k10outline - Pre-primary to Year 10 English Syllabus

Overview Western Australian Curriculum Teaching Assessing

ABLEWA Stage A
Stage A description

The English curriculum is built around the three interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. Teaching and learning programs should balance and integrate all three strands. Together the three strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating. Learning in English builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years, and teachers will revisit, strengthen and develop these as needed.

In Stage A, students begin to engage, participate and receive communication with known adults, teachers and peers. Opportunities are provided for students to explore English knowledge, understanding, skills and processes through everyday experiences, personal interests and significant events. Students are exposed to various alternative and augmentative communication systems because adults model and reinforce communication. Picture symbols are utilised for making choices and to represent real objects and activities. Students become aware of their physical state and are moving from reflex responses to intentional responses. Students are initially encouraged to develop control over their actions and mannerisms and to communicate within the social environment by reacting and responding to their immediate environment with as much independence as possible.

In Stage A, students begin to show interest in the world around them, awareness in others and of social interactions. Students’ actions and mannerisms are treated as communication and ‘interpreted’ and reacted to by adults. Students are provided with experiences that engage, support and extend their learning, including the use of verbal and non-verbal communication and making choices.

Students experience a variety of texts for enjoyment and to extend their experiences of the world around them. They listen to, experience and view spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts, with the primary purpose of engaging, entertaining and informing. These texts include traditional oral texts, picture books, various types of stories, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts and dramatic performances. They experience shared reading, viewing and storytelling using a range of literary texts, and respond to the entertaining nature of literature.

The range of literary texts comprises Australian literature, including the oral narrative traditions and contemporary literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and classic and contemporary world literature, including texts from and about Asia.

Literary texts that support and enable Stage A students to become readers include predictable texts, stories, visual displays and information, social interactions and experiences. These texts involve straightforward sequences of events and everyday happenings with recognisable, realistic or imaginary characters. Informative texts present a small amount of new content about familiar topics of interest.

Students create a range of texts coactively. They begin to develop their functional motors required for written communication. Students develop their core strength and shoulder stability. They coactively use different materials for drawing and develop their gripping skills.

Stage A
Achievement standard

Reading and viewing

By the end of Stage A, students react to a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from familiar contexts. They respond to images of familiar people, objects or events. They fleetingly maintain eye contact with a person or object. They enjoy reading material as it is being read/experienced, shown or told. They can track objects, people or images for a short period of time.

Writing

When experiencing coactive writing activities students make choices between objects and images and accept and reject objects and activities. Students develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and they move their hands in response to tactile stimuli. Students can demonstrate their grasp and can hold an object briefly when it is placed in their hand.

Speaking and listening

Students listen to and react to some familiar objects, people, words and sounds within the environment by turning their head, looking, reaching out and/or vocalising. They respond to their name and to familiar items when named. Students show an interest in others and an awareness of everyday social interactions such as greeting by using gesture or vocalisation. They recognise that their reaction can change others’ behaviour. They can choose between objects, images and activities and accept or reject an object or activity. They withdraw attention if no longer interested in a topic of communication. Students attempt to imitate sounds. They have some consistent vocalisation and gestures in response to different people, activities and environments.

Stage A
Content descriptions

Language

Reading and viewing

Encounter various forms of communication and respond to sounds, text, symbols, images or objects in their environment (ACELA1430a)

Experience sentences being used to express ideas and information and responds to different words, sounds and noise (ACELA1435a)

Respond to words and groups of words and objects in texts and in the environment (ACELA1434a)

Respond to images and words in texts (ACELA1786a)

Encounter books, print and digital texts and respond to images in the text (ACELA1433a)

Encounter words and writing within the environment and respond to spoken words in familiar environments (ACELA1440a)

Writing

Respond to images, objects and the spoken word (ACELA1431a)

Experience people speaking and communicating (ACELA1758a)

React to different sounds, and words; and respond to visual text (ACELA1432a)

Reacting to familiar voices and preferred sounds (ACELA1438a)

Speaking and Listening

Use sounds and facial expressions to affect familiar others (ACELA1426a)

Respond to a familiar person and engage with them (ACELA1428a)

Explore how sound, facial expression and actions can cause a change (ACELA1429a)

Respond to vocabulary used in everyday experiences (ACELA1437a)

Respond to different sounds and words used in everyday experiences (ACELA1439a)

Literature

Reading and viewing

Experience and respond to different types of literary texts in various modes (ACELT1785a)

React to texts, related to personal experience and familiar events (ACELT1575a)

Experience texts with different features, events and characters and respond to different literary texts (ACELT1578a)

Writing

Encounter literature being created for various reasons and purposes and react to the retelling of a literary text (ACELT1580a)

Speaking and Listening

Respond to images, sounds or actions within a multimodal text (ACELT1577a)

Respond to texts listened to, viewed or read (ACELT1783a)

Respond to the use of rhythms and sound patterns in stories, rhymes, songs and poems from a range of cultures (ACELT1579a)

Literacy

Reading and viewing

Respond to texts within the everyday environment (ACELY1645a)

React to a variety of imaginative and informative texts (ACELY1648a)

Reacting to a range of texts including visual, audio and print text (ACELY1649a)

Experience and respond to different forms of communication and texts being read or viewed (ACELY1650a)

Writing

React to the construction of text that reflects everyday events and activities (ACELY1651a)

Respond to group text and personalised text being edited (ACELY1652a)

Encounter a variety of objects and textures and hold objects for a short period of time (ACELY1653a)

React to software being used to construct texts that reflect everyday events and activities (ACELY1654a)

Speaking and Listening

Respond to various types of communication (ACELY1646a)

Respond to interaction and reactions of others (ACELY1784a)

React to others sharing and delivering a presentation on a personally or culturally relevant event (ACELY1647a)

ABLEWA Stage B
Stage B description

In Stage B, students communicate with peers, teachers and known adults. Opportunities are provided for students to explore English knowledge, understanding, skills and processes through everyday experiences, personal interests and significant events. Students begin to understand that communication is a tool that can be used to indicate needs, make choices and gain attention. Students communicate intentionally by using gesture, eye gaze or sound, or through selecting an object. They are learning to follow simple one-word instruction. Students are provided with experiences that engage, support and extend their learning including the use of verbal and non-verbal communication, symbols, and choice making.

Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to and role-play reading, and view spoken, written and multimodal texts whose primary purpose is to entertain, as well as some texts that are designed to inform. These include traditional oral texts, picture books, various types of stories, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts and dramatic performances. They participate in shared reading, viewing and storytelling using a range of literary texts, and recognise the entertaining nature of literature.

The range of literary texts comprises Australian literature, including the oral narrative traditions and the contemporary literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and classic and contemporary world literature, including texts from and about Asia.

Literary texts that support and extend Stage B students as beginning readers include literary texts that develop early reading behaviours and extend their understanding of written texts. These text involve high-interest, predictable texts with familiar and significant events and clear illustrations that strongly support the text and informative texts, including jointly constructed texts with audio support, that present ideas about familiar topics using captions or simple sentences, known vocabulary, symbols and illustrations that strongly support the print text. Students develop some simple understandings of how books work and are supported to listen and respond to familiar rhymes and stories. They role-play reading and are in the process of learning to recognise their name in print, using visual cues. Students are learning to identify pictures, shapes and sounds.

Students coactively create texts in structured activities. They develop their fine motor skills through the use and manipulation of objects. They engage in role-play writing, labelling images or drawings and begin to trace over patterns. Students encounter information technology in the writing process and explore the use of a keyboard and move a mouse.

Stage B
Achievement standard

Reading and Viewing

By the end of Stage B, students will listen to and view a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from familiar contexts. They can focus on an image during the sharing of a text. They select a text using visual images and request a text to be read. Students can recognise images of familiar people. They recognise their own name in print using a shape or beginning letter. They can sort and match pictures and shapes. They imitate some reading behaviour, including holding reading material upright and turning pages several at a time. They can show another person their favourite character or object in a text.

Writing

When writing, they can scribble freely using various materials or computer mouse. Students draw non-linear shapes and forms. They can use a touchscreen, press keys on keyboard and move a computer mouse. They begin to hold and manipulate objects. They assist in the construction of text by selecting images and topics through choice making.

Speaking and Listening

Students look towards and attend to significant people for short periods of time. They attend to and respond to key word instructions. They imitate familiar words, spoken and/or signed. They use gesture or ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses to answer a question or respond to an instruction. They communicate basic wants and needs through the selection of objects, gestures, sounds, or action. Students find and identify a variety of objects in their environment, choose an activity by pointing to an object, and point to objects as they are named by the teacher. They communicate intentionally by using gesture, eye gaze or sound, or by selecting an object. They follow a simple one-word instruction.

Stage B
Content descriptions

Language

Reading and viewing

Recognise that texts and communication can have images, objects and symbols (ACELA1430b)

Know that an object has a name (ACELA1435b)

Recognise an object when named, signed or shown in an image (ACELA1434b)

Recognise familiar objects and images in stories and informative texts (ACELA1786b)

Recognise and attend to images in texts and on the screen (ACELA1433b)

Explore the concept of difference through matching letters, images, shapes and familiar words (ACELA1440b)

Writing

Recognise the connection between an object, image and spoken word (ACELA1431b)

Reproduce speech sounds to communicate basic wants (ACELA1758b)

Recognise that text can be attached to images

Recognising that people pause when talking and communicating (ACELA1432b)

Recognise different sounds and words and their connection to objects and people (ACELA1438b)

Speaking and Listening

Use sounds, gestures, images and facial expressions to communicate (ACELA1426b)

Recognise ways to gain and maintain attention (ACELA1428b)

Demonstrate a number of ways to indicate a choice (ACELA1429b)

Recognise the connection between words, images, sounds and everyday objects (ACELA1437b)

Connecting sounds and words and matching them to objects (ACELA1439b)

Literature

Reading and viewing

Attend to features of literary texts such as images, rhyme and refrains (ACELT1785b)

Respond to texts which reflect personal and family experiences (ACELT1575b)

Recognise a familiar event or character during shared reading or viewing of text (ACELT1578b)

Writing

Select an image and illustration to represent a familiar literary text or recent event (ACELT1580b)

Speaking and Listening

Identify a preferred text (ACELT1577b)

Respond to familiar images or sounds during shared reading/viewing of texts (ACELT1783b)

Participate in rhymes and songs from a range of cultures and echo some familiar rhythms and sound patterns (ACELT1579b)

Literacy

Reading and viewing

Attend to texts that have a variety of contexts (ACELY1645b)

Attend to imaginative and informative texts including visual schedules in everyday experiences (ACELY1648b)

Use images to obtain meaning from shared texts (ACELY1649b)

Attend to images while listening to and viewing texts (ACELY1650b)

Writing

Select image to be used in a short text about a special event (ACELY1651b)

Make simple choices during shared construction of personalised multimodal text (ACELY1652b)

Grasp and move objects within and between their hands (ACELY1653b)

Use software or applications to select images and sounds for shared texts (ACELY1654b)

Speaking and Listening

Listen to and respond to simple instructions (ACELY1646b)

Respond to significant others as part of familiar and routine interactions (ACELY1784b)

Respond to a presentation on an everyday experience (ACELY1647b)

ABLEWA Stage C
Stage C description

In Stage C, students communicate with known adults, teachers and peers. Students learn about social rules of communication and experience different ways to convey information to others. Students are provided with experiences that engage, support and extend their learning, including the use of verbal and non-verbal communication, use of symbols, and choice making. Students express and record their wants, needs and feelings through words, gesture, and picture and symbol selection. Many students will use recognisable and consistent words.

Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is to entertain, as well as some texts that are designed to inform. These include traditional oral texts, picture books, various types of stories, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts and dramatic performances. They participate in shared reading, viewing and storytelling using a range of literary texts, and recognise the entertaining nature of literature.

Literary texts that engage, support and extend Stage C students to develop early reading behaviours and extend their understanding of written texts include high-interest, predictable texts with familiar events, recognisable characters and clear illustrations that strongly support the text, and informative texts, including texts jointly constructed with audio support, that present ideas about familiar topics using captions or simple sentences, known vocabulary, symbols and illustrations to strongly support the text.

Students create a range of texts, including pictorial representations, adding writing such as scribble to label or comment on drawings and imitating writing words and sentences.

Stage C
Achievement standard

Reading and Viewing

By the end of Stage C, students listen to and view a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from familiar contexts. They identify the main character or event in a familiar text using visual images from the text. They participate in interactive stories and repeat or activate a short phrase or refrain during the sharing of a familiar text. When ‘reading’ students move through a print text from front to back. They can comment or point to illustrations in reading material to predict the topic of the material. They use a key word to respond to questions about what is happening in a text. They can make a graphophonic identification of their own name. They can match letters and numbers, and identify some letters and numbers named by another.

Writing

When writing, students add writing such as scribble to label or comment on drawings, and imitate writing words and sentences. They express and record their wants and needs through a word, a picture or symbol selection. They demonstrate fine motor grasp and manipulating skills such as moving, picking up and manipulating objects. They can hold and use a pencil to make purposeful marks on paper. They apply colour to an outline and draw with purposeful direction. They can press a key for particular letters or functions on a keyboard and locate and click icons on the screen. They can select pictures that are important to create a picture storybook.

Speaking and Listening

They listen and interact with others. They use particular greetings to acknowledge people, respond with ‘yes’, ‘no’ or single words to indicate understanding and use a few words and simple phrases. They can share their favourite items or experience with a small group of students and respond to questions about it. They express and record their wants and needs through a word, picture or symbol selection. They can imitate initial word sounds and use photographs, pictures and symbols to represent people and things. They use and combine words, symbols and gestures that can be readily understood by others to make requests and to communicate needs. They make a request by linking key words, signs and/or symbols in a meaningful context.

