BI: INSTRUCT OVERVIEW
The Bright Islands Complete Comprehension (CoCo) INSTRUCT module features strategy lessons made up of five carefully scaffolded learning pods that can be used to deliver instruction tailored to the student needs based on Pretest results.
Strategy skills are developed through Explicit Direct Instruction based on a fully structured approach.
Each lesson includes multiple definitions and examples to continually reinforce understanding.
Students build confidence through interactive practice with short texts and gradual release of responsibility.
Teacher Module ensures teachers can confidently support students in their reading journey.
To support English Language Learners, the INSTRUCT module also includes prior knowledge activation, explicit instruction, graphic organisers and theme-based instruction.
The INSTRUCT module offers students clear and direct instruction in the fundamental reading strategies of the Bright Islands CoCo program. Each lesson targets a specific strategy and is made up of five smaller, more manageable learning pods, to ensure students fully grasp each concept of the strategy before moving on to the next. Through this module, students can develop a deeper understanding of key reading strategies and enhance their overall comprehension skills.
INSTRUCT lessons combine prior knowledge activation, explicit instruction, graphic organisers and theme-based instruction to ensure that all students actively participate and achieve success in their own learning. The combination of strategies is highly beneficial to ELL/ESL/EAL-D students as it allows them to better comprehend and retain concepts.
With the Teacher Module, teachers are also provided with a wealth of resources to help them differentiate their instruction, personalise their lesson plans and tailor their approach to students' individual needs and learning styles. This ensures that the learning experience is optimised for each student, allowing them to reach their full potential.
STRATEGIES BY READING LEVELS
Level AA
Pre-reading- Figuring Things Out
- Finding Details
- Finding Main Idea
- Making a Guess
- Putting Things in Order
- Understanding What Happens and Why
Level A
Beginning Reading- Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences
- Finding Main Idea
- Finding Word Meaning in Context
- Making Predictions
- Reading Pictures
- Recalling Facts and Details
- Recognising Cause and Effect
- Understanding Sequence
Level B - C
Early Reading- Comparing and Contrasting
- Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion
- Distinguishing Between Real and Make-believe
- Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences
- Finding Main Idea
- Finding Word Meaning in Context
- Identifying Author's Purpose
- Interpreting Figurative Language
- Making Predictions
- Recalling Facts and Details
- Recognising Cause and Effect
- Understanding Sequence
Level D - I
Main Strategies- Comparing and Contrasting
- Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion
- Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences
- Finding Main Idea
- Finding Word Meaning in Context
- Identifying Author's Purpose
- Interpreting Figurative Language
- Making Predictions
- Recalling Facts and Details
- Recognising Cause and Effect
- Summarising
- Understanding Sequence
INSTRUCT STRATEGY LESSON
INSTRUCT lessons are divided into five carefully scaffolded learning pods, which gradually release information and increase student confidence. This structure gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in each concept thoroughly and remain engaged throughout. Those who subscribe to our Teacher subscription will have access to an extra “Introduction” section at the beginning of each lesson in the Teaching Guide to help them teach the reading strategies.
Focus Your Instruction on the Key Reading Comprehension Strategies
IntroductionEstablish two specific goals related to reading strategies that students are expected to achieve by the end of the lesson. These goals should be clear, measurable and aligned with the overall learning objectives. By presenting these goals, teachers can provide students with a clear sense of what is expected and motivate them to actively engage in the lesson.
Establishing a Strong Foundation: Essential Steps for Effective Instruction
Teach students how to use specific reading strategies by introducing and modelling them in the classroom. This involves demonstrating how proficient readers use the strategy when reading and providing opportunities for students to practise using the strategy on their own. By explicitly teaching and modelling these strategies, teachers can help students develop strong reading comprehension skills.
When students are provided with a familiar context, their confidence in using reading strategies increases. By creating opportunities for students to practise using strategies in a familiar setting, such as a favourite book or a personal experience, teachers can build students' confidence and empower them to become more effective readers.
Support for English Language Learners (ELLs)
Targets a language concept for which students may need reinforcement.
