Advice for English/Drama Teachers

Advice for English/Drama teachers

Comprehension

after ABI it is very easy to decode a text and not understand it at all. It is difficult to do two things at the same time, particularly if pupils find decoding difficult. Pupils may be taught to use SQ3R: Survey, Question, Read, Review, Recite or I prefer, ‘retell’ as this means the pupil is retelling the account in their own words. Alternatively you could use Wh: Asking wh questions What? Where? Why? Who? When? How? focuses the pupil on the content of the passage rather than just the words used. This can be remembered through the icon ‘5 bums on a rugby post’

I find it important to ask the pupil to imagine the setting for the action and describe it back to me

inference involves reading between the lines or beyond the text in terms of what would have happened before the incident in the passage, what happens next, characters feelings and motives, implications of actions and the like. This is extremely hard after ABI and will need a lot of teaching

recall can be difficult after ABI, but practice can help. The pupil could also highlight important facts or opinions as they read, or they may draw a concept map to help.

reorganisational comprehension is hard after ABI and any attempt should be praised. Later after injury the TA could prompt reorganisational comprehension by starting a phrase as ‘Though…… this happened’, or ‘Because of this….. that happened’, and helping the pupil to complete it. Thinking aloud is very helpful in these as the pupil can try out ideas, however they may not be able to remember what they have said and the TA or teacher will need to act as an external memory

Empathy with characters

understanding a character’s personal situation, feelings and motives is very hard post-ABI. It is difficult to move away from what their own reaction would be

if the narrative is set in a non-familiar time or geographical location it will be important to see pictures or films of the period or location

Styles of writing

producing ideas for writing may be difficult. It may help if you restrict the choice for the young person

narrative writing can expose difficulties with sequencing

persuasion and argument involve seeing an issue from the point of view of another and will require careful preparation

in reportive writing it may be difficult to move away from narrative

Cohesion

pronouns may make sense as they frequently refer to a person or object who has not been named

the subject and verb may not agree

ideas may be referred to without being introduced

both speech and writing may be tangential, and wander seemingly aimlessly

it is important that proof reading becomes routine and that the pupil is taught to look for pronouns and verb agreement, and also for missing words and ideas which are off the point.

Figurative language

any form of figurative language is difficult after ABI. Metaphor is particularly troublesome.

poetry usually employs a number of different forms of elliptical language

the puns and double entendre common in Shakespeare will need to be explained

Frameworks

frameworks are very helpful to organise ideas, but there are many different formats and after ABI young people will probably not be able to sort out how to use each one without help.

a word processing document can also be used to develop a personal framework. It also helps to focus attention.

concept maps may be used to plan written tasks

post it notes may also be used to sequence ideas for writing

a framework where the pupil has to change the words you have given to make it their own, or to change the style, will be almost impossible as they will not be able to find alternatives.