Learning to Read

Learning to Read

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about finding information and making inferences from a poem.
Read the poem Learning to Read by Cilla McQueen (School Journal, Part 3, No 3, 1989) and answer the following questions. 

Question 2Change answer

a)  What similarities are there in learning to read and learning to ride a bike?
     

Question 2Change answer

b)  How has the poet shown that time has passed?
     

Question 2Change answer

c)  Why did the page "cease to exist"?
     

Question 2Change answer

d)  What is the main message of this poem?
     
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pen and paper or online (without auto-marking).
Copyright: 
Learning to Read - Text and image were first published by Learning Media Limited for the Ministry of Education © Cilla McQueen, 1989. Illustration © Elspeth Williamson. Reproduced with permission.
 
Source: School Journal, Part 3, No 3, Learning Media, 1989
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Reading
Key Competencies: 
Thinking
Keywords: 
poetry, comprehension, main idea, inference, SJ-3-3-1989
Description of task: 
This resource has an assessment focus on comprehension. Students study the poem 'Learning to Read' and respond to four short written response style questions. SJ-3-3-1989. Text provided.
Curriculum Links: 
 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • infer ideas and information that are not directly stated in the text
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Making sense of text: processing system, set 5
Reading for literary experience, set 5
within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
   

Y8 (07/1999)
a) Any 1 of:

  • Both are difficult.
  • Both take time.
  • Both happen in stages.
  • Once you learn either you never forget.
 easy
b) Any 1 of:

  • Any direct quote which includes time-related language e.g., "and then"/"I remember"/"at last".
  • Any explanation of the way in which the poet has used time-related language.
  • Spacing between lines/couplets.
 difficult
c) Any 1 of:

  • The person had learnt how to read.
  • They were noticing the story/ideas not the words/page.
 difficult
d) Any 1 of:

  • Learning to read is difficult/takes time.
  • Learning to read is exciting/satisfying.
  • Keep trying (and you'll succeed).
 moderate