Stage C
Content descriptions

Language

Reading and viewing

Recognise that texts and communication can take various forms including multimodal and picture books (ACELA1430c)

Recognise that a group of words can communicate a message (ACELA1435c)

Know how to use the connection between the object, its name, image or sign (ACELA1434c)

Recognise the use of images to represent an event, object or idea (ACELA1786c)

Know that successive pages or images in a book or on a screen present a story in sequence (ACELA1433c)

Explore similarities and differences between letters by shape and size (ACELA1440c)

Writing

Know that symbols, words and images can communicate needs (ACELA1431c)

Use spoken words, sign or Augmentative Alternative Communication System to communicate (ACELA1758c)

Know their written name (as a grapheme) and match the letters in their name (ACELA1432c)

Know the beginning sounds of familiar words (ACELA1438c)

Speaking and Listening

Recognise that words, images and actions have the same meaning across environments (ACELA1426c)

Recognise ways to greet and interact with familiar people (ACELA1428c)

Recognise different ways to communicate needs, likes and dislikes (ACELA1429c)

Use words and images to make a request, indicate a choice, recount information, and express a feeling (ACELA1437c)

Recognise the beginning sounds of familiar words (ACELA1439c)

Literature

Reading and viewing

Identify characteristics of familiar literary texts including poetry (ACELT1785c)

Recognise key events in texts which reflect personal and familiar experiences (ACELT1575c)

Recognise familiar texts which share the same character or similar topic or event (ACELT1578c)

Writing

Retell an event or familiar text through images and illustrations (ACELT1580c)

Speaking and Listening

Identify a preferred aspect of text, such as image, refrain within a multimodal text (ACELT1577c)

Identify favourite character or event within a story (ACELT1783c)

Repeat and follow rhythms and sound patterns in familiar rhymes and songs from a range of cultures (ACELT1579c)

Literacy

Reading and viewing

Explore some familiar texts and images used in the community (ACELY1645c)

Use simple visual schedules, select imaginative and informative texts for viewing (ACELY1648c)

Recognise that images, words and symbols convey meaning (ACELY1649c)

Use images within text to identify key objects and events (ACELY1650c)

Writing

Create simple texts by labelling images from an event with own ‘writing’ (ACELY1651c)

Review choices made during shared construction of personalised multimodal texts during shared review (ACELY1652c)

Trace patterns and letters (ACELY1653c)

Use software or application by selecting images and typing to ‘label’ images (ACELY1654c)

Speaking and Listening

Listen to and respond to the communication from an adult in classroom situations (ACELY1646c)

Recognise when others are speakingin group situations (ACELY1784c)

Deliver some comment to a small group (ACELY1647c)

ABLEWA Stage D
Stage D description

In Stage D, students communicate with known adults, teachers and peers. Students are provided with experiences that engage, support and extend their learning, including the use of pictorial representations or other marks to express and record their ideas. Students communicate by using short oral statements or augmentative communication systems. Students listen and follow simple directions. They freely initiate greetings to fellow students, teachers and significant others. Students are learning to use basic social rules of communication including turn taking, and acknowledging and answering questions. They learn effective ways to seek and gain attention and comfort.

Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is to entertain, as well as some texts designed to inform. These include traditional oral texts, picture books, various types of stories, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts and dramatic performances. They participate in shared reading, viewing and storytelling using a range of literary texts, and recognise the entertaining nature of literature.

Literary texts that engage, support and extend Stage D students as beginning readers to develop early reading behaviours and extend their understanding of written texts include high-interest, predictable texts with familiar events, recognisable characters, simple sequences of events and clear illustrations that strongly support the text, and informative texts that present ideas about familiar topics using simple sentences, known vocabulary and illustrations to strongly support the text.

Students create texts that record their experience and knowledge using a range of tools including computer, pictures and pencils.

Stage D
Achievement standard

Reading and Viewing

By the end of Stage D, students listen to and view a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from familiar contexts. They identify the main character and event in an imaginative text. They use visual images to identity the key topic or theme within an informative text. They understand familiar text by using images and communicate a short statement about the text. They can follow a simple pictorial timetable. They select their own reading material by looking at the picture on the cover. They model reading by tracking text page by page, from left to right and top to bottom, and follow or point to a line of text as it is being read. They use illustrations to retell a story and answer simple questions about a story. They recognise the connection between print and the spoken word, identifying spaces, letters and/or words in text, and reading familiar words and signs using partial cues and illustrations. They identify some letters of the English alphabet and their associated sound. They retell a picture story they have selected using key words to describe each picture. They respond to questions and sequence key words to describe or predict what is happening in a picture, movie or book.

Writing

When writing, students produce ‘text-like’ writing to convey meaning and label images. They trace letter-like patterns moving left to right across a page. They have a preferred writing hand and hold a pencil to trace over lines, shapes and patterns with some accuracy. They colour within a clearly defined area. They copy or write familiar letters with beginning accuracy and copy/type their first name. They select and sequence pictures and key words to describe a personally significant event or experience. They contribute key words to teacher-constructed texts to describe pictures they have selected. They understand that what is said can be written down, indicate words, and demonstrate knowledge of some rules associated with writing, such as working from left to right, top to bottom and spacing.

Speaking and Listening

Students listen to and use spoken language to acknowledge and answer a person who communicates with them, giving a response of up to three words. Students use some social conventions during social interaction, such as making eye contact; show some understanding of turn taking; use appropriate volume; and articulate clearly. They participate in communication with others by expressing likes, dislikes and ideas; sequence key words, signs or symbols to describe a favourite object, completed piece of work, or to make a request; and communicate needs and give reasons. They use simple phrases and simple sentences and sequence two key ideas. They listen to and respond to sequence sentences when interacting with others, and ask questions at appropriate intervals to show an interest in what the speaker is saying. Students follow simple, routine instructions that contain up to three key words, and follow simple instructions given by an interactive computer software program.

Stage D
Content descriptions

Language

Reading and viewing

Know that words can be spoken, written, signed and represented using symbols and communication devices (ACELA1430d)

Understand how to make a statement or ask a question (ACELA1435d)

Recognise how a group of words can represent an object or image (ACELA1434d)

Explore connection between words, objects and images in stories and informative texts (ACELA1786d)

Identify some of the features of text such as digital /screen layout or the features of a book cover (ACELA1433d)

Knowing that a letter can be the same but look different, for example capital and lower-case letters (ACELA1440d)

Writing

Understand that language can be represented as written text (ACELA1431d)

Use, communicate or articulate high frequency words and reproduce familiar sounds (ACELA1758d)

Copy own name and recognise some of the letters within it. Understand that pausing is presented in written text as a full stop (ACELA1432d)

Identify the beginning sounds of familiar words and some words that sound the same (ACELA1438d)

Speaking and Listening

Understand that people communicate in different ways (ACELA1426d)

Know how to greet and maintain a short interaction with others (ACELA1428d)

Use different ways to express needs, likes and dislikes (ACELA1429d)

Use vocabulary in the form of short phrases for a variety of purposes such as to request an object, communicate a need, recount information, or express a feeling (ACELA1437d)

Identify the sounds within familiar words (ACELA1439d)

Literature

Reading and viewing

Know some characteristics and features of literary texts, such as characters, beginning and ending in stories and rhyme in poetry (ACELT1785d)

Identify topic and key events in texts that reflect personal and familiar experiences (ACELT1575d)

Identify the characters, events and setting in a literary text (ACELT1578d)

Writing

Retell familiar text or event by sequencing images and simple statements (ACELT1580d)

Speaking and Listening

Identify favourite texts topic and character (ACELT1577d)

Express likes or dislikes about characters and events in a text (ACELT1783d)

Identify and copy the rhythms and sound patterns in stories, rhymes and songs from a range of cultures (ACELT1579d)

Literacy

Reading and viewing

Identify some familiar texts and their use in the community (ACELY1645d)

Identify familiar informative and imaginary texts (ACELY1648d)

Read a simple sentence or pictorial representation of a sentence (ACELY1649d)

Use images to retell or comment on a familiar text listened to and viewed (ACELY1650d)

Writing

Use symbols, letters and words to create a simple statement about an idea or event (ACELY1651d)

Review own text and make changes during shared editing (ACELY1652d)

Copy and write letters, symbols and numbers (ACELY1653d)

Use software or application by selecting images and suggesting simple sentences to accompany the image (ACELY1654d)

Speaking and Listening

Listen and respond to communication of others in classroom situations and routines (ACELY1646d)

Use turn taking, simple questions and other behaviours related to class discussions (ACELY1784d)

Deliver short oral presentation about an object or event of interest that identifies some of its key characteristics (ACELY1647d)

Pre-primary
Year level description

In the early childhood phase of schooling, learning, development and wellbeing are connected and learning builds on the Early Years Learning Framework and each child’s funds of knowledge. A holistic curriculum that integrates knowledge, understandings, skills, values and attitudes across learning areas connects learning to children’s lives and their natural curiosity about their world.

English provides opportunities for children to learn through an orchestrated blend of play, deliberate and intentional teaching, and spontaneous experiences and actions.

In Pre-primary, children act with intentionality and agency to develop an understanding that English is the shared language of the learning environment, used to interact and communicate with known audiences for different purposes and to meet their personal needs and interests. English provides children with opportunities to develop their control and understanding of the symbolic representations associated with written language. They draw on their funds of knowledge to make connections to the English curriculum and explore concepts through a range of modes of communication, including music, dance, movement, storytelling, visual arts, and drama.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when children actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. Children begin to learn about the structure and purpose of texts.

Children engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts that include traditional oral tales; imaginative and informative picture books; various types of print, oral and digital stories; rhyming verse, poetry, songs and chants; film and animations; dramatic performances; presentations; conversations and discussions; non-fiction texts; and websites and other digital media. In Pre-primary, children develop their reading in a text-rich environment through engagement with a range of texts, including:

literature that reflects and expands their world, and supports learning in English and across the curriculum
texts that support children as meaning makers and enables them to share feelings and thoughts about texts
texts for beginning readers that systematically introduce words with a limited number of phoneme–grapheme correspondences and add phoneme–grapheme correspondences as proficiency develops
texts that support developing readers, including authentic literary texts that involve straightforward sequences of events and everyday happenings, some less familiar content, a small range of language features, including simple and compound sentences, high-frequency words, and other words that can be decoded using developing phonic knowledge
authentic, informative texts that reflect their interests and curiosities.

Children create short imaginative and informative texts that may include some words, images and/or gestures to create texts that may include retells or adaptations of stories, messages, short recounts, thoughts and opinions, and dramatic performances for a known purpose and audience. Children make choices about texts according to their interests and curiosities.

Pre-primary
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Children actively listen to texts, interact with others and create short spoken texts, including retelling stories. They share thoughts and opinions, likes and dislikes, and retell events or key ideas with peers and adults. They listen for and use language features, including vocabulary and phrases from learning experiences and texts. They listen for and identify rhymes, sound patterns and sounds (phonemes) in words. They orally blend and segment phonemes in single-syllable words. They transfer information learned across multiple contexts to demonstrate features of speaking and listening; for example, using topic‑specific vocabulary during activities and play.

Reading and Viewing

Children listen to, read, view and comprehend a range of texts. They actively construct meaning by making personal connections to characters, events and settings. They make predictions, respond to and pose questions when discussing texts and identify some differences between imaginative and informative texts. They engage with texts for personal reasons, including for enjoyment and to demonstrate reading behaviours. They identify some language features of familiar texts, such as typical beginnings, endings or characters. They name the letters of the English alphabet and know and use the most common sounds (phonemes) represented by these letters (graphs) and manipulate sounds in single-syllable words. They associate most common sounds with letters to read words, including consonant–vowel–consonant words and some high-frequency words to make meaning.

Writing and Creating

Children retell stories, report information and state their thoughts, feelings and key ideas about real or imagined events. Children create short written and multimodal texts using words and images where appropriate and understand that their texts can reflect their own experiences. They begin to transfer and use words and phrases that have been taught or explored in texts. Their writing shows evidence of beginning writing behaviours, such as directionality. They experiment with capital letters and full stops. They use letter and sound knowledge to spell most consonant–vowel–consonant words.

Pre-primary
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Explore how language is used differently at home, in school and in communities depending on the relationships between people

WAPELAI1

For example:

interacting with adults and peers in a range of situations, such as play, role-play and partner, group and whole class activities to experiment with language
using the home languages of the diverse cultures represented to explore how languages build social and personal connection, such as greetings and songs

Explore different ways of using language to express opinions, likes and dislikes

WAPELAI2

For example:

participating in informal discussions during the day about their interests and curiosities
using connecting words, such as when and but, when exploring the language of opinion
experimenting with comparative language, such as good, better, best

Text structure, organisation and features

Understand that texts can take many forms, such as signs, books and digital texts

WAPELAT1

For example:

exploring different text forms and engaging with their features, such as commenting on the purpose of a sign or discussing a photograph in an informative book
exploring how different texts affect an audience, and can prompt emotional reactions, such as picture books can be shared for enjoyment

Recognise that some language in written texts is unlike everyday spoken language

WAPELAT2

For example:

knowing words and phrases like Once upon a time, said the boy and the end that are commonly used in stories but are not typically used in everyday language
identifying some subject‑specific language in informative texts
exploring repetition and rhyme in texts

Explore conventions of print and screen, including how books and simple digital texts are usually organised

WAPELAT3

For example:

identifying English text direction of left to right and top to bottom
developing print awareness by exploring the ways words and images are placed in texts
using navigation features to read a digital text, such as using the scroll bar to continue viewing a text on a website

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Recognise that sentences are key units for expressing ideas

WAPELALA1

For example:

exploring how oral sentences express meaning, such as in questions or statements
exploring how sentences in written texts contain a full idea and make sense
responding to who, when, what and where questions to add information to sentences when needed

Recognise that sentences are made up of groups of words that work together in particular ways to make meaning

WAPELALA2

For example:

communicating the ideas represented in sentences, such as identifying that the sentence The cat ate its dinner is about a cat that ate

Explore the contribution of images and words to meaning in stories and informative texts

WAPELALA3

For example:

interacting with images in picture books, short films and other multimodal texts and discussing what they are communicating to the reader or why they were included

Recognise and develop awareness of vocabulary used in familiar contexts related to everyday experiences, personal interests and topics taught at school

WAPELALA4

Identify punctuation as a feature of written text different from letters; recognise that capital letters are used for names, and that capital letters also signal the beginning of sentences while punctuation marks signal the end

WAPELALA5

For example:

sorting letters into upper- and lower-case
identifying full stops, question marks and exclamation marks in texts and experimenting with their use when writing

Phonic and word knowledge

Recognise and generate rhyming words, alliteration patterns, syllables and sounds (phonemes) in spoken words (phonological awareness)

WAPELAP1

For example:

listening for, identifying and generating rhyming pairs, such as funny/money
using alliteration, such as happy Harry, to explore phonemes

