Great Expectations SEND Reading Comprehension

Reading Hall: An Integrated Six-Pillar Reading Coach Booklet

A fully scaffolded 10-page SEND resource built around the opening graveyard scene of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations - one of the most widely taught extracts in GCSE English. Designed for KS4 Foundation learners and SEND/Alternative Provision settings, this booklet works as a standalone reading comprehension resource or as direct preparation for AQA Paper 1 Section B (19th Century Novel).

What’s included:

• The full extract, presented with line numbers at 5-line intervals exactly as it would appear in an exam source, so every task is precisely locatable
• Six structured pillars covering Background Knowledge, Vocabulary, Language Structures, Verbal Reasoning, Literacy Knowledge, and Evidence-Based Reading
• AO1, AO2, and AO3 tagged throughout, with colour-coded headers for instant visual recognition
• Full Level 1 scaffolding: sentence starters, step-by-step guides, and a complete model answer at Grade 3-4 level
• A Tutor Notes page with a suggested 45-60 minute session structure and guidance on adapting the booklet for Level 2 or Level 3 support

Why it works for SEND and AP learners:
Every task is built around the maximum access through systematic scaffold withdrawal principle - full support is provided throughout, but the structure is designed so techniques, sentence starters, and step-by-step guides can be gradually removed as independence grows. Formatted in Arial with 1.5 line spacing and high-contrast colour-coding throughout for visual accessibility.

Ideal for:

• SEND specialists and Alternative Provision tutors
• One-to-one and small group tuition (in person or online via platforms such as Tutor Room)
• AQA Paper 1 Section B exam preparation
• General KS4 Foundation reading comprehension practice
• Cover lessons and intervention sessions needing a ready-to-go resource

File information:
10-page Word document (.docx), fully editable. Public domain text (Charles Dickens, 1861) - no copyright restrictions on the extract itself.

This is the first release in the Reading Hall series - further public domain extracts to follow.

If you find this resource useful, a quick review helps other tutors discover it - much appreciated.

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