After the class reads the text, divide the class into two groups.

Give each group a pair of “true” and

“false” cards. Then, tell them that you will read out a statement based on the text they've read and
they have to raise the correct card. The first person who raises the correct card wins a point.30 May
2023

Teachers often prepare pre-reading and post-reading activities to help students develop their
reading skills, but they don’t always plan activities for students to do while they are actively reading
a text.

Having students perform tasks as they read serves several purposes. It gives students the
opportunity to confirm any predictions made during the pre-reading stage. It also helps students to
read more carefully and focus on the content as they gather and organize information.

Here are 10 activities that will get your students to actively engage with a text and increase their
understanding while reading.

1. Skim for the main idea…Before students get into the nitty-gritty of the text, have them skim the
text for a general overview. Encourage them to look at headings, visuals, and bold words. These
things will help students find the main topic or purpose of a reading quickly. Teach your students the
basics of how to skim a text with Ellii's lesson on Skimming & Scanning.

2. Scan for specific information…Prepare a few questions that ask for specific information such as
names, dates, times, and numbers. This will give students an idea of the scope of a reading.

3. Summarize or paraphrase…Put students in pairs then have them read one paragraph at a time
silently. When they finish, ask them to take turns summarizing or paraphrasing the paragraph
they've just read.

4. Use context clues….As students read, have them circle any unfamiliar words or expressions.
Before they reach for their dictionaries or phones, have them take a closer look at the words
preceding and following the unknown terms. Using context clues, see if they can figure out their
meaning.

5. Make predictions…After students have read a paragraph or section, have them pause and say
what they think is going to happen next.

6. Annotate the text As students read, encourage them to note their reactions to the text in the
margins.They can place a question mark when they don’t understand something, a star when
something is important, and an exclamation mark when they are surprised.

7. Consider other perspectives,,,After students have read the text one time, ask them to read it
again and pretend they are reading it from someone else’s point of view.9. Put text in order..Cut up
the reading and have students put it in order. This activity requires students to think logically as they
examine sequencing words and transitions. 10. Create a Venn diagram..Students are often asked to
read articles that compare and contrast two or more topics. (For example, see Ellii’s lesson on J-Pop
Vs. K-Pop.)
Activities to try after reading
After your child is reading on their own, there’s still plenty to learn. Reading isn’t effective if they’re
struggling to understand the words on the page, or how they all fit together to create the story. Here
are a few activities for children to practice reading comprehension.

1. Summarize the text..

2. Once a child is done reading a text or section of a book, have them revisit the main ideas by
highlighting or taking notes on the text’s biggest themes. Once students identify the main
themes, ask them to break them down further and quickly summarize the story.
3. Book reports…
Book reports are a classic reading activity. Have the child analyze the book, highlighting the
most important themes. Older children can present arguments pertaining to the story, and
provide passages to support their theories. Keep book reports even more engaging when
you invite kids to give a presentation, complete with dress-up and drama.

3. Review the book…Ask children to rate their most recent reading. They can assign it a number of
stars, but then they must also explain why. Was it too scary? Not funny? What were their favorite
parts? What would they do differently?Not only does this help students think critically about what
they’ve just read, but it can also help parents and teacher identify what they might like reading next.

4. Extend the story

“And they lived happily ever after…”Maybe so, but what happened next? Ask your child to keep the
story going. Where do they go next? Who do they meet? Favorite characters can continue
adventuring when your child takes over the story. This is a great writing prompt, or just a fun dinner
conversation!

5. How could it have been better?

Everyone has an opinion, so ask your child for theirs. How could this book or story have been better?
Would a different ending be more fun? Or maybe they just think the main character should be
named after them. No matter their critique, listen and discuss. Then encourage them to create their
own tale.

