Connectors: Practice Cards by Jill Eggleton (author)

Before using Connectors independently (a reading series designed for peer-led small groups using a reciprocal reading approach) children need to be familiar with the comprehension strategies and know how to apply these to their own reading. These practice cards practise the particular comprehension strategies of asking questions and summarising by a teacher-led instruction and strategy demonstration.

With the teacher’s guidance, students will revise their strategies at the beginning of each new book band (from Orange to Sapphire). As well as providing further practice, it is an opportunity for the teacher to collect data about a student’s understanding, confidence, oral language and engagement.

This boxset contains:

16 different texts (x7 copies of each)
One teacher version of the card (with supporting notes)
Six student versions of the card

There are two cards for each of the eight book bands:

One Fiction card per book band
One Non-fiction card per book band

For students working below Orange book band try Connectors Starters for book bands Blue, Green and Orange.

Connectors Starters introduces the structure of reciprocal reading to a young audience through small group teacher-led reading, where the teacher explicitly models the reading strategies. Children will learn to apply the strategies as they practise them in context and will gain confidence and understanding as they use the books. Once children are able to work independently they can move on to the Connectors series of books.

This approach looks at predicting, clarifying, questioning, and summarising, with additional comprehension strategies being introduced in the higher book bands in the Connectors series — giving opinions, making connections, visualising and making an inference.

Reciprocal reading has been shown to increase both reading and listening comprehension and it has been demonstrated that children using this approach transfer their learning into other contexts. It has also been effective in improving the achievement of learners from diverse backgrounds. Reciprocal reading requires children to use oral language skills. Oral language is the foundation for all other language learning and involves not only communicating, but also thinking critically and creatively, so using Connectors and Connectors Starters will have an impact across the curriculum.

A proven and cost effective way to narrow the attainment gap
Formal classroom trials of Connectors show student’s reading age leaping forward by 9.1 months in just 12 weeks
Case studies show particular benefits for disadvantaged learners
High-impact methods proven in case studies and recommended by the Education Endowment Foundation

Find out more about Connectors and watch our videos here

“The Ofsted inspector that saw the Connectors lesson said she had never seen a book talk where everybody was so engaged and on task. She said the system obviously works really well for children because everybody was focused.” Literacy Coordinator, Ecton Brook Primary School