Teacher Assessment: Reading Guidance notes

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Teacher Assessment: ReadingGuidance notes


These assessment materials have been designed for use with a group of children. They will support teachers with

• making assessments against the ‘expected standard’• identifying gaps• planning next steps to develop children’s reading further.

They are intended to be used as part of the assessment, teaching and learning cycle.

Are the ‘before reading’ questions part of the assessment? The ‘before reading’ question is an opportunity to assess what prior knowledge children bring to a text.

Do I hear each child read the text before I ask them questions?It is important to give the children time to read the text or a section of text independently before asking any questions. You may decide to ask a child to read aloud from the text if you want to assess their fluency, expression and ability to decode.

Can I use the assessment with children who are not yet working at age related expectations?If children are working below age related expectations in reading and are unable to access the text independently, the teacher could read the text to them and still assess their comprehension.

Can I use these questions with children who are working at Greater Depth? Yes. Greater depth is demonstrated by the depth of response and the ability to answer some of the more complex questions. In some instances we have indicated acceptable responses and then given a more abstract or sophisticated response.

Are the possible responses the correct answers?There are possible responses for each question. Please be aware that these are not the ‘right’ answer. They represent ways that a pupil may respond to a question. Judgement should be exercised and children encouraged to explain their thinking.

How many children should I work with at a time?The number of boxes on the grid is just an indication. We have put six boxes on the grid because some teachers may work with a group of six to carry out the assessment. However, it is up to each individual teacher to decide how many pupils to work with. Ideally, we would recommend working with a group of three or four because this would result in a greater number of responses per pupil. Observing two or three children discussing their responses will provide more evidence than asking each child individually. Grouping is entirely down to the discretion of the teacher carrying out the assessments.

How long will the assessments take? This will vary according to the year group and the text but it would be expected that they will take place over more than one session (depending on the length of your session). It should feel like a normal guided reading session - not an interrogation!

When should I use the assessment?Ideally as near to the start of each term as possible for the assessment to inform your teaching.

Are the children allowed to talk to each other during the assessment?Yes. It is useful to assess whether children can build on the answers of others to construct a deeper level of understanding. There are opportunities for paired discussion which are indicated where appropriate.

Do I need to use all the questions/activities?Not necessarily. It depends on the needs of the children. For example, if you feel that a group of pupils has already demonstrated good prediction skills you may choose to focus on another area where you do not have as much evidence. This tool is intended to support you in making your assessment rather than be seen as a straitjacket.

Will we need to carry out any other assessments? There are many ways of assessing reading and it will depend on your school’s Assessment Policy. These assessments will provide part of the picture alongside other ongoing assessments. You may for instance carry out a standardised test at


the beginning of the year and during the summer term. We have included a summary sheet where information from different assessment tools can be recorded.

Can we use the books for further Guided Reading sessions? Yes. Some of the books are collections of poetry and short stories and have been selected because they are high quality texts. The text you use for the assessment activity can be revisited in future sessions and your assessment will inform your teaching.

What should I do after I have carried out the assessment? There is a sheet for each year group in you pack with the title; ‘The Year… Reader’. This is designed to be filled in for each child in your class for these and other assessments. Use this assessment to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each reader and the actions you will need to take to move them forward.


Just ImagineReading KS2Teacher Assessment


Before Reading (ask these questions before the children see the book and title)

What do you know about Shakespeare? (If the children don’t know anything , give a brief introduction)

Child’s response

Questions Possible Responses 1 2 3 4 5 6

Vocabulary

Identify new vocabulary using a range of strategies

London: Read the sentence; ‘The rickety wooden houses lean in at precarious angles’. What do the words rickety and precarious mean?

What is a ‘cut purse’?

Are there any words that you haven’t seen before? Can you work out what they mean?

Rickety: not safe, might collapse, not well madePrecarious: likely to fall down, dangerous.

It is a pickpocket. It could be someone who steals purses from people.

Comment on description that effectively evokes time or place

Read the first paragraph about London (p13). Which words/phrases describe London most effectively

‘racket makes his ears ring’ shows it’s very noisy.

‘stink makes his nostrils itch’ makes me think it must be very smelly‘smelly chamber pots’, ‘slippery with rubbish’

Year 5Term 1

Shakespeare - Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom


Retrieving

Retrieve, record and present infor-mation in different forms.

Opportunity for written task: Present the information about London as a leaflet with the title: Welcome to London. Include advice for visitors.

