SHS2 English Language · Semester 1 Week 13: Reading Comprehension

Lesson notes

Learning Objectives

Indicator: 2.2.1.LI.3

By the end of the lesson, learners can:

Identify complex grammatical structures (subordinate clauses, participial phrases, appositives, and multiple embeddings) that create difficulty in interpreting a given text.
Use context clues to interpret unfamiliar words and phrases within complex sentences.
Break complex sentences into simple sentences while preserving the original meaning.
Explain the grammatical function of specific words or phrases within a complex sentence (e.g., identifying a word as an adjective because it modifies a noun).
Work collaboratively in mixed ability and mixed gender groups to analyse and interpret a level-appropriate text containing complex structures.

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Curriculum details

Strand: Reading (Strand 2)
Sub-strand: Reading Comprehension (2.1)
Content standard: 2.2.1.CS.1 - Demonstrate understanding of different types of reading and text comprehension strategies and use them to interpret a variety of level appropriate texts. 2.2.1.LO.1 Employ knowledge of text comprehension strategies and levels of comprehension to analyse and interpret different kinds of texts.
Indicator: 2.2.1.LI.3 - Explore the knowledge of grammatical structures of language and context clues to interpret complex structures in text.
Suggested placement: Semester 1, Week 13 (Week 13 of the year)
Our suggestion, laid out in curriculum order across three terms of twelve weeks. NaCCA does not fix the week, so follow your school's scheme of learning.
Curriculum reference: NaCCA curriculum document, p. 116

Exemplars (from the NaCCA curriculum)

Group Work/Collaborative Learning:
- Learners identify the complex grammatical structures that pose difficulty in text interpretation.
- Working in mixed ability groups, learners collaboratively read given texts and identify the complex grammatical structures that pose problems to the interpretation of the text.
- The text should be devoid of gender bias language to help learners embrace gender equality
- Learners work in mixed ability/mixed gender groups to break the structures into simple sentences for better interpretation of the text.
- Lead learners to break a few complex structures into simple ones before they work in groups.
- Text difficulty should be differentiated to enable struggling readers to participate effectively in the activities.
Talk for Learning (TFL):
- Learners use context clues to interpret given words and phrases.
- Learners work collaboratively in mixed ability/mixed gender groups to critically discuss the parts of speech/function of certain words or phrases in the structure of given sentences e.g., The Ghanaian footballers are skilful. ('Ghanaian' here is modifying footballers so it is an adjective).
Initiating Talk for Learning:
- Learners use context clues to interpret given words and phrases.
- Learners work collaboratively in mixed ability/mixed gender groups to critically discuss the parts of speech/function of certain words or phrases in the structure of given sentences e.g., The Ghanaian footballers are skilful. ('Ghanaian' here is modifying footballers so it is an adjective).
Initiating Talk for Learning:
- Learners do vocabulary consolidation activities to promote active engagement with vocabulary.
- Learners work collaboratively in small mixed ability groups to practise using context clues, word parts (e.g., prefixes) and reference aids (dictionary, glossary, thesauruses, etc.) to analyse texts and broaden their comprehension of vocabulary in a variety of texts.
- Learners carry out a project to find other means of understanding vocabulary in context (e.g., restatement of the word in sentences that surround it, etc.).
Teaching and Learning Resources:
- Video on how to do story mapping
- Blank Story map organizer templates
- A variety of texts for story mapping
- Books, including set books for Core Literature and other subjects areas
- Large sheets - flip chart or old calendar backs and gallery walk activities
- A variety of texts (fiction and non-fiction) for practising how to classify and answer the various types of comprehension questions
- A variety of passages for practising how to answer the lexical comprehension questions.
- Word and sentence cards
- Reading report charts.
- A variety of storybooks
- A collection of texts including Passages across curricular and from Core LiteratureinEnglish set books
- Videos on reading fluency
- Tape recordings on fluent reading.
Assessment (2.2.1.AS.3). The document marks these depth-of-knowledge levels for this indicator: Level 2 Skills of conceptual understanding; Level 4 Extended critical thinking and reasoning.