Our products
"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the outstanding success of the Blue Reading Box in the Woronora River Network of Schools.
Data from my schools indicates that over 90% of schools in my network choose to use the Reading Box to improve reading comprehension."
Jim Ironside
School Education Director
"...a creative resource that provides a wide range of texts and multiple levels of comprehension questioning."
Debbie Francis
Literacy Consultant
"Students in my school enjoy using the Reading Box,
this includes those that are less gifted."
Ross Cleary
School Principal
“I have only yesterday received the Blue Box for my classroom.
When it was shown to other teachers they were all very excited with its potential. Your product is excellent. I love the layout and the broad range of genres.
Thank you for creating something that is so useful in the classroom.”
Jenni Fleming, Curriculum Support & Classroom Teacher,
St Vincent’s School
"The children couldn't get enough of the kit . . . they didn't want to put the cards down."
Kylie Archer, Classroom Teacher, Burraneer Bay School
- Why did we create Reading Box Blue?
- Individualized learning
- Supports standardized testing
- Suitable for both boys and girls
- The 3H’s – here, hidden, head
- Multi-aged
- High interest
- Leveled
- Text Types
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1. Why did we create the Reading Box
Blue?
John Walters, school principal, noted that students were demonstrating improved decoding skills as a result of strong teaching and the implementation of the latest literacy strategies. He was keen to see that the students reading comprehension skills kept pace.
To support his teachers, John examined a wide variety of reading comprehension materials. He found that while many provided a general workout, few were able to meet the specific needs or range of abilities found in both regular and multi-age classrooms. It was clear there was a need for a multi-leveled kit that provided all students with activities to develop skills in literal, interpretive, inferential and critical levels of reading comprehension. This kit also needed to be self-paced and self-marked, enhancing the operation of reading groups.
Design Attributes
• Experienced and well known team of authors.
• Every card in the box provides excellent practice for standards testing.
• Each card in the box has 20 or 25 questions that are
self-marking.
• A simple 9 minute
leveling test
is provided so students can be assigned to their appropriate starting level.
• The backs of each card offer a
wide selection of language and reading activities.
• A list of recommendations for
modeled writing
is provided.
•
Questioning
tests the students comprehension proficiency at a literal, interpretive, inferential and critical level.
• Optional
Challenges
are provided on each card to extend students. These often use head or implied questions.
•
A range of strategies and interesting topics
have been employed to motivate and stimulate both
boys and girls.
2. Individualized learning
The multi-leveled, self-marking nature of the box makes it ideal for individualized learning. After completing the nine minute test, each child starts work in the box at their assigned level, then progresses at their own rate after that.
3. Supports standardized testing
Often standardized tests use the different questioning techniques that may not be presented on a daily basis in schools. In addition to multiple choice formatting, they can also call on children to interpret visual texts, such as diagrams. The reading box provides multiple choice questions that relate to various levels of comprehension understanding and has many samples of visual texts.
4. Suitable for both boys and girls
• Boys and girls learn differently, and have different interests.
• Different strategies and topics are employed to grab the interest of both boys and girls.
• We have surveyed both boys and girls to find out what they like to read.
Having said that, all cards in Reading Box Blue have been designed to appeal to both genders.
5. The 3H’s – Here, Hidden, Head
The reading comprehension activities provide questions that give students practice in the 3H question types. The 3H strategy divides questions into three types: HERE, HIDDEN, and HEAD:
•
HERE
questions are obvious in the text ie. literal
•
HIDDEN
questions can be drawn from one or more parts of the text
•
HEAD
questions require the reader to bring their own knowledge or understanding to the information given in the text.
The questions have been graded with the HERE questions being presented first. The 3H strategy is based on the work of L Graham and B Wong (1993).
Literal, interpretive, inferential and critical levels
Every effort has been made to provide questions that test proficiency at a literal, interpretive, inferential and critical level.
