Quality Teaching and Quality Texts – Two Essentials for Higher Order Reading.
The teaching of initial reading skills is generally thought to be satisfactory in our primary schools.
But I have many conversations with head teachers and literacy coordinators about the insufficient progress many children still make with regard to higher order skills; often around the time children enter Key Stage 2.
Children reach a point where they appear to be a ‘fluent’ reader but are then left too much to their own devices, with not enough direct teaching of those reading skills that will help them progress further.
In the most effective teaching you will see a range of approaches: Shared, group and guided reading as well as 1:1 sessions. Obviously, the quality of that direct teaching cannot be under estimated.
The other element is having access to engaging texts, which offer the opportunity to ask deeper questions and take children’s thinking and comprehension beyond the text; opportunities to practise skills like inference and deduction.
The Mini Tales Pack – in digital format is designed to support both these elements:
10 lively short stories written exclusively for Thinking Child by Steve Bowkett. - in pdf and power power version
These engaging tales can be devoured quite quickly but are rich in layers of meaning.
The teacher/TA booklet is full of comprehensive advice and ideas to support and enhance the quality of guided reading sessions at Key Stage 2. Written by Guided Reading Expert Rachel Clarke who can also provide follow up training for staff.
However this fabulous resource is now only available to Thinking Child Network members:
Click through to the The Thinking Child Network Page to find out more - you can join for free to have a look around. 
Surely - this Mini Tales Pack alone is worth the affordable one off fee of £29.99?