Segment sentences into individual words and orally blend and segment single-syllable spoken words; isolate, blend and manipulate phonemes in single-syllable words (phonological awareness)

WAPELAP2

For example:

clapping and counting the words in sentences
segmenting and blending words orally, such as mat, ship, with, truck
identifying, deleting or substituting beginning, medial and final sounds in single-syllable words, such as hot – pot, hot – hit, hot – hop

Recognise and name all upper- and lower‑case letters (graphs) and know the most common sound that each letter represents

WAPELAP3

For example:

exploring phoneme–grapheme correspondences discovered in meaningful contexts, such as shared reading or in environmental print
identifying and recalling phoneme–grapheme correspondences, such as
- common initial sounds (phonemes)
- common consonant digraphs, such as <sh>, <ch>, <th> (voiced/unvoiced)
- common phoneme–grapheme correspondences, such as when <s> makes the [z] sound in the final position in words such as is, was, his
- short vowel sounds
  [a] hat,
  [e] pet,
  [i] tip,
  [o] hot,
  [u] tub
  presented early in the sequence to combine with consonants

Write consonant–vowel–consonant (CVC) words by representing sounds with the appropriate letters, and blend sounds associated with letters when reading CVC words

WAPELAP4

Use knowledge of letters and sounds to spell words

WAPELAP5

For example:

using knowledge of letter names when spelling words, such as mi (my) and hape (happy)
using knowledge of sounds to spell words, such as yung (young) and workt (walked)

Read and write some high‑frequency words and other familiar words

WAPELAP6

For example:

reading and writing familiar words, such as names or environmental words
reading and writing frequently occurring words, such as a, and, for, he, in, is, it, of, that, the, to, was, you

Explore how words are units of meaning and can be made of more than one meaningful part

WAPELAP7

For example:

recognising when an <s> is added to a base word, such as ball, it makes a plural
exploring how <ed> indicates past tense when added to a word, such as talk, talked
recognising that an antonym of a word can be made by adding a prefix, such as <un> unhappy

Literature

Literature and contexts

Share ideas about stories, poems and images in literature, reflecting on experiences that are similar or different to their own by engaging with texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and illustrators

WAPELICO1

For example:

listening to a literary text, such as a poem set in the Australian bush, and talking about connections to their own experiences
re-enacting scenarios of a favourite story, poem or experience in a role-play environment

Engaging with and responding to literature

Respond to stories and share feelings and thoughts about their settings, events and characters

WAPELIEN1

For example:

sharing thoughts and ideas about a story, such as orally discussing favourite storybook characters or by drawing pictures of a favourite event

Examining literature

Recognise different types of literary texts and identify features, including setting, events, characters, and beginnings and endings

WAPELIEX1

For example:

identifying and discussing features common to specific literary texts, such as real and imaginary characters who may be found in stories about the Australian bush, events that typically occur in fiction stories, such as fairytales, or typical beginnings and endings in fables or cultural stories

Explore and replicate the rhythms and sound patterns of literary texts, such as stories, poems, chants, rhymes and songs

WAPELIEX2

Creating literature

Retell and adapt literary texts through play and performance

WAPELICR1

For example:

retelling or performing a story, changing the characters, setting or order of events
participating in role-play to retell and adapt favourite texts

Literacy

Texts in context

Identify some familiar texts, such as stories and informative texts, and their purposes

WAPELYT1

For example:

recognising how a non-fiction text contains information about the real world
identifying some texts in the environment and recognising their purpose, such as using a poster that explains how to wash your hands

Interacting with others

Interact in informal and structured situations by listening while others speak, including turn-taking and using features of voice, including volume levels

WAPELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Identify some differences between imaginative and informative texts

WAPELYA1

For example:

recognising features that are imaginative in fiction texts and real-world information in informative texts, such as talking animals in stories compared to an animal encyclopedia
discussing language typical to a specific text type, such as Once upon a time in fairytales

Read decodable and authentic texts using developing phonic and word knowledge, and monitor meaning using context and emerging grammatical knowledge

WAPELYA2

For example:

using decoding knowledge to read regular VC and CVC words in phonic (decodable) readers
identifying some high-frequency words and other known words during shared and independent reading
developing strategies, such as pausing or asking for help, when needing to clarify a sound or word
beginning to use punctuation when reading, such as pausing at a full stop

Explore comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning to understand and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read

WAPELYA3

For example:

previewing a text by looking at the images to activate prior knowledge
asking questions to clarify understanding of a text listened to or viewed
participating in ‘think alouds’
summarising a story by recalling some key events in an oral story or film
visualising a character or setting when listening to a story or poem
making a connection to a setting in a text to predict what events may occur there

Creating texts

Create written and multimodal texts for a range of purposes, including:

giving a message
expressing an opinion
sending a greeting
recounting an experience

WAPELYC1

Create and deliver short spoken texts to report ideas and events (real or imagined) to peers, using features, such as appropriate voice modulation

WAPELYC2

Form most lower- and upper-case letters using learnt letter formations and correct starting points and directionality

WAPELYC3

Explore the use of digital tools to create or add to a visual or spoken text

WAPELYC4

For example:

using a camera or digital device to take a photo for a specific purpose
recording a spoken story or personal experience of choice onto a tablet

Year 1
Year level description

In the early childhood phase of schooling, learning, development and wellbeing are connected and learning experiences are informed by the Principles and Practices of the Early Years Learning Framework. A holistic curriculum that integrates knowledge, understandings, skills, values and attitudes across learning areas connects learning to children’s lives and their natural curiosity about their world.

English provides opportunities for children to learn through a blend of developmentally appropriate intentional approaches, including play-based learning, inquiry and explicit teaching.

In Year 1, children act with intentionality and agency to explore how English, as the shared language of the learning environment, can be used to meet their diverse needs and interests. They learn to interact with familiar audiences for different purposes. Children have opportunities to develop their control and understanding of the symbolic representations associated with written language. An emphasis on literacy is encapsulated in a holistic approach to learning where key ideas and concepts in a range of learning areas are presented in culturally and phase‑appropriate ways.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when children actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. In Year 1, children draw on growing knowledge of context, text structures and features as they begin identifying the purpose of texts.

Children engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts that include traditional oral tales; imaginative and informative picture books; various types of print, oral and digital stories; rhyming verse, poetry, songs and chants; film and animations; dramatic performances; spoken texts; media, online and digital texts; non-fiction texts; and texts used by children as models for creating their own texts. In Year 1, children develop their reading in a text-rich environment through engagement with a range of texts, including:

literature that reflects and expands their world, with straightforward sequences of events and everyday happenings with recognisably realistic or imaginary characters
texts to support children to make literal and inferred meaning
decodable texts that systematically introduce words with phoneme–grapheme correspondences that align with phonic development for children to continue to practise and consolidate their decoding, if required
authentic texts that support and extend developing readers and use a small range of language features, including simple and compound sentences, some unfamiliar vocabulary, high-frequency words and other words that need to be decoded using developing phonic knowledge
informative texts, with illustrations and diagrams, presenting new content about familiar topics of interest and topics introduced in other learning areas
texts that support learning in English and across the curriculum.

Children create short spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. These texts may include responses, such as personal reflections or opinions, recounts of events or experiences, procedures, retells or adaptations of familiar stories, reports, dramatic performances and poetry. Children make choices about texts according to their interests and curiosities.

Year 1
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Children recognise how they interact with others for different purposes. They listen to and create short spoken texts to communicate what they know, understand or have experienced. They share ideas, retell or adapt stories, recount or report on events or experiences, and express opinions using some information gained from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. They sequence ideas and use language features, including topic-specific vocabulary and words that represent parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.

Reading and Viewing

Children actively listen to, read, view and comprehend a range of texts. They monitor meaning and make connections between characters, settings and events, and to personal experiences. They recall key ideas and recognise literal and implied meaning in texts. They recognise the text structures of narrative and informative texts, and the associated language and visual features. They blend short vowels, common long vowels, consonants and digraphs to read one- and two-syllable words. They use knowledge of common letter patterns to read an increasing number of high-frequency words. They use sentence boundary punctuation to read with developing phrasing and fluency.

Writing and Creating

Children create short oral, written and/or multimodal texts to show understanding of the connection between writing, speech and images, including retells or adaptations of stories with events and characters. They report information and express opinions about personal experiences. They create a range of texts that may include informative, imaginative or persuasive texts and include information from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. They write simple sentences with sentence boundary punctuation and capital letters for proper nouns, using topic-specific vocabulary. They spell most one- and two‑syllable words with common letter patterns, and accurately apply an increasing number of taught high-frequency words to their created text.

Year 1
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Explore how language, facial expressions and gestures are used to interact with others when asking for and providing information, making offers, exclaiming, requesting and giving commands

WA1ELAI1

For example:

asking and answering questions in planned and unplanned discussions and conversations
identifying emotions expressed in film or picture books and discussing what the characters may be feeling or thinking

Explore language to provide reasons for likes, dislikes and preferences

WA1ELAI2

For example:

using conjunctions, such as because, when giving reasons
communicating and experimenting with words to express likes and dislikes, such as fabulous, excellent, terrible, awful
using adjectives and intensifiers, such as really like, like very much, extremely angry

Text structure, organisation and features

Explore how texts are organised according to their purpose, such as to recount, narrate, express opinion, inform, report and explain

WA1ELAT1

For example:

sequencing of events in recounts
headings, images and diagrams in multimodal texts
opening, plot development and ending in narratives
following a written or multimodal recipe to participate in a shared activity, such as exploring the purpose of the headings in a recipe

Explore how repetition, rhyme and rhythm create cohesion in simple poems, chants and songs

WA1ELAT2

For example:

experimenting with repeated patterns, such as In the dark, dark woods …, when constructing texts

Explore how print and digital texts are organised using features, such as page numbers, table of contents, headings and titles, navigation buttons, swipe screens, verbal commands, links and images

WA1ELAT3

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand that a simple sentence consists of a single independent clause representing a single event or idea

WA1ELALA1

For example:

identifying the subject and verb in clauses, such as the seagulls (subject) were flying (verb)
responding to prompts to generate sentences that contain a subject and verb

Understand that words can represent people, places and things (nouns, including pronouns), happenings and states (verbs), qualities (adjectives) and details, such as when, where and how (adverbs)

WA1ELALA2

For example:

identifying nouns and verbs in simple sentences
experimenting with the use of adverbs to enhance sentences
sorting words into categories, such as noun, adjective, verb depending on the context they are used in

Compare how images in different types of texts contribute to meaning

WA1ELALA3

For example:

interacting with and comparing images in picture books, short films or other multimodal texts
discussing the meaning of complementary images or diagrams in a range of informative and imaginative texts

Recognise the vocabulary in everyday contexts as well as learning area topics

WA1ELALA4

Understand that written language uses punctuation, such as full stops, question marks and exclamation marks, and uses capital letters for familiar proper nouns

WA1ELALA5

For example:

identifying a range of punctuation marks when reading and beginning to use them to guide expression, such as using a question intonation
writing their own name and those of some familiar places starting with a capital letter

Phonic and word knowledge

Segment words into separate phonemes (sounds), including consonant blends or clusters at the beginnings and ends of words (phonological awareness)

WA1ELAP1

For example:

breaking spoken words into their individual phonemes, such as p‑o‑t, sh‑o‑t, th‑r‑ow, b‑e‑n‑d, b-r‑a‑n‑d

Orally manipulate phonemes in spoken words by addition, deletion and substitution of initial, medial and final phonemes to generate new words (phonological awareness)

WA1ELAP2

For example:

generating new words, such as spot – deleting the [s] to make pot, changing the [o] in pot to [e] to make pet, changing the [t] in pet to [n] to make pen

Use short vowels, common long vowels, consonant blends and digraphs to write words, and blend these to read one- and two-syllable words

WA1ELAP3

For example:

blending, segmenting, reading and writing one‑ and two-syllable words that contain
- short vowels in the medial position: a, e, i, o, u
- have common long vowels, such as <a_e> make, <ai> train, <ay> say; <ea> sea, <ee> need, <e> me; <i> tiny, <ie> pie, <i_e> life; <y> my; <o_e> bone, <oa> boat; <u_e> tube
- start with common consonant blends (clusters), such as <bl>, <br>, <cl>, <cr>, <dr>, <fl>, <fr>, <gl>, <gr>, <pl>, <pr>, <sl>, <st>, <tr>
- end with common blends (clusters), such as <st>, <ld>, <nd>, <lf>, <nt>
- start with consonant digraphs, such as <wh>, <ph>
- end with consonant digraphs, such as <ck>, <ng>, <ff>, <ll>, <ss>, <zz>

Understand that a letter can represent more than one sound and that a syllable must contain a vowel sound

WA1ELAP4

For example:

identifying letters that represent a sound different to its common grapheme–phoneme correspondence, such as that <c> can also make an [s] sound as in circus or cent or that <s> at the end of words, such as is, was and his, is pronounced as [z]
recognising that sometimes <y> can be a substitute vowel, such as in why or happy

Spell one‑ and two‑syllable words with common letter patterns

WA1ELAP5

For example:

spelling CVC, CVCC, CCVC, CCVCC and CVVC words with common letter patterns, including spelling words that contain common r‑controlled vowels, such as <ar> far, and common diphthongs, such as <ow> cow, <ou> house
drawing on a range of strategies and resources when writing to spell words with common letter patterns

Read and write an increasing number of high‑frequency words

WA1ELAP6

For example:

reading high-frequency words encountered in texts read independently
drawing on a range of sources to write an increasing number of high-frequency words

Recognise and know how to use grammatical morphemes to create word families

WA1ELAP7

For example:

adding suffixes to a base word to make grammatical word families, such as jump, jumped, jumper, jumping
categorising words

Literature

Literature and contexts

Discuss how language and images are used to create characters, settings and events in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide‑ranging Australian and world authors and illustrators

WA1ELICO1

For example:

generating vocabulary to describe images from picture books or movies
listening to, viewing and reading a wide range of literary texts and identifying events that make them exciting, such as problems or unexpected happenings
describing interpretations of literary texts, such as images, characters, settings and events

Engaging with and responding to literature

Discuss literary texts and share responses by making connections with children’s own experiences

WA1ELIEN1

For example:

listening to a text, such as a poem about families, and making connections to own experiences

