Stage 2 reading - Main idea
Learning intention
Students will learn to find the main idea in persuasive, imaginative and informative texts. Students will use the strategies of scanning to quickly identify the main ideas in a text, and skimming to find key words.
Syllabus outcome
- EN2-RECOM-01: reads and comprehends texts for wide purposes using knowledge of text structures and language, and by monitoring comprehension
National Literacy Learning Progression
Understanding texts
UnT6: reads and views simple texts and some predictable texts (see Text complexity) (comprehension); scans texts to locate specific information in a predictable print text (comprehension); recounts or describes the most relevant details from a text (comprehension)
- UnT7: reads and views predictable texts (see Text complexity) (comprehension); identifies the main idea in a predictable text (comprehension)
- UnT8: reads and views some moderately complex texts (see Text complexity) (comprehension); accurately retells a text including most relevant details (comprehension); identifies main idea and related or supporting ideas in moderately complex texts (see Text complexity) (comprehension); uses knowledge of the features and conventions of the type of text to build meaning (e.g. recognises that the beginning of a persuasive text may introduce the topic and the line of argument) (process)
- UnT9: identifies the main themes or concepts in complex texts by synthesising key ideas or information (comprehension); summarises the text identifying key details only (comprehension); selects reading/viewing strategies appropriate to reading purpose (e.g. scans text for evidence) (process)
NAPLAN item descriptors
The relevant NAPLAN item descriptors are included in the resource, available for download on this page.
Task outline
Full task descriptions are included in the resource, available for download on this page.
A picture paints a thousand words
Students predict what might be happening in a range of images.
What is the main idea?
Students learn how to find the main idea after finding the topic
Identifying main idea in paragraphs and sections
Students identify vocabulary and other details in a text to find and build an understanding of the main idea.
Identifying main idea in whole texts
Students learn techniques to find the main idea in a whole text.
Identifying theme in a narrative
Students learn to identify the theme in a range of narrative texts.
Understanding theme in a narrative text
Students develop knowledge of theme in narrative texts.
Understanding theme in a narrative text: story-board activity
Students create story-boards for their own narrative.
Identifying theme in a narrative: exploring short texts
Students read or view a range of short texts and identify the central theme.