- Clarifying
- Summarising
- Activating prior knowledge
- Visualising
- Connecting
- Predicting
- Questioning
- Evaluating
Day 1
The first day focuses on the key strategy of clarifying, helping children to become familiar with words they will experience in the text and so removing barriers to comprehension. Working independently, in pairs or in a group, children complete activities that explore key vocabulary from the text. They record their responses in their individual workbooks
Day 2
On the second day, children pre-read the key text for the week. Confident readers can read it independently (in print or online), whereas less confident children can listen to the audio book on ActiveLearn. Alternatively, you may wish to take a paired-reading approach, or to have the text read aloud to a group by a teaching assistant. The children record their thoughts about the three ‘key questions’ – the ‘looking’, ‘clue’ and ‘thinking’ questions – in their workbooks. They also generate their own questions about the text in preparation for the group discussion on the third day.
Day 3
On the third day, the whole class discuss the three key questions. No reading aloud should happen here; rather, children should be encouraged to speak directly to one another, building on each other’s comments. The teaching card provides prompts to move discussion forward and gives opportunities for ‘in-the-moment’ formative assessment against the key comprehension strategies. Insights can then be recorded on the observation sheet found on page 37 of the Bug Club Comprehension Programme Handbook.
Day 4
On the fourth day, children reflect on their group discussion and revisit the key questions, exploring what more they have learned and how their thinking has developed. Working independently, in pairs or in groups, they complete activities in their workbooks, revising and embedding the strategies practised during the discussion. The fourth day also provides an opportunity for formative assessment, using children’s workbooks to observe how their thoughts about the three key questions, and their use of the key comprehension strategies, have developed.
Day 5
On the fifth day, children complete a follow-up writing activity in their workbooks, which focuses on a selection of key comprehension strategies. For children who require more support or more challenge, ‘support’ and ‘extend’ photocopy masters are available from the online platform. The written outcomes produced on the fifth day provide an excellent opportunity for the formative assessment of written comprehension.