Developed in partnership with Education Services Australia

The Australian Curriculum sets the goal for what all students should learn as they progress through their school life. Skills in the Year 3-4 curriculum include:

• drawing on past experiences and knowledge to find meaning in texts
• reading and interpreting clues.

It’s easy to help your child practise this skill as part of everyday life – just use these simple ideas.

Find the treasure

Creating or interpreting clues is a fun way to practise higher literacy skills. All you need is some hidden ‘treasure’, some clues, and a keen treasure hunter.

First write five or six clues, with each answer telling where the next clue is. Indirect clues are more challenging and more fun – eg The answer is getting cold rather than The answer is in the fridge.

So your series of clues could go like this:

• Clue 1:
  
  The next clue is getting cold.
• Clue 2 (in the fridge):
  
  Go here if you’re hungry!
• Clue 3 (in the food cupboard):
  
  Put these on before your shoes!
• Clue 4 (in the sock drawer):
  
  Oh dear, it looks wet outside!
• Clue 5 (with the umbrellas):
  
  All that play outside has made me tired!
• Clue 6 (in the bed):
  
  The treasure!

When you have your clues and treasure ready, hide them in the appropriate locations, making sure your child doesn't see.

Then give your child the first clue, and start the hunt!

Go online

For online reinforcement, Read between the lines: park will give your child practice at:

• working out the literal meaning of a sign
• interpreting the purpose of a sign
• drawing a conclusion.

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