We use Big English as the core coursebook because it provides a clear structure for vocabulary, grammar, listening, and speaking. However, teachers often find that the reading passages in the coursebook are relatively short or too challenging for the students and do not provide enough opportunities for students to actively use the target language in meaningful contexts.

One effective solution is to supplement the coursebook with graded reading resources, particularly Reading A-Z (RAZ) and Oxford Reading Tree (ORT). When used creatively, these materials can support speaking, vocabulary recycling, and grammar practice while keeping lessons engaging.

Instead of focusing only on reading comprehension, teachers can use the pictures, stories, and topics in these resources to encourage discussion and language production.

Why Combine Big English with Graded Readers?

Big English provides a strong language framework, but students need more exposure and more opportunities to use language actively.

Graded readers such as Reading A-Z and Oxford Reading Tree offer:

• A wide variety of topics and stories

• Clear illustrations that support comprehension

• Levelled materials suitable for different abilities

• Opportunities for discussion, prediction, and storytelling

When used alongside Big English, they help students recycle vocabulary and grammar in new contexts, which is essential for language development.

Using Reading A-Z for Picture-Based Discussion

Reading A-Z offers hundreds of leveled books with clear illustrations and both fiction and nonfiction topics. Teachers can use these books not only for reading practice but also as visual discussion prompts.

Start with the Pictures, Not the Text

A powerful strategy is to hide the text and discuss the illustrations first.

For example, if the Big English lesson focuses on the present continuous, the teacher can ask questions based on the image:

• What is the boy doing?

• What are the children doing?

• Is the dog sleeping or running?

Students respond using the target language:

• The boy is eating.

• The children are playing football.

• The dog is running.

The illustration becomes a natural prompt for practicing grammar and vocabulary.

A Simple Three-Step Discussion Routine

Teachers can follow a structured routine when using RAZ pictures.

1. Observe

Students describe what they can see.

Example questions:

• What can you see?

• Who is in the picture?

• Where are they?

2. Think

Students make inferences about the scene.

Examples:

• Why is the girl laughing?

• How does the boy feel?

• What do you think is happening?

3. Expand

Students produce longer answers.

Instead of:

The boy is running.

Encourage students to say:

The boy is running because he is late for school.

This helps learners move from simple descriptions to more complex communication.

Try a “Picture Walk”

A very useful literacy strategy is the picture walk.

Before reading the text, the teacher scrolls through the book and looks only at the illustrations. Students predict the story.

Possible questions include:

• What do you think this book is about?

• Who is the main character?

• What will happen next?

This develops prediction skills, storytelling ability, and confidence in speaking.

Using Oxford Reading Tree for Story-Based Speaking

Oxford Reading Tree is one of the most widely used reading programs in British primary schools. Its stories featuring characters such as Biff, Chip, and Kipper provide strong narrative structures that are ideal for discussion and storytelling.

The illustrations are rich in detail, making them perfect for language practice and guided discussion.

Use ORT Stories for Narrative Discussion

Unlike Reading A-Z, which includes many informational texts, Oxford Reading Tree focuses on short stories. This makes it ideal for practicing narrative language.

Teachers can ask questions such as:

• What is happening in the story?

• Why is the character surprised?

• What will happen next?

Students can practice storytelling language such as:

• First…

• Then…

• After that…

• Finally…

Use ORT Pictures for Descriptive Language

The illustrations in ORT books often contain many details and actions happening at the same time.

Teachers can ask students to identify different actions:

• What is the dog doing?

• What is Dad doing?

• What is happening in the background?

Students can practice structures such as:

• The dog is hiding under the table.

• Dad is cooking dinner.

• The children are laughing.

This supports grammar structures taught in Big English, especially present continuous and descriptive sentences.

Encourage Story Retelling

After reading the story, students can retell it in their own words.

Teachers can guide students with prompts:

• What happened at the beginning?

• What was the problem?

• How did the story end?

Retelling helps develop:

• sequencing skills

• narrative vocabulary

• speaking confidence

Matching Reading Materials with Big English Units

Both Reading A-Z and Oxford Reading Tree can reinforce the themes introduced in Big English.

For example:

Using similar themes helps students encounter the same vocabulary in multiple contexts, which strengthens retention.

Turning Illustrations into Speaking Activities

Teachers can easily turn pictures into short speaking challenges.

Three-Sentence Description

Students describe the picture using three sentences.

Example:

• The children are playing in the park.

• A boy is climbing a tree.

• A girl is feeding the ducks.

Find the Evidence

Students explain how they know something.

Example:

Question: How do you know it is winter?

Answer: I know it is winter because the trees have no leaves and the children are wearing coats.

Create a Story

Students invent their own story based on the picture. This encourages creativity and helps develop narrative language.

Using RAZ or ORT Between Big English Units

Teachers are also welcome to use Reading A-Z or Oxford Reading Tree as standalone lessons between Big English units.

After finishing a unit, it can be helpful to spend one or two lessons focusing on reading, discussion, and storytelling before starting the next unit. These lessons provide students with additional opportunities to consolidate vocabulary and practice speaking in a more relaxed and creative way.

For example, a teacher might:

• choose a short RAZ nonfiction book related to a recent topic

• read an Oxford Reading Tree story together

• ask students to predict, describe, and retell the story

• encourage students to create their own endings or alternative storylines

These lessons can serve as a bridge between units, helping students review language while also keeping lessons varied and engaging.

A Practical Lesson Structure

A short reading-based discussion can easily fit into a Big English lesson.

Example lesson flow:

1. Introduce vocabulary and grammar from Big English

2. Show a picture from Reading A-Z or Oxford Reading Tree

3. Ask students to describe and discuss the illustration

4. Guide students to use the target language

5. Read the text and check predictions

Even one illustration can generate five to ten minutes of meaningful speaking practice.

Focus on Language Output

When using Reading A-Z and Oxford Reading Tree in this way, the goal is not necessarily to finish the entire book. Instead, the objective is to create opportunities for students to produce as much language as possible.

By combining the structured framework of Big English with the visual and narrative richness of graded readers, teachers can create lessons that support both accuracy and fluency, helping students become more confident and effective English speakers.