Your guide to using the ReadingWise free comprehension resources while your pupils are at home
UPDATED 16TH APRIL
The aim of this blog is to give you the tools to quickly share extremely high-quality, interactive reading resources with your pupils while they are learning from home.
To access the resources discussed you will need your ReadingWise free account (get it here).
Step 1: Setting up login details
Option 1: Register each pupil with their own username and password
We view this as the best way to get the most out of the ReadingWise resources as it allows you to track individual progress and access. However, for some schools it is too complex to get the usernames and passwords to the children. If that's you, go straight to option 2!
Setting up your pupils is really easy. You can do them individually or through a csv import. If you have Wonde or Assembly, you can also use them. These links take you to the teacher training area and offer full instructions (please log in before you click the links!)
How to add my pupils manually | How to add my pupils with a csv import
Option 2: Share a whole school username and password
With this option you'll miss out on the dashboard and tracking capabilities, but on the plus side you can share a link directly to an activity you'd like your class to work on. Your whole school username and password will have been shared by the ReadingWise team when you registered, or soon after. If you don't have it, please get in touch.
Once you've got your whole school username and password, share it through your secure channels with your pupils. Please do not share publicly (i.e. social media etc.!!). It is just for your school and your pupils.
Step 2: Setting activities
An example: George's Marvellous Medicine
OK, you've got your usernames and passwords lined up and ready to share. Now time to set the work!
This example is for George's Marvellous Medicine, extract 1. You can use these ideas for extracts 2 and 3, and also for the other story extracts in the Dahl pack and the Classics pack.
Activity 1
Objective: Think Ahead
In this activity you're going to practice important comprehension skills. You're going to 'Think Aloud', identify 'Key Words' and 'Predict Connections'!
First - login! https://app.readingwise.com
1. Read the extract. Go to the first extract of George's Marvellous Medicine here: https://app.readingwise.com/super/stories/4/episodes/20?utf8=✓&button=
Read and listen to the extract to prepare yourself for the activities.
2. Think Aloud Go to 'Think Aloud' through this link: https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/205. Listen to the paragraphs and then listen to the 'Think Aloud' questions. These will help you consider the writing, and may help to trigger your existing knowledge!
3. Key Words. Now let's go to 'Key Words': https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/206. This activity will help you practice retrieval skills aswell as scanning a text for the important information.
4. Prediction Connections. Now for 'Prediction Connections'. This activity is all about predicting what's going to happen. Here is the link! https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/207
Activity 2
Objective: Question
In this activity you're going to practice important comprehension skills. You're going to 'Look Back', 'Dig Deeper' and 'Discuss'!
First - login! https://app.readingwise.com
1. Read the extract again. If you like, read the first extract of George's Marvellous Medicine again here: https://app.readingwise.com/super/stories/4/episodes/20?utf8=✓&button=
2. Look-back Race Go to 'Look-back Race' through this link: https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/208. Select the key words in the questions. Then, using the key words, find the answer in the extract. This activity helps you to scan and identify key pieces of information. It's retrieval practice - literal questions are literally right there!
3. Digging Deeper. Now let's go to 'Digging Deeper': https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/209. This activity will help you to dig a bit deeper - find the clues!
4. Discuss. Now for 'Discuss'. This activity is all about raising your own questions. Why does Grandma think George is up to mischief? What would you discuss? https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/210
Activity 3
Objective: Word Check
In these activities you'll find that words are power! You're going to explore 'Word Pairs', enter the 'Word Web' and identify your 'Tricky Words'!
First - login! https://app.readingwise.com
1. Read the extract again. If you like, read the first extract of George's Marvellous Medicine again here: https://app.readingwise.com/super/stories/4/episodes/20?utf8=✓&button=
2. Tricky Words Go to 'Tricky Words' through this link: https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/211. Explore the extract; which words are tricky for you? Select 5 words and then on the next page select whether you've never heard of them, you've heard of them but you're not sure of the meaning, or you have an idea of the meaning but you need to check.
If you can, why not grab a dictionary or ask someone a word's meaning?
3. Word Web. Now let's go to 'Word Web': https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/212. Vocabulary is important, and Word Web will help you develop yours! Select the similar words in the web. It's all about synonyms and antonyms!
4. Word Pairs. Now for 'Word Pairs'. This activity is all about the meaning of words. Do they go together? Are they opposite or the same? Or is there no relationship between the words at all?https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/213
Activity 4
Objective: Summarise
In these 3 activities you're going to practice recapping and reviewing. You're going to go on an 'Emotion Journey', sequence the 'Chain of Events' and identify the 'Key Themes'!
First - login! https://app.readingwise.com
1. Read the extract again. If you like, read the first extract of George's Marvellous Medicine again here: https://app.readingwise.com/super/stories/4/episodes/20?utf8=✓&button=
2. Emotion Journey Go to 'Emotion Journey' through this link: https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/214. Read the highlighted passage and decide how the character is feeling, or what the mood of the story is at this point. Track the emotions and feelings!
3. Key Theme. Now let's go to 'Key Theme': https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/215. This activity helps you to analyse a passage from the extract and identify the key theme!
4. Chain of Events. Now for 'Chain of Events'. Being able to order events and actions in a story helps us to understand it. In this activity you need to put the events in order! https://app.readingwise.com/super/toolkits/216
