Former teacher and reading development consultant Lewis Crane discusses strategies for enhancing pupils’ vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills…
Our Expert
Lewis Crane
Reading development consultant
- Area of expertise: Reading development and pedagogy
- Best part of my job: Seeing children’s confidence in reading flourish
How can teachers best prepare pupils for the reading comprehension aspect of SATs?
A balanced approach is key to preparing pupils for SATs reading comprehension. Teachers should focus on daily reading that builds both vocabulary development and comprehension skills.
Exposing pupils to a wide range of texts – fiction, non-fiction and poetry – that mirror SATs content is essential. Also, scaffolded questioning, moving from retrieval to higher-order skills such as inference, is crucial.
What is the most common challenge pupils face in Key Stage 2 SATs, and how can teachers address it?
Time pressure and comprehension challenges are common in Key Stage 2 SATs. Pupils often struggle with interpreting multiple texts under timed conditions, and a lack of cultural capital can make it harder to relate to the content.
To address this, teachers should develop deep reading habits early, encouraging pupils to break down complex passages. Building silent reading fluency and exposing pupils to a wide range of texts can also help improve comprehension.
What roles do vocabulary and language structure play in SATs success?
Vocabulary and language structure are crucial for SATs success. Without a broad vocabulary and a solid grasp of language structure, pupils may struggle to interpret texts accurately.
Teachers should incorporate vocabulary lessons into daily activities, focusing on tiered words (basic, high-frequency, and advanced) in varied contexts. This approach helps pupils recognise word meanings in different situations.
What strategies can educators use to ensure effective interventions?
Effective reading interventions require robust summative assessments to identify specific needs, such as comprehension, fluency or vocabulary gaps. Tailored small-group or one-to-one sessions can address these challenges.
Teachers should engage struggling pupils with high-interest texts at their reading level to maintain motivation. Progress should be reassessed regularly through formative assessments to ensure interventions are working and adjustments are made when necessary.
“Teachers should develop deep reading habits early, encouraging pupils to break down complex passages.”
How can DreamBox Reading Plus support SATs preparations?
Reading Plus is an online reading development programme designed to enhance reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension – essential skills for SATs. Teachers receive comprehensive summative and formative data to track student progress and identify where they stand relative to age expectations.
The programme adapts to meet individual needs, providing scaffolded support and age-appropriate texts. After each reading, students answer ten comprehension questions that focus on key skills like inference and retrieval, helping to ensure they are prepared for their SATs.
To find out more, call 0191 389 6078, email info@readingsolutionsuk.com or visit readingsolutionsuk.co.uk
- Assessing pupils – how Reading Plus provides data on pupils’ skills gaps in fluency, vocabulary and comprehension and how the programme develops these.
- Implementation – how our customer support team provides free training throughout your licence.
- Proven results – how in a Y6 efficacy study, disadvantaged pupils made 97% more progress with Reading Plus than non-users.
