English
In English, students learn to read, write, talk and listen. They learn about English language and literature, how language varies according to context and how to communicate to a range of audiences for different purposes. They learn to read for information and for pleasure. They learn about poetry, novels and plays. They gain a sound grasp of language structures, punctuation, spelling and grammar.
In Kindergarten
- listen to and follow simple instructions involving one step
- give short talks and express ideas, eg tell news, describe a favourite toy or pet
- begin developing reading and comprehension skills, eg recognise simple sight words, recognise most sounds of the alphabet, use illustrations and picture clues to make predictions about stories when reading
- write simple words using letters and sounds to help spellout known words, eg ‘d - o - g’
- write simple sentences, eg ‘I made a cake’
- begin to use word processing software to write simple sentences
- recognise grammatical patterns such as action verb and nouns in a group, eg when the teacher reads to class from a ‘big book’
Some Year 1 examples
- listen to and follow a short procedure, eg carry out instructions for a simple task
- communicate simple information, eg give directions to the library, provide a brief retelling of a familiar story
- develop an increasing range of reading and comprehension skills on familiar topics, eg sound out unknown words or break them down into syllables, respond to punctuation when reading aloud, express opinions about characters in stories
- produce simple written pieces on familiar topics, eg short recounts of personal experience, descriptions of family members
- spell known sight words, eg ‘said’, ‘was’, ‘some’, ‘have’
Some Year 2 examples
- listen attentively and share ideas or give information in group and class discussions, eg about familiar events or topics such as birthdays or sport
- begin to read about less familiar topics
- make inferences and predictions when reading stories to develop comprehension
- use most common punctuation marks in writing, eg full stops, capital letters, spaces between words
- use word processing software to produce simple writing, eg stories, invitations, recipes
- use reading cues to understand written texts, eg matching letters to sounds (phonics) and breaking words into syllables
Some Year 3 examples
- communicate for a range of purposes and audiences, eg conduct brief interviews to obtain information, give instructions for making a piece of craft
- use a wider range of reading strategies to confirm predictions and locate information, eg skim read using headings, sub-headings, key words, layout and graphics
- self-correct a broader range of punctuation in own writing, eg question marks, commas, apostrophes for contractions, quotation marks for written speech
- begin to produce different forms of electronic publishing, eg slide shows, multimedia
- spell familiar words using knowledge of common letter patterns and sound sequences, eg high, thigh, thought, bought
Some Year 4 examples
- employ various speaking skills to give confident oral presentations, eg gesture, facial expression, pause, emphasis, volume, clarity
- begin reading about more challenging topics, eg biography of a famous person, an historical event
- develop a wider range of responses to reading, eg identify writer’s viewpoint, describe and compare different interpretations, identify stereotypes and symbolic meanings
- produce more complex pieces of writing, eg an explanation of how a specialised machine works or what causes a specific natural process
- use a variety of skills to produce well-structured writing, eg drafting, revising and proofreading
Some Year 5 examples
- communicate effectively for an increasing range of purposes, eg to entertain, inform and influence audiences
- read, recognise and respond to themes and issues within texts, and justify interpretations by referring to own knowledge and experience
- write well-structured sentences, using a variety of more complex grammatical features, eg linking an independent (main) clause and a dependent (subordinate) clause by using a conjunction indicating time, place, manner, reason, condition etc as in ‘When the bell rang, Kim went home.’
- use known word meanings and base words when spelling unknown words, eg heal, healthy; sign, signature
Some Year 6 examples
- read and respond to a range of more complex literary and factual texts, eg extended novels, abstract poems, technical books and websites, historical works
- publish own writing dealing with more complex topics, ideas and issues, eg sustained arguments/discussions about contemporary social issues supported by evidence
- communicate using a range of media, eg video, multimedia, print, audio
- use several comprehension strategies for finding information in texts, eg skimming for gist, scanning for specific information, using an index, using a glossary