Establish routines and expectations of group work in advance. Present the task in stages. Provide a stepped frame (scaffold) to work from. Establish individual responsibility. Establish peer and self-assessment processes. Intervene and join the group midway through sessions. Establish a rotating group leader and give them a checklist of questions to cover.
This group wont stay on task. Read the group tasks so as to pre-empt any problems. Be clear, be firm but let the group know you will join them for a few minutes each session. Build the practice of independent group work gradually. Start small. Train them. Build accountability into the task; ask the group to lead the plenary. Offer rewards for specific outcomes until work ethic established. Establish a rotating group leader for each lesson. Ensure consistent department and whole-school expectations of group work. Set targets for concentration and contribution.
This group is not confident enough to be left unsupported. Provide carefully staged, scaffolded tasks. Give the group one task at a time, e.g. in envelopes, so that they only focus on one activity at a time.
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Bump start give teacher time as the group begins working. Provide support in the form of a Prompts sheet, writing or discussion frame or checklist. Provide a bank of key words and high-frequency words. Give the group time to prepare a task, e.g. give it to them the day before. Allocate a teaching assistant to the group for specific sessions. Consider support in the form of a cassette, or tasks related to the text on ICT.
Local support If you contact your LEA Key Stage 3 English Consultant he/she will be glad to support you, either by running the training for your department, lending you the video or putting you in contact with a leading English teacher who has been trialling guided reading in their classroom. There is nothing like visiting another school to see guided reading working well and talking to the teachers involved. National training If you have not attended any national training on guided reading you could refer to the Key Stage 3 National Strategy Guided reading in English at Key Stage 3 training folder, which, if not held in your department, you can download from the KS3 National Strategy website.
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The plenary in group reading lessons is an opportunity to: generalise from examples generated in the lesson, e.g. on the different devices authors use to construct characters, such as first person narration and the diary form; draw together what has been learned and summarise key ideas and vocabulary, e.g. different types of narrative hooks; go back to the starter/introduction session and rectify any confusions; make links with other work in English and the value of having a toolkit of reading strategies to draw on in the future, at Key Stage 4, for example; ask pupils to reflect on their reading skills and remind them about their personal reading targets; encourage wider reading, e.g. by asking pupils to talk about books they are reading outside class, by sharing information about an author, books on a similar theme, etc.
In the plenary, ask individuals to: write down three facts they have learned in the lesson, then share these with a partner and add to the list; write a sentence that summarises the lesson, then share with a partner; write key words and definitions in a subject dictionary; use writing or talking frames designed for the plenary, such as What I found difficult or easy was , The most important part was , I need to improve on .
Ask pupils in pairs or small groups to: make sets of cards for the technical vocabulary used in a lesson, putting words on one set and definitions on another, then use the cards to play Pelmanism; compose two sentences that describe the main ideas of the lesson; identify three ways in which ideas in the lesson might be used in other subjects; design one page for a PowerPoint presentation, with a heading and three bullet points summarising an aspect of the lesson.
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Occasionally use drama strategies. For example: put a pupil in a hot seat as an expert or character, and invite the rest of the class to ask questions; ask a group of four pupils to create a still frame to show a key idea from the lesson.
For homework, ask pupils to: prepare a quiz on the theme of the lesson to try out on the rest of the class; write a description of the lesson, what they most liked about it (and least), what they found easiest about it, and what was most difficult; design an exercise for a textbook to follow up work done in the lesson; design a web page to help remember one aspect of the lesson when you review the homework, ask why the pupils thought the aspect was important.
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Reading Journal
While the main aim of the group reading unit is to promote wider independent reading, the discussion tasks on each text are designed to help pupils reflect on the reading strategies they use and to try out new ones (see Strategy check-card, Prompts and Reading targets sections of this website). 1. Types of reading journal entries 2. Teaching journal writing 3. Making it a habit 4. Ideas on what to write in your reading journal
Provide example(s)
Explore the features of the text and define the conventions Demonstrate how it is written
Independent writing
Review
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3. Making it a habit
If the use of reading journals is something you are keen to develop across the department, the following sequence can be encouraged as a routine for pupils when reading in class.
Write a paragraph about what you discovered when reading today. This may include: questions left in your mind, i.e. what you do not understand at the moment but expect to be revealed later on; parts of the book (words, lines) that you have particularly enjoyed; your impressions and feelings about characters as conveyed so far; similarities with other books you have read; connections with your own experiences.
Look at the Strategy check-card, list the reading strategies that you have used. Illustrate them with brief references to the text. What is your reading target? How will you achieve your reading target? Who could help you?
Note: See the group reading Prompts sheet and reading Strategy check-card: both will support pupils when they are writing in reading journals.
