Close Reading Comprehension 'Naughty Nigel' (4-8 years) - Activity Pack

The "Naughty Nigel" activity pack is designed for children aged 4-8 years to enhance their understanding of prefixes and suffixes through an engaging story. As the narrative unfolds, we meet Sam and his classmate Nigel, whose disruptive behaviour is causing chaos in the classroom. Their teacher is struggling with their impoliteness and the disorder they create, making it a challenge to maintain a conducive learning environment. The story illustrates the use of prefixes such as 'im', 'un', and 'dis', showing how they alter the meaning of words like 'patient', 'necessary', and 'organised'. It also highlights suffixes that change the base form of words, for instance, 'care' becomes 'careless', and 'joy' turns into 'joyless'. The plot takes a turn when the teacher reprimands Nigel for his misbehaviour, leading to a series of events that result in him being escorted to the head teacher's office.

The accompanying exercises prompt children to fill in the blanks with appropriate prefixes and suffixes, reinforcing their understanding of these grammatical elements. The story serves as a practical application of the "Learn To Read With Phonic Scheme", demonstrating how it effectively teaches children to read through phonics. The activity pack not only includes the story but also provides questions to assess comprehension, which can be discussed with a child or used as a written exercise. The focus is on ensuring that the child grasps the nuances of the language, such as mood and behaviour, and understands the consequences of actions within the context of the story. This educational resource cleverly combines narrative with learning objectives, making it a valuable tool for developing literacy skills.