Refer to more than one place in the text to retrieve information

Create a timeline of main events in the life of Shakespeare between his birth and 1594. The reader will need to re-read the text and find the information that is not speculation to add to their timeline.

1564: Born Stratford upon Avon1571: Goes to the Grammar School in Stratford1579 (approx): Begins to learn his father’s business1582: Courts Anne HathawayNovember 1582: Marries Anne Hathaway1583: Susanna is born1585: Twins, Hamnet and Judith born1587: Shakespeare goes to London1594: Joins Lord Chamberlain’s men

Summarising

Summarise longer texts effectively

On the front cover Simon Callow de-scribed the book as the ‘perfect intro-duction to the real Shakespeare’. How do you think this book is about the ‘real’ Shakespeare?

I think it’s because it tells us about his whole life from being a child right to the end. Some books just talk about the plays he wrote but this does more


Identify themes How would you sum up this book in one sentence?

e.g. Find out about the life of Shake-speare and his wonderful plays.

Making Inferences

Drawing inferenc-es such as infer-ring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferenc-es with evidence.

When William Shakespeare arrives in London he says; ‘London at last! What a filthy, noisy, delightful place!’ Why do you think he says ‘delightful’? Do you think London seems like a delight-ful place?

Perhaps he thinks it is all very exciting compared to living in Stratford. He will get ideas for his plays.

Comment on how a character might change during a story and make inferences about the reasons for change

Why do you think Shakespeare chose to leave his home and go to London?

Pupils may refer to their own experienc-es of being to London or what they think it might be like.


Author Intent

Evaluate how authors use lan-guage, including figurative lan-guage, consider-ing the impact on the reader

Why do the authors choose the quote from Othello at the beginning of the section, ‘The Upstart Crow’?

Shakespeare took ideas from his friends and was becoming more successful than them so they were jealous of him. It says ‘green with envy’ in the quote and in the section below.

‘We love the attention to detail, especially in the depiction of Shake-speare’s family homes, as well as its humour and charm. Shakespeare’s life has been told for children many times before but not, we like to think, as fully or affectionately as this.’

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford Upon AvonCan you find places where the authors have shown affection for Shakespeare?

The call him Will which is a friendly way of talking about him. They say his life is ‘remarkable’ on the first page.


Formal and informalLondon: Compare the paragraph that begins; ‘We’re not sure if Will....’ with ‘London was a lawless place’. What are the differences in the way these have been written ? Which style do you prefer and why?

The first is written in the first person: ‘we’ and sounds more chatty/informal. Words like ‘dodge’ and ‘chucked’ are not formal. The second section is in the third person and uses words like ‘lawless’ and ‘protection’. It sounds more informative. The first bit gets you inter-ested and it sounds like the authors are talking to us. We can find out more by reading the second part. The first part is told in the present tense

Read the Lost Years. Do we know what happened to Shakespeare during these years? Which words and phrases show that the au-thors don’t know?The authors say that this section; ‘helps our audience appre-ciate that there are not always clear-cut answers.’Do you agree? How does this section make you feel? Do you think it should be included when there are no facts?

Perhaps, suggest, no one know for certain, maybe, some say, if, some people think, he could have, some enthusiasts believe.

Yes it helps you because in the past things weren’t always written down so we don’t always know. It helps us to think of what he might have done. When we read his plays we might be able to think for our-selves what he might have done in that time. Personal responses may be positive, e.g. I like it because it’s like a mystery to try and solve. Or negative, e.g. I don’t like it be-cause we don’t know what happened and that is frustrating.


Each page has a mixture of sentenc-es written in the present and past tense. What effect does this have on the way you read the information?

The present tense makes it seem more immediate and real. I can imagine what Shakespeare was actually doing even though it was over 400 years ago.

Identify balanced and biased view-points

The subtitle of the book is ‘Scenes from the life of the world’s greatest writer’. What do the author’s think of Shakespeare? Do you agree? Who is the ‘greatest’ writer?

The think he is the best in the world. They must really like him. I don’t agree - my favourite writer is ....

Discuss texts that have more than one viewpoint

The Lost Years pre-sents different views of what happened during Will’s late teens. Do you think the authors believe some theories more than others? If so which ones and why?

I think the ones on the main page are the ones they believe more. They give more reasons for these being true than the others.