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Which characters change? Write down the names of characters that have stayed the same and those that have changed, learned and grown as people by the end of the book. Look at the ones who change, why do they? How does this make the book more interesting? Summing it up Try and put in one sentence what the book you have just read is about. Your sentences could be written on cards and displayed. Does everyone in the reading group recognise the book from your sentence? Narrative hooks Openings tell the reader a great deal about the book. In pairs or a small group discuss the following questions on the opening. How does the writer hook the interest of the reader? What clues are there as to who will be the main character? What kind of story is it? What are the clues in terms of mood/tone/setting/characters/action? Writing style The writing style tells the reader a great deal about the meaning that the writer is trying to convey. In pairs, take one chapter and different pairs investigate features of: sentences, length and complexity; types of verbs, active/passive; vocabulary and choice of words; balance between dialogue and description.
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Content
Title, subject, main character(s), political or historical events/setting, i.e. the big picture
Prompts
(Title) is one of the best books about that I have read this year This book is about Mainly written in the genre, it also It is written for At the beginning The readers attention is caught from the first line/chapter The story then goes on to describe/tell us The book is about how I particularly liked The book is most successful in the way the writer
Text type may be a mixture of genres, e.g. sci-fi and romance, adventure and mystery, diary and detective Impact of the opening, style and structure
Brief outline of the plot without giving away the ending. Note: NOT telling the story
Personal view
Select one or two things you think are good about the book and give examples/quotations from the text, e.g. building of character(s), development of relationships, creation of atmosphere, e.g. mystery, descriptions of settings/feelings You do not have to write anything negative, but this is your chance to say if there are parts of the book that you found disappointing, e.g. the ending, or parts that went slowly for you The kinds of readers who this book will appeal to see It is written for above Final sentence about the book/story and your opinion, refer back to It is written for and how successful it is)
I nearly put the book down when A less successful part of the book is when I would recommend this book to because One of the best/worst books/stories about that I have read recently. If you read one book about this year make it this one/avoid this one.
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What you found difficult (e.g. group work, the tasks, the book, saying what you mean, etc.)
What you learned (e.g. new reading strategies; are you more confident in your reading: do you feel able to tackle books now that perhaps before you would have avoided? Know more about new authors? More aware of the skills a writer uses? Can talk and write about a book more confidently?)
Now you have completed this project (Which reading strategies do you need to use more often? Do you practise reading aloud with expression? What reading target would you like to set yourself next? Discuss this with your teacher.)
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10 ways to make the most of the school library for group reading
1. Taster sessions Ask the school librarian to join each group and present outlines and extracts of the other titles written by the same author/playwright. 2. Planning ahead Give your school librarian advance warning so that s/he can stock up or reserve further copies of both the group reading titles and other titles by the same author/on the same topic/in the same genre. To support teachers effectively, school librarians need to be informed of departments long- and mediumterm plans. 3. Training Invite the school librarian to attend all Key Stage 3 English and literacy training and, in particular, involve her/him in the delivery of module 10 of the Literacy across the curriculum folder. 4. Guided sessions Invite the school librarian to observe a guided reading session and encourage him/her to consider supporting guided groups, particularly those on author study, for example. 5. Meet in the library Hold at least one group reading lesson in the school library. Ask the librarian to demonstrate researching an author on the web. 6. Try a quiz Allocate time for a library quiz to support the group reading unit, e.g. questions on an author, other books written by the author, etc. 7. Take stock Take the opportunity of the group reading unit to review the Key Stage 3 fiction stock. 8. Spread the word Where the group reading presentations involve visual displays, pass the material to the school librarian to display for other classes to see. 9. Booklists In collaboration with the school librarian and the rest of the English department, create a booklist to offer pupils at the end of the group reading unit. Parents are also often grateful for such a list. 10. Cassettes/CDs Suggest the librarian purchases cassettes or CDs of each group reading title.
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Useful websites
www.literacytrust.org.uk The useful website of the Literacy Trust. It contains a particularly helpful section of ideas on encouraging wider reading in schools: Building a School Community that Reads Getting the whole school reading. To connect with other useful sites look at www.literacytrust.org.uk/links/sites.html www.cool-reads.co.uk The boys who run this site have set up a frame for writing book reviews. www.mrsmad.com A lively site with news and reviews dedicated to encouraging reading in young people. www.booktrusted.com A website managed by the Booktrust to help teachers, librarians, parents and young people choose books. www.teenreads.com www.teachit.com Other useful websites are those created by major publishers in the field, e.g. Heinemann and Scholastic. The Department for Education and Skills, in conjunction with NATE, wishes to make it clear that the Department, and its agents, accept no responsibility for the content of any of the materials suggested as information sources within this document, whether these are in the form of printed publications or upon a website.
