Developing Reading Comprehension Skills series by Kate Heap (Brilliant Publications)

Developing Reading Comprehension Skills is a series of ten reading comprehension books for children in Years 2 to 6, focusing on high-quality literature and the full range of question types in the National Curriculum for English and assessed at the end of KS1, in KS2 SATs and 11+ Reading Comprehension papers.

This series gives children opportunities to tackle more complex vocabulary, explore how authors use language to impact their readers and develop endurance for longer passages. Available as both print and e-books, there is so much flexibility for how they can be used in the classroom.

Sample chapter from Classic Poetry for Years 5-6:

New: Fiction & Poetry for Year 2 / Non-fiction for Year 2

The books for Year 2 provide a gentle introduction to more formal comprehension with carefully designed questions to help children develop an understanding of retrieval, inference, vocabulary, sequencing and prediction. These questions may be used orally or as written comprehension. Organised by question type, teachers can pick and choose the ones most suitable for their class to create a lesson that develops thinking and promotes progress.

There are 20 engaging fiction texts and poems which will encourage a love of reading and promote enquiry as children begin to think more deeply about what they read.

The Year 2 non-fiction texts have been selected from a collection of quality real books. With topics that will interest young readers (helicopters, dinosaurs, space) and linked to the Year 2 curriculum (Mary Anning, Grace Darling, the Great Fire of London), children will be engaged throughout their reading lessons.

The Year 2 fiction & poetry extracts are a lovely mix of classic and contemporary texts children will love. Including writing by Vashti Hardy, Michelle Harrison, Peter Bunzl, Michelle Robinson, Maz Evans and so many more, the quality is exceptional.

Sample chapter from Fiction and Poetry for Year 2:

Books for Years 3-4:

The books for Years 3/4 provide scaffolding to support children as they progress in their ability to discuss texts in detail. They are encouraged to look for evidence to support their ideas and develop their written or oral responses.

For each text, there are eight types of questions: vocabulary, retrieval, summary, inference, prediction, text meaning, author’s use of language and comparison. Teachers may choose to use them as they come or mix and match questions to encourage a more well-rounded discussion. Everything is there, ready for teachers to organise into their reading lessons.

Sample chapter from Contemporary Literature for Years 3-4:

Books for Years 5-6:

The books for Years 5-6 have been written with SATs prep in mind. Instead of overwelming children with endless past papers, these texts and accompanying questions will help them become familiar with SATs style questions within their usual reading lessons. The length and complexity of the texts will help build reading endurance and develop vocabulary.

Using this resource to plan reading lessons will greatly reduce teacher workload as everything has been done: high-quality, enjoyable texts, questions to promote thinking and endless opportunities for discussion.

To support the adults using these books, each begins with guidance and strategies for teaching different question types, plus suggestions for embedding these texts in the wider English curriculum.

The Developing Reading Comprehension Skills series makes it easy to have a consistent whole school approach from Year 2 all the way through to Year 6 and the Key Stage 2 SATs. It is suitable for new and recently qualified teachers as well as more experienced teachers looking to expand the range of texts they use. These books are incredibly useful in the classroom, for home learning and for long-term home education. Although aimed at primary, they would also be appropriate in Key Stage Three for supporting children who have not yet reached the expected Year 6 standard.

Part of what makes the Developing Reading Comprehension series so unique is the incredibly current texts from top authors.

Contemporary Children’s Literature for Years 5/6 & Years 3/4 feature some of the best recent publications. These extracts are sure to capture children’s imaginations and leave them wanting to read more.

Non-fiction for Years 5/6 & Years 3/4 have been created in partnership with The Week Junior children’s news magazine. Each text is current and has been written with children in mind. Topics such as women’s football, the Anglo Saxon discovery at Sutton Hoo, mental health, paddle boarding and on-line gaming are sure to grab children’s attention.

Sample chapter from Classic Literature for Years 5-6: