Stage 3 reading - Literal comprehension skills
Learning intention
Students will use a range of texts to locate and interpret directly stated information, including multimodal and digital texts. Students will learn to 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: monitors reading for meaning using grammatical and contextual knowledge (see Fluency) (process); uses knowledge of the features and convention 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); skims and scans texts for key words to track the development of ideas (process); identifies how technical and discipline-specific words develop meaning in texts (vocabulary)
- UnT9: summarises the text identifying key details only (comprehension); draws inferences, synthesising clues and evidence across a text (comprehension); selects reading/viewing strategies appropriate to reading purpose (e.g. scans text for evidence) (process); • uses a range of context and grammatical cues to understand unfamiliar words (vocabulary)
- UnT10: integrates automatically a range of processes such as predicting, confirming predictions, monitoring, and connecting relevant elements of the text to build meaning (process)
NAPLAN item descriptors
The relevant NAPLAN item descriptors are included in the resource, available for download on this page.
Task outline
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.
Literal comprehension in action
Students construct a concept map of information gathered around key questions: who, where, what, when, how in a text.
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.
Cloze
Students complete cloze passages using suitable vocabulary choices.
Understanding unfamiliar words in a text
Students will learn how to understand unfamiliar words when locating explicit information.
Connecting directly stated information
Students will learn how to connect directly-stated information through skimming and scanning.