Reading Comprehension Lab

Interactive, guided reading practice aligned with the Australian Curriculum. Build comprehension skills from Year 1 to Year 10 with a friendly coach by your side.

How it works

Every passage. Every question type. Auto-marked.

Literal, inferential, vocabulary, author’s purpose — we cover every NAPLAN-aligned reading skill, with passage lines highlighted as students reason their way to the answer.

Reading passage · Y6 "The Skiff at Noon"
When the sea breeze rolled in at noon, Mira tightened the rope on the small skiff and looked back at the lighthouse. Her grandfather had warned her about the tide, but the gulls were circling something out past the breakwater — something silver, glinting in the afternoon sun. She decided to row out, just a little further than usual.
Literal Q 1/4
What time of day is it?
Noon
QUESTION TYPES 0% accuracy
Literal
Inferential
Vocabulary
Author's Purpose
Year 1 Passage 1 is free for everyone. Unlock the full Reading Lab (every passage from Year 1 to Year 10, plus assignment tools for parents and teachers) on the Advanced or Premium plan.
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Year 1 FREE SAMPLE 50 passages

Building Foundations — predicting, retelling, and literal questions with simple fiction stories

Predicting Retelling Literal Questions
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective
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Year 2 50 passages

Building Foundations — connections, decoding, and early inference with engaging texts

Making Connections Decoding Early Inference
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective
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Year 3 50 passages

Developing Depth — inferencing, summarising, and analysing text structure

Inferencing Summarising Analysing Structure
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb +2 new
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Year 4 50 passages

Developing Depth — vocabulary awareness, deeper analysis, and author purpose

Vocabulary Structure Deep Comprehension
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection +3 new
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Year 5 50 passages

Critical Thinking — evaluation, deep inference, and comparing texts

Evaluation Deep Inference Comparing Texts
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection
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Year 6 55 passages

Critical Thinking — synthesis, evaluation, and complex analysis across genres

Synthesis Critical Analysis Author Purpose
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection
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Year 7 50 passages

Secondary Readiness — evidence-based inference, text structure, and viewpoint

Evidence Viewpoint Structure
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection
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Year 8 50 passages

Secondary Readiness — synthesis, tone, and comparing ideas across texts

Synthesis Tone Comparison
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection
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Year 9 50 passages

Advanced Analysis — evaluating evidence, author choices, and layered meaning

Evaluation Author Choices Layered Meaning
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection
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Year 10 50 passages

Advanced Analysis — complex inference, synthesis, and critical reading

Critical Reading Complex Inference Synthesis
Parts of speech: Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective Pronoun Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection
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How the Reading Lab Works

Read with a Coach

Each passage is broken into guided sections. Kip the kangaroo walks alongside your child, asking questions and building understanding as they read.

Interactive Check-ins

Mid-reading prediction and comprehension questions keep young readers engaged and thinking critically about what they have read so far.

Comprehension Quiz

After reading, students answer questions testing literal, inferential, and evaluative understanding. Score 80% to unlock the next passage.

Parts of Speech Explorer

An integrated grammar tool lets students highlight nouns, verbs, adjectives and more directly in the text, building language awareness while reading.

Skills Progression Across Year Levels

The Reading Lab follows the Australian Curriculum (ACARA) to develop reading comprehension and grammar skills progressively from Year 1 through Year 10.

Year Level
Comprehension Focus
Parts of Speech
Years 1-2
Predicting what happens next, retelling events in order, answering literal "who, what, where" questions, and making personal connections to the text.
Common Noun Proper Noun Verb Adjective
Years 3-4
Inferencing beyond the text, summarising key ideas, analysing text structure, building vocabulary awareness, and understanding author purpose.
+ Pronoun + Adverb + Preposition + Conjunction + Interjection
Years 5-6
Critical evaluation, synthesising information from multiple parts of a text, comparing perspectives, analysing persuasive and literary techniques.
All 9 parts of speech plus deeper analysis of how word choice shapes meaning and tone.
Years 7-10
Secondary-level inference, evaluating evidence, comparing viewpoints, and explaining how structure, tone, and language shape meaning.
All 9 parts of speech, with closer attention to how grammar supports clarity, emphasis, and style.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Reading Comprehension Lab?

The Reading Comprehension Lab is an interactive, guided reading platform for Australian and New Zealand students in Years 1 to 10. Each passage is presented in stages with a friendly kangaroo coach who asks questions, gives feedback, and helps students build deeper understanding as they read.

How are passages structured?

Every passage is divided into five sections that are revealed one at a time. Between sections, the coach asks prediction or comprehension questions to keep students engaged. After reading, a comprehension quiz tests five key skills: literal understanding, retelling, predicting, making connections, and vocabulary decoding.

What reading skills does it teach?

The lab covers five core comprehension skills aligned with the Australian Curriculum: literal comprehension (finding facts in the text), retelling (sequencing events), predicting (anticipating outcomes), making connections (relating the text to real life), and decoding (understanding vocabulary in context).

What is the Parts of Speech Explorer?

The Parts of Speech Explorer is an interactive grammar tool built into every passage. Students select a part of speech (such as "Verb" or "Adjective") and click words in the text to highlight them. They can then check their answers against the correct tags. The available parts of speech grow with the student: Years 1-2 focus on nouns, verbs, and adjectives, while Years 3-4 introduce pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

How does the unlock system work?

Passages within each year level are unlocked in sequence. The first passage is always available. Students must score 80% or higher on the comprehension quiz to unlock the next passage. This encourages careful reading and re-reading before moving on.

Can teachers assign passages to students?

Yes. Teachers can assign individual passages or entire year-level journeys to students or classrooms. Assigned passages bypass the unlock system so students can access them directly. Teachers can track progress, scores, and attempts through the dashboard.

Is it aligned with the Australian Curriculum?

Yes. The Reading Lab is aligned with the Australian Curriculum (ACARA) for English, covering comprehension strategies and language knowledge from Year 1 to Year 10. Comprehension skills and grammar concepts are introduced at the year levels prescribed by the curriculum.