1. Improving inference and comprehension skills
Context:
Whole school focus on literacy, in particular writing. From work in literacy interventions, I decided to focus on reading, in particular inference and comprehension. This was the focus for research:
‘Effective Teaching of Inference skills for Reading. Literature Review. Ann Kispal, National Foundation for Educational Research. DCSF, (Report no: DCSF – RR031)
‘Reading Comprehension: Nature, Assessment and Teaching’ Margaret Jean Snowling, ESRC, 2009
‘Bringing Words to Life, Robust Vocabulary Instruction’, Beck, McKeown & Kucan, 2013
The Secret of Literacy, David Didau, 2014
Research confirmed my initial thoughts; that reading comprehension was affected by a range of things, in particular it was clear that inference was significant and that good vocabulary underpinned inference and comprehension.
With the research in mind, I was interested to discover what the vocabulary and comprehension levels were for a small group of year 9 students with literacy difficulties.

2. British Picture Vocabulary
Assessments:
A group of low prior attaining students, with literacy difficulties, were assessed for reading comprehension and vocabulary. I used the following standardised assessments:
YORK Assessment of Reading Comprehension, including single word reading
British Picture Vocabulary
The results were interesting, the group had varying levels of decoding skills and comprehension skills as we might have expected, but every student had a vocabulary score in the below average range, it was the one thing that they had in common:
Student Vocabulary Standardised Score
A 73
B 80
C 84
D 74
E 82
F 86

3. I decided to develop a Vocabulary Intervention to use in the Interventions Department. Using the ideas from ‘Bringing Words to Life ..’
The aim of the intervention was to move students from being users of everyday language to users of literate language; the language of books and writing. Techniques were included in the intervention to engage students in discussion about language and meaning and to help them recall the words. Recalling words learnt was important as many students with literacy difficulties have difficulties with memory.
Our SEN teacher took the intervention and taught it to a group of Year 9 students and followed the techniques and recorded responses.

4. The Intervention – in Brief
Use a source text for each lesson
From the source text, identify suitable Tier 2 words to teach
Use a range of activities to develop understanding (‘student friendly explanation’) and rich word associations and relationships
Words should be ‘used’ (opportunities for writing)
Discussion is used to ensure understanding and that the words and their importance in the text is clear; drawing inferences where possible
Words are used beyond the intervention – in collaboration with other teachers
Students keep a working record of the words, e.g. a Word Book to develop a rich list of words that have been learnt
A word map with all the words learnt is developed on the classroom wall to see the various associations and relationships that can be made and for revision of words (as recommended by Language and Communication Advisory Teacher)

5. Text 1: ‘Into the Tomb of Tutankhamun’
A list of word activities was produced, from the ‘Bringing Words to Life’ text. Students were exposed to a range of texts, fiction and non fiction. They were short texts, but all had Tier 2 words that students were unfamiliar with.
Example Lesson
First term
Text 1: ‘Into the Tomb of Tutankhamun’
Lesson
Title/enquiry
Tier 2 words
Activities
Resources 1
How can Vain mean two different things?
Emerged
Enquired
Bewildering
Accustomed
Vain
Interpret
Show images linked to Egypt, treasure and Tutankhamun. Ask students to write words that come into their heads when look at the images.
Ask student to read page one of the text and complete mini summaries of each paragraph. Suggest underlining words they do not understand.
Introduce to the concept of word zooming to make sense of a text using banksy image.
Introduce key tier two words and go through meanings, stress double meaning of ‘vain’.
Split students into pairs for a quiz using the six words and give out prizes for the winner.
Finally return to texts to adjust summaries in light of the new vocabulary they have learnt today.
Text: ‘Into the Tomb of Tutankhamun’ part 1
Exercise books
Powerpoint

6. What words come into your head when you see these pictures?
Write them on your post it, try to come up with as many as you can.

7. I have made a vain attempt and being vain! Aims for today:
Identify and explain new or complex terms
Apply our knowledge of new or complex terms.
Develop our literacy skills.

8. Reading together:
I want you to read the story section you have been given and write a summary of what is happening in the box provided. The summary needs to be in your own words and not copied from the text. If you want to you can underline any words you don’t know.

9. What do you think this is a picture of?
What will be in the rest of the image?

11. Word Zooming
When we read it is sometimes necessary to zoom in on words.
This can help us to get a better understanding of the text and help us to build our vocabulary.
On the next slide are six words we are zooming in on today.

12. So what do these words mean?
Emerged – come out of or appear
Enquired – asked about or investigated.
Bewildering - confusing
Accustomed – get used to
Vain – pointless
Interpret – understand or translate
Emerged Enquired Bewildering Accustomed Vain Interpret
Why are two of the words in a different colour?

13. A team quiz: You are now going to work together.
You will be shown a question and given three options.
You either need to pick the correct answer or you may need to put them in order.

14. Now complete these sentences:
Manchester United emerged…
The Detective enquired about …
I find driving bewildering because…
I have become accustomed to…
I have tried in vain to…
I cannot interpret this book…

15. Back to the story: Lets have a look at the summaries we have written.
Now that we have zoomed in on some words is there anything we want to change about what we have written?
Can you try to quote one of our words to help you change what you have written?

16. Evaluation:
All students were thoroughly engaged in the intervention. They enjoyed learning new words and using new words. The words were used in their English lessons so they could see the value of this learning. Students grew in confidence.
Students were assessed at the end of the intervention to see if they had learnt all of the words and understood them. The assessment asked students to place words in to sentences and also to write their own sentences using words they had learnt. Out of 30 new words that had been taught, students scored:
Student A 26
Student B 26
Student C 27
Student D 23
Student E 23
Student F 26
Student G 27
Student H 19
Pleasing results as all have learning difficulties. Last student on list also EAL.

17. Next Steps:
New intervention to be used in the work of the Literacy Team for students with literacy and language difficulties
Technique to be used in Year 10 for the same group of students in English lessons
Intervention to be shared with English Teachers in October
Vocabulary Toolkit to be presented to all teachers as the techniques can be used for all subjects where reading is needed, e.g. Geography, History, Science, etc