Strategies to Develop Pupils’ understanding of texts
There is a large body of literature on strategies to support readers in understanding,
responding to and reflecting on texts. What follow is a ‘reference list’ and a brief
outline of some of the main strategies.
Prior knowledge activation
Helps pupils to make connections with the text they are reading and their world. For
example if pupils are reading ‘Christmas Carol’ it may be helpful for pupils to spend
3-5 minutes mind mapping/brainstorming the words/feelings they associate with
Christmas. Alternatively they may be given a picture from the text for example
‘Scrooge’ and spend a few minutes talking about the sort of character he may be
Thought showering around the title,
Word association chain around the key
chapter heading, picture on the front
word in title or an image in the text
cover, picture of a main character for
example Private Peaceful by Michael
Morpurgo
Using whiteboards ask for memories
Filling in a mind mapping, concept
around the word in title or an artefact –
mapping or other grid/pro forma
‘This reminds me of……It makes me think
of….’
The use of such strategies is based on insights from schema theory, which explores
how we build and access knowledge.
Prediction/group prediction
As pupils read a section of text, they are Other directed activities relating to texts
encouraged to:
(DARTS)
 Talk about what is happening
 Cloze procedure
 What they think will happen next.
 Summarising
For example at the end of a
 Sequencing
chapter of Skellig, on whiteboards
 Comparing texts
pupils asked to draw/write/mind
 Alternative representations
map what they think will happen
next. Using ‘show me’ the teacher
has instant response from the
class
 Revise earlier predictions in light
of new evidence from the text.
Works well in books which focus
on prejudice and bias. For
example ‘Why the whales came’,
‘Stone cold’.
Constructing Images (visualising, drawing, drama)
During and after reading pupils sketch
Undertake freeze frames of key moments
what they see – 4 quadrant sheet
in a story. For example, in Scrooge pupils
in small groups get into freeze frame, as
teacher moves around he/she touches a
character and they speak in role. Can be
a very powerful tool. Works extremely
well with Shakespeare.
Initially modelled by teacher – read aloud Make models/puppets based on texts.
(turn off lights, create atmosphere) talk
about any associations-ask pupils to
picture it. Useful activity when
encouraging pupils to write- take them
on a sense journey letting them jot down
ideas on paper/white boards.
Summarising
Model skim reading a text making explicit Go through a text/paragraph highlighting
skills you are using as a competent
the key sentence/sentence in each.
reader. Encourage skim reading or rePupils benefit in seeing this modelled by
reading and ask for oral summaries
the teacher.
Pupils asked to write brief summaries at
Summarise by re-structuring key
the end of each chapter outlining key
information contained in a text into nonevents and further insights into character prose form. It may involve drawing a
and plot. Can be over used as a strategy. matrix, tree diagram, word map/web, a
labelled picture etc.
Questioning/Clarifying
Discussion:
Talk to the author/character:
Class, group or individual focussed
Questions to the author/character are
discussion with the aim of clarifying
written on paper/whiteboards and are
understanding. Discussion goes beyond
used for focussed discussion.
simple recall questions into inference and
deduction.
Focus journals:
When pupils are working independently they are given a focus question. They make
notes on particular aspects of the text during reflection in independent reading.
Pupils use these thought/reflections as a basis for discussion.
Story grammar/text structure analysis
At KS3 most but not all pupils will have, through their reading, knowledge of how
stories are structured. They will have through shared texts and their independent
reading, knowledge about the features of a variety of genres. This accumulating
knowledge of stories/texts develops in readers a set of expectations for the structure
of a story, helps facilitate our understanding of texts and improves our
memory/recall of a story. In the past few years there has been a lot of research into
the structure of non-fiction texts
As a starter activity match text features to a
variety of genres (fiction and non-fiction)
Using story maps/story shapes/ (introduction,
setting, character, conflict, resolution) story
charts/story bricks pupils draw a ‘map’ of or
‘build’ the events in a story.
Interpretive Strategies
Character development:
Identifying themes/information
 Feeling graphs or maps showing
 The author’s chair – pupil takes
how emotions develop
role of author, answering
throughout story. For example in
questions about the text/book
Romeo and Juliet pupils chart a
and justifying what ‘they’ have
graph for a character adding
written
textual evidence to support – can
 Draw a diagram, grid, flow chart
range from 10 (above line) to -10
etc to show information
(below line)
 Highlight words, phrases which
 Journal entries
link together to build a picture of
character or mood, or setting or
 Hot seating
so on
 T.V interview- compile a list of
questions to ask if you were to
 Write a blurb for the book
interview the character
 Identify facts and opinions and
 Drawing characters and
consider how they are woven
surrounding the drawing with
together
phrases from the text
 Compile a ‘what’s important’ grid.
Useful for difficult text.
 Writing thought bubbles for
characters at key moments in the
text when they don’t actually
speak
 Relationship maps between
different characters with evidence
from the text
 Relationship grid with each
character listed along the top and
down the side. Each cell
represents a relationship to be
explored
 Speculating on actions and
motives, e.g. asking, why did,
what if?
 Character emotions register. This
involves creating a 5-point
emotions scale with the pupils for
the possible range of reactions at
certain specific points in the story
(for example from ‘mildly irritated’
to ‘incandescent with rage’).
Pupils then rate characters on the
scale. Fun as a starter – 5 pupils
stand with numbers around room.
Pupils (could be first 10 on
register or all) stand at number
they think and have to justify
their opinions if asked.
Reading for multiple meanings:
Looking for/challenging a
consistent point of view
 Rank characters according to
criteria e.g. most powerful to
 Genre exchange – ask pupils to
least powerful. Do different
transpose something from one
criteria give different insights?
written genre they have just read
Useful for characters such as
into another written genre
Macbeth/Lady Macbeth
 Criteria rating certain scenes at a
crucial point- most likely to
 Retell a scene from the point of
view of a minor character within it
happen/least likely to happen,
most likely to be true, least likely
 Justify the action of a ‘villain’
to be true
 Problem solving- stop at the point
where the character faces a
 Story comparison charts. Several
problem or dilemma. List
versions of a story are read and a
comparative chart is completed
alternative suggestions from the
group. Consider the
consequences of each suggestion.
Arrive at a group/class decision
Relating texts to personal experience
 Say what they would have done at certain bits of the story
 Choose the most interesting, depressing, exciting, poignant moment from a
story/chapter. Justify the choice
 Response journals (on-going throughout the reading of novels) Sometimes
does not work well with pupils who struggle with writing. Can stop their
enjoyment of the text
 Relate to other books by the same author or on the same topic, read by the
group or individual. Discuss similarities or differences