Mature Reading Instruction
MRI Books
For Adults, Teenagers & Older Children in Need of a Second Chance
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Over 80 stories, poems and plays offer an unrivalled opportunity to develop accurate decoding and in-depth comprehension, resulting in fluent, confident students. Each new Alphabetic Code correspondence is clearly introduced and thoroughly practised to instil good reading habits
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The wittily-rewritten works of English literature and myths from around the world offer a wealth of cultural capital
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Complemented by easy-to-implement Lesson Plans and Tutor Guide
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Levels 1 and 2 (of five) are suitable for ten-year-olds and upwards; however, the stories soon increase both in linguistic and thematic complexity. Assessments indicate where each student should start
Samples of Books
To see sample text, go to the Buy MRI Books page and click ‘Shop Now’ button to go to the Amazon page, which provides a ‘Read sample’ option for a preview of each book.
Suitability of MRI Books
The table below gives an indication of the type of reader each MRI Level is suitable for.
Reading for Children Ages 10-11
Preparing for secondary school
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Intelligent stories combined with rigorous, research-based reading instruction
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Emphasis on fluency through sustained reading of continuous text underpinned by Synthetic Phonics principles
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Straightforward, comprehensive Lesson Plans and photocopiable Tutor Guide
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Decodable text with gradual increase in language complexity
Studies have shown that teaching phonics skills to young learners is the single most important predictor of successful reading achievement. With older children where these skills are weak, the Mature Reading Instruction books help to establish automatic decoding in parallel with stories that they can read and want to read.
Mature Reading Instruction Levels 1 and 2 are suitable for 10- and 11-year-olds who lack reading fluency. The books provide the missing link between beginners’ decoding instruction and ‘real reading’ through stories that are fully compatible with a Synthetic Phonics approach.
These thirty-three stories, plays and poems include well-known legends and folk tales from Arabia and Africa; the strange tale of Finn McCool and the heroic deeds of Beowulf; the tragicomic lives of Henry VIII and his six wives; and an witty interpretation of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Word count:
MRI Level 1: 8,600 words
MRI Level 2: 16,700 words
Reading for Ages 12-16
Combining skills-based phonics practice with reading for pleasure.
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Engaging and humorous stories combined with rigorous, research-based reading instruction
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Emphasis on fluency through sustained reading of continuous text underpinned by Synthetic Phonics principles
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Straightforward, comprehensive Lesson Plans and photocopiable Tutor Guide
- Decodable text with manageable increase in language complexity
Piper Books offers a fresh chance to those who have fallen through the educational net. Catch-up learners with weak or missing phonics knowledge need opportunities to read stimulating texts. This is exactly what the stories offer. The MRI programme establishes automatic decoding skills within stories that students can read and want to read.
From the tragicomedy of Henry VIII to the doom of an Aztec city, from the antics of Africa’s spider demi-god to the trials of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, from Hamlet’s insanity to Beowulf’s heroics, MRI offers a darkly comic take on history, myths, folk tales and literary masterpieces.
Word count:
Level 1: 8,600 words
Level 2: 16,700 words
Level 3: 17,900 words
Level 4A: 12,700 words
Level 4B: 13,000 words
Level 5A: 13,000 words
Level 5B: 12,800 words
Fluent Reading for Adults
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Engaging and humorous stories combined with research-based reading instruction
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Emphasis on fluency through sustained reading of continuous text
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Straightforward, comprehensive Lesson Plans and photocopiable Tutor Guide
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Structured, cumulative text with gradual increase in linguistic complexity
For those scarred by years of educational failure, Mature Reading Instruction offers a thorough grounding in essential decoding and comprehension skills, within witty, entertaining narratives.
'From Troy's demise to Camelot's, from Heathcliff's madness to Lady Macbeth's, from the mishaps of an African spider-god to the antics of a Chinese demon, these eighty-one poems, plays and stories offer a darkly comic take on history, myths, folk tales and literary masterpieces.
Word count:
Level 1: 8,600 words
Level 2: 16,700 words
Level 3: 17,900 words
Level 4A: 12,700 words
Level 4B: 13,000 words
Level 5A: 13,000 words
Level 5B: 12,800 words
MRI Lesson Plans
The Lesson Plans are an invaluable adjunct to the MRI programme, maximising every student’s potential while minimising every teacher’s workload.
They provide an abundance of straightforward lessons to ensure that what has been read has also been understood – from the most basic decoding protocol to the cultures, actions and ethics of the characters. Including: Comprehension and Discussion Questions, Background Knowledge, Storyboarding, Oracy, Prosody, Spelling, Vocabulary Development, Phoneme Breakdown, Sentence Reworking, Syllable Chunking, Word Chains, Crosswords, and Recall Quizzes.
MRI Tutor Guide
The photocopiable MRI Tutor Guide enables all teachers to assess exactly where a student is in their progress towards becoming a competent reader. Information and procedures are clearly and simply explained.
Contents include:
Practical Teaching Points, Initial and Final Assessments, Background Information About the Stories, Record Keeping, Fluency Practice, Copying and Dictation Exercises, Frequently Asked Questions, and Troubleshooting.