Stage 3 reading - Literal comprehension skills
Learning focus
Students use a range of texts to locate and interpret directly stated information, including multimodal and digital texts and use skimming and scanning strategies to identify key words.
Syllabus outcome
- EN3-3A: uses an integrated range of skills, strategies and knowledge to read, view and comprehend a wide range of texts in different media and technologies
- EN3-5B: discusses how language is used to achieve a widening range of purposes for a widening range of audiences and contexts.
National Literacy Learning Progression
Understanding texts
- UnT8: uses knowledge of the features and convention of the type of text to build meaning (recognises that the beginning of a persuasive text may introduce the topic and the line of argument) (process); skims and scans texts for key words to identify the main idea (process)
- UnT9: summarises the text identifying key details (comprehension); selects reading/viewing pathways appropriate to reading purpose (scans text for key phrases or close reading for learning) (process )
NAPLAN item descriptors
The relevant NAPLAN item descriptors are included in the resource, available for download on this page.
Task outline
Task 1: Skimming and scanning
Students practise skimming to identify the main idea and scanning to locate specific topics in texts (two activities).
Task 2: Building background knowledge to identify information
Students use a “what I know, what I want to know, what I learnt” (KWL) chart to complete literal comprehension tasks for a range of texts (three activities).
Task 3: Literal comprehension in action
Students construct a concept map of information gathered around key questions: who, where, what, when, how in a text (three activities)
Task 4: Hunting for e-facts
Students look at a fact or myth, predict vocabulary, then ‘go fact busting’ by searching for accurate information across a range of sources (one activity).
Task 5: Cloze
Students complete cloze passages using suitable vocabulary choices (three activities).
