Reading Comprehension Guidance

Reading Focuses and Questions to ask

Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to the text.

• Where does the story take place?
• When did the story take place?
• What did he/she look like?
• Where did he/she live?
• Who are the key characters in the book?
• What happened in the story?
• What kinds of people are in the story?
• What is happening at this point in the story?
• Read the part that tells me………
• Where did you find the information about…..?

Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from text.

• What makes you think that?
• What words give you that impression? Why?
• How do you feel about………? Why?
• Can you explain why………….?
• If you were going to interview this character/author, which questions would you ask? 
• What sort of person do you think would use this book? Describe a time when you think they would use it.
• Which parts of the book could help you find the information you need?
• Do you agree with this opinion? Explain your own opinion using the texts to help you?
• At the end of the story, the main character is feeling ……. Does this surprise you? Explain as fully as you can using parts of the story to help you?
• What does this tell you about what ……….was thinking?
• Through whose eyes is the story told?
• Who was the storyteller? How do you know?
• Do you think this is true/untrue? Why do you think this?
• What do you think the ………. is thinking? If it were you what would you be thinking?
• Which is your favourite part? Why? Which bit of the text shows this?
• Predict what you think is going to happen next. Why do you think this?
• Using all the evidence available, can you tell me what you feel about….?
• Who would you like to meet most in the story? Why?
• Can you support your view with evidence?
• What is your opinion? What evidence do you have to support your view?
• Is this a place you could visit? Why/why not?
• How did one of the characters change during the story? Draw a timeline that shows the changes.

Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and presentational features at text level.

• Were you surprised by the ending?
• How did you think it would end/should have ended?
• How are the beginning and ending of the story similar?
• What would happen if the order of events was changed?
• What kind of text is this? How do you know? What will it be like? What can I expect of a book of this type?
• List the words that tell you what order to follow eg first, then.
• What is the main event of the story? Why do you think this?
• What is the purpose of the pictures?
• How does the layout help the reader?
• Some of the text is printed on a dark background. What effect do you think the designer wanted to achieve by doing this?
• How does the way the title is written encourage you to read the ……….?
• In the leaflet, how have the different parts of the ………. been made clear?
• What are the lines in the photograph for?
• How do you know the order to follow the information in the text?
• Why have these words been made to stand out?
• Why are these words smaller but still in bold print?
• Why are some words in the glossary printed in italics like this?
• At the end of the story, the author leaves you guessing about what will happen next. What do you think will happen next? Why do you think this?
• Why is this paragraph in bold print?
• What are the subheadings for?
• Why have some of the information been presented as a table?
• What is the purpose of the writing in the boxes?
• What do the arrows show you about the structure of the text?
•  

Explain and comment on the writers’ uses of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level.

•  I wonder what the writer intended by using these words?
• What do these words mean and why do you think the writer chose them?
• How has the author used adjectives to make this character funny?
• What do the physical descriptions of characters tell us about how they are feeling?
• By writing the line in this way, what effect has the author created?
• What do these words tell you about ………?
• Which word encourages you to read the ………..?
• What does the word scrambled tell you about the way Legs got dressed?
• Why do you think the author has mentioned ……… a lot in the story?
• Explain what you think this phrase adds to the story.
• Why did the author choose this title?
• What is the effect of writing in the past/present tense?
• Why do you think the writer has chosen to use the words ……………………..?
• Why do you think the author has written this sentence in this way?
• Which author’s style did you enjoy the most? Why?
• Do you want to read the rest of the text? How does the writer encourage you to read the rest of the text?
• How do these phrases help to make the description effective?
• How does the author make the …………… appear frightening?
• Which part of the story best describes the setting?
• Which words and /or phrases do this?

Identify and comment on writers’ purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text to the reader.

• Can you think of another story that has a similar theme eg good over evil, weak over strong, wise over foolish?
• I wonder why the writer has decided to…?
• What was in the author’s mind?
• Why did the author choose this setting?
• How would the views put across in these texts affect your views on….?
• What makes this a successful story? What evidence do you have to justify your opinion?
• Could it be better? Is it as good as…..?
• What effect does it have on you as a reader?
• Why do you think the writer wrote that description?
• What is the author trying to tell you about………by writing this section in …….? (eg short lines)
• What was the most exciting part of the story? Explain your answer as fully as you can?
• Which illustrations did you find most useful?
• Do you think that the writer believes that ………… exist? How can you tell that the writer has this opinion?
• What are the main contrasts the poet makes in the third and first parts of the poem?
• What impression of ………..does the first paragraph give you? In what ways is the second paragraph different?
• The texts try to make you care about …………… Which do you think is the most effective? Why?
• What is …………… opinion about …………….?
• If …………… was alive today would he be arguing for ………………?
• What do you think makes this a successful story? Use evidence from the text for your answer?

Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions.

• Do you know another story, which deals with the same issues eg social, cultural, moral issues?
• What would this character think about…….? (Possibly a present-day issue)
• Do you know any more stories like this?
• Have you ever read a book with a similar theme to this one?
• What does this remind you of?
• What does it make you think of?
• Do you know any more stories like this?
• Does this story remind you of any personal experience/something that has happened to you? Describe it.
• Have you ever been in that situation? What happened?
• How would you have felt in the same situation?
• What might you have done instead?
• Can you compare …………. to a person who has frightened you?
• How would you feel if you were treated like ……….? What would you do?
• What do you think would have happened if…………?
• Are there any familiar patterns you notice eg familiar story structure, imagery?
• What kind of text is this? How do you know? What will it be like? What can I expect of a book of this type?
• Many traditional tales have messages. What do you think this story is trying to tell us?
• Which stories have openings like this?
• Do you know any other texts with similar issues or themes?
• Do you know another story with these characters in?
• Can you think of another story where the main character has problems with their family?