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Title
Objectives: Lesson Reading strategy focus 1 *Predict *Pass comments
Author
Starter/introduction (15 minutes) Introduction to guided reading/key objectives/ establishing ground rules/allocating texts and reading tasters Character, setting and mood: narrative hooks Introduction to character, inference and deduction Identifying themes and the way characters and events contribute to them Teacher modelling of mind-mapping techniques Role of the author Development (35 minutes) Reading strategies: see starter Group reading: introduction to book title, cover, etc. Group activity: effective openings
*Ask questions *Speculate *Prior knowledge/reading *Inference and deduction *Visualise *Empathise *Reread *Relate to time and place *Interpret patterns *Summarise *Interpret patterns *Interpret patterns *Ask questions *Establish relationship with the author *Interpret patterns *Ask questions
Group reading: Group activity: narrative hooks Group reading: Group activity: reading journal notes on explicit/inferred development of character Group reading: Group activity: in-depth exploration of character
What makes an effective narrative hook? Each group shares one example of inference Two pupils feedback what reading strategy helped most this lesson Refer to lesson
Group reading: Group activity: mind-mapping of plot and links between characters Group reading: Group activity: in pairs author interrogation (one person hotseated as the author) Group reading: Group activity: groups choose one plot event and explore how the language features work within this Group reading: Group activity: find examples of authors voice
10 11
*Reread/reinterpret Group reading: *Summarise Group activity: endings and resolutions *Pass judgements Outline expectations for group presentations. Preparation of oral presentations Homework: Preparation/rehearsal Group presentations: 510 minutes per text
Recap what do we mean by authorial voice? How is the author heard in novel? Ending and how it links back to the beginning
Select one group to demonstrate. What new insights has this given into the book? Refer to lesson. Each group reports on one language feature and its effect Groups to give an example of a) authorial voice b) narrative voice Each group: what effective about ending in their book?
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Lesson 1
Group card 1 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: established the ground rules for guided reading; looked at effective strategies for reading (starter activity and Strategy check-card). Now you are going to:
Group reading
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Lesson 2
Group card 2 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available. Now you are going to: look at the narrative hooks used by the author. Group reading Read together pages Whilst you are reading: think about the strategies you are using (look at the Strategy check-card); think about the evidence you may use to support your ideas. Group task
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Lesson 3
Group card 3 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks. Now we will: explore how the characters are developing. Group reading Read together pages Group task (35 minutes)
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Lesson 4
Group card 4 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks; explored the developing relationships between character and place. Now you are going to: explore the characterisation in more depth. Group reading Read together pages Group task (35 minutes)
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Lesson 5
Group card 5 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks; explored the developing relationships between character and place; begun to explore themes and how the characters contribute towards them. Now you are going to: continue to trace developments, including themes. Group reading Read chapters Group task
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Lesson 6
Group card 6 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks; explored the developing relationships between character and place; explored themes and how the characters contribute towards them. Now you are going to: explore the role of the author. Group reading Read together pages Group task
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Lesson 7
Group card 7 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks, character, setting and mood; explored the developing relationships between character and place; explored themes and how the characters contribute towards them. Now you are going to: think about the authors voice and narrative voice. Group reading Read chapters Group task
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Lesson 8
Group card 8 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks, character, setting and mood, relationships between character and place, emerging themes, the difference between authorial voice and narrative voice. Now we will look at: narrative style. Group reading Read chapters Group task
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Lesson 9
Group card 9 Objectives: Resources: As a whole group we have: revised the range of reading strategies you have available to you; explored narrative hooks, character, setting and mood, relationships between character and place, emerging themes, narrative style, the difference between authorial and narrative voice. Now we will look at: the resolution. Group reading Group task
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Strategy check:
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Strategy check:
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Year 7
Black Harvest, Nigel Gray (from the novel by Ann Pilling) Other plays: A Game of Soldiers, Jan Needle The Granny Project, Anne Fine
Goodnight Mr Tom, Michelle Magorian By the same author: A Little Love Song
By different authors:
Two Weeks with the Queen, Morris Gleizman By the same author: Worry Warts Blabber Mouth Bumface Sticky Beak Misery Guts By different authors:
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The Little Soldier, Bernard Ashley By the same author: A Kind of Wild Justice Running Scared High Pavement Blues By different authors:
Whispers in the Graveyard, Theresa Breslin By the same author: Remembrance Death or Glory Boys Kezzie By different authors:
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Year 8
Bretevski Street, Lin Coghlan Other plays:
Holes, Louis Sachar By the same author: The Boy who Lost his Face Theres a Boy in the Girls Bathroom
By different authors:
The Ruby in the Smoke, Philip Pullman By the same author: Northern Lights The Subtle Knife The Amber Spyglass
By different authors:
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The Wind Singer, William Nicholson By the same author: Slaves of the Mastery Firesong (both in The Wind Singer trilogy) By different authors:
Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah By the same author: Falling Leaves
By different authors:
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Year 9
Witch Child, Celia Rees By the same author: Truth or Dare The Cunning Man The Vanished By different authors:
The Tulip Touch, Anne Fine By the same author: Goggle Eyes Crummy Mummy and Me Madame Doubtfire Flour Babies By different authors:
Stone Cold, Robert Swindells By the same author: Brother in the Land Dosh Blitz Cat Hydra Abomination Room 13 By different authors:
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Coram Boy, Jamila Gavin By the same author: The Wheel of Surya
By different authors:
Tightrope, Gillian Cross By the same author: Wolf The Great Elephant Chase On the Edge By different authors:
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