How reading activities help kids embrace learning

Reading keeps kids learning for the rest of their lives. When a child can read, they can take more
control over their education. And that’s a wonderful thing!Fun activities are the best way to keep a
child interested in the world of books. Learning to read can be a frustrating journey for some. Others
may simply find it boring (especially if they’re being made to read about topics they care little
about). These activities are designed to get kids moving and thinking beyond the page. Because
when reading is fun, learning happens naturally.
14 Activities That Increase Student Engagement During Reading Instruction

Research shows that students whose teachers spend too much time talking are less likely to be
engaged during classroom instruction. Luckily, reading instruction can be so much more than lecture,
reading practice, memorization, or decoding drills. We, as teachers, can do more to get our students
engaged in learning to read.

1. PARTNER PRETEST..Before teaching a new decoding skill or grammar rule, preface the lesson with
a pretest. Let your students know that you will not score the test, lowering anxiety and increasing
student performance. Pair students up for the pretest and have them use the same set of materials.
If the pretest is on a computer or iPad, have students share the device between the two of them.
During the pretest, walk around the room to gauge student needs and adjust the lesson accordingly.
When lesson material matches student ability and understanding, engagement is higher. Make sure
that the pretest is similar to the posttest so you can see how much your students retain during your
lesson.2. STAND UP/SIT DOWN..You can use this activity to help students learn to differentiate
between similar but different reading concepts. For instance, when you’re trying to help your
students understand the difference between common nouns and proper nouns, you can give
examples of each and have students stand up if it is a common noun or sit down if it is a proper
noun. This is a great way to see how much of your class is grasping the material while getting their
blood flowing—helping them stay alert.3. THUMBS UP/THUMBS DOWN..This activity provides a
quick way to gauge if your students are comprehending a story or to test them on different reading
skills. Instruct students to put their thumbs up if they agree with a statement or to put their thumbs
down if they disagree. When students have a low energy level (i.e. right after lunch) Stand Up/Sit
Down may be a better alternative. However, if you need to maintain your students’ current energy
level Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down is ideal.

4. SECRET ANSWER..This activity is great for students that might not be confident in their answers—
students that look around the class when doing Stand Up/Sit Down or Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down to
see how the other students’ answer before they answer themselves. To give students a secret way
to answer, assign different responses a number and have students hold up the number of fingers
that correspond to the answer they think is correct. To do this exercise properly, have your students
place their hand near their heart (physically) with the appropriate number of fingers raised to
indicate their answer. This way, especially if all the students are facing the teacher, it is difficult for
students to copy their neighbor’s answer.

5. RESPONSE CARDS..This is a great way to mix things up a bit. Have students create a stack of
typical responses, including agree/disagree, true/false, yes/no, greater than/less than, multiple-
choice options, and everyday emotions. After students have created their response cards, you can
have them use them to respond in various settings. For example, while reading a book together as a
class, you may pause and ask your students what they think the character is feeling right now. The
students then select one of the everyday emotion cards from their personal stack of cards and lift it
up to answer the question.

6. THINK-PAIR-SHARE..This activity allows students to pause and process what they have just
learned. After reading a passage in a book, ask your class a question that they must first consider by
themselves. After giving them time to think, have them discuss the question with their neighbor.
Once they’ve discussed the question, invite students to share their answers with the class. By giving
them this time to process, you enable them to be more engaged in their learning.
7. QUICK WRITES..Studies show that the proper ratio of direct instruction to reflection time for
students is ten to two. That means that teachers need to provide students with two minutes of
reflection for every ten minutes of instruction. This activity is a great way to give students that
much-needed reflection time! In this activity, ask a question about a reading passage and have
students write a response to share with a neighbor or the entire class.

8. ONE WORD SPLASH..After reading a passage or learning new vocabulary terms, ask your students
to write down one word that they feel sums up that material. This might seem overly simplistic, but
it requires higher processing skills to help your students digest what they are reading. Students can
do this with pencil/paper or a dry erase marker/personal whiteboard.

9. QUICK DRAW..This activity is perfect for visual learners or students who aren’t entirely writing
yet. After reading a part of a story or learning a new concept or topic, have your students draw a
picture about what they’ve just read or understood. For example, after reading part of the story Jack
and the Beanstalk, have your students draw what has happened in the story up to that point. A
student may draw a picture of a boy planting seeds with a beanstalk growing in the background.