Identify language concepts that students may need reinforcement in and provide brief, clear definitions of these concepts. Next, guide students through relevant examples and explain where they will encounter these concepts in upcoming lessons. Examples of key language concepts in this series include:
- Compond words
- Possessives
- Pronouns
- Multiple-meaning words
- Proper nouns
- Regular and irregular past tense
- Verbs
- Homophones
- Comparatives and superlatives
Instructional Emphasis on Reading Genres
Previewing the key characteristics of a specific genre can greatly aid student comprehension of a reading passage. The INSTRUCT module covers a variety of genres including:
- Journal entries
- Folktales
- Fables
- Friendly letters
- Short fiction
- Nonfiction
- Poems
- Tall tales
- Biographies
- Science Reports
- History Articles
- Science Fictions
In INSTRUCT Levels A and B, the term “story” is used to describe both fiction and nonfiction reading passages, as this is how these writing forms are often identified for emerging readers, particularly on standardised tests. However, if you choose, you may distinguish between these two genres with your students.
Show How to Use the Strategy by Providing Examples and Demonstrations
Learning Pod 1A teacher-led approach: The strategy is introduced through open-ended questions that encourage students to draw on their everyday experiences and knowledge. This will help the students to think about how the strategy would work in various contexts. Demonstrate how to use the strategy with visuals and examples so that students have a clear understanding of what they need to do.
In the Discuss with a Friend phase, students collaborate to brainstorm and discuss potential applications of the strategy. To apply the strategy in a real-world context, students engage with a relevant reading passage.
The Guided Steps section guides students through the process of completing a graphic organiser that illustrates how to apply the strategy.
Finally, the Graphic Organiser provides a visual representation of the strategy, facilitating its application and retention.
To offer a clear understanding of the activities in each lesson section, we have created an In a nutshell section that provides a concise overview.
Moreover, our Detailed instructions guide elaborates on the essential steps required to navigate each part of the lesson.
For teachers seeking further support, we also provide Pointers that include supplementary information to assist students as they put the strategy into practice and participate in the Discuss with a Friend activity.
Provide Assistance and Support to Ensure the Successful Implementation of the Strategy
Learning Pod 2Students are initially guided by the teacher and then supported by the teacher: Teacher guides students in identifying text evidence and implementing the strategy in context. Guided instruction is a great way to introduce a new concept or skill to students, as it allows them to learn in a safe, structured environment. Guided instruction helps to ensure that students have the skills, knowledge and understanding to complete the task or activity on their own. It also allows the teacher to observe the students and provide feedback as needed.
When the students start reading a new passage, there are a few important things they should know. The first is the key features of the reading strategy. This will help them understand how to use the strategy effectively and get the most out of the reading experience.
Next, the program will give directions about the topic and purpose of the reading passage. This will help them understand why they are reading the passage and what they should be looking for as they read.
Each reading passage you encounter will showcase a specific genre and a range of content. This will help students become familiar with different types of texts and broaden their knowledge of different subjects. As they read, the program will guide them through the step-by-step application of the strategy. This will help them understand how to use the strategy in practice and develop their reading skills.
After the students have read the passage, they will be given comprehension questions to test their understanding of what they have read. These questions will be in a multiple-choice format, allowing them to select the best response based on what they have learned.
Discussing with a Friend, students can share the reasoning behind the answer choices before discussing them as a class. This activity will help them develop communication skills and deepen their understanding of the reading strategy.
By incorporating the following strategies into your teaching practice, you can help your students become more confident and skilled readers, able to apply their knowledge and understanding to a wide range of texts and reading situations.
One of these strategies is Engaging with the Text, which involves having students mark key information in the text to support their understanding of the reading strategy. This can include underlining important words, highlighting key phrases or taking notes as they read.
Another effective strategy is Structured Discussion, which facilitates group discussion to enhance students' understanding of newly learned concepts. By encouraging students to share their thoughts and ideas with each other, you can help them deepen their understanding of the reading material and develop their critical thinking skills.
Finally, providing students with Pointers can be useful to guide them in answering questions themselves, or to direct them to find the key information in the passage. Pointers might include identifying key vocabulary words, looking for clues in the text or breaking down complex sentences into smaller parts to better understand their meaning.
Revise and Reinforce the Strategy Through Consistent Practice
Learning Pod 3Teacher-supported, text-based modelling: To support your students in applying reading strategies effectively, it is important to incorporate several key elements into your teaching practice.
