| NSW Department of Education Literacy and Numeracy Teaching Strategies - Reading

Main idea and themeStage 5

Learning focusStudents will learn to identify the main idea and theme in a range of texts.

Syllabus outcomesThe following teaching and learning strategy will assist in covering elements of the following outcomes:

EN5-2A: effectively uses and critically assesses a wide range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for responding to and composing a wide range of texts in different media and technologies

EN5-3B: selects and uses language forms, features and structures of texts appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences and contexts, describing and explaining their effects on meaning

EN5-4B: effectively transfers knowledge, skills and understanding of language concepts into new and different contexts.

Year 9 NAPLAN item descriptors links the main idea to the title of a text identifies a key idea in an information text identifies the main argument in a

persuasive text identifies the main idea of a paragraph in a

text identifies the main idea of a paragraph in

an information text identifies the main idea of a section of a

text identifies the main idea of a text

identifies the main idea of an information text

infers a key idea in a narrative infers a key idea in an information text links the central theme to a quotation in a

narrative identifies a central theme in a narrative identifies a central theme in a poem identifies the central theme of a

conversation identifies the central theme of a narrative

extract

Literacy Learning Progression guideUnderstanding Texts (UnT9-UnT11)Key: C=comprehension P=process V=vocabulary

UnT9 identifies the main themes or concepts in moderately complex texts (C)

summarises the text identifying key details (C)

selects reading/viewing pathways appropriate to reading purpose (scans text for key phrase or close reading for learning) (P)

education.nsw.gov.au

UnT10 synthesises information from a variety of complex texts (C)

reads and views moderately complex or some sophisticated texts (See Text Complexity) (C)

UnT11 derive a generalisation from abstract ideas in texts (C)

identifies relevant and irrelevant information in texts (P)

Resources ‘Get the GIST’ Explicit Instruction – worked example - Appendix 1

Identifying theme in texts - Appendix 2

Identifying theme in inspirational quotes - Appendix 3

Identifying theme and main idea in texts - Appendix 4

Background informationMain IdeaBeing able to determine the main idea helps readers to recall important information. Locating the main idea and significant details helps the reader understand the points the writer is attempting to express. Identifying the relationship between the main idea and significant details can improve comprehension.

Students need to develop a main idea statement based on the following information:

who or what the paragraph is about (the topic of the paragraph, which will usually be the subject of the main idea statement).

the most important information about the ‘who’ or ‘what’

(NSW Centre for Effective Reading Comprehension strategies Middle Years)

To find the main idea, the following process can help students develop their understanding:

Gather: background knowledge and vocabulary

Identify the topic

Summarise the text

Top and Tail sentences will often reinforce the main idea.

ThemeRefers to the central or one of the main underlying ideas or messages of a text.

Where to next?

2 Reading: main idea and theme Stage 5

Literal comprehension Inference Text structure and features

Teaching strategiesTask 1: Finding the main idea

1. Discuss what the main idea of a text is, reinforcing the difference between main idea and supporting ideas. The main idea and main argument can be overall or within a section. Teacher models identifying main idea and supporting ideas with colour coding using the following excerpt:

Understanding emotions is nearly as important as IQ for students’ academic success

The ability to understand emotions contributes almost as much to students’ grades as their IQ.

Past studies show two personal qualities are important for student academic success – intelligence and conscientiousness.

IQ scores explain about 15% of the differences between students’ grades. Conscientiousness, such as having the diligence to do enough study, explains about 5%.

Our recent research has found emotional intelligence explains 4% of differences between students’ achievement. But the ability to understand emotions, a component of emotional intelligence, explains about 12% of differences in students’ grades.

By Carolyn MacCann, Amirali Minbashian and Kit Double March, 2020 from The Conversation

2. Teacher sources a range of persuasive, imaginative and informative text excerpts asking students to determine the main idea and supporting ideas through colour coding.

3. Model using ‘Get the GIST’ graphic organiser to determine the main idea or main argument; this structured approach has students gather information (important vocabulary and background knowledge), identify the topic, summarise the text, and ‘top and tail’ (check the first and last sentences) to make sure they have accurately identified the main idea.

4. Students use a range of texts linked to current unit of learning, or Appendix 1, to apply ‘Get the GIST’ process to identify the main idea. This can be done for the overall text or within sections.Alternate task: Students determine their own process for determining the main idea.

Task 2: Theme 1. Review theme as the central or one of the main underlying ideas or messages of a text. Discuss

major and minor themes, particularly in more sustained texts like a novel. Create a class mindmap of examples of themes and example texts where the theme was represented.

2. Inspirational quotes are placed on posters around the classroom. Students walk around and add ideas to a T-Chart to brainstorm ideas for theme, what it might mean and examples of texts where this theme is evident (see Appendix 2). This strategy can be replicated with art and music.

