Resources for L6 KS2 SATs English - esp comprehension

[PastSellByDate]

Hi:

I've posted elsewhere about our recent parent/ teacher meeting (www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/2029136-And-the-prize-for-this-weeks-most-pointless-homework-goes-to?msgid=45904120#45904120) - where basically we were told they want to sit DD1 for L6 English and asked us to do more with her at home.

In particular they want us to work on her comprehension and especially improve how she discusses an author's writing.

They didn't have any notes for us to take away - so that we know what particularly we should be working on and they couldn't suggest any websites. We rather got the impression they were pushing us to buy a L6 KS2 SATs workbook, but studiously avoiding directly saying that.

If parents/ teachers out there have any ideas for useful websites/ workbooks etc... which can help in this area I'd be grateful.

The thing is, MightBe, that when teachers - intelligent professionals, with degrees, and often many years of experience, read comments such as yours that:

"Of only all Y6 teachers were so competent. Most I've met feel slightly out of their depth even in some aspects of L5 (maths in particular) and are keen to pass the buck in terms of incorporating L6 objectives/ concepts into their classroom teaching."

In other words that we do not, in general, have the intellectual capacity to deal with subject matter appropriate to children of 13 -14 (L5 being average for end of KS3), it is perhaps not surprising that some of us mght feel a tiny bit insulted ....

(sorry, comoputer did some random capitalisation in that post)

Perhaps if teachers stuck to being helpful when commenting on posts asking for help that they could provide

I did exactly that - did you?

I did that until PastBy - the poor maligned poster you are determined to defend - accused me of getting into a tizz with you. - a mistake I notice you also chose not to point out.

Girls, sorry to break up a good fight. But can anyone link me up to a boring article with appropriate detailed comprehension questions?

I would say, btw, that there will be teachers who struggle LOGISTICALLY to teach L6 objectives - a year 6 class may well contain children working at levels between p levels (below level 1) and level 6, and teaching all of these in every lesson makes planning challenging. That is definitely different from being able to cope with the subject matter in level 6 per se.

I'm sure that you're rightly defensive because you are, indeed, perfect teachers.
Since you're so brilliant at what you do...

That's quite a breathtakingly snide post from someone so loftily berating others for getting into 'bunfights'. I have to say you're coming across as worse than anyone else atm.

comprehension? anyone?

I agree - level 6 is what, your average 15 year old?

Are we really saying that your average teacher cannot cope academically with what our 15 year olds do day in, day out at secondary school?

The best resource I have found is the one that spanieleyes linked to first - it's so good that when I showed it to our local link high school English teacher she immediately ordered a set for her school.

I can't think of anywhere where I have seen and bookmarked a boring article with comprehension questions, cg, no, or I would gladly help.

Feenie, unfortunately some KS2 teachers are unable to.
Teacher, I agree wholeheartedly. Time constraints and resources, demands of the class as a whole and of the curriculum.

Column, do you mean a challenging comprehension text/ paper?

Tbh, I cannot recommend workbooks, because I'm not sure that is the best way forward.

What WOULD be useful is to get hold of an APP reading grid, look at Level 6, look at the skills required and ask questions of your child that adddress each of these skills in relation to every book that they read. Googling 'Guided Reading Questions level 6' gives a range of resources that provide question types for each of the different areas (assessment focuses or AFs) within the level, and can be applied to any book.

Although I would not necessarily agree with / suggest all of the books listed,

www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/reading-level-5-6 might be a starting point for books that fall within the 'level 5-6' type of area, and once you have that starting point then it can be easier to pick up others at similar leves.

I would suggest York Notes if the OP wants to work on author's language/purpose/techniques/structure etc

You are seriously telling me that some primary teachers don't have the Literacy skills of your average 15 year old.

Seriously.

And you think that someone without the Literacy skills of a 15 year old - and your average 15 year old, mind you - can pass A levels, get a degree, take a PGCE in some case, write an application, get a teaching post, write reports, etc, etc.

I've been teaching over twenty years too, but I don't know anyone like that.

I do agree with teacherwith2kids that IMHO workbooks aren't particularly helpful.

Teacher, thanks for that list - bit wary of the way the books are levelled though, is it not just by users of the site? Am aware of the need to provide quality texts but without the adultish themes - Dr Jekyll and My Hydehas quite dark sexual undertones from what I can remember, it's a long time since I read it.

That's another issue with expecting Y6 children to work at level 6 feenie

Agree re workbooks, would never recommend.

Teacher- that link has Wimpy Kid and Little House on the Prairie.Are they really level 5 and the same level as Philip Pullman?

I too was quite surprised - but then level 6 would be an average 15 year old, for whom some of those would be suitable.

I find Googling e.g. suggested Year 7 book lists for reasonably academic schools quite a good way of identifying challenging but age appropriate materials, too - but it takes a while.

Sevebnoaks, for example, have a good long list here:
www.sevenoaksschool.org/y7downloads

Exactly, mrz - our Literacy advisor recommended 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime' to our Y6 teacher, who was all for it until I pointed out the swearing. The advisor told her there was a children's version, but there is only a young adult one with a different cover and the same language.

No, I wasn't. I was giving a starting point for someone looking for books that MIGHT be the appropriate level, and I have since refined it with a different approach.

(Sorry, my posts are out of order - last one was to retropear, previous to feenie)

Brilliant, thanks again Teacher

Although I see Private Peaceful is there - a parent on MN today complaining about its adult nature.

I spy a possible new MN topic on the horizon

However, even e.g. the Sevenoaks list has a wide range - DD read many of the books back in Year 4 or earlier.