Literal
• directly stated in the text
• stated in a label, diagram, title or heading
• linked in consecutive sentences
Interpretative
• a sequence of events
• the meaning of symbols in text, map or poster
• information in diagrams, pictures and other images
Inferential
• the main idea using key words
• word meanings from contextual clues
• implied information
• predicting using implied information
Critical
• understanding the purpose of the text, paragraph or section
• grasping the writer's point of view
• analysing the layout and text conventions
6. Multi-Aged
• Reading Box
Blue
is the perfect tool for multi-aged classrooms.
• It is multi-leveled and multi-staged and is extremely easy to use.
• Ability levels are supported by the 15 color levels provided in the box.
• Although focussed on grades 2 to 4 of schooling, it can be used in other year levels for remediation.
7. High Interest
• Reading Box Blue provides high interest texts for both boys and girls.
• We have surveyed students to find out what they like to read.
• Reading Box Blue provides a wide variety of text types and topics.
• Catchy headings, stimulating texts and stunning graphics combine to capture and hold the interest of students.
8. Leveled Reading and Questions
• All texts have been assessed by a team of experienced teachers, including trained reading teachers, to ensure that students are working at the appropriate level. These teachers have used their expertise in collaboration with readability data to place cards into our color levels, commencing at Sky (levels 10-11) and moving through to Silver (level30+).
• The box contains 150 leveled cards that provide graded texts and related exercises. There are 10 cards in each of the 15 progressive color levels.
9. Covers common Text Types
The term, Text Type, refers to the genre style of a presented piece of writing. For example, some common text types are the Narrative, the Procedure and the Explanation.
Within each of the Reading Box's 15 color levels a variety of text types is presented. If students are to improve their reading comprehension, they need to know how to draw information from a wide range of text types.
To support students in this way, Reading Box Blue contains examples of the following:
• narratives
• recounts
• descriptions
• procedures
• information reports
• explanations
• expositions
• discussions
• poetry
• maps
• email messages
• letter of agreement
• telephone conversation
• magazine style articles
• advertisements
• posters
• a variety of visual texts
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1. How It Works
• A simple 9-minute leveling test provided with the kit enables teachers to assign students to their appropriate starting levels. Alternatively, teachers can use their own testing scores and judgement.
• Once a starting level has been established, children work their way through the box at their own pace.
• After students have finished reading the source material on the card, they undertake a set of comprehension questions that utilise the
‘here, hidden and head’
strategy.
Questions are also graded to match the appropriate reading level.
• The back page of each card devotes itself to building English skills that relate as much as possible to the reading text on the front of the card.
Students record their answers onto a photocopied answer sheet (master provided) or write answers straight into their exercise book.
• Once a card is completed, children mark their own work using the source card's respective answer card.
• Students successfully complete all cards in a color level before moving up to the next color level. Guidelines for promotion to next level are outlined in the Teacher's Manual.
2. Getting Started
The Leveling Test
• Once the leveling tests have been administered and marked, teachers can refer to the Leveling Table found in the teacher's manual to determine each child's starting color.
If teachers prefer, they can use their own testing procedures
and judgement to assign students their starting levels.
• Once students know their starting color they may begin working through the cards at their own pace.
The Sample Practice Card
To familiarize students with the workings of the kit, a sample practice card is included in the teacher's manual. The card is entitled "Dinner at Rover's Place". Both the front and back of this card are available for photocopying. There is also a corresponding sample answer card and a sample answer sheet. It is advised that these masters are copied onto overhead transparencies and worked through in a whole-class lesson.
3. In the classroom
There are numerous ways a teacher may choose to use Reading Box Blue in the classroom. Although with 150 different cards the kit is quite able to support the whole class at one time its optimum usage is seen as an independent activity within a rotational reading groups lesson.
Reading groups model
In this classroom model, Reading Box Blue is used as a separate activity in a group of three or four reading activities. Groups, determined by reading ability, rotate to a new activity each day. This model allows the Reading Box group to work independently, freeing up the teacher to work with other groups and individuals.
4. Graded levels
The grade levels suggested for Reading Box Blue are grades 2, 3 and 4. Schools are highly indivdual in their approach and will decide for themselves the most suitable grade to use the Reading Box. Although it is recommended for grades 2 to 4, many shools have used it on strong Grade 1 students. It can also be used for remediation purposes on older children.