One of these elements is Recap, which highlights the key features of the strategy for students' reference. This can help students to better understand and remember the steps of the strategy, and to go on to apply them more effectively in their reading.
Another important element is Text-based Questions, which enables students to apply what they have learned so far to answer strategy-related selected-response questions. This helps students to practise using the strategy in context and to deepen their understanding of the reading material.
Comprehension Analysis is another important element of effective reading instruction. This involves modelling how to find the correct answers to comprehension questions and explaining why the correct answers are correct and why other answers are incorrect. This can help students to better understand how the strategy works and to develop their critical thinking skills.
By incorporating these elements into your teaching practice, you can help your students become more skilled and confident readers, able to apply reading strategies effectively and understand a wide range of texts.
To provide effective reading instruction, it can be helpful to incorporate several key elements into your teaching practice.
One of these elements is Pointers, which offer additional information about one of the comprehension questions and can be used to guide class discussion. By providing additional insights and perspectives on the reading material, Pointers can help students to deepen their understanding and engage more fully with the text.
Another important element is Teacher's Hub, which offers additional information about the reading strategy. These professional-development pointers expand on aspects of the strategy presented in the student subscription, providing teachers with additional resources and insights to support their instructional practice.
By incorporating these elements into your teaching practice, you can help your students to become more skilled and confident readers, able to apply reading strategies effectively and understand a wide range of texts.
Help Students Build Confidence by Providing Structured Practice Opportunities and Feedback
Learning Pod 4Independent work, with teacher support as needed: To help students become more skilled and confident readers, it is important to provide them with opportunities to practise using reading strategies in a structured and supportive environment.
One way to do this is through independent work, with teacher support as needed. This approach allows students to review key concepts and provides additional information that can help them apply the strategy when reading. Students then independently read two passages in which they practise using the strategy, with support and feedback from the teacher. Learning through practice helps to further demonstrate understanding and can lead to better retention and greater understanding of concepts.
In addition, it can be helpful to provide students with Learn More Fun Facts resources, which provide an overview of key concepts and additional information to help them apply the strategy to the reading process. This can help students to deepen their understanding of the strategy and to apply it more effectively in a wider range of reading contexts.
Another important element of effective reading instruction is Text-based Questions. These allow students to apply what they have learned so far and are like the questions students will encounter on tests. By practising with text-based questions, students can further develop their reading comprehension skills and become more confident and successful readers.
Using Pointers can be a useful strategy to support students in identifying key strategy-based evidence, such as critical words, phrases or sentences, that are essential for answering questions related to a passage.
Additionally, Remediation utilises graphic organisers to visually represent and verify the correct response to a strategy-based question, which can help reinforce and deepen students' understanding of the material. These instructional techniques can be valuable tools for promoting student learning and comprehension.
Develop Students' Understanding of the Strategy Through Independent Practice and Application
Learning Pod 5Independent work: In the independent work session, students practise their newly acquired knowledge individually, followed by a class discussion of the solutions led by the teacher and students. This reinforces the concepts and aids in the gradual mastery of skills.
Test Pointer: offer specific language and other clues to assist students in identifying the appropriate strategy while answering text questions.
Through Text-based Questions, students can independently apply what they have learned, with the comprehension questions being like those encountered on tests.
Guidance for Engaging with Literature: Information that enables teachers to motivate students to apply the strategy to real literature.
EDUCATION MADE EASY: YOUR IDEAL READING INSTRUCTION SOLUTION FOR CLASSROOM SUCCESS
INSTRUCT Strategy lessons are comprised of five carefully scaffolded learning pods that deliver targeted instruction based on IDENTIFY Pretest results. Benefits include:
Strategy skills are developed through Explicit Direct Instruction based on a fully structured approach.
INSTRUCT reinforces strategy concepts within each lesson by providing multiple definitions and examples.
Students build confidence as they gradually learn the concepts through interactive practice with short texts.
Strategy reviews after every 3 lessons (Every two in levels AA–A).
A multi-passage final review.
FIVE LEARNING PODS IN EACH STRATEGY LESSON
Level AA have 6 strategies; A has 8; and B–I have 12 strategies.
