RL.A.91 ANSWERS SIMPLE QUESTIONS VERBALLY OR BY POINTING, DURING A STORY

Here the child is required both to attend to the story as it is read and to retain basic information about the story, so that she can answer simple questions.

How to Assess

Materials: A story of the kind described in RL.A.64.

Method: Read the story, pausing from time to time to ask simple questions about it, such as

‘What did the big, bad wolf do?’ or ‘What did the caterpillar want to eat?’ Questions such as these require the child to think about the story. Questions such as ‘Where’s …?’ or ‘Can you see the . . . ?’ can, of course, be asked, but should not be counted towards the score.

Score plus if your child can answer at least one question, such as those described above. If your child is not yet talking, she may answer the question by pointing, gesturing or acting out her answer.

How to Teach

Asking questions as you read is a good way to help your child to focus on the critical events of a story. Make your questions part of a two-way conversation – your child should not feel that she is being quizzed.

If the story is a familiar one, you can ask questions about events that are coming as well as events that have passed.

Remembering and Extending

This skill marks the end of this sequence, but of course it does not mean the end of sharing books with your child. With such a wealth of material available, you will always be able to find books that challenge your child in new ways. Don’t feel that you must always be pushing your child ahead – she will enjoy going back to her earlier storybooks from time to time, and may enjoy ‘reading’ these to you, or to herself. Let her help you choose books from the library or bookshop – if a fully free choice seems too much for her to start with, select 2 books and ask which one she would like.