10. GALLERY WALK..To help students get some of their energy out, have them do a Gallery Walk to
see their peers’ work. This activity is an excellent add-on to Quick Writes and Quick Draw. Because
students seek approval from their peers, they will put more effort into their work when they know
the class will view it.

11. A-Z TOPIC SUMMARY..Help students connect the dots after finishing a book, a learning module,
or a lesson. Have your students complete an A-Z Topic Summary either as individuals or in pairs. If it
is an individual activity, have students write either a word or a sentence that connects to the book,
module, or lesson for each letter of the alphabet. For example, if you learned about baking, they
might write a sentence for the letter A such as: “Always preheat the oven before baking.” To speed
up the activity, you can assign students to work in pairs or assign a letter to each student or team
and have them write a sentence for that letter rather than the whole alphabet.

12. 3-2-1..This is a quick way to help students process reading or lesson material when you’re
pressed for time. First, have your students write three facts they learned from something they read
or learned in class that day. Next, have students write two questions about the book or topic that
wasn’t covered or discussed in class. Finally, have your students write one opinion they have about
the reading material or lesson. This activity can also help you plan for the next lesson on the topic or
book.

13. FIND YOUR MATCH..This is another activity that gets your students up and moving. Create card
matches that correlate to a storyline in a book, vocabulary terms, figures of speech, grammar rules,
etc. For example, your card matches might include the following concepts (depending on grade
level): rhyming words, uppercase/lowercase, antonyms/synonyms, words/definitions,
problem/solution, and words/pictures. Hand out one card to each student in the class and then get
up and find the other student with the matching card.

14. DICTATION..One of our favorite teaching activities is Dictation! It is highly effective in engaging
students because it is multisensory explicit phonics instruction involving: auditory, visual,
kinesthetic, and tactile senses. Having a multisensory approach increases working memory and
integrates all language skills/modalities. To do Dictation, have students listen to a word, repeat the
word out loud, write it out on paper, and then have them read the word out loud again. View an
example of Dictation in action here.
USE THE CORRECT ITS/ IT’S
1. The guitar is useless without ______ strings.
2.______ important to cite your sources.
3.______ been more than two hundred years since the Boston Tea Party.
4.She started to feel better as the medicine did ______ work.
5.______ not a stray dog. I can see ______ collar.
6. One of the hardest courses in _____history.
7.I think the company wants to have _____ cake and eat it.
8.The reef shark chases _____ prey through the coral.
9.I'm astounded by people who want to know the universe when _____ so
hard to find your way around Chinatown.
10.The museum needs to update _____ online schedule for summer.
11.She misplaced her phone, but she thinks _____ in the car.
12.The sun was so bright, ______ rays blinded me.
13. ______ a cloudy day.
14._____ a short walk.
Decide whether a full stop or a question mark should be added to the end of
these sentences:
1. What is that

2. Sam started to get angry

3. The sun rose in the sky

4. I’d never been before

5. Is the bus going to be late

6. What time is it

7. The phone rang

8. How would you feel

9. She had been left behind

10. Can I have toast for breakfast

Decide whether an exclamation or a full stop should be added to the end of
these sentences:

1. That is a dog
2. The building is collapsing
3. Put that down
4. Oh no
5. The bus stop is over there
6. The cat is sleeping
7. Good heavens
8. This chocolate tastes disgusting
9. Leave him alone
10. I usually have toast for breakfast

Look at these sentences and decide whether they require a comma or not. Either put the
comma in the correct place (before the connective) or tick the sentence:

1. I chased the purse-snatcher but he got away.

2. I chased the purse-snatcher but lost him.
3. He thought quickly but still did not answer correctly.
4. Yesterday was her brother's birthday so she took him out to
dinner.
5. He walked all the way home and he shut the door.
6. If you are ill you ought to see a doctor.
7. The cat scratched at the door while I was eating.
8. When the snow stops falling we'll clear the driveway.
9. For a change I had toast for breakfast.
10. He went to bed because he was tired.
The statue of the Happy Prince stood high above the city. It was
covered with gold, its eyes were bright blue jewels, and a red jewel
hung from its waist. Everyone thought that it was very beautiful.

