Exploring Narrative Texts

Overview

Duration: 60 minutes
Class: 25 Year 7 students
Focus: Reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and listening
Framework: National Curriculum for English (England) Key Stage 3, specifically Year 7 SEN
Three learner levels: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

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Week 1: Introduction to Narrative Texts

National Curriculum Links

• Reading: Pupils should be taught to develop positive attitudes to reading, and understanding of what they read by:
  • Locating and using a range of organisational features, to find information efficiently (PoS: Y7 Reading)
  • Understand how meaning is enhanced through choice of words and phrases (PoS: Y7 Reading)
• Writing:
  • Developing narrative writing through planned ideas and use of modelled language (PoS: Y7 Writing)
• Oracy:
  • Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers (PoS: Y7 Speaking and Listening)
  • Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions (PoS: Y7 Speaking and Listening)

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Differentiated Learning Objectives

Ability Level	Reading	Writing	Speaking & Listening
Beginner	Identify basic story elements (character, setting) in texts.	Write simple sentences describing a character or setting.	Listen and respond with simple ideas about a story.
Intermediate	Summarise the main events and identify descriptive language.	Write short paragraphs with descriptive vocabulary.	Contribute opinions and clarify ideas during discussion.
Advanced	Analyse how authors create mood using language and structure.	Write a short narrative paragraph incorporating figurative language.	Present ideas clearly, using reasons to support views.

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Lesson Structure

1. Engage (10 minutes)

• Activity: Show a short animated story clip (2-3 minutes) with no dialogue but clear narrative elements (character, setting, problem).
• Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and intrigue students through visual storytelling (supports SEN needs through multimodal input).
• Differentiation:
  • Beginners: Prompt with simple questions (“Who is the main character?”, “Where is it set?”).
  • Intermediates: Ask to summarise the main event.
  • Advanced: Discuss mood and atmosphere created by the visuals and music.

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2. Main Teaching (15 minutes)

• Use a short, adapted narrative text excerpt (approx. 150 words) linked to the clip shown.

• Project text on the board with colour-coded annotations highlighting:

  • Character description (blue)
  • Setting description (green)
  • Emotional words/mood (red)

• Teaching Points:

  • Model reading aloud with voice intonation modelling mood.
  • Highlight new vocabulary and phrases.
  • Discuss narrative structure briefly (beginning, middle, end).

• Differentiation:

  • Beginners: Focus on decoding highlighted words and basic comprehension questions with picture support.
  • Intermediate: Guided annotation with peer support; infer character feelings.
  • Advanced: Identify author’s language techniques and discuss their effect.

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3. Share (10 minutes)

• Paired discussion: Students share responses to prompts tailored by ability:

  • Beginner: “What did you like about the story?” supported by sentence starters: The character is... The place is...
  • Intermediate: “How did the character feel and why?”
  • Advanced: “How does the author create mood? Give examples.”

• Teacher circulates, scaffolds answers, and encourages full sentences.

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4. Practice (15 minutes)

• Writing task:

  • Beginners: Write 3 simple sentences about their favourite character or setting, using word banks and sentence starters.
  • Intermediates: Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) describing a setting from a picture, incorporating sensory details.
  • Advanced: Write a narrative paragraph opening introducing a character and setting, using at least two figurative language devices (simile, metaphor).

• Use graphic organisers for planning, e.g., a Story Map template with pictures and keywords for SEN learners.

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5. Review (10 minutes)

• Class Feedback:

  • Volunteers from each ability group read their writing aloud.
  • Group highlights one effective word/phrase used for mood or description.

• Listening Task:

  • Quick quiz via thumbs up/down or traffic light cards:
    • “The story had a happy ending.”
    • “The main character felt scared.”
  • This checks comprehension across levels.

• Summarise key learning points, especially narrative elements and descriptive language.

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Assessment Strategies

Level	Formative Assessment	Summative Component
Beginner	Observation of oral responses and writing with prompts for story elements.	Simple written sentences identified in workbooks.
Intermediate	Peer and teacher feedback on paragraph content and use of descriptive language.	Paragraph writing assessed against a rubric (coherence, vocabulary).
Advanced	Self and peer-assessment using a checklist for figurative language and sentence structure.	Narrative paragraph assessed using KS3 writing standards (Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar, Creativity).

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Resources

• Animated short clip (silent)
• Adapted narrative text (color-coded printout)
• Story map graphic organisers
• Sentence starters and word banks
• Whiteboard and markers
• Thumbs up/down or traffic light cards

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Notes for Teachers

• Scaffold language heavily for SEN learners by using visual supports, sentence starters, and verbal modelling.
• Encourage multi-sensory engagement: visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic activities (e.g., drawing to describe settings can be added optionally).
• Monitor and adapt pacing according to student response, particularly in paired and writing activities.
• Use praise focusing on effort and clear communication to boost confidence and participation.

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This lesson plan offers a structured, inclusive approach that meets the KS3 English national curriculum for Year 7 pupils with SEN needs, promoting confidence in narrative comprehension, writing, and oracy skills while differentiating fully by ability level.