Evaluation

On the front cover Simon Callow de-scribed the book as the ‘perfect intro-duction to the real Shakespeare’. Is it a ‘perfect’ book? Why does Simon Callow think it is ‘perfect’?

Does response make reference to own preferences as a reader. I this is a perfect book about Shakespeare. My perfect book is....Simon Callow thinks it is perfect because it is about the real Shakespeare and gives lots of informa-tion about his life.


Shakespeare Timeline

Add the main events from the life of Shakespeare to this timeline. You can add extra boxes.

1560 1570 1580 1590 1600 1610 1620


Before Reading

What do you think a poem about the sun will be like? What could the mood of the poem be?

Questions Possible Responses Child’s response

Vocabulary


‘Sun is Laughing’: What do you think ‘buttering up’ means?

Are there any words that you haven’t seen before? Can you work them out from the context?

May refer to the idiom, to flatter or praise someone to make them more willing to do something. When the sun shines people always feel happier to do things

Explain the use of unusual or surprising language choices and effects, such as onomatopoeia and metaphor; comment on how this influences meaning

Read ‘Sun’ - The poet uses ‘bright’ and ‘old’ to describe the sun’s fingers. Would you expect to find these two words used together? What does it make you think?

I think it’s a strange combination be-cause you’d usually think of bright and young. The sun is really old though because it has been around for longer than we have, but it still shines as brightly now as it used to.


Which words/phrases in the first stanza of ‘Sun is Laugh-ing’ convey the mood of happiness?

Yellow laughter spilling over, broad, brightening, buttering up

Year 5Term 2

Sun Time Snow Time - Grace NicholsSun - p33 Sun is Laughing - p55


Explore imagery including metaphor and personification;

Read ‘Sun’. What does the first line: The sun is a glowing spider suggest about the sun? What is the name for this kind of description?

Read ‘Sun is Laughing’. What technique does Grace Nichols use in this poem? Can you give examples that illustrate this technique?

I think she used the metaphor “sun is a glowing spider” because the sun is a glowing sphere with flames radiating off it that mimic the legs of a spider. I think it helps you picture the sun.

Personification

Personal pronoun ‘she’ is used.

Actions are like human actions ‘got up’, ‘poked her head through the window.

Uses human emotions ‘bored’, ‘sulky’

Authorial Intent

Compare different forms and describe impact

‘Sun is Laughing’ and ‘Sun’ use different techniques to describe the sun. Which do you feel is more effective and why?

Encourage responses which refer to the poem for justification.

Discuss poet’s possible viewpoint, explain and justify own response and interpretation;

‘Sun is Laughing’: What does Grace Nicholls think about the sun? What does it tell you when she says; ‘how can we live without the holiday of your face?’

Sun is inspired by the poet’s childhood in Guyana in South America. Grace Nicholls moved to England and’ Sun is Laughing’ was written dur-ing this time. Are there any differences between the two poems?

She really loves the sunshine and needs it. Some people aren’t so both-ered. She feels like she is on holiday when the sun is out and is miserable without it.

‘Sun is Laughing’ is about how the sun isn’t very reliable in England. Perhaps the sun shines a lot more in Guy-ana which is why the poem is more straightforward. Perhaps she appre-ciates the sun more now because it doesn’t shine so often.


Making Inferences

Drawing inferences and justifying inferences with evidence.

‘Sun is Laughing’: Who is ‘she’ in the first line of the poem? Where does it tell you this in the poem?

The sun. Refer to the actions that ‘she’ takes and how they are the things the sun does. It tells you it is the sun further down in the second stanza.

Personal Response

Which poem do you prefer and why?

Encourage free expression of preferences


Before Reading (ask these questions before the children see the book and title)

‘Who is most likely to be happy: the king in his castle, with all his lands and wealth, or the woodcutter living in his little cottage in the forest?’

Child’s response

Questions Possible Responses 1 2 3 4 5 6

Prediction

Predict what might happen from details stated and implied.Did predictions meet or challenge the readers expectations?

Why do you think the raven caws at the moment the woodcutter’s wife comments that “happiness was a gift that even kings could not buy.”? After reading: Were you right in your prediction? When did you realise? What clues are there throughout the story?

How can a brambly bush be Blackberry Blue’s mother?

There is a Raven witch mentioned in the preface. It could be her. Maybe she is really a bird who changes into a woman.

Perhaps a spell has been cast on a real person and they have been turned into a bush

Year 5Term 3

Blackberry Blue - Jamila Gavin


Vocabulary and Authorial Intent


Is there a word in the story that is new to you? How did you work it out?

