Teaching Comprehension Skills in Curriculum Subjects, Part I

Teach Scanning and Prediction Skills -do it often

Teacher as Inquiry PLD

Teaching Formal Writing -The Functional Grammar Shortcut

In a Nutshell

A Functional Grammar approach to the teaching of Writing Skills.

This resource was produced to help Year 10 students write an explanation essay at Curriculum Level 5 or 6. This is the level students need to write at in order to achieve the new literacy standard in writing. The resource above is on my webpage and is aimed at teachers who wish to use Functional Grammar as a way to focus on the language needed for Explanation Writing. In this, we encourage students to ask, what is the function of this writing task? Then we ask, what language do I need to master in order to complete this writing task?

32403 Read written texts to understand ideas and information. Scaffolded Reading Task

Ego Tripping II





Optional Exercise

32403 Read written texts to understand ideas and information. Scaffolded Reading Task

Literacy Reading
Students whose reading was clearly at or above the standard demonstrated strengths in:
-understanding that writers make specific language choices to suit their purpose and audience
This reading of a text by Black author was designed to show how a writing plays or manipulates language a purpose. In this can Nikki Giovani is using exaggeration to demonstrate pride in her Afican roots. Exaggeration is also a feature of Black American street poetry or rapping. This existed long before it became a music form. The lesson starts with a packet of matching cards. Groups of four spend time matching various language feature commonly found in reading tasks. The cards are in lots of three. Term: Metaphor, Example: The ute was a bucking bronco, Definition: two separate things are compared directly.

One major language feature is demonstrated in the poem Ego Tripping. Students highlight this feature as they read the text. Students are encouraged to annote the text with regard to historical events found in the text. Students are also introduced to the events of the 1960s, black pride or black consciuosness. Ego Tripping by Nikki Giovani

Literacy Teaching Across Curriculum Subjects

To create a culture of Literacy teaching in a school there needs to be a number of non-negotiables in planning and teaching. The first of these requires individual teachers and departments to ask what are the learning needs of my students. Reading avoidance is common among students but there is also a need to ask do teachers also avoid setting reading tasks. Choral reading, reading to students and the use of video clips are still common strategies used to sidestep setting reading tasks in the classroom. Our students often engage in ‘word calling or barking at the text. Unless there is a commitment to teach reading in curriculum areas students will not develop their comprehension skills. This survey is a stocktake of teacher literacy teaching in our school. It is designed as a before and after assessment of the explicit use of comprehension strategies in the classroom.

Literacy First How to Build a Culture of Literacy Dr. Marcella L. Bullmaster-Day, Ed.D

Improving Reading Skills Through Effective Reading Strategies Hulya Kucukoglu


We need to build a culture of literacy teaching with a set of non-negotiable goals, one which refines teacher instructional skills.


Stocktake Self analysis Survey


Please use this form to analyse how comprehension is taught in your class or Department.