In this short blog post, I introduce the updated Primary English suite of materials for reading.
From September 2015 onwards, the new national curriculum has been taught in all year groups across the primary range but it’s not just the old curriculum content that has gone. The Assessment Focuses have also been retired. Of course, this makes total sense; if you’re going to change the curriculum then the criteria for assessing it must also change. So, in this blog post we say RIP Assessment Focuses, and welcome to the world Content Domains.
KS1 Reading Content domain reference | KS2 Reading Content domain reference | ||
1a | draw on knowledge of vocabulary to understand texts | 2a | give / explain the meaning of words in context |
1b | identify / explain key aspects of fiction and non-fiction texts, such as characters, events, titles and information | 2b | retrieve and record information / identify key details from fiction and non-fiction |
1c | identify and explain the sequence of events in texts | 2c | summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph |
1d | make inferences from the text | 2d | make inferences from the text / explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text |
1e | predict what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far | 2e | predict what might happen from details stated and implied |
2f | identify / explain how information / narrative content is related and contributes to meaning as a whole | ||
2g | identify / explain how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases | ||
2h | make comparisons within the text |
For more information about the reading content domains click KS1 reading here and KS2 reading here.
The content domains work in much the same way as the old assessment focuses. They’re not the curriculum but the broad headings under which skills have been grouped for assessment. They were initially formulated for test developers so they could ensure their materials covered the range of the curriculum programmes of study. Just like the assessment focuses they are also useful to us as educators for assessing where gaps exist, for analysing formative and summative test data, and then for planning next steps in learning. As I said, they’re not the curriculum but knowing the content domains and how to ensure that they are all covered in teaching and learning is important.
To help fellow educators with the teaching of reading, I have updated the Primary English suite of Reading Resources so that they now reflect the content domains rather than the reading assessment focuses. All the resources can be found on the resources page of the Primary English website and are free to download.
What you will find:
KS1 questions for the content domains
KS2 questions for the content domains
KS1 reading journal activities
KS2 reading journal activities
KS1 and KS2 guided reading planners
Rachel Clarke: Director – Primary English
All content on the Primary English website is owned by Rachel Clarke and is protected by copyright,