Examining literature

Discuss plot, character and setting in stories

WA1ELIEX1

For example:

discussing personal thoughts about favourite characters, whether a setting is real or imagined, or how the problem in a story was resolved

Listen to, discuss and perform literary texts, including stories, poems, chants, rhymes and songs, and imitate and invent sound patterns, including alliteration and rhyme

WA1ELIEX2

Creating literature

Retell or adapt a story using plot and characters, language features, including vocabulary, and structure of a familiar text through spoken texts, role-play, writing, drawing or digital tools

WA1ELICR1

For example:

participating in yarning circles that tell stories based on familiar texts
adapting a story to perform as a play

Literacy

Texts in context

Discuss different texts and identify some features that indicate their purposes

WA1ELYT1

For example:

identifying features of texts which are specific to the text type, such as the purpose of indexes in
non-fiction texts, images that help make meaning in a story, or rhyme in a poem and how it helps readers remember the words

Interacting with others

Use interaction skills, including turn-taking, speaking clearly, using active listening behaviours and responding to the contributions of others, and contributing ideas and questions

WA1ELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Describe some similarities and differences between imaginative, informative and persuasive texts

WA1ELYA1

For example:

discussing and comparing different types of texts on a similar topic, such as illustrations in a fictional picture book about the Australian bush and diagrams in an informative text on the same topic

Read decodable and authentic texts using developing phonic and word knowledge, phrasing and fluency, and monitor meaning using context and grammatical knowledge

WA1ELYA2

For example:

drawing on phonic knowledge to read regular CV, VC, CVC and CCVC and CVCC and CCCVC words in phonic (decodable) readers
use phonic and vocabulary knowledge to read some authentic texts, such as environmental print, shared and personally chosen texts
using strategies, such as self-monitoring for meaning, or re-reading when meaning breaks down
using punctuation, such as full stops and commas to develop fluency and prosody

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning when listening, reading and viewing to build literal and inferred meaning in texts by drawing on vocabulary and growing knowledge of context and text structures

WA1ELYA3

For example:

previewing texts to draw on prior knowledge of text structure to help navigate the text
making connections to other texts to help build literal and inferred meaning
listening for and drawing on vocabulary, such as topic‑specific words to help summarise an informative text
monitoring understanding by participating in discussions and reflecting on other people’s ideas about texts
visualising a character and/or setting using the author’s descriptions to help build inferred meaning
searching for information to clarify questions or misunderstandings about the text

Creating texts

Create, re-read and co-edit short written and/or multimodal texts to report on a topic, express an opinion, or recount a real or imagined event or experience, and use imagination to tell, retell or adapt a story, using grammatically correct simple sentences, some topic-specific vocabulary, sentence boundary punctuation and correct spelling of some one‑ and two‑syllable words

WA1ELYC1

For example:

creating written texts using words, punctuation and images for different purposes, such as a recount of a shared experience or an informative text about a favourite hobby

Create and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations on personal and learnt topics, which include an opening, middle and concluding statement, some topic-specific vocabulary and appropriate gesture, volume and pace

WA1ELYC2

Write words using unjoined lower- and upper‑case letters

WA1ELYC3

Explore features of familiar digital tools to create or add to texts

WA1ELYC4

For example:

experimenting with using the camera on a tablet to add an image to a text

Year 2
Year level description

English provides opportunities for children to learn through a blend of developmentally appropriate intentional approaches, including play-based learning, inquiry and explicit teaching.

In Year 2, children act with intentionality and agency to explore how English, as the shared language of the learning environment, can be used to share ideas, thoughts and opinions with familiar audiences for different purposes. An emphasis on literacy is encapsulated in a holistic approach to learning where key ideas and concepts in a range of learning areas are presented in culturally and phase‑appropriate ways. Children should have recurring and cumulative opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the symbolic representations associated with written language. They interact with others to develop a sense of wellbeing as they investigate interpersonal language choices to communicate for different purposes and to meet their personal needs and interests.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when children actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. In Year 2, children learn to identify the purpose and audience of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.

Children engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. The range of texts includes imaginative and informative picture books; various types of print, oral and digital stories; rhyming verse, poetry, songs and chants; media, online and digital texts; dramatic performances; spoken texts; chapter books; non-fiction texts; and texts used by children as models for creating their own texts. As children transition to become independent readers, they continue to develop their decoding and comprehension skills, using a range of texts, including:

texts for different purposes that support children to build literal and inferred meaning
literary texts that may include sequences of events that span several pages, unusual happenings within a framework of familiar experiences, and images that extend meaning
texts that include language features, such as varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary, an increasing bank of high‑frequency words, and words that need to be decoded using phonic and morphemic knowledge, and a range of punctuation conventions
informative texts which present new content about topics of interest and topics introduced in other learning areas and that may include illustrations and diagrams that extend the text.

Children create spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. These texts may include retells or adaptations of stories, recounts of events or experiences, procedures, narratives, reports of learning area content, responses (including reviews and personal reflections), persuasive arguments/expositions, dramatic performances and poetry. These texts are created for familiar audiences. Children make choices about texts according to their interests and curiosities.

Year 2
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Children interact with others for a purpose and listen to and create spoken texts to discuss ideas and share experiences and personal preferences, including through storytelling. They communicate ideas, topic knowledge and appreciation of texts when they recount, inform or express an opinion, and draw on information from learnt topics, their imagination, funds of knowledge or texts. They organise and link ideas, and use language features, including topic-specific vocabulary.

Reading and Viewing

Children listen to, read, view and comprehend texts, identifying literal and inferred meaning, and how ideas are presented through settings, characters and events. They identify how similar topics and information are presented through the structure of narrative and informative texts, and identify their language features and visual features. They use phonic and morphemic knowledge and grammatical patterns to read unfamiliar words and most high-frequency words. They use knowledge of phonics, words and punctuation to read with phrasing and fluency.

Writing and Creating

Children create written and/or multimodal texts, including texts to tell stories, inform, express an opinion or adapt an idea for familiar audiences. They use text structures to organise and link ideas for a purpose. They punctuate simple and compound sentences. They use topic-specific vocabulary. They spell words with regular spelling patterns, and use phonic and morphemic knowledge to attempt to spell words with less common patterns.

Year 2
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Investigate how interpersonal language choices vary depending on the context, including the different roles taken on in interactions

WA2ELAI1

For example:

exploring culturally appropriate greetings or conventions from different home languages
interacting with local or visiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through greetings and culturally appropriate conventions

Explore how language can be used for appreciating texts and providing reasons for preferences

WA2ELAI2

For example:

using verbs to describe a range of responses to a text, such as prefer, enjoy
experimenting with conjunctions, such as since, although, or except for to explain their response

Text structure, organisation and features

Explore how texts across learning areas are organised differently and use language features depending on purposes

WA2ELAT1

For example:

locating information using the subheadings in a non-fiction text
identifying language features in texts, such as action verbs in a procedural text
co-constructing a response to a performance from The Arts using a familiar format

Understand how texts are made cohesive by using personal and possessive pronouns and by omitting words that can be inferred

WA2ELAT2

For example:

replacing repeated nouns with pronouns, such as Jack was hungry. ~~Jack~~ He bought some magic beans but ~~Jack’s~~ his mother threw ~~the beans~~ them out.
omitting words in a sentence, such as I thought my cat was hungry but he was not ~~hungry~~.

Navigate print and digital texts using chapters, table of contents, indexes, sidebar menus, drop-down menus or links

WA2ELAT3

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand that connections can be made between ideas by using a compound sentence with two or more independent clauses usually linked by a coordinating conjunction

WA2ELALA1

For example:

identifying and using the coordinating conjunctions found in compound sentences: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
sorting sentences into simple and compound sentence groups

Understand that, in sentences, nouns may be extended into noun groups using articles and adjectives, and verbs may be expressed as verb groups

WA2ELALA2

For example:

adding words to nouns to make a noun group, such as changing the noun cat into a noun group, one (article) very old, lazy (adjectives) cat
adding words to verbs to make a verb group, such as changing walked into walked along the road slowly

Understand that images add to or multiply the meanings of a text

WA2ELALA3

For example:

discussing detail that is included in the images but not present in the words
identifying and describing the way images are used to expand meaning, such as a character’s facial expression to communicate emotion, or graphs, diagrams and maps to communicate facts and details

Experiment with and begin to make conscious choices of vocabulary to suit the topic, situation or context

WA2ELALA4

Recognise that capital letters are used in titles and commas are used to separate items in lists

WA2ELALA5

For example:

identifying the separate items in a list as indicated by the commas, such as peas, beans, carrots and pumpkin
making use of capital letters in titles of proper nouns to help make meaning in texts

Phonic and word knowledge

Manipulate more complex sounds in spoken words and use knowledge of blending, segmenting, phoneme deletion and phoneme substitution to read and write words

WA2ELAP1

For example:

blending and segmenting spoken words to
- identify the phonemes in spoken words, such as proud, scratch and stick
- delete initial phonemes, such as [s] in snail
- substitute final sounds, such as the [g] in flag for [p]

Use phoneme–grapheme (sound–letter) relationships and patterns, when blending and segmenting to read and write words of one or more syllables

WA2ELAP2

For example:

reading and writing words that contain
- less common long vowel patterns, such as <ey> they, <eigh> eight, <ea> break, <ie> chief, <y> funny, <igh> right,<o> cold, <oe> toe, <ow> flow, <ew> new
- r-controlled vowels, such as <ar> star, <er> herd, <ir> bird, <ur> fur
- diphthongs, such as <oi> boil, <ow> now, <oy> boy
- consonant clusters, such as <qu>, <spl>, <str>, <spr>, <tw>, <gh> laugh, <tch>
blending and segmenting phonemes in words, such as cloudy or brother, as a decoding or encoding strategy
decoding or encoding using onset and rime (initial phoneme substitution or rime substitution)

Understand that a sound can be represented by various letter combinations

WA2ELAP3

For example:

identifying that <ee>, <ea>, <y> and <ie> can all make a long [e] sound
recognising that the sound [s] can be represented with various letter combinations, such as <s>, <c>, <sc>, <ce> and <ss>
know that children with the same name may spell their names differently, such as Amy/Aimee, Mark/Marc

Use phoneme–grapheme (sound–letter) matches, including vowel digraphs, less common long vowel patterns, consonant clusters and silent letters, when reading and writing words of one or more syllables, including compound words

WA2ELAP4

For example:

reading and writing words of more than one syllable with
- vowel digraphs, such as <ee>, <oo>, <ai>, <ay>, <ey>, <ea>, <au>, <oi>, <ou>, <ow>, <ui>
- less common long vowel patterns, such as <igh> high, <ie> chief
- consonant clusters, such as <tch>, <spl>, <scr>, <ph>, <tw>, <gh>
- silent letters, such as <k> know, <g> gnome, <t> whistle, <h> hour, <l> walk
reading and writing compound words, such as motorcycle, whiteboard, rainbow, breakfast

Use knowledge of spelling patterns and morphemes to read and write words whose spelling is not completely predictable from their sounds, including high-frequency words

WA2ELAP5

For example:

using spelling patterns for words, such as would, could, should and walk, chalk, talk
spelling words using morphemic knowledge for words, such as once, only, one, lonely and two, twelve, twenty, twin, twist

Build morphemic word families using knowledge of prefixes and suffixes

WA2ELAP6

For example:

recognising that a base word is a morpheme that holds meaning
building word families that are linked by meaning by adding prefixes and suffixes to base words, such as cover, covers, covered, uncover, uncovered, uncovering; discover, discovered, discovering

Literature

Literature and contexts

Discuss how characters, events and settings are connected in literature created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and illustrators

WA2ELICO1

For example:

discussing characters and their connection to Country in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories
using information contained in literary texts to make predictions, such as viewing a setting and brainstorming the type of characters and events that may take place there

Engaging with and responding to literature

Identify features of literary texts, such as characters, events and settings, and give reasons for personal preferences

WA2ELIEN1

For example:

identifying a favourite character giving reasons for that choice

Examining literature

Discuss the characters, settings and events of a range of texts and identify how language is used to present these features in different ways

WA2ELIEX1

For example:

identifying and describing language features used in literary texts, such as the language used to describe a setting in a poem, or the action verbs used to portray events in a story
exploring how language is used to portray similar characters across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander oral traditions

Identify, reproduce and experiment with rhythmic sound and word patterns in literary texts, including stories, poems, chants, rhymes and songs

WA2ELIEX2

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts by adapting structures and language features of literary texts through drawing, writing, performance and digital tools

WA2ELICR1

For example:

adapting a well-known poem or story into a sequence of images

Literacy

Texts in context

Identify how similar topics and information are presented in different types of texts

WA2ELYT1

For example:

exploring and identifying different features in texts of the same text type which vary in their organisation, such as different types of procedures
comparing two or more texts on a common topic

Interacting with others

Use interaction skills when engaging with topics, actively listening to others, receiving instructions and extending own ideas, speaking appropriately, expressing and responding to opinions, making statements, and giving instructions

WA2ELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Identify the purpose and audience of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts

WA2ELYA1

For example:

describing the purpose and audience of some child-friendly advertisements

Read texts with phrasing and fluency combining phonic, word and grammatical knowledge, and monitor meaning using text processing strategies

WA2ELYA2

For example:

blending and segmenting new words using known letter patterns and phonic knowledge
reading high-frequency words with increasing automaticity to develop fluency
drawing on topic word knowledge to make meaning in informative texts
recognising a base word within a larger word to aid decoding
using knowledge of sentence structure, including punctuation and word order to read with phrasing and fluency
drawing on personal knowledge and experiences to construct and monitor meaning

WA2ELYA3

For example:

making connections to own experiences to understand the motives or feelings of a character
making predictions about the type of characters who are likely to be in a text, such as a fable or Aboriginal tale
participating in conversations to share ideas, and ask and answer questions about texts
sharing the clues from the text when discussing inferences during shared reading
monitoring understanding by asking questions and/or checking information in another text

Creating texts

Plan, create and edit short imaginative, informative and persuasive written and/or multimodal texts for familiar audiences, using text structure appropriate to purpose, simple and compound sentences, noun groups and verb groups, topic-specific vocabulary, simple punctuation and correct spelling of some common two-syllable words

WA2ELYC1

For example:

creating a written text, selecting and including elements appropriate to purpose and audience, such as including diagrams in an informative text and detailed descriptions in a narrative

Create, rehearse and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations to inform or tell stories for familiar audiences and purposes, using text structure appropriate to purpose and topic-specific vocabulary, and varying tone, volume and pace

WA2ELYC2

Write words legibly and with growing fluency using unjoined lower‑ and upper-case letters

WA2ELYC3

Use features of digital tools to create or add to texts

WA2ELYC4

For example:

creating a story using a suitable app

Year 3
Year level description

In the middle to late childhood phase of schooling, students develop a sense of self, their world expands, and they begin to see themselves as members of larger communities. Learning experiences emphasise and lead to an appreciation of both the commonality and diversity of human experience and concerns.

