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Day 22 · A clue can have more than one meaningYear 3 English · T1 W5–6 · Teacher · Teacher / Day 022

Purpose

Explain a possible character feeling or motive with a story clue, while keeping another interpretation open.

Prepare

Source: F1. Read the preparation notes. Plain paper and a familiar communication system are enough. Child choices · Optional home start · Optional extras.

Teach the 25-minute core

1. Offer the mystery: “Why did Leila fold her label?” Children can think silently, point or answer later.

2. Read F1 twice: first for the story, then stopping at the fold and whisper. Ask what the author actually tells us before suggesting a feeling.

3. Model “Leila might feel disappointed because her words came out in a whisper.” Offer another possibility: she might feel embarrassed about the claim. Neither feeling is explicitly named. Demonstrate the word routine without treating the story as a controlled decodable text.

4. Choose a route. Keep its clue and possible meaning together. A child may draw two thought bubbles, dictate, type, use AAC or speak privately; nobody has to disclose a matching personal experience.

5. In a small conference ask “Which words made you think that?” Then “Could another idea fit?” Record literal detail separately from an inferred meaning. Repeat the passage if needed and record that support.

6. Finish with a preference: which part of the story helps the reader most, and why? Preference is not right or wrong. Children may pass, show a card or keep a private note.

Taught-point word work

Read label and visitor using the pupil’s taught sound–letter knowledge; model blending or chunking only where those patterns have been taught. Compare label/labels and visit/visitor as word-family examples. Visitor is not a regular “just add er” spelling; present it as a word to study, not a new general rule.

Three meaningful practice routes

A · Story reader

Use F1. Choose the folded label or the whisper. Give a possible feeling and the clue that helped you.

B · Comic writer

Invented comic: a robot closes its drawing book after a friend asks to look. It says, “It is not ready.” Give two possible reasons; robots here are fictional characters, not real minds.

C · Backstage storyteller

Invented scene: a character holds a costume card, takes a breath and says, “Can I go second?” Link a possible feeling to that request without insisting the character must perform.

Two additional teaching examples

C03 · Fictional cooking story

A character rereads a recipe and says “I will check that step.” They might be uncertain or careful. Rereading does not prove they cannot read.

C04 · Fictional team story

A character offers the last turn to a friend. They might be considerate, or might prefer watching. One action does not establish a personality.

Component evidence and next teaching

Look for: Gives a plausible inference supported by specific story language; recognises uncertainty.

Interpretation: Leila may be disappointed, embarrassed or worried about being corrected. A different feeling is acceptable if tied to a plausible clue. Do not count a memorised feeling label alone as an explanation.

Next teaching: If the feeling floats free of the text, offer two exact clues and an open other choice. If secure, compare how a small change in the character’s words changes an inference.

National links: AC9E3LE03, AC9E3LY05, AC9E3LA07, AC9E3LY02. These are partial opportunities; see the exact map and limits.

Record the actual response and help given; leave unobserved reading, spelling, handwriting and delivery unscored. Separate checks and criteria.