Then another drop fell. ‘I cannot stay on a statue that does not keep me dry,’
he thought. ‘I must find another place.’ And he decided to fly away. But as he
opened his wings, a third drop fell. He looked up and saw — Ah! What did he
see?

She is making a dress for one of the queen’s ladies, for a dance in the palace.
Her little boy is lying on a bed in the corner of the room. He is very ill. He is
crying because she can only give him water from the river. Little bird, will you
take my red jewel to her? I cannot move from here.’

The bird passed over the river and flew and flew. At last he came to the poor
little house and looked inside. The boy was lying on the bed. The mother was
asleep; she was so tired. He flew in and put the great red jewel on the table.
Then he flew round the bed, moving the air around the boy’s face with his
wings.

‘Someone likes my stories!’ he cried happily. ‘This is a gift from someone who
has read my books Now I can finish writing this story!’

God said to his servants, Bring me the two best things in the city.’ They
brought Him the broken heart
The doctor said “Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind that
she is not going to get well. If she doesn’t want to live, medicines
will not help her.”

She was looking out of the window and was saying, “Twelve!” After
sometime she whispered “eleven”, then “ten”, then “nine”, “eight”, “seven”.
Sue anxiously looked out of the window.

“I don’t want any soup,” said Johnsy. “I am not hungry… Now there are only
four leaves left. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I will
sleep forever.”

It was raining heavily and an icy-cold wind was blowing. It seemed as though
the leaf would fall any minute now. Behrman did not say a word

“I have been a bad girl. You have looked after me so lovingly and I have not
cooperated with you. I have been depressed and gloomy. The last leaf has
shown me how wicked I have been.

Look at that ivy leaf. Haven’t you wondered why it doesn’t flutter when the
wind blows? That’s Behrman’s masterpiece. He painted it the night the last
leaf fell.”
The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares, most holy of the
dipping places on the River Ganges; that sermon has been preserved and is
given here. It reflects the Buddha’s wisdom about one inscrutable kind of
suffering.

The Buddha answered, “I want a handful of mustard seed.” And when the girl
in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added, “The mustard-seed
must be taken from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent
or friend.”

As all earthen vessels made by the potter end in being broken, so is the life of
mortals. Both young and adult, both those who are fools and those who are
wise, all fall into the power of death; all are subject to death.

“Not from weeping nor from grieving will anyone obtain peace of mind; on
the contrary, his pain will be the greater and his body will suffer. He will
make himself sick and pale, yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation.

He who has drawn out the arrow and has become composed will obtain
peace of mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from
sorrow, and be blessed.”
PRESENTED BY BHASHWOTI BOSE
CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME 2024-25
MASTER TRAINER BHASHWOTI BOSE

It doesn’t matter how many teachers I talk to, there is always a common
thread: our students struggle with writing. Whether it’s mastering complete
sentences or writing an essay, writing seems to always be a tough skill for
students to master. In particular, I’ve heard from many teachers (and seen it
myself) that students struggle to use evidence to support their claims.
Luckily, that can change with the RACE writing strategy.

DAY 2
Roles in literature circles
The following is a list of roles which give a thinking task to each group
member. Students divide the tasks among themselves in each group. As the
groups reconvene each session, students switch roles, so that by the end of
the literature circles "unit," each student will have the opportunity to
participate in each role. Again, the ideal is to eventually do away with the
roles, although many teachers opt to continue using the roles to assist group
on-task behaviour. One thing to keep in mind: Readers who are deeply
engaged with a book and eager to talk about it with others may not need the
structure of roles. Many teachers discover that the roles feel restrictive to
some students and can become a disincentive to take part in literature
circles. Harvey Daniels always intended roles to be a temporary scaffold to
support students as they learn to talk about books in small groups.