English provides opportunities for students to develop a sound grasp of spoken, written and visual language and use this in a range of different learning situations in purposeful ways to achieve outcomes across all learning areas.

In Year 3, students use spoken, written and visual communication to interact with familiar audiences for a purpose. The ability of students to work collaboratively and to develop their interaction skills should be fostered by activities that require group planning and decision‑making, and interaction with people inside and outside their classroom. Students should be given opportunities to reflect on their learning and work practices and consider ways in which these might be improved, modified or adapted for different situations.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. In Year 3, students learn about literary devices and techniques used by authors and/or illustrators to shape audience reaction, and about the language features and structures that are relevant to the purpose of cross‑curricula texts.

Students engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. The range of texts includes imaginative and informative picture books; various types of print, oral and digital stories; chapter books; rhyming verse and poetry; film and animation; dramatic performance; conversations and discussions; websites and other digital media; non-fiction texts; and texts used by students as models for creating their own texts. Texts that support and extend students as independent readers include:

texts that reflect a range of contexts, text structures and language features that enable students to actively build literal and inferred meaning, and begin to evaluate texts
literary texts that may describe events that extend over several pages, unusual happenings within a framework of familiar experiences, and may include images that extend meaning
texts that use language features, including varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary, a significant number of high‑frequency words that can be decoded using phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge, a variety of punctuation conventions, and illustrations and diagrams that support and extend the text
informative texts that include content of increasing complexity and technicality about topics of interest and topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum.

Students create spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. These texts may include narratives, procedures, dramatic performances, reports, responses (such as reviews or personal reflections), poetry and persuasive arguments/expositions for particular purposes and audiences. Students make choices about texts according to their interests.

Year 3
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and/or multimodal texts, including stories. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions, providing useful feedback and making presentations. They relate ideas; express opinions, preferences and appreciation of texts; and include relevant details from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. They group, logically sequence and link ideas. They use language features, including topic-specific vocabulary, and/or visual features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students listen to, read, view and comprehend texts, recognising their purpose and audience. They read texts that contain varied sentence structures, a range of punctuation conventions, and images that provide extra information. They use phonic, morphemic and grammatical knowledge to read multisyllabic words with more complex letter patterns. They read with fluency and phrasing, and use comprehension strategies to build literal and implied meaning, connecting ideas in different parts of a text. They describe how stories are developed through characters, settings and/or events. They identify how texts are structured and presented. They describe the language features of texts, topic‑specific vocabulary and literary devices, and how visual features extend meaning.

Writing and Creating

Students understand how language can be used to express feelings and opinions on topics. They create written and/or multimodal texts, including texts to tell stories, inform, express opinions, explain and present arguments for audiences, relating ideas, including relevant details from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. They use text structures, including simple paragraphs, and language features, compound sentences, topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or visual features. They spell high‑frequency words and multisyllabic words with less common letter patterns using phonic and morphemic knowledge.

Year 3
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Understand that cooperation with others depends on shared understanding of social conventions, including turn‑taking language, which vary according to the degree of formality

WA3ELAI1

For example:

contributing ideas on how to achieve cooperation when participating in group work
exploring the social conventions of other cultures through literature or in other learning areas, such as Humanities and Social Sciences or Languages

Understand how the language of evaluation and emotion, such as modal verbs, can be varied to be more or less forceful

WA3ELAI2

For example:

ordering modal verbs on a continuum, such as could, should, will, must

Text structure, organisation and features

Describe how texts across learning areas are organised into stages and use language features relevant to their purpose

WA3ELAT1

For example:

identifying typical stages in reports across different learning areas
identifying the language features of a typical persuasive text, such as modal verbs, conjunctions signalling cause and effect, and text connectives
identifying visual features used in procedures, such as diagrams or close-up photographs that help the viewer carry out instructions

Understand that paragraphs are a key organisational feature of the stages of written texts, grouping related information together

WA3ELAT2

For example:

classifying facts about a topic, such as when planning an informative report
identifying and discussing the use of paragraphs in a narrative

Identify the purpose of layout features in print and digital texts, and the words and symbols used for navigation

WA3ELAT3

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand that sentences are usually made up of clauses, and the subject and verb within the clauses need to agree

WA3ELALA1

For example:

creating sentences in which the verb and the subject agree, such as The boy was running fast because the dogs were chasing him.
experimenting with sentence construction using clauses that contain singular and plural subjects

Understand how verbs represent different processes for doing, feeling, thinking, saying and relating

WA3ELALA2

For example:

categorising verbs according to their process, such as doing: walk; feeling: love; thinking: wonder; saying: whisper; relating: are
using alternative verbs for overused examples, such as did or said

Understand that verbs are anchored in time through tense

WA3ELALA3

For example:

sorting words and phrases into groups, such as arrived, is arriving and will arrive, into past, present and future

Identify the effect on audiences of techniques, such as shot size, vertical camera angle and layout in picture books, advertisements and film segments

WA3ELALA4

For example:

discussing how visual techniques affect the viewer, such as how close-ups create a familiarity between the character and the viewer
selecting an image in a visual text that is portrayed from a high angle and discussing the effect
describing how the layout of a multimodal text, such as an infographic or webpage, creates a reading pathway or an order of viewing

Extend topic-specific and technical vocabulary and know that words can have different meanings in different contexts

WA3ELALA5

Understand that apostrophes signal missing letters in contractions, and apostrophes are used to show singular and plural possession

WA3ELALA6

For example:

exploring high-frequency homophones that feature pronoun possession and apostrophes, such as your/you’re, its/it’s, theirs/there’s, whose/who’s
identifying words with apostrophes that indicate singular possession, as in the girl’s hat (one girl) and plural possession as in the girls’ hats (more than one girl)

Phonic and word knowledge

Understand how to apply knowledge of phoneme–grapheme (sound–letter) relationships, syllables, and blending and segmenting to fluently read and write multisyllabic words with more complex letter patterns

WA3ELAP1

For example:

blending, segmenting and syllabifying when reading and writing words with
- more complex consonant patterns, such as <ch> machine, <squ> squash, <dge> edge, <shr> shrink, <t> making a [sh] sound as in lotion or a [ch] sound as in adventure
- vowel patterns, such as <oo> moon, fool, <ui> fruit, <ough> through, tough, <eigh> neigh, eight, <eo> people, <oe> canoe, <ou> could, shoulder, touch
- r‑controlled vowels, such as <air> stair, <are> bare, <ear> beard, <ear> learn, <ore> sore, <our> hour, four, <aw> hawk, <augh> as in taught

Use phoneme–grapheme (sound–letter) relationships and less common letter patterns to spell words

WA3ELAP2

For example:

spelling words with less common letter patterns, such as
- words where the <y> represents short [i] as in gym, or a long [i] as in cycle
- words that spell the [sh] sound with <s> or <ss>, such as sugar or tissue
- words that end in <le>, such as table
representing the [r] sound at the end of words, such as author and dollar

Recognise and know how to write most high-frequency words, including some homophones

WA3ELAP3

For example:

spelling homophones, such as there, their, they’re; to, too, two; here, hear; our, hour; knight, night; mail, male; made, maid; sale, sail

Understand how to apply knowledge of common base words, prefixes, suffixes and generalisations for adding a suffix to a base word to read and comprehend new multimorphemic words

WA3ELAP4

For example:

recognising that words, prefixes and suffixes are morphemes, and that morphemes are units of meaning
applying knowledge of morphemes to decode words, such as uneventful = the prefix <un> meaning not + the base word <event> + the suffix <ful> indicating full of or characterised by
changing the meaning of a word with a prefix, such as happy/unhappy
using spelling generalisations when adding suffixes, such as adding <es> to make plurals for words ending in <ss>, <sh>, <ch>, and doubling the final consonant when adding the suffix <ing> to words with short vowels, such as hop, knit, sit

Literature

Literature and contexts

Discuss characters, events and settings in different contexts in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide‑ranging Australian and world authors and illustrators

WA3ELICO1

For example:

identifying how familiar characters, such as mothers and fathers may be portrayed by different authors or illustrators
describing various representations of settings in literature, such as how settings are described in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional oral narratives

Engaging with and responding to literature

Discuss connections between personal experiences and character experiences in literary texts and share personal preferences

WA3ELIEN1

For example:

identifying a personal connection to a character and discussing how this helps understand the character’s actions or reactions to an event

Examining literature

Discuss how an author uses language and illustrations to portray characters and settings in texts, and explore how the settings and events influence the mood of the narrative

WA3ELIEX1

For example:

identifying examples of setting and events which indicate mood
changing details in a familiar text, such as setting, and reflecting on how this changes the events and mood of the story

Discuss the effects of some literary devices used to enhance meaning and shape the reader’s reaction, such as rhythm and onomatopoeia in literary texts, including poetry and prose

WA3ELIEX2

Creating literature

Create and edit imaginative texts, using or adapting language features, characters, settings, plot structures and ideas encountered in literary texts

WA3ELICR1

For example:

adapting elements from a range of stories to create a script that contains familiar characters, settings and plot ideas from a range of stories
rewriting a text in a different form, such as rewriting a poem as a story

Literacy

Texts in context

Recognise how texts can be created for similar purposes but different audiences

WA3ELYT1

For example:

identifying how texts, such as advertisements or infographics, can be created differently for adults and children

Interacting with others

Use interaction skills to contribute to conversations and discussions to share information and ideas, recognising the value of others’ contributions and responding through comments, recounts and summaries of information

WA3ELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Identify the purpose and audience of some language features and/or images in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts

WA3ELYA1

For example:

explaining why a text includes a table or diagram
considering authors’ choices in relation to the target audience, such as why the creator of an advertisement used bright colours and a catchy jingle

Read a range of texts combining phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge to read accurately and fluently, re‑reading and self‑correcting when required

WA3ELYA2

For example:

combining phonic and grammatical knowledge to know when a word doesn’t make sense and to self‑correct, such as The man rode on a house (horse).
combining phonic and topic knowledge to decode and monitor meaning in informative texts
applying morphemic knowledge to find base words and affixes to decode and understand words
using syllabification as a strategy to decode multisyllabic words
using grammatical knowledge, such as tense, to monitor meaning and self-correct as needed

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning when listening, reading and viewing to build literal and inferred meaning, and begin to evaluate texts by drawing on a growing knowledge of context, text structures and language features

WA3ELYA3

For example:

making connections to other texts to help make inferences or support literal understanding
making predictions about text structures and information in informative texts and evaluating if they suit a purpose, such as answering questions about a topic
asking questions to clarify information when reading a text
drawing on key words to help summarise the text
creating a mental image of a character or setting from explicit and implied information
choosing books for independent reading based on prior knowledge of genres

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive written and multimodal texts, using visual features, appropriate form and layout, with ideas grouped in simple paragraphs, mostly correct tense, topic‑specific vocabulary and correct spelling of most high‑frequency and phonetically regular words

WA3ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations to inform, express opinions or tell stories, using a clear structure, details to elaborate ideas, topic‑specific and precise vocabulary, visual features, and appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume

WA3ELYC2

Write words using joined letters that are clearly formed and consistent in size

WA3ELYC3

Use features of digital tools to create or add to texts for a purpose

WA3ELYC4

For example:

using a text processing application to create texts, such as a simple flowchart to add to an informative text
selecting and adding music to a multimodal text to build mood

Year 4
Year level description

In Year 4, students use spoken, written and visual communication to interact with audiences for different purposes. The ability of students to work collaboratively and to develop their interaction skills should be fostered by activities that require group planning and decision-making, and interaction with people inside and outside their classroom.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. In Year 4, students begin to identify the subjective and objective language used in texts, and how the author’s and/or illustrator’s choices shape audience reaction. They learn how the language features and structures of a range of cross‑curricula texts are organised depending on purpose.

Students engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. The range of texts includes imaginative and informative picture books; various types of print, oral and digital stories; short novels of different genres; rhyming verse and poetry; conversations and discussions; media, online and digital texts; dramatic performances; non-fiction texts; and texts used by students as models for creating their own texts. Texts that support and extend students as independent readers include:

texts that enable students to actively build literal and inferred meaning, to expand knowledge and ideas
texts that use language features, including varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary that may include English words derived from other languages, a significant number of high‑frequency words, words that need to be decoded using phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge, a variety of punctuation conventions, and illustrations and diagrams that support and extend the printed text
literary texts that may describe sequences of events that develop over chapters and unusual happenings within a framework of familiar experiences
informative texts that include content of increasing complexity and technicality about topics of interest and topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum.

Students create spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. These may include narratives, dramatic performances or texts, reports, responses (such as reviews and personal reflections), poetry, procedures, and persuasive expositions or discussions for particular purposes and audiences. Students make choices about texts according to their interests.

Year 4
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others and listen to and create spoken and/or multimodal texts, including stories. They share and extend ideas, opinions and information with audiences, using relevant details from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, varying language according to context. They use text structures and language features to organise and link ideas. They use language features, subjective and objective language, topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or visual features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students listen to, read, view and comprehend texts created to entertain, persuade and/or inform audiences. They integrate phonic, morphemic, and grammatical knowledge to read texts that include varied sentence structures and some unfamiliar vocabulary, including multisyllabic and multimorphemic words. They read fluently and maintain accuracy and meaning by re-reading and self-correcting when needed. They describe literal and implied meaning, connecting ideas in different texts. They describe how ideas are developed, including through settings, characters and events, and how texts reflect contexts. They describe the characteristic features of different text structures. They describe how language features, including literary devices, and visual features shape meaning.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and/or multimodal texts, including texts to tell stories, inform, express opinions, explain and present arguments, for purposes and audiences, developing ideas using details from learnt topics, topics of interest or texts. They use language features, including paragraphs, to create coherence and add detail to their texts. They use language features, complex sentences, topic‑specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or visual features. They spell words, including multisyllabic and multimorphemic words with more complex spelling patterns using phonic, morphemic and grammatical knowledge.

