It would clearly be wrong to propose a simple, inflexible model, as teachers' purposes in using texts will vary enormously and no two teaching situations or groups of students are ever the same. However, the main points in Nuttall's 'possible sequence' (1996: 168) constitute an 'ideal' pedagogical structure and can serve as a handy reminder of the various stages that can be involved in exploiting a text in class. The following needs to be interpreted in the light of the time available and the length of the text: with anything other than short texts, the stages would be spread over several lessons and would probably involve a number of individual homework tasks too.

Stage 1:
Establish the purpose for reading the text and introduce it.

Stage 2:
Set skimming and scanning task or another top-down exercise on the whole text.

Stage 3:
Tackle the text section by section.
Procedure for each section:

1. Deal with essential language points for the section.
2. Assign signpost question for the section.
3. Get the whole class to read the section silently.
4. Check answers to signpost question and assign other questions for the section.
5. Get individual students to re-read the text and do tasks/prepare answers to questions.
6. Work through the section orally with the class, discussing questions/tasks and ensuring thorough understanding of all important elements.
7. Return to signpost question, if necessary, and then assess the section as a whole; encourage students to: predict what will follow (unless it is the last section); relate it to what has gone before (unless it is the first); predict or discuss its function in, and contribution to, the whole text.

Stage 4:
After completing section-by-section study, assign tasks (group or individual) requiring response to the text as a whole, drawing together information obtained from the detailed study and including the contribution of each part to the total message.

Stage 5:
Get groups or individuals to attempt oral and written post-reading tasks.

Stage 6:
Organize report-back session(s) on post-reading tasks or collect homework from written work for marking.

(Adapted from Nuttall, 1996: 168)