I was really honoured to be asked to form part of this blog tour for Kate’s Reading Comprehension Guides. Luckily for me, I had experience with one of her guides previously so I knew the quality would be high.
It worked really well to be sent the Year 3-4 book around Classics, as I had previously reviewed the Year 5-6 one in Classics.
What I noticed in both books and in fact, the entire series, is the sheer volume of work that Kate has invested. Each extract and accompanying activities is well planned, thoughtful and aimed perfectly at the age range. Easily photocopied and shared, this series would be an incredible boost for a school.
Having met and spoken with Kate, I know she values knowing her work is being used and appreciated by schools. I will be sharing her work with colleagues at a conference today in the hopes of shining a light on these resources.
Great extract choices in both Classic guides!
This is the review I left on Amazon for Kate’s book, Classic Children’s Literature Years 5-6.
Classics are so considered because of their longevity and value over time. As teachers encouraging a love of reading and a varied reading diet we will likely recommend a classic we enjoyed as a child. We need to offer children these texts but we also need to be able to teach from them and learn from them. I bought this book shortly after challenging myself to read and re-read more classics and I figured this book would help with the choosing of texts and in my ability to teach from them. Kate Heap, the author, clearly has the skills, experience and passion for Classic books and their use in today’s curriculum.
Using familiar words such as inference, vocabulary and prediction, I could tell this book would fit in to any classroom in the world, not just the UK.
Each extract is easy to read and increases in difficulty as you move through the book. There are 8 activities for each text featuring various question types and outcomes of understanding. Kate Heap shows her knowledge and understanding of each text as you work through the book and her activities are brilliantly suited to the age range and difficulty level of each text.
A host of familiar and widely known books fill the pages of this valuable teaching resource. These books have stood the test of time and I believe Kate’s book, and others in the series will be considered useful, valuable and important for years to come.
I will be sharing and recommending this to colleagues and will be looking out for the others in this series!
My Shelves Are Full 