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English first additional language

Grade 6

Module 25

To scan for specific information

Activity 1:

To scan for specific information

[lo 3.3.2]

We are still focusing on your reading skills and how much you are taking in as you read. We have looked at determining the main idea of a paragraph in a previous exercise, but now we are going to take that one step further and see whether you are able to take note of the smallest details in a paragraph as well. Read the following two stories about the farmer and the fox. Pay careful attention as you read.

Story A

There was once a farmer who had a big farm near a wood. A fox lived in the wood. Every night this fox would creep out of its den and steal one of the farmer's hens. This went on for two years. The farmer tried many times to catch the fox but could not. The fox was clever.

One day, however, the fox got careless. The farmer caught it and put it in a box. The farmer wanted to kill the fox, but in a cruel way. He tied a bundle of thin sticks to the fox's tail and set fire to it. Then he set the fox free. The fox ran right through the farmer's field of ripe corn. The corn was set on fire and burnt up. The fox jumped into the river and ran off, free as a bird.

Story B

A farmer had a small farm near a stream. He had many hens on his farm, and cows and pigs. There was a fox that lived near by. Every night it came to the farm and stole a hen. The farmer tried to shoot the fox but he was a poor shot and his gun was old.

One day, the fox got stuck in some barbed wire. The farmer saw it and put it in a sack. The farmer's son was kind. He wanted to save the fox, but the farmer tried to kill it. He tied some straw to the fox's tail and set it on fire. The fox escaped and ran into the farmer's cornfield. The field caught fire, and so did the farmer's barn. The fox escaped with a burnt tail.

The two stories are nearly the same, but not quite! In which story did you read this?

(The first one has been done for you as an example.)

Story A Story B
  1. The farmer had a big farm.
1
  1. The fox lived near the farm.
2
  1. The farmer kept hens.
3
  1. The farmer kept pigs.
4
  1. The farmer put the fox in a box.
5
  1. The farmer tied the fox to a tree.
6
  1. The farmer's son tried to save the fox.
7
  1. The farmer tied some twigs to the fox's tail.
8
  1. The farmer shot the fox.
9
  1. The fox jumped into the river.
10

Educator’s Assessment Chart:

Criteria 1 2 3 4
Attention to detail Poor Fair Good Excellent
Accuracy 0 – 3Poor 4 – 6In some contexts only 7 – 9Good, few errors 10Extremely, no errors

Assessment

LO 3
READING AND VIEWING The learner will be able to read and view for information and enjoyment, and to respond critically to the aesthetic, cultural and emotional values in texts.
3.3 reads for information:
3.3.2 scans graphs, timetables, etc. for specific information;
3.3.3 summarises a paragraph (e.g. identifies the main point and the topic sentence);
3.7 reads for pleasure:
3.7.5 solves word puzzles.

Memorandum

IN this activity, the focus is still on reading. We are assessing the degree to which learners are able to pick details out of a passage they have read. This would be a good exercise to allow learners to complete on their own and with no extra help from you. Give them the instructions and set a time limit. Allow them to read the passages for themselves, and to answer the questions themselves.

Once the time limit is up, collect the workbooks and mark the exercise. This will give you a good idea of what the learners are capable of when they work on their own. Once you have completed your assessment, hand the workbooks back and go over the exercise with the class, ensuring that the learners correct their work and take note of their mistakes.

Story A Story B
  1. The farmer had a big farm.
1
  1. The fox lived near the farm.
2
  1. The farmer kept hens.
3
  1. The farmer kept pigs.
4
  1. The farmer put the fox in a box.
5
  1. The farmer tied the fox to a tree.
6
  1. The farmer's son tried to save the fox.
7
  1. The farmer tied some twigs to the fox's tail.
8
  1. The farmer shot the fox.
9
  1. The fox jumped into the river.
10

Make use of your Educator’s Assessment Chart to complete your assessment of the accuracy of the answers and the attention to detail.

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Source:  OpenStax, English first additional language grade 6. OpenStax CNX. Sep 07, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10998/1.1
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