Encourage pupils to share their personal response to fiction books that they have had read to them or that they read themselves. They can give their response to characters and events in the stories and think about the themes within the book.
The resources provided will help prompt discussions about books, encouraging pupils to express and justify their opinions with the aim to promote participation in ‘book talk’ and help promote a love of reading. Two versions of the worksheet are provided, allowing for differentiation across the key stage.
What is included in this resource pack?
- personal response to fiction texts –Years 3/4
- personal response to fiction texts – Years 5/6
- personal response – fiction question cards
- teacher notes with guidance on how the resources could be used in the classroom
How can these resources be used?
The question cards can be used as a prompt for discussion during whole class or guided reading sessions, with teachers selecting appropriate questions prior to the session.
The worksheets can be used to support pupils to share their personal responses to texts during independent work. These could then be used to support discussions when sharing and explaining their thoughts during whole class or group discussions.
National Curriculum programme of study links
Year 3/ 4 Reading – comprehension
Pupils should be taught to develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read by:
• listening to and discussing a wide range of fiction …
• using dictionaries to check the meaning of words that they have read
• identifying themes and conventions in a wide range of books
• discussing words and phrases that capture the readers interest and imagination
Pupils should be taught to participate in discussion about both books that are read to them and those that they can read for themselves, taking turns and listening to what others say.
Year 5/6 Reading – comprehension
Pupils should be taught to maintain positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they have read by:
• continuing to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of fiction …
• recommending books that they have read to their peers, giving reasons for their choices
• identifying and discussing themes and conventions in and across a wide range of writing
• making comparisons within and across books
Pupils should be taught to discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader
Pupils should be taught to participate in discussions about books that are read to them and those that they can read for themselves, building on their own and others’ ideas and challenging views courteously.