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- Why did we create Reading Box Green?
- Individualized learning
- Supports standardized testing
- Suitable for both boys and girls
- The 3H’s – here, hidden, head
- Multi-aged
- High interest
- Leveled
- Text Types
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1. Why did we create the Reading Box
Green?
All of the staff here at Teachers 4 Teachers Publications are extremely proud of our latest product, Reading Box Green. The kit has been designed to help grade 5 to 8 students strengthen their comprehension skills.
Like Reading Box Blue, the kit has based its reading material around the different text types. Older readers are faced with more complex reading decisions, with the difference between text types becoming more subtle. The challenges presented by Reading Box Green help instruct students on how to negotiate and comprehend these textual forms, as well as provide strong examples for them to follow when expressing their own ideas in clearly defined formats.
High interest subject matter and beautiful illustrations complete each card, maintaining the impressive standards set by Reading Box Blue.
Reading Box Green introduces a couple of exciting innovations to our original format. The main cards are now presented as four-page booklets, allowing for longer texts and additional graphics. The kit also includes a supplementary set of Rapid Reader cards.
Reading Box Green:
• services grades 5 to 8
• has cards beginning at Sky (levels 22-23) , continuing up to Silver (level 36)
• has contents spanning 12 graded color levels, with each level containing 12 cards
• presents material in 4-page booklet form
• has a large number of contributions from established authors
• continues the same high standards of texts and graphics as laid down by its predecessor Reading Box Blue
• includes a supplementary set of Rapid Reader cards. A series of graded, short passage exercises that can be utilised in a variety of ways.
• will be available for delivery to schools this coming September!
2. Individualized learning
The multi-leveled self-marking nature of the box makes it ideal for individualized learning. After completing the fifteen minute test, each child starts work in the box at their assigned level, then progresses at their own rate after that.
3. Supports standardized testing
Often standardized tests use the different questioning techniques that may not be presented on a daily basis in schools. In addition to multiple choice formatting, they can also call on children to interpret visual texts, such as diagrams. The reading box provides multiple choice questions that relate to various levels of comprehension understanding and has many samples of visual texts.
4. Suitable for both boys and girls
All cards in Reading Box
Green
have been designed to appeal to
both
genders. That said, a concerted effort has been made by the producers of Reading Box
Green
to include topics that will encourage more boys to read for pleasure. Texts touching on science & technology; thrills & adventure; latest fads & sports are sure to spark the interest of boys.
5. The 3H’s – Here, Hidden, Head
The reading comprehension activities provide questions that give students practice in the 3H question types. The 3H strategy divides questions into three types: HERE, HIDDEN, and HEAD:
•
HERE
questions are obvious in the text ie. literal
•
HIDDEN
questions can be drawn from one or more parts of the text (inferencing)
•
HEAD
questions require the reader to bring their own knowledge or understanding to the information given in the text.
The questions have been graded with the HERE questions being presented first. The 3H strategy is based on the work of L Graham and B Wong 1993.
Literal, interpretive, inferential and critical levels
Every effort has been made to provide questions that test proficiency at a literal, interpretive, inferential and critical level.
Literal
• directly stated in the text
• stated in a label, diagram, title or heading
• linked in consecutive sentences
Interpretative
• a sequence of events
• the meaning of symbols in text, map or poster
• information in diagrams, pictures and other images
Inferential
• the main idea using key words
• word meanings from contextual clues
• implied information
• predicting using implied information
Critical
• understanding the purpose of the text, paragraph or section
• grasping the writer's point of view
• analysing the layout and text conventions
6. Multi-Aged
• Reading Box Green is the perfect tool for multi-aged classrooms.
• It is multi-leveled and multi-staged and is extremely easy to use.
• Ability levels are supported by the 12 color levels provided in the box.
• Although focussed on Grades 5 to 8 it can be used in other year levels for extension and remediation.
7. High Interest
• Reading Box Green provides high interest texts for both boys and girls.
• We have surveyed students to find out what they like to read.
• Reading Box Green provides a wide variety of text types and topics.