© NSW Department of Education, May-23

Task 3: Compare and contrast theme and main idea1. Students create a T-Chart detailing the difference between theme and main idea. Suggestions:

Theme Main idea

The theme is the underlying idea or message. What the author wants us to think about or what idea stays with us

The main idea of a text tells what it is mostly about

Actions speak louder than words

Teamwork

Envy

Emotions are as important as IQ for academic success.

The team won the game when they embraced their differences.

2. Students use Appendix 4 to determine the main idea or argument and theme of each text.

4 Reading: main idea and theme Stage 5

Appendix 1‘Get the GIST’ Explicit Instruction – worked example

Get the GIST

Gather information

background knowledge and key vocabulary:

Colour 1: Important vocabulary

Colour 2: Unfamiliar vocabulary

Colour 3: Repeated vocabulary

Island, disco, uploaded, sensation

Perform, Indigenous, dance

Festivals, cultural events, Yolngu

traditional, global

success, upbeat version

Identify the topic

Use vocabulary to guide ideas and refine to a word e.g. dragonflies or a phrase e.g. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Indigenous dance group success story

International, multicultural, outback youth success story

Summarise text by placing vocabulary into key

points

An indigenous dance group has found global success

After uploading a performance, now performing globally

Perform upbeat versions of multicultural dances

Top and Tail sentences- check first and last sentences as these may reinforce main idea.

Top: Local children enjoying dancing

Tail:

Main Idea: The Internet helped start the trajectory of success for a local group of Indigenous students who share their connection and love of dance and culture across the globe.

© NSW Department of Education, May-23

‘Get the GIST’ Student Scaffold

Get the GIST

Gather information

background knowledge and key vocabulary:

Colour 1: Important vocabulary

Colour 2: Unfamiliar vocabulary

Colour 3: Repeated vocabulary

Identify the topic

Use vocabulary to guide ideas and refine to a word e.g. dragonflies or a phrase e.g. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Summarise text by placing vocabulary into key

points

Top and Tail sentences- check first and last sentences as these may reinforce main idea.

6 Reading: main idea and theme Stage 5

Appendix 2Identifying theme in texts

© NSW Department of Education, May-23

Identifying theme in texts

8 Reading: main idea and theme Stage 5

Identifying theme in texts

© NSW Department of Education, May-23

Appendix 3Identifying theme in inspirational quotes

“The Pessimist Sees Difficulty In Every Opportunity. The Optimist Sees Opportunity In Every Difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

“The Way Get Started Is To Quit Talking And Begin Doing.” – Walt Disney

“You Learn More From Failure Than From Success. Don’t Let It Stop You. Failure Builds Character.” – Unknown

“If You Are Working On Something That You Really Care About, You Don’t Have To Be Pushed. The Vision Pulls You.” – Steve Jobs

“Entrepreneurs Are Great At Dealing With Uncertainty And Also Very Good At Minimizing Risk. That’s The Classic Entrepreneur.” – Mohnish Pabrai

“We May Encounter Many Defeats But We Must Not Be Defeated.” – Maya Angelou

“Whether You Think You Can Or Think You Can’t, You’re Right.” – Quote By Henry Ford

“Security Is Mostly A Superstition. Life Is Either A Daring Adventure Or Nothing.” – Life Quote By Helen Keller

“The Man Who Has Confidence In Himself Gains The Confidence Of Others.” – Hasidic Proverb

“The Only Limit To Our Realization Of Tomorrow Will Be Our Doubts Of Today.” –Quote By Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Creativity Is Intelligence Having Fun.” – Albert Einstein

“Do What You Can With All You Have, Wherever You Are.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“You Are Never Too Old To Set Another Goal Or To Dream A New Dream.” – C.S. Lewis

“One Of The Lessons That I Grew Up With Was To Always Stay True To Yourself And Never Let What Somebody Else Says Distract You From Your Goals.” – Michelle Obama

All our best heroes are losers (Richard Glover - radio presenter)

I've never seen anyone rehabilitated by punishment (Henry Lawson - poet)

A Platypus is a duck designed by a committee ( anon)

t's no good crying over spilt milk; all we can do is bail up another cow (Joseph Chiefley - Prime Minister)

There is nothing so costly to the state as a ruined life (Catherine Spence - Social and political reformer, writer and teacher)

Those who lose dreaming are lost - (Australian Aboriginal proverb)

Out in the bush, the tarred road always ends just after the house of the local mayor (Australian observation)

We cultivated our land, but in a way different from the white man. We endeavoured to live with the land; they seemed to live off it (Tom Dystra - Aboriginal man)

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour (anon)

I say to the young blokes, when you get asked for an autograph, don't knock it back because there'll be a time where no one will ask you (Brett Kenny - footballer)

10 Reading: main idea and theme Stage 5

Appendix 4Identifying theme and main idea in texts

Theme:

Main idea or main argument:

© NSW Department of Education, May-23

Identifying theme and main idea in texts

Theme:

Main idea or main argument:

12 Reading: main idea and theme Stage 5