Examples could be foraging, foundling


Is the forest a safe or threatening place in this story? Which language does the author use to make you think this?

P21. The castle was seething with rumours. What impact does the use of seething have?

The author includes descriptions of the sky at different point in the story. Compare;

P16: “The night sky was becoming pale. Any moment now , pink fingered dawn would break through the crack...” withP20, “The sky turned blood-red with the rising sun” and p25, “The dawn grey sky turned as red as blood.”

What is happening at each point in the story? What impact does the description have on the reader?

Safe: the woodcutter’s wife is not afraid even when she is lost. There is plenty of food in the forest. Blackberry Blue visits her mother there.

Threatening: Prince Just is attacked by the wolf in the forest. The description on page 4 makes it seem sinister and menacing.

Seething is a word you would use to describe a feeling of anger. Seething is a quiet kind of anger. Everyone is talking about the fight and they feel angry about Prince Wolf’s behaviour.

Blood red sounds dangerous and menacing as if someone will get hurt. Pink fingered sounds more gentle.


Can use terminology such as metaphor, personification and onomatopoeia

P6: Read the description of the baby. What technique does the author use to describe Blackberry Blue?

Can they recognise that the comparison is being made to a blackberry?

Simile: skin as black as midnight... lips like crushed damsons... hair shone like threads of black gold

Retrieving

Comment on characterisation referring to dialogue, action and description

The Prince is called Prince Just. What does Just mean? How does he live up to his name?

Can you find examples of language used by the author to reinforce the idea of Prince Wolf behaving like a wolf?

Just means fair and right. Prince Just is described on p8 as noble and good. on page 11 he asks to buy a pie and pays (unlike Prince Wolf). He challenges his brother on p19 and tells him to let Blackberry Blue go.

P8. prowlingP15, leapedP19 with a snarl21 limping24 bounded

Refer to more than one place in the text to retrieve information

Find some clues in the text that the evil queen is the raven?


How changes in narration time and place are signalled

How is the passing of time signalled in the story?

Temporal language; years went by, meanwhile, each year...

Summarising

Summarise longer texts effectively

Summarise the story in 50 words or less.

Identify themes Does Blackberry Blue remind you of any other traditional tales?

Are there any other stories where a character wears a magical outfit?

What lesson do you think the King learns in this story?

Cinderella - the magical outfit and Blackberry Blue having to leave the ball at midnight. The evil stepmother. Prince Just is like the Ugly Sisters.

Greater Depth - children will need to have read a range of traditional tales to make connections with Mossycoat, Donkeyskin and others. ARE - make connections with Superheroes, Harry Potter etc.

He learns that beauty is less important than kindness.

Making inferences

Respond to questions which refer to significant events/characters and plots to improve understanding

What makes a person worthy of being a princess? How does Blackberry Blue prove that she is worthy? Plot the key events on a story map.

In this story it is their behaviour.


Drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justifying inferences with evidence.

What signs are there that the woodcutter’s wife is the right person to find Blackberry Blue?

She longs for a child but still appreciates what she has. The blackberry bush opens up to release her with the baby. She doesn’t forget where she came from and she tells Blackberry Blue the truth before she dies.

Comment on how a character might change during a story and make inferences about the reasons for change

What kind of man do you think the King is? Does he change at all during the story?

He thinks he is doing the right thing by marrying the Raven Witch because he wants his son to have a mother. He is too besotted by his wife to realise how unkind she is to his son.

Explore the meaning of figurative language, consider the author’s intended impact

Read the paragraph at the bottom of p6; “Her skin was...” What image do you have. What does the author want you to think?

Comments on the visual effect You connect the bush with Blackberry Blue. She is beautiful. Children could make the connection with Blackberry Blue’s ethnicity and her beauty.

Understand that characters may have different perspectives in a story

How do Prince Just and Prince Wolf differ in their feelings towards Blackberry Blue.

Prince Wolf is only interested in Blackberry Blue because Prince Just loves her. He wants to control her and sees her as a possession. Just loves her.


Authorial Intent

Blackberry Blue is similar to Cinderella. Why do you think Jamila Gavin chose to tell the story in this way?Now read the preface. Does this confirm or alter your thinking?

Jamila Gavin might want children from diverse backgrounds to identify with the character.

Documents

Teacher Assessment: Reading Guidance notes