Year 4
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Explore language used to develop relationships in formal and informal situations

WA4ELAI1

For example:

using conventions required to maintain a formal tone when participating in formal speaking events, such as an assembly
developing, maintaining and repairing interactions with peers in informal situations, such as small group work

Identify the subjective language of opinion and feeling, and the objective language of factual reporting

WA4ELAI2

For example:

using examples of language that signal opinion, such as I believe … Many people may disagree but …
experimenting with turning an objective statement into a subjective one, such as he has five cats becomes he has too many cats
labelling statements as either fact or opinion

Text structure, organisation and features

Identify how texts across learning areas are typically organised into stages and phases and use language features appropriate to purpose

WA4ELAT1

For example:

discussing the purpose of the opening stage of narratives, and exploring the different phases that each use, such as description, dialogue and action
labelling phases included in the analysis stage of a review, such as the phase of theme, characterisation or language features
identifying examples of different language features in informative reports, such as action verbs, linking verbs, tense, descriptive language, language for defining and technical vocabulary
identifying visual features, such as maps that may be included in a description of a place to help the reader visualise important information

Identify how text connectives, including temporal and conditional words, and topic word associations, are used to sequence and connect ideas

WA4ELAT2

For example:

using temporal text connectives, such as first, later, finally, next morning to connect ideas
using conditional words/phrases, such as however, though, on the other hand, even so when creating complex sentences
identify topic word associations, such as desert, sand, heat, nocturnal, water

Identify text navigation features of print and digital texts that enhance readability, including headlines, drop-down menus, links, graphics and layout

WA4ELAT3

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand that complex sentences contain one independent clause and at least one dependent clause typically joined by a subordinating conjunction to create relationships, such as time and causality

WA4ELALA1

For example:

identifying the parts of complex sentences, such as The weavers promised to make the Emperor new clothes (independent clause) even though (conjunction) they had no intention of doing so (dependent clause).
identifying subordinating conjunctions according to their functions, such as
- causality because, since, as, so that
- time after, before, when, as long as, whenever, until

Investigate how quoted (direct) and reported (indirect) speech are used

WA4ELALA2

For example:

exploring the effect on the reader of dialogue written in different ways, such as ‘Head for the exit!’ yelled the teacher. / The teacher directed them to head for the exit.

Understand how adverb groups/phrases and prepositional phrases work in different ways to provide circumstantial details

WA4ELALA3

For example:

identifying details in texts that are provided by a prepositional phrase, such as where, when, or how something happened
finding examples of adverb groups or phrases in texts and using as models when writing similar sentences

Understand past, present and future tenses and their impact on meaning in a sentence

WA4ELALA4

For example:

identifying when an event in a narrative has occurred, is happening or will happen in the future through understanding of tense
identifying the tenses used in different genres, such as timeless present tense in reports

Explore the effect of choices when framing an image, placement of elements in the image and salience on composition of still and moving images in texts

WA4ELALA5

For example:

discussing how framing can create a sense of enclosure or openness
identifying how the placement of characters, text or objects creates balance or alignment
identifying the salient features of a visual text and exploring what they emphasise or highlight

Expand vocabulary by exploring a range of synonyms and antonyms, using words encountered in a range of sources

WA4ELALA6

Understand that punctuation signals dialogue through quotation marks and that dialogue follows conventions for the use of capital letters, commas and boundary punctuation

WA4ELALA7

For example:

identifying parts of dialogue, such as who is speaking and what is said in the sentence ‘Mrs Brown, please keep this for me,’ asked Jane. ‘I’ll be back to get it later.’
using the correct conventions when writing simple dialogue, such as ‘It is mine,’ said the king.

Phonic and word knowledge

Understand how to use and apply phonological and morphological knowledge to read and write multisyllabic words with more complex letter combinations, including a variety of vowel sounds and known prefixes and suffixes

WA4ELAP1

For example:

reading and writing
- multisyllabic words with more complex consonant patterns, such as <tch> pitching, <sc> scenery, <squ> squashing
- words with more complex vowel patterns, such as <oo> foolish, <ui> fruitful, <ough> thoughtful, toughen, <eigh> neighbourly, sleight, <eo> geography, <ei> vein, either, leisure

Understand how to use knowledge of letter patterns, including double letters, spelling generalisations, morphological word families, common prefixes and suffixes, and word origins, to spell more complex words

WA4ELAP2

For example:

spelling more complex words that contain
- double letter patterns, such as scissors, rubber, yellow
- other spelling generalisations, such as dropping a final <e> in words, such as writing, hoping
- morphological word families, such as aqua, aquatic, Aquaman, aquarium, aqueduct
- common prefixes, such as <dis>, <un>, <ex>, <mis>, <pre>
- common suffixes, such as <ful>, <less>, <able>, <ous>, <ion>, <ic>, <ment>

Read and write high‑frequency words, including homophones, and know how to use context to identify correct spelling

WA4ELAP3

For example:

spelling frequently mixed‑up homophones (and near homophones), such as there, their, they’re; were, where, wear, we’re; quiet, quite; lose, loose; aloud, allowed

Literature

Literature and contexts

Recognise similar storylines, ideas and relationships in different contexts in literary texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide‑ranging Australian and world authors

WA4ELICO1

For example:

discussing how literary texts from different times or places represent ideas, such as everyday life
comparing texts with similar storylines, such as texts that have been created by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples from different regions

Engaging with and responding to literature

Describe the effects of text structures and language features in literary texts when responding to and sharing opinions

WA4ELIEN1

For example:

discussing language features used by the author to shape the reader’s opinion about a character

Examining literature

Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories engaging by the way they develop character, setting and plot tensions

WA4ELIEX1

For example:

identifying the points of plot tension in a short story
describing how an author develops a character, such as character interaction in a film scene

Examine the use of literary devices and deliberate word play in literary texts, including poetry to shape meaning

WA4ELIEX2

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts by developing storylines, characters and settings

WA4ELICR1

For example:

writing a description to further develop a character from a known text, such as adding information about their past, goals, motivations and/or personality

Literacy

Texts in context

Compare texts from different times with similar purposes and audiences to identify similarities and differences in their depictions of events

WA4ELYT1

For example:

identifying how texts may depict social norms or values, such as comparing advertisements from the past to the present
discussing the ways in which a historical text depicted an event compared to the ways in which the same event is depicted in a current text

Interacting with others

Listen for key points and information to carry out tasks and use interaction skills to contribute to discussions, acknowledging another opinion, linking a response to the topic, and sharing and extending ideas and information

WA4ELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Identify the characteristic features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text

WA4ELYA1

For example:

describing the language used by authors to create imaginary worlds
selecting and using a suitable format depending on purpose when creating a text, such as a formal letter to the Principal to convince them to act on an important school issue
identifying and making use of diagrams and other visual features when reading informative texts

Read different types of texts, integrating phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge to read accurately and fluently, re-reading and self-correcting when needed

WA4ELYA2

For example:

drawing on knowledge of text structures and language features to make meaning in different types of texts
using cohesive devices, such as pronoun association to monitor meaning
integrating a range of strategies to decode unknown words, such as using phonics to sound out a word and then drawing on grammatical knowledge to decide whether it makes sense
integrating a range of strategies to maintain meaning and accuracy, such as adjusting reading rate, reading aloud or checking visuals, such as diagrams

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning when listening, reading and viewing to build literal and inferred meaning to expand topic knowledge and ideas, and evaluate texts

WA4ELYA3

For example:

making connections to non‑fiction texts or topic‑specific information to build meaning around an issue or topic in a narrative
sharing questions about texts with others as a means of evaluating their ideas or perspectives on a text
setting a purpose for reading, such as previewing an informative text and only using relevant sections of the text that suit the set purpose
reading graphics, such as tables or diagrams to clarify understanding
tracking understanding when reading or viewing a text independently, such as keeping a journal
summarising information with the aid of text features, such as topic sentences, headings and captions

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, using visual features, relevant ideas linked in paragraphs, complex sentences, appropriate tense, synonyms and antonyms, correct spelling of multisyllabic words and simple punctuation

WA4ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver structured oral and/or multimodal presentations to report on a topic, tell a story, recount events or present an argument using subjective and objective language, complex sentences, visual features, tone, pace, pitch and volume

WA4ELYC2

Write words using clearly formed joined letters, with developing fluency and automaticity

WA4ELYC3

Use features of digital tools to create or add to texts for a variety of purposes

WA4ELYC4

For example:

creating a digital text for a specific purpose, such as a poster to advertise an event
recording a text onto a digital device, adding visual and audio effects

Year 5
Year level description

In Year 5, students use spoken, written and visual communication to interact with audiences for different purposes. The ability of students to work collaboratively and to develop their interaction skills should be fostered by activities that require group planning and decision-making, and interaction with people inside and outside their classroom.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. In Year 5, students learn that texts reflect different contexts, such as how they reflect the time and place in which they are created. They present opinions about literary texts and reflect on the viewpoints of others. Students learn how literary devices shape meaning.

Students engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. The range of texts includes imaginative and informative picture books; various types of print, oral and digital stories; novels; poetry; various types of media; online and digital texts; non-fiction texts; dramatic performances or texts; and conversations and discussions. The features of these texts may be used by students as models for creating their own texts. Texts that support and extend students as independent readers include:

texts that enable students to actively build literal and inferred meaning to evaluate information and ideas
texts with structures, such as chapters, headings and subheadings, table of contents, indexes and glossaries
texts with language features, such as complex sentences, unfamiliar technical vocabulary, figurative language, and information presented in various types of images and graphics
literary texts that may include complex sequences of events, elaborated events and a range of characters, and may explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas
informative texts that may supply technical information and/or content about a wide range of topics of interest as well as topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum
texts that may reveal that the English language is dynamic and changes over time.

Students create spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. These may include narratives, procedures, dramatic performances or texts, reports, responses (including reviews and personal reflections), poetry, argument, including persuasive expositions and/or discussions, and explanations for particular purposes and audiences. Students make choices about texts according to their interests.

Year 5
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts. For particular purposes and audiences, they share, develop and expand on ideas and opinions, using supporting details from topics or texts. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, taking into account other perspectives. They use different text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They use language features, topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or multimodal features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students listen to, read, view and comprehend texts created to inform, entertain or persuade audiences. When reading, they decode unfamiliar words, integrating phonic, grammatical, semantic and contextual knowledge. They use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning in written and visual texts with less familiar and more varied topics. They read and navigate texts for specific purposes and begin to evaluate the ideas and information presented in them. They explain how ideas are developed, including through characters, settings and/or events, and how texts reflect contexts. They explain how characteristic text structures support the purpose of texts. They explain how language features, literary devices and visual features contribute to the effect and meaning of a text.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts, for particular purposes and audiences, developing and expanding on ideas with supporting details from topics or texts. They use paragraphs to organise, develop and link ideas. They use language features, a variety of sentence types, including complex sentences, tenses, topic‑specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or multimodal features. They spell words, including more complex words using phonic, morphemic and vocabulary knowledge.

Year 5
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Understand that language is selected for social contexts and that it helps to signal social roles and relationships

WA5ELAI1

For example:

maintaining and experimenting with formal speaking conventions during oral presentations or role-play, such as taking on the role of a politician in parliament

Understand how to move beyond making bare assertions by taking account of differing ideas or opinions and authoritative sources

WA5ELAI2

For example:

making statements that take account of other opinions, such as Many people may disagree; however, …
identifying bare assertions, such as it is the best film ever, or he is the greatest footy player in history and suggest phrases that temper them
using phrases that temper bare assertions, such as Many people may enjoy swimming; however, … or Many people believe …

Text structure, organisation and features

Compare how texts across learning areas are typically organised into characteristic stages and phases and use language features depending on purposes in texts

WA5ELAT1

For example:

comparing the phases contained in the opening stage (the thesis or position) of a number of expositions, such as an appeal, problem and/or a proposal
comparing the phases in the descriptive stages of different types of information reports, such as flora and fauna in a report about a place, and diet and habitat in a report about an animal
identifying why cause and effect conjunctions are used across a number of informative texts, such as explanations, reports and expositions

Understand how texts can be made cohesive by using the starting point of a sentence or paragraph to give prominence to the message and to guide the reader through the text

WA5ELAT2

For example:

describing how the start of a sentence can change its emphasis, such as Snakes are reptiles. Reptiles include snakes and lizards.
identifying the topic sentence of paragraphs in informative texts and using these to summarise the text

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand that the structure of a complex sentence includes an independent clause and at least one dependent clause, and understand how writers can use this structure for effect

WA5ELALA1

For example:

expanding simple sentences through the use of subordinating conjunctions, such as Lea was a great singer although she needed to practise.
replacing simple and/or compound sentences with a complex sentence for effect, such as I get frightened. Loud noises make me frightened. / I get frightened whenever I hear loud noises.