Prior knowledge activation encourages students to make connections between the strategies and their individual experiences.
Graphic organisers help to provide a visual representation of the material to make connections between concepts easier, allowing students to better comprehend and retain the concepts being taught.
Multiple definitions and examples for each strategy help to build a strong understanding of the concepts.
Check your Understanding section allows students to apply what they have learned and models how to find correct answers.
Independent Practice section allows students to revise the strategy concepts at the end.
Strategy reviews after every 3 lessons
Review in levels AA–A are after every 2 lessons. A Review lesson follows every three strategy lessons in most levels. Students read two longer passages and answer 12 selected-response questions that review the reading strategies covered in the previous three lessons. Students can evaluate their understanding of and practise the target reading strategies during a Review lesson. The teacher can also use the Review lesson to gain insight into the students' comprehension of the strategies and determine how effective the instruction was and if there are any areas that need improvement.
A multi-passage final review
Final Review gives practice in all 12 reading strategies in most levels. Students read four longer passages and answer 48 selected-response questions that focus on all the reading strategies in the reading level. This Final Review helps students to apply what they have learned and gain confidence in their ability to use the reading strategies in their own reading.
The Teacher module provides a wealth of resources to facilitate targeted instruction, personalise lesson plans and tailor the approach to each student's individual needs and learning styles. This ensures that the learning experience is optimised for each student, allowing them to reach their full potential.
SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS WITH HELPFUL FEATURES SUCH AS:
Prior knowledge activation
Explicit instruction
Learn more Fun Facts
Graphic organisers
Theme-based instruction
Lesson objectives
Introducing the strategy
Support for English Language Learners (ELLs)
Instructional Emphasis on Reading Genres
Pointers
Guidance for Engaging with Literature
Remediation box to reinforce student learning
Teacher's Hub
Teacher module also gives access to features like:
Auto Marking
Comprehensive Data
Interactive Teacher Guide
Drag & Drop Reporting
Interactive Teaching Guide
Make Data-driven Adjustments
BI: INSTRUCT RESEARCH
The INSTRUCT module, built on evidence-based techniques and elements, can seamlessly integrate with any curriculum and aims to support your students in achieving this goal. The module's strategies and features are founded on research-based practices, including those recommended by Duke, N.K. and Pearson, P.D. in their work on effective reading practices for developing comprehension (2002). Drawing from the recommendations of the US National Reading Panel (NICHD, 2000), this module focuses on the fundamental reading strategies, with each lesson emphasising one specific skill. Through a series of cumulative review lessons and a final review, your students will have the opportunity to consolidate their learning and receive valuable feedback before progressing to the next instructional lesson.
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HERE'S WHAT PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS ARE SHARING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES
This differentiated program allows students to read texts which are at a level suitable for their current ability and leads to students being more engaged in reading lessons. As a result, they can experience success and improve their reading and comprehension abilities. Bright Islands Complete Comprehension is an important part of the English program and we are seeing fantastic improvement across all years in students' reading and comprehension abilities.
I've found Bright Islands Complete Comprehension has really helped in improving my children's reading skills. The skills were all clearly presented with a lot of samples and practice opportunities. The student report also gives the parents a clear guide as to which areas need reinforcement and which areas each child is strong in.
I have found Bright Islands Complete Comprehension very beneficial, especially during our time teaching and learning remotely. The ability to track live what the students are doing was helpful to ensure that they were remaining on task and to provide feedback.
Now that I understand how to use the online program and utilise the tools correctly, I am enjoying using Bright Islands Complete Comprehension. The ability to locate and download the different reports is phenomenal!
I am a bit of a technophobe but using Bright Islands Complete Comprehension has certainly made life easier and the kids have found it easy to navigate.
Bright Islands Complete Comprehension has become a very useful tool for my staff to implement effective teaching and learning programs. Having a tool that gives timely assessment results, meets students at their level of need and allows them to see exactly what students are working on in real-time is time effective and impacts on future goals.
The detailed assessment data generated by Bright Islands Complete Comprehension informs the specific direction of their reading and comprehension teaching. Students report they enjoy the tasks and feel a real sense of accomplishment as they work through the lessons and assessments at their own pace.