SUMMARISING
Writing a clear and concise summary can be a challenge. But following the
tips mentioned above, you can learn to craft effective summaries. Make sure
to include only the most relevant details, and structure your summary in a
logical way that is easy to follow. Avoid introducing new information or
making conclusions not supported by the original document.
The Race Strategy Restate the question:
Turn the question into a statement.
Answer the question
Remember to answer all parts of the question.
Cite the evidence to support your
answer:
Support you answer from the text. Remember to use
quotation marks if you use a direct quote from the text.
Introduce your citation for example, “According to the
text,”
“For example,” The author stated…” “For instance”-
Explain your answer: Explain why your
citation proves your answer.
ELEPHANTS (WORKSHEET 1)
How do you protect your skin from the sun? Many people
use sunscreen. Elephants have sensitive skin, they use a
form of sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun. They
throw mud and sand over themselves. Elephants will
protect their calves from the sun by standing over them
while they are sleeping. Elephants know how to avoid the
sun.
Q.How are elephants intelligent animals?
R Animals are intelligent animals because
A they know how to protect themselves from the sun
C In the text, it says, “ They throw mud and sand over
themselves. They stand over their calves to protect them
from the sun.”
E Based on the text elephants use mud and sand as a
sunscreen.
 Cell Phones in the Classroom(WORKSHEET 2)
As smartphones have become popular, the debate of having cell
phones in the classroom has been discussed between parents and
teachers. Some parents may say cell phones help with providing
research for schoolwork and keep students safe.Many students are
home alone before their parents return from work. Also, cell phone
calendars and other useful apps can help students stay organized.
They can prepare students for adult life. However, on the other
side, cell phones may distract. Cell phones make it easier for
students to cheat during tests and put students at risk of cyber
bullying. The use of smartphones has caused less verbal
communication for children. Students may not be responsible with

Use the RACE strategy to answer the question.

Do you believe students should use cell phones in the classroom? Use
evidence from the text.
R_________________________________________

A__________________________________________
___________________________________________
C Underline the evidence with a crayon or marker and
write it on the line below.
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
E__________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
 Yoga in the Classroom (WORKSHEET 3)
In the last few years, brain breaks have become popular in the
classroom. Have you ever thought about the benefits of yoga in the
classroom? Yoga reduces stress and anxiety. Students may have family
challenges, as well as daily stress about life, school and friends. Yoga
provides a time to clear their mind. It also improves memory and
attention span and allows students to focus, helping them to do better
in school. It provides mindfulness, teaching students how to become less
anxious and more relaxed. Some schools have yoga classes, instead of
detention, teaching students to meditate. Yoga teaches students lifelong
skills.

Use the RACE strategy to answer the question.

What does the author think about yoga in the classroom? Use
evidence from the text.
R_________________________________________
A__________________________________________
___________________________________________
C Underline the evidence with a crayon or marker and
write it on the line below.
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
E__________________________________________
___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
______________________
 THREE QUESTIONS (WORKSHEET 4)
Use the RACE strategy to answer the question
How can you say that the hermit was a man of wisdom?

R___________________________________

A_______________________________________

________________________________________
C Underline the evidence with a crayon or a marker and
write it on the line
below.`-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________

E________________________________________

_________________________________________

R_______________________________________
 Uniforms in Schools (WORKSHEET 5)
Some schools have uniform requirements for their students,
claiming that parents will save money and that students will focus
more on learning than their clothing, which will limit negative
comments and bullying. On the other hand, everyone has their own
identity and wearing uniforms in school limits students’
individuality. Parents may have to spend more money buying clothes
because students will need uniforms, as well as everyday clothes,
to wear at home. Students from low-income homes will be
targeted for having unclean uniforms. This is an issue that has
several pros and cons.

Use the RACE strategy to answer the question. Do you believe

students should be required to wear uniforms? Use evidence
from the text?
R____________________________________
_____________________________________
A________________________________________
________________________________________
C Underline the evidence with a crayon or a marker and
write it on the line below.
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
E________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

R_______________________________________

Q. Why did the narrator follow Aunt Ruby and Rocky to the
jeweller’s shop secretly?
Use the RACE strategy to answer the question.

R____________________________________

_____________________________________
A________________________________________

________________________________________
C Underline the evidence with a crayon or a marker and
write it on the line below.
________________________________________

_________________________________________
E________________________________________

R_______________________________________
WORKSHEETS- ICE BREAKING