Understand how noun groups can be expanded in a variety of ways to provide a fuller description of a person, place, thing or idea

WA5ELALA2

For example:

adding appropriate adjectives, classifying nouns and/or prepositions to a noun to enhance writing, such as the strange sea creature with the long black fur

Explain how the sequence of images in print, digital and film texts has an effect on meaning

WA5ELALA3

For example:

interpreting a sequence of images in an infographic or short film
explaining how the layout of text and visual elements in picture books creates salience or reading paths

Understand how vocabulary is used to express greater precision of meaning, including through the use of specialist and technical terms, and explore the history of words

WA5ELALA4

Use commas to indicate prepositional phrases, and apostrophes where there is multiple possession

WA5ELALA5

For example:

including a comma after prepositional phrases that start a sentence, such as Later that same morning, Joe crept into the garden.
using an apostrophe after the <s> in a plural, such as the boys’ jumpers (more than one boy owns a jumper)

Phonic and word knowledge

Use phonic, morphemic and vocabulary knowledge to read and spell words that share common letter patterns but have different pronunciations

WA5ELAP1

For example:

reading and spelling words with common letter patterns but different pronunciation, such as <ough> cough, though, plough; <our> your, journey, hour
reading and spelling words where the consonant sound changes with the addition of a suffix, such as the <t> in invite is sounded as a [sh] when the suffix <ion> is added, as in invitation
identifying morphemic word families with common letter patterns and different pronunciations, such as sign, signature, signal
providing definitions for common heteronyms (where words are spelled identically but have different pronunciations and meanings), such as graduate (noun, verb), read (past and present tense), wind, bow, record

Build and spell new words from knowledge of known words, base words, prefixes and suffixes, word origins, letter patterns and spelling generalisations

WA5ELAP2

For example:

applying knowledge of base words, and prefixes and suffixes to spell new words, such as unhappiness and uncontrolled
applying knowledge of word origins to spell new words, such as <circum> meaning around, in words, such as circumference

Explore less common plurals, and understand how a suffix changes the meaning or grammatical form of a word

WA5ELAP3

For example:

spelling words with less common plurals, such as child/children, ox/oxen, deer/deer, half/halves
changing the form of a word, such as
- from an adjective to a noun happy/happiness
- an adjective to an adverb slow/slowly
- a noun to an adjective beauty/beautiful
- verb tense, such as walks, is walking, walked

Literature

Literature and contexts

Identify aspects of literary texts that represent details or information about historical, social and cultural contexts in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide‑ranging Australian and world authors

WA5ELICO1

For example:

recording factual information found in texts, such as historical narratives
exploring how the ideas portrayed in texts, such as Australian bush ballads, represent a historical context, and identifying how attitudes or contexts have changed
identifying the words and images that an author uses to portray details of a culture or community in a text

Engaging with and responding to literature

Present an opinion on a literary text using specific terms about literary devices, text structures and language features, and reflect on the viewpoints of others

WA5ELIEN1

For example:

referring to literary devices and language features when reviewing a text
discussing own and others’ opinions about a text, such as the portrayal of characters or ideas

Examining literature

Recognise that the point of view in a literary text influences how readers interpret and respond to events and characters

WA5ELIEX1

For example:

discussing how point of view has an effect on the reader’s interpretation of the text, such as changing from third to first person
considering alternative points of view in a text, such as a text told in the first person from a protagonist’s point of view and considering the point of view of the antagonist

Examine the effects of imagery, including simile, metaphor and personification, and sound devices in literary texts, such as narratives, poetry and songs

WA5ELIEX2

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts, experimenting with figurative language, storylines, characters and settings from texts students have experienced

WA5ELICR1

For example:

reimagining characters from a familiar text by experimenting with the language and setting used
using the structure and language features of a poem as a model to create a new poem

Literacy

Texts in context

Describe the ways in which a text reflects the time and place in which it was created

WA5ELYT1

For example:

commenting on the social norms that are portrayed in a historical movie or novel
identifying and discussing patterns of speech or vocabulary that are used in a novel set in another place or time
describing the ways that a character from another time is similar to or different from contemporary characters or people

Interacting with others

Use appropriate interaction skills, including paraphrasing and critical literacy questioning to clarify meaning, make connections to own experience, and present and justify an opinion or idea

WA5ELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Explain characteristic features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text

WA5ELYA1

For example:

evaluating authors’ choices, such as why an author has used figurative language in a poem or included photographs of cute animals in a persuasive text about saving the rainforest
describing the effect audio or visual techniques have on the viewer of a documentary or film, such as sad music or slow motion

Navigate and read texts for specific purposes, monitoring meaning using strategies, such as skimming, scanning and confirming

WA5ELYA2

For example:

knowing the purpose for reading and adjusting the reading strategy to suit, such as scanning a text to evaluate its suitability for a project or skimming to find specific information
setting questions before reading and reading to confirm predictions or find information
discussing reading with others to monitor and confirm meaning, such as when discussing the motives of a character
using topic sentences, subheadings and other text structures to read efficiently for a purpose

WA5ELYA3

For example:

making predictions about text structures in genres to help understanding and choices for reading
making connections between literary texts to build inferential comprehension
setting literal and inferential questions for research purposes, and drawing on a number of texts to evaluate the accuracy of information or ideas
monitoring for understanding, drawing on explicit and implied meaning, and crosschecking within and across texts
visualising an event or process to build implied meaning
determining the importance of key ideas in texts when summarising

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive, developing ideas using visual features, text structure appropriate to the topic and purpose, text connectives, expanded noun groups, specialist and technical vocabulary, and punctuation, including dialogue punctuation

WA5ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations that include relevant, elaborated ideas, sequencing ideas and using complex sentences, specialist and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features

WA5ELYC2

Develop a handwriting style that is becoming legible, fluent and automatic

WA5ELYC3

Use features of digital tools to create or add to texts for a purpose and audience

WA5ELYC4

For example:

manipulating an image using digital tools to make it suit a particular audience, such as editing an image to include in a children’s picture book
selecting features of a slideshow to enhance a presentation, considering purpose

Year 6
Year level description

In Year 6, students use spoken, written and visual communication to interact with audiences for particular purposes. The ability of students to work collaboratively and to develop their interaction skills should be fostered by activities that require group planning and decision-making, and interaction with people inside and outside their classroom.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse and evaluate the texts they engage with. In Year 6, students learn about the uses of subjective and objective language across a range of texts and identify bias. They learn how literary devices create meaning and effect, and how authors adapt structures and language devices for effect.

Students engage with a range of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. The range of texts includes imaginative and informative picture books; various types of stories; novels; poetry; dramatic performance; conversations and discussions; non-fiction texts; and media, online and digital texts created for a range of purposes. The features of these texts may be used by students as models for creating their own texts. Texts that support and extend students as independent readers include:

literary texts that may include complex sequences, such as shifts in time, and a range of less predictable characters, and may explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas
texts that enable students to actively build literal and inferred meaning, and connect and compare content
texts with structures which may include chapters, headings and subheadings, table of contents, indexes and glossaries
texts with language features, such as complex sentences, unfamiliar technical vocabulary, figurative and idiomatic language, and information presented in various types of images and graphics
texts that may support students’ understanding of authors’ styles
informative texts that may include technical information and/or content about a wide range of topics of interest as well as topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum.

Students create a range of spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts whose purpose may be imaginative, informative and persuasive. These may include narratives, dramatic performances or texts, spoken texts, reports, reviews, poetry, persuasive discussions and/or explanations for particular purposes and audiences. Students make choices about texts according to their interests.

Year 6
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts. For particular purposes and audiences, they share, develop, explain and elaborate on ideas from topics or texts. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions. They use and vary text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They use and vary language features, topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or multimodal features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students listen to, read, view and comprehend different texts created to inform, entertain or persuade audiences. They use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning, and to connect and compare information and ideas from a range of texts with more complex text structures, language features, and challenging vocabulary. They identify similarities and differences in how ideas are presented and developed, including through characters, settings and/or events, and how texts reflect contexts. They identify how texts have similar and different text structures to reflect purpose. They explain how language features, literary devices, and visual features influence audiences.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts, for particular purposes and audiences, developing, explaining and elaborating on relevant ideas from topics or texts. They use text structures and vary paragraphs to organise, develop and link ideas. They use and vary language features, sentence structures, topic-specific vocabulary and literary devices, and/or multimodal features. They spell more complex words, including some technical words using phonic, morphemic and vocabulary knowledge.

Year 6
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Understand that language varies as levels of formality and social distance increase

WA6ELAI1

For example:

analysing the use of speech in communities and groups that students belong to, and discussing how the formality of speech changes between them

Understand the uses of objective and subjective language, and identify bias

WA6ELAI2

For example:

identifying subjective and objective statements, and bias found in texts, such as feature articles, newspaper reports, advertisements and debates

Text structure, organisation and features

Explain how texts across learning areas are typically organised into characteristic stages and phases depending on purposes, recognising how authors often adapt text structures and language features

WA6ELAT1

For example:

identifying the adaptations authors make to stages and phases when creating texts, such as including links to shopping hints and health advice or describing the history of the food in online recipes
explaining how an author could adapt the language features of a persuasive text to appeal to different audiences

Understand that cohesion can be created by the intentional use of repetition, and the use of word associations

WA6ELAT2

For example:

identifying and using repetition for effect, such as I love everything about the beach. I love the sea. I love the sand. I love the wind.
identifying word associations found in texts, such as I walked the length of the track. I trudged wearily, shuffling and limping along.

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand how embedded clauses can expand the variety of complex sentences to elaborate, extend and explain ideas

WA6ELALA1

For example:

adding embedded clauses to extend the noun group in sentences, such as The weavers, who were well-known tricksters, promised to make the Emperor new clothes even though they had no intention of doing so.
adding embedded clauses to explain content, such as If we are to save the numbat, a highly endangered Western Australian marsupial, we must act to preserve their habitat.

Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups

WA6ELALA2

For example:

exploring the use of precise verbs and adverbs in texts, such as slice thinly, fold carefully into quarters
using adverb groups to expand ideas, such as she arrives next week or to indicate place, such as he walked under the bridge

Identify and explain how images, figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to meaning

WA6ELALA3

For example:

selecting visual elements which expand ideas or information when creating texts, such as including the results of a survey in a Geography report

Identify authors’ use of vivid, emotive vocabulary, such as metaphors, similes, personification, idioms, imagery and hyperbole

WA6ELALA4

Understand how to use a comma for lists, to separate a dependent clause from an independent clause, and in dialogue

WA6ELALA5

For example:

using commas to separate a dependent clause from an independent clause when the dependent clause starts a sentence, such as As it was likely to rain, Jane packed her umbrella.
using commas in dialogue, such as ‘From now on,’ warned the giant, ‘you will need to follow the path.’

Phonic and word knowledge

Use phonic knowledge of common and less common grapheme–phoneme relationships to read and write increasingly complex words

WA6ELAP1

For example:

reading and writing increasingly complex words with uncommon letter patterns, such as pneumonia, asthma, conscience, cyclic, variable, phenomena, insulator, irreversible

Use knowledge of known words, word origins, including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words, including technical words

WA6ELAP2

For example:

exploring Greek and Latin roots, such as those found in other learning areas: democracy – demo meaning people and kratia meaning rule
identifying morphemes that are bound bases that cannot stand alone as a word, such as <ped> meaning foot as in pedestrian and pedicure
spelling words using morphemes that often have consistent spelling although the sound may be different, such as in one, only, once, alone

Literature

Literature and contexts

Identify responses to characters and events drawn from historical, social or cultural contexts in literary texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors

WA6ELICO1

For example:

discussing how attitudes and responses to a text could be shaped by current events or values (now and then), such as in a historical novel or short story
identifying stereotypes in texts and discussing how these influence the reader or evoke a personal response, such as in stereotypes of the roles of males and females represented from another time or culture

Engaging with and responding to literature

Identify similarities and differences in literary texts on similar topics, themes or plots

WA6ELIEN1

For example:

comparing and contrasting two or more literary texts that share similar topics, themes or plots, such as a written text and its film adaptation

Examining literature

Identify and explain characteristics that define an author’s individual style

WA6ELIEX1

For example:

comparing common style characteristics in two texts by the same author/illustrator, such as sentence structure, or use of colour

Explain the way authors use sound and imagery to create meaning and effect in literary texts, including poetry

WA6ELIEX2

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts that adapt plot structure, characters, settings and/or ideas from texts students have experienced, and experiment with literary devices

WA6ELICR1

For example:

experimenting with text features to create a hybrid text, such as creating a text that incorporates knowledge from another learning area but also contains literary devices
editing writing, considering the use of literary devices to enhance plot, characters, setting and/or ideas

Literacy

Texts in context

Examine texts, including media texts, that represent ideas and events, and identify how they reflect the context in which they were created

WA6ELYT1

For example:

comparing current and past texts, such as newspaper articles that discuss historical events or issues
identifying stereotypes in texts from another time or place

Interacting with others

Use interaction skills and awareness of formality when paraphrasing, questioning, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, and sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions

WA6ELYI1

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text and engage and influence audiences

WA6ELYA1

For example:

comparing two or more texts on the same topic and evaluating their effectiveness
considering choices made by the author to engage or influence a target audience

Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, monitoring meaning and evaluating the use of structural features, such as a table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings

WA6ELYA2

For example:

setting a reason for reading, selecting appropriate texts and activating prior knowledge about text structures
monitoring understanding while reading a novel, such as keeping a reading journal
ranking texts based on their suitability for a particular purpose, such as websites

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning when listening, reading and viewing to build literal and inferred meaning, and to connect and compare content from a variety of sources

WA6ELYA3

For example:

using prior knowledge about genres when selecting texts and building meaning
making connections to general knowledge or subject knowledge when building literal and inferential understanding of settings, characters or events in literary texts
monitoring the truth or accuracy of texts by making connections to other texts to evaluate information or ideas
comparing and connecting information or ideas across a number of texts to create a summary

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts whose purposes may be imaginative, informative and persuasive, using paragraphs, a variety of complex sentences, expanded verb groups, tense, topic‑specific and vivid vocabulary, punctuation, spelling and visual features

WA6ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations that include information, arguments and details that develop a theme or idea, organising ideas using precise topic‑specific and technical vocabulary, pitch, tone, pace, volume, and visual and digital features

WA6ELYC2

Develop a handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and varies according to purpose and audience

WA6ELYC3

Select and use features of digital tools to create or add to texts for a purpose and audience

WA6ELYC4

For example:

using a range of features when using a digital tool to create a text for a specific purpose and audience, such as an informative presentation

Year 7
Year level description

In the early adolescence phase of schooling, students align with their peer group and begin to question established conventions, practices and values. Learning and teaching programs assist students to develop a broader and more comprehensive understanding of the contexts of their lives and the world in which they live.

English provides opportunities for students to extend their interests beyond their own communities, and they begin to develop awareness about wider issues. Students’ interest in the natural, social, cultural and technological world is often related to the impact on them personally and can help them in their current and future lives.

In Year 7, students’ growing independence and peer-group orientation should be built upon by providing opportunities for them to participate in important forms of decision‑making within the classroom and to work with others. Through such experiences students assume increased responsibilities, explore values and further refine their social and collaborative work skills.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the texts they engage with. In Year 7, students learn how text structures and language features vary according to audience and purpose, and how techniques influence emotions and opinions and create meaning.