• Catchy headings, stimulating texts and stunning graphics combine to capture and hold the interest of students.
8. Leveled Reading and Questions
• All texts have been assessed by a team of teachers, including trained reading teachers, to ensure that students are working at the appropriate level. These teachers have used their expertise in collaboration with readability data to place the cards into our color levels, commencing at Sky (levels 22-23) and moving through to Silver (level 36)
• The box contains 144 leveled cards that provide graded texts and related exercises. There are 12 cards in each of the 12 progressive color levels.
9. Covers common Text Types
• Reading Box Green is the upper elementary-middle school comprehension kit in a box. Within each color level students will encounter a variety of Text Types and related comprehension activities. If students are to improve their reading comprehension, they need to know how to draw information from a wide range of written forms.
To support students in this way, Reading Box Green contains examples of the following:
• narratives
• recounts
• descriptions
• procedures
• information reports
• explanations
• expositions
• discussions
• reviews
• poetry
• maps
• email messages
• transactions
• magazine style articles
• advertisements
• posters
• comic strip
• a variety of other visual texts
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1. How It WorksReading Box Green expands the practical features of its predecessor for grades 5 to 8. This means that students with previous experience in Reading Box Blue are able to graduate seamlessly across products. New students are introduced to the leveling system through a short test, similar to the one provided in Blue.
Year 5 to 8 texts require a more advanced degree of comprehension on the part of students. Reading Box Green reflects this with the inclusion of texts that build upon the text type structures introduced in Stages 2 and 3. While maintaining the 'here, hidden and head' and basic English skills questioning strategies, the Green texts extend student comprehension into the sorts of contextual negotiation that an advanced reader constantly engages in.
Included with the kit are answer cards, so that each activity is self-marking. This develops students' abilities for self-management, as well as allowing teachers to focus their attention onto specific individuals. Students progress through the twelve cards in each level at their own pace.
The format of the Reading Box Green is such that it is highly adaptable to any classroom environment. Teachers will discover that it is an invaluable resource for inclusion amongst rotating reading group activities. Alternatively, it is also possible for the 144-cards to be introduced for general classroom use.
Reading Box Green
also contains a set of 60 graded
Rapid Reader cards.
These short passage exercises provide students with an opportunity to work on their reading pace.
Teachers can utilise these cards in the classroom in a number of ways. The cards can be used as rewards for early finishers. They can even take the form of a remediation resource, especially when trying to foster confidence in students who are daunted by lengthy slabs of text.
In accordance with the rest of the kit, the Rapid Reader cards are also self-marking. Answer pamphlets are provided for student use.
2. Getting Started
The Leveling Test
• Once the leveling tests have been administered and marked, teachers can refer to the Leveling Table found in the teacher's manual to determine each child's starting color.
If teachers prefer, they can use their own testing procedures
and judgement to assign students their starting levels.
• Once students know their starting color they may begin working through the cards at their own pace.
The Sample Practice Card
To familiarize students with the workings of the kit a sample practice card is included in the teacher's manual. The card is entitled "Dinner at Rover's Place". Both the front and back of this card are available for photocopying. There is also a corresponding sample answer card and a sample answer sheet. It is advised that these masters are copied onto overhead transparencies and worked through in a whole-class lesson.
3. In the classroom
There are numerous ways a teacher may choose to use Reading Box Blue in the classroom. Although with 144 different cards the kit is quite able to support the whole class at one time its optimum usage is seen as an independent activity within a rotational reading groups lesson.
Reading groups model
In this classroom model, Reading Box Green is used as a separate activity in a group of three or four reading activities. Groups, determined by reading ability, rotate to a new activity each day. This model allows the Reading Box group to work independently, freeing up the teacher to work with other groups and individuals.
4. Graded levels
The grade levels suggested for Reading Box Green are grades 5, 6, 7 and 8. Schools are highly indivdual in their approach and will decide for themselves the most suitable grade to use the Reading Box. Although it is recommended for grades 5 to 8, many shools have used it to advance earlier grades or remediate older grades.
Due out September 2008
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