Identifying Key Information

Overview

This 45-minute lesson for Year 7 learners focuses on developing reading skills essential for real-life contexts, specifically identifying key information in texts. It aligns with the National Curriculum for England (English Programme of Study: Key Stage 3 - Reading: comprehension) by helping students understand how to navigate texts using headings, bullet points, and highlighted words to locate relevant details efficiently.

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National Curriculum Links

Reading - comprehension

• Pupils should learn to:
  • Retrieve and record information from fiction and non-fiction
  • Summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph
  • Identify themes and conventions in a wide range of writing
• Develop confident reading for learning, understanding purpose, and structure of texts.

Reference:
Department for Education, English programmes of study: key stages 3 and 4 (2013).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify key information in simple factual texts using structural cues (headings, bullet points, highlighted words).
2. Demonstrate understanding by extracting relevant details to answer targeted questions.
3. Use skimming and scanning strategies efficiently when reading.

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Resources Needed

• Copies of two short non-fiction texts (approx. 200-300 words) featuring headings, bullet points, and highlighted keywords. (Use age-appropriate topics, e.g., “How to recycle effectively” and “Top tips for safe online browsing”)
• Highlighters (different colours)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Worksheet with targeted questions for each text
• Timer or stopwatch

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Lesson Structure

Starter (5 minutes)

• Engagement Question:
  Write the question on the board: “How do you quickly find important information when reading something new?”
  Invite brief ideas from students and record responses.
  • Introduce the focus: today, we will practise using headings, bullet points, and highlighted words to find key details quickly.

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Introduction (10 minutes)

• Teacher Modelling using a short text on the board:
  Display a simplified non-fiction text projected or on a large printout with clear headings, bullet points, and highlighted words.
  • Read aloud, then demonstrate ‘skimming’ for headings and ‘scanning’ for highlighted words.
  • Highlight key information and explain why this is important for everyday reading (e.g., instructions, instructions leaflets).
  • Write down key information found and explain your choice.

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Main Activity (20 minutes)

• Paired Reading and Task
  In pairs, students receive one of the two short non-fiction texts each, with headings, bullet points and highlighted words.
  • Step 1: Skim the text to note the headings and predict what the text is about.
  • Step 2: Scan for highlighted words/bullet points to find answers to five specific questions on the worksheet.
  • Step 3: Highlight key phrases in the text that help them answer questions.
• Teacher circulates, provides support, and encourages focus on text features rather than reading every word.

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Plenary (8 minutes)

• Group Discussion:
  Each pair shares one piece of key information they found and explains how headings or bullet points helped them locate it quickly.
• Recap on the importance of these structural features for real-life reading (e.g., manuals, instructions, online articles).
• Quick quiz: Teacher reads out short sentences or keywords; students say or show which part of the text feature would help find more info (heading, bullet points, highlighted word).

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Assessment and Feedback

• Assess students’ worksheets for accuracy in identifying correct information.
• Observe participation during paired work and group discussions to evaluate comprehension and engagement.
• Provide verbal feedback highlighting effective use of structural cues.
• Tick or note if students demonstrate ability to skim and scan appropriately.

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Differentiation

• For lower ability learners: Provide texts with simpler vocabulary and fewer bullet points; allow use of dictionaries or glossaries.
• For higher ability learners: Challenge with an additional extension task—ask them to rewrite a section of the text using their own bullet points or to summarise a paragraph based on headings.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• PSHE: Reading information on health and safety or online safety.
• Science: Extracting information from fact files or experiment instructions.

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Were students confident in using text features to find information?
• Did the paired activity promote cooperative learning?
• Plan follow-up scaffolding if students struggled with scanning strategies.
• Consider incorporating digital texts next lesson for variety and real-life tech skills.

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This structured approach supports Year 7 learners in developing purposeful reading skills essential for independent learning and real-life contexts, firmly embedded within the National Curriculum for England’s expectations.