Reading Comprehension: 'Insect Languages' with Doctor Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting

Do you have a student who loves bugs, and is ready to read more advanced English? This story will stretch a 9 to 10 year old’s English reading abilities while entertaining them with thoughtful insect stories by the famous creator of ‘Doctor Dolittle’.

In thirteen chapters, read about a water beetle who travelled across the ocean on a duck’s foot, a wasp who decided the victory of a battle, and other curious anecdotes. Thomas Stubbins, the Doctor’s young assistant, describes how he and Doctor go about ‘listening’ to insects and learning from their very different lives. Young readers will expand their reading abilities while being introduced to such concepts as ‘intuitive’ knowledge. Hugh Lofting writes with both humour and thoughtfulness as he examines life from a bug’s point-of-view!

Following each chapter are three reading comprehension questions to be answered in a separate notebook, in complete sentences. There is also a list of five words from the chapter: the student should copy them into the blank space provided, and learn to spell them. Finish up by colouring a simple insect drawing! (There is one drawing at the end of every chapter.)