How can a child move from a general answer to a text-based one?
Ask for the answer, then the evidence. The child identifies the sentence and explains its connection. Summaries combine the idea and key details in their own words without repetition.
Practical takeaways
- The question guides where to look
- Evidence is not copying the whole text
- Explain how evidence supports the answer
The core idea
Ask for the answer, then the evidence. The child identifies the sentence and explains its connection. Summaries combine the idea and key details in their own words without repetition.
Skills that should be demonstrated
Each step offers a clear model, guided practice and a new example to check transfer.
- The question guides where to look
- Evidence is not copying the whole text
- Explain how evidence supports the answer
- A summary: main idea and key details
How to apply it
Start with one example, think aloud and let the child try. If wrong, provide a targeted hint and another attempt rather than the answer.
How can we check understanding?
Use a new word or text of similar difficulty and ask how the child reached the answer or found evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Should we repeat the same material?
Repeat once or twice with a specific purpose, then use similar new material to check learning.
What if the child keeps guessing?
Cover the picture while reading the word, return to the relevant sound or context, then reveal the picture for meaning.
When should we increase difficulty?
When a new task is completed accurately, with understanding and little help—not merely because the example is memorised.