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The Comprehension Strategies Box

The Comprehension Strategies Box is a set of six boxes suitable for children aged 5-11+. Each box contains a set of full-colour, differentiated literacy cards designed to support the teaching and learning of nine different comprehension strategies. These well-researched and proven strategies – predicting, visualising, making connections, questioning, clarifying, summarising, determining importance, inferring, and synthesising – are compiled to help teachers unlock their pupils’ reading abilities.

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The Comprehension Strategies Box caters for all pupils while learning the same strategies, with three differentiated reading levels by suggested Lexile® ranges for each strategy, and a placement test provided to ascertain pupils’ starting point.

Overview of the series

Six copies of each text card allow focused group work, while independent groups/stations are catered for with activity sheets specific to each text.
Original texts across the cards and Teacher Guide, allowing pupils to experience a variety of fiction and non-fiction text types.
Extensive support through a comprehensive Teacher Guide and an additional Activity Book with worksheets for all texts on the cards.

Teachers review The Comprehension Strategies Box

Features of The Comprehension Strategies Box

The Comprehension Strategies Box is a key English resource. Pupils are presented with comprehension books and cards, which they use to answer various comprehension questions.

This system teaches pupils to understand key concepts and develop valuable information processing skills.

Features include:

Six copies of each text card are included, enabling focused group work.
Activity sheets for each text are included, enabling independent groups/stations.
Pupils experience a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts.
A comprehensive Teacher Guide is included for seamless delivery.
An additional Activity Book features cards and worksheets for all texts.
Each resource provides multiple comprehension strategies.
All reading levels are catered to, so pupils can pace their learning.
Each box can be implemented within the National Curriculum for English.
Comprehension strategy cards allow for small group discussions and independent learning.
Strategies are easy to implement, even without background knowledge.

What is the Lexile® framework?

Lexile® is a framework used to measure literacy and reading skills. It's a fantastic tool for teachers, as it helps them to measure each pupil's progress. The Lexile® Framework for Reading identifies the difficulty level of each text.

The Lexile® range goes from 200L to 2000L, with the average reading level of a Year 8 pupil being 1000L. This framework is a recognised standard in most schools, and The Comprehension Strategies Box integrates seamlessly with it.

Reading comprehension strategies and skills

A number of important strategies are covered in this series. Pupils can expect to develop the following nine reading comprehension skills:

Predicting: Learning how to make and evaluate predictions based on the text.
Visualising: Learning how to create mental images to aid with memory and understanding.
Questioning: Learning how to formulate and ask questions based on the text.
Summarising: Learning how to summarise a text in their own words for enhanced clarity and insight.
Inferring: Learning how to evaluate conclusions from the information presented.
Making connections: Learning how to make connections between text material and life experience.
Clarifying: Learning how to recognise unknown words and concepts to extract meaning.
Determining importance: Learning how to draw conclusions and recognise what's important.
Synthesising: Learning how to process information by reflecting on what's been read.

Benefits for teachers and pupils in the classroom

The Comprehension Strategies Box by Prim-Ed Publishing delivers practical support in the classroom. The comprehension cards are designed to teach different reading comprehension skills, with various methods and activities available for the teacher to choose from. Depending on implementation, a wide array of teaching strategies is possible.

Each box contains 162 cards, including duplicate copies for small group work. Each card has a comprehension strategy printed directly on it, complete with examples and activities.

This system is very easy to use for teachers and pupils alike, and no background knowledge is needed to master the material.

Reading comprehension strategies can be taught in various ways. In a classroom setting, pupils work in small groups to complete tasks. In a typical programme, they will read stories or articles before applying the strategies learned. The cards can also be used individually by pupils, or in a one-on-one setting. There are five boxes in total, and each one is suitable for a different age group:

A comprehensive range of English educational resources

Prim-Ed's resources are designed to enhance children's ability to read and impart effective strategies for improving reading comprehension. Offering a diverse array of English educational materials, including worksheets and guides for teachers, Prim-Ed Publishing extends a wide selection to cater to your needs.

Frequently asked questions

What's included in The Comprehension Strategy Box?

Each box contains everything you need to get started, including 162 cards covering the nine strategies, a Teacher Guide, and an Activity Book with interactive classroom worksheets. The Comprehension Strategy Box also includes a wide variety of texts for pupils to read.

What are the nine reading comprehension strategies?

The nine strategies are predicting, visualising, questioning, summarising, inferring, making connections, clarifying, determining importance, and synthesising. When combined, these skills enable full reading comprehension. Learn more by reading our blogs.

How do pupils learn comprehension skills with this series?

This series provides a healthy balance between explicit instruction and independent learning. Pupils are taught about the nine strategies directly, and they're also given lots of opportunities to use them on their own. Teachers love this great combination.