Students engage with a range of texts for learning and enjoyment. They listen to, read, view, analyse, interpret, evaluate, create and perform a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts. These texts may include various types of media texts (including screen, online and digital texts), narratives (including novels), non-fiction, poetry and plays. They understand how the features of texts may be used as models for creating their own work. The range of texts includes:

literary texts that may be drawn from a range of genres, may involve some challenging sequences of events and/or less predictable characters, may explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas in real-world and fictional settings, and represent a variety of perspectives
informative, analytical and persuasive texts that may present technical information and content from credible sources about specialised topics
texts with a variety of language features that may include successive complex sentences with embedded clauses, unfamiliar technical vocabulary, figurative and rhetorical language, and/or information supported by various types of images and graphics.

Students create a range of texts whose purposes may be aesthetic, imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical. These texts may include narratives, dramatic performances and scripts, reports, responses (including reviews and personal reflections), arguments, literary analyses, discussions, visual texts, oral and audio texts, poetry and types of media, online and digital texts for different audiences.

Year 7
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts. With different purposes and for audiences, they discuss, express and expand ideas with evidence. They adopt text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They adopt language features, literary devices and/or multimodal features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students read, view and comprehend texts created to inform, influence and/or engage audiences. They explain and discuss how ideas are portrayed and how texts are influenced by contexts. They explain and discuss the aesthetic qualities of texts, and how text structures, language features, literary devices and visual features shape meaning. They select evidence from texts to develop their own response.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts, for different purposes and audiences, expressing and expanding on ideas with evidence. They adopt text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They adopt language features, literary devices and/or multimodal features.

Year 7
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Understand how language expresses and creates personal and social identities

WA7ELAI1

For example:

developing dialogue that reveals character, such as in a comic

Recognise language used to evaluate texts, including visual and multimodal texts, and how evaluations of a text can be substantiated by reference to the text and other sources

WA7ELAI2

For example:

building knowledge about words of evaluation, including words to express emotional responses to texts, such as shock, fear, anger, happiness and concern
discussing how evaluative language is used to critically assess the validity of evidence and the reliability of sources, through using metalanguage, such as rigorous, biased, trustworthy, consistent and accurate

Text structure, organisation and features

Identify and describe how text structures and language features vary in texts according to purpose

WA7ELAT1

For example:

examining the structures of book or film reviews and how they might move from description of context to summary of the text and then to judgement of the text
explaining the social purpose of a persuasive text and how the purpose is reflected in the text structures and by the language features, such as analysing the structure and language features of a health awareness poster

Understand that the cohesion of texts relies on devices that signal structure and guide readers, such as overviews and initial and concluding paragraphs

WA7ELAT2

For example:

identifying strategies used to create cohesion when analysing the structure of a text, such as a print or online news article
identifying how authors foreshadow how a text will unfold, through topic sentences, sentence openers and text connectives

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Understand how complex and compound‑complex sentences can be used to elaborate, extend and explain ideas

WA7ELALA1

For example:

examining the addition of ideas using a compound-complex sentence, such as When dinosaurs roamed the earth, weather patterns shifted significantly and as a result vegetation was depleted.
consolidating knowledge of simple, compound and complex sentences, recognising that a simple sentence can express sophisticated ideas and a complex sentence need not express complex ideas

Understand how consistency of tense through verbs and verb groups achieves clarity in sentences

WA7ELALA2

For example:

identifying and discussing how verb tense is maintained in compound, complex and compound-complex sentences

Analyse how techniques, such as vectors, angle and/or framing in visual and multimodal texts can be used to create a perspective

WA7ELALA3

For example:

comparing how two advertisements present the same product for different target audiences, and how their use of techniques creates different perspectives

Investigate the role of vocabulary in building specialist and technical knowledge, including terms that have both everyday and technical meanings

WA7ELALA4

For example:

applying vocabulary used to write about graphic novels, such as gutter, bleed, panel, splash, transitions and emanata

Understand and use punctuation, including colons and brackets to support meaning

WA7ELALA5

For example:

examining ways to add information to sentences by using different forms of punctuation

Word knowledge

Understand how to use spelling rules and word origins; for example, Greek and Latin roots, base words, suffixes, prefixes and spelling patterns to learn new words and how to spell them

WA7ELAW1

For example:

using spelling generalisations (rules), such as change final y to i before adding a suffix, unless the y is preceded by a vowel or unless the suffix begins with i in words like cried, crying
using knowledge of Greek and Latin roots to understand and spell words with prefixes, such as <anti> antidote, antibiotic or <pre> presume, prepare
using spelling patterns to learn new words, such as drought, bough, plough

Literature

Literature and contexts

Identify and explore ideas, perspectives, characters, events and/or issues in literary texts drawn from historical, social and/or cultural contexts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and creators

WA7ELICO1

For example:

investigating different perspectives about the Australian landscape (e.g. the bush, city, sea) in a range of poems

Engaging with and responding to literature

Form an opinion about characters, settings and events in texts, identifying areas of agreement and difference with others’ opinions and justifying a response

WA7ELIEN1

For example:

participating in a class discussion about a favourite character or event from a novel

Explain the ways that literary devices and language features, such as dialogue, and visual and audio features are used to create character, and to influence emotions and opinions in different types of texts

WA7ELIEN2

For example:

identifying how the protagonist or antagonist in a film is constructed through visual and audio features, such as dialogue, music, costuming, lighting, framing, camera angles and camera movement
comparing the representations of the same character in a comic book and a film, and exploring how they prompt similar or different responses

Discuss the aesthetic and social value of literary texts using relevant and appropriate metalanguage

WA7ELIEN3

For example:

exploring how fairytales or fables convey important social values
examining how the covers of different picture books are visually appealing

Examining literature

Identify and explain the ways that characters, settings and events combine to create meaning in narratives

WA7ELIEX1

For example:

exploring traditional stories from Asia and discussing their features, such as use of the oral mode or visual elements to convey the narrative

Identify and explain how literary devices create layers of meaning in texts, including poetry

WA7ELIEX2

For example:

discussing the layers of meaning created by imagery in poems and songs by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors
using metalanguage, such as simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia and alliteration to explain how the use of figurative language and sound devices in poetry creates layers of meaning

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts that experiment with language features and literary devices encountered in texts

WA7ELICR1

For example:

developing a prequel or sequel using an imagined series of life events of a character presented in a scripted monologue
experimenting with different narrative structures, such as the epistolary form, flashback and multiple narrators

Literacy

Texts in context

Explain the effect of current technology on reading, creating and responding to texts, including media texts

WA7ELYT1

For example:

exploring new forms of digital texts, such as social media and vlogs, and the interactive nature of the responses they generate
investigating how picture books have been adapted into different forms, such as short films, animations and audiobooks using current technology

Interacting with others

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, including evaluations of the features of spoken texts

WA7ELYI1

For example:

listening to a peer’s oral presentation about an autobiographical event and asking a clarifying question
choosing appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures for purposes and audiences

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Analyse the ways in which language features shape meaning and vary according to purpose and audience

WA7ELYA1

For example:

explaining the relationship between language features, and purpose and audience, such as identifying the most likely target audience for a television show

Explain how ideas are organised through the use of text structures, such as taxonomies, cause and effect, extended metaphors and chronology

WA7ELYA2

For example:

identifying cause and effect in persuasive texts and how an audience may be convinced to take a course of action
explaining how a key idea in a speech is represented through an extended metaphor

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring, questioning and inferring, to analyse and summarise information and ideas when listening, reading and viewing

WA7ELYA3

For example:

determining and summarising the key idea/s of paragraphs or chapters in an informative text
comparing the presentation of ideas in formal and informal speeches and determining the reasons for the differences

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts, selecting subject matter, and using text structures, language features, literary devices and visual features as appropriate to convey information, ideas and opinions in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical

WA7ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations for purpose and audience in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical, by selecting text structures, language features, literary devices and visual features, and using features of voice, including volume, tone, pitch and pace

WA7ELYC2

Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods

WA7ELYC3

Select and use features of digital tools to create texts for different purposes and audiences

WA7ELYC4

For example:

creating a multimodal book trailer to promote a novel to a specific audience
creating an extract from an audiobook that incorporates narration, sound effects and music to engage the listener

Year 8
Year level description

In Year 8, students’ growing independence and peer-group orientation should be built upon by providing opportunities for them to participate in important forms of decision‑making within the classroom and to work with others. Through such experiences students assume increased responsibilities, explore values and further refine their social and collaborative work skills.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the texts they engage with. In Year 8, students learn how text structures, language features and intertextual references vary according to audience and purpose, and how some texts may be hybrids, and combine different genres. They learn how texts represent values and how techniques position the audience to form perspectives.

Students engage with a range of texts for learning and enjoyment. They listen to, read, view, analyse, interpret, evaluate, create and perform a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts. These texts may include various types of media texts (including screen, online and digital texts), narratives (including novels), non-fiction, poetry and plays. Students develop their understanding of how texts relate to context, purpose and audience. They understand how the features of texts may be used as models for creating their own work. The range of texts includes:

literary texts that may be drawn from a range of genres, may involve intertextual references, some challenging sequences and/or non-stereotypical characters, may explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas in real-world and fictional settings, and/or represent a variety of perspectives
informative, analytical and persuasive texts that may present technical information and abstract content from credible sources about specialised topics and concepts
texts with a variety of language features that may include successive complex sentences with embedded clauses, unfamiliar technical vocabulary, figurative and rhetorical language, and/or information supported by various types of images and graphics.

Students create a range of texts whose purposes may be aesthetic, imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical. These texts may include narratives, dramatic performances and scripts, reports, responses (including reviews and personal reflections), arguments, literary analyses, discussions, visual texts, oral and audio texts, poetry, and types of media (including screen, online and digital texts) for different audiences.

Year 8
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts. With different purposes and for audiences, they discuss, express and elaborate on ideas with supporting evidence. They select and vary text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They select and vary language features, literary devices and/or multimodal features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and/or engage audiences. They discuss and analyse how ideas are represented and how texts reflect or challenge contexts. They discuss and analyse the aesthetic qualities of texts, and how text structures shape meaning. They discuss and analyse the effects of language features, intertextual references, literary devices and visual features. They select supporting evidence from texts to develop their own response.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and/or multimodal texts, including literary texts, for different purposes and audiences, expressing and advancing ideas with supporting evidence. They select and vary text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They select and vary language features, literary devices and/or multimodal features.

Year 8
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Recognise how language shapes relationships and roles

WA8ELAI1

For example:

identifying language names that inform relationships to Country/Place by exploring the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Map of Indigenous Australia

Understand how layers of meaning can be created within a text by using literary devices, such as simile and metaphor to evaluate

WA8ELAI2

For example:

identifying how authors use rhetorical devices that reveal the dark or serious aspects of a topic in humorous or amusing ways, such as by making a statement but implying or meaning the opposite (irony), exaggerating or overstating something (hyperbole), imitating or mocking something (parody), and making something appear less serious than it really is (understatement)

Text structure, organisation and features

Explain how text structures and language features vary depending on their purpose, recognising that some texts are hybrids that combine different genres or elements of different genres

WA8ELAT1

For example:

discussing how a verse novel combines elements of poetry and prose narrative
exploring how mockumentaries blend elements of fiction and documentary

Understand how cohesion in texts is improved by strengthening the internal structure of paragraphs with examples, quotations and substantiation of claims

WA8ELAT2

For example:

writing a paragraph in an analytical essay that includes quotes and examples from a studied text
including statistics and facts to substantiate claims in a persuasive speech

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Examine a variety of clause structures, including embedded clauses, that add information and expand ideas in sentences

WA8ELALA1

For example:

investigating how the meaning of a sentence can be changed by inserting different embedded clauses, such as French fries, which are a fattening and unhealthy snack, are made from potatoes. / French fries, which are a delicious treat, are made from potatoes.

Understand the effect of nominalisation in texts

WA8ELALA2

For example:

highlighting examples of nominalisation in informative texts and explaining the impact on content and tone
converting verbs to nouns using a suffix, such as achieve to achievement or act to action

Investigate how visual and multimodal texts use intertextual references to enhance and layer meaning

WA8ELALA3

For example:

identifying intertextual references in picture books and discussing how they create meaning

Identify and use vocabulary typical of academic texts

WA8ELALA4

For example:

employing vocabulary of academic report writing, such as evidence, consequence, contradiction and acknowledgement

Understand and use punctuation conventions, including semicolons and dashes, to extend ideas and support meaning

WA8ELALA5

For example:

creating dialogue in drama showing interruptions, asides and pauses for effect
experimenting with connecting related independent clauses, such as I love that film; the graphics were incredible.

Word knowledge

Apply learnt word knowledge to spell new words and apply strategies to maintain accuracy

WA8ELAW1

For example:

drawing on knowledge of spelling generalisations, base words and affixes when spelling new words
drawing on increasing knowledge of word origins to understand and spell new words, such as using circum (around) to spell circumstance, circumference
applying strategies to maintain accuracy, such as proofreading, checking an authority or using spell check

Literature

Literature and contexts

Explain the ways that ideas and perspectives may represent the values of individuals and groups in literary texts drawn from historical, social and cultural contexts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and creators

WA8ELICO1

For example:

investigating the ways films and television by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators represent unique ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing
exploring how short stories by migrant Australian authors represent values of particular groups

Engaging with and responding to literature

Share opinions about the language features, literary devices and text structures that contribute to the styles of literary texts

WA8ELIEN1

For example:

discussing opinions about how music and lighting contribute to a film's style

Explain how language and/or visual and audio features in texts position listeners, readers and viewers to respond and form perspectives

WA8ELIEN2

For example:

sharing opinions in an online class blog or forum about how a short story positions the reader to respond to a theme

Examining literature

Identify intertextual references in literary texts and explain how the references enable new understanding of the aesthetic quality of the text

WA8ELIEX1

For example:

identifying intertextual references through allusion within a poem and discussing how knowledge of other texts influences the reader’s understanding and appreciation

Analyse how language features, such as sentence patterns create tone, and literary devices, such as imagery create meaning and effect

WA8ELIEX2

For example:

explaining how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors use words and language to set tone when writing or speaking about specific themes, such as words used to set the tone when writing or speaking about Country/Place
exploring how sensory imagery draws the reader into the world of a poem or narrative

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts that experiment with language features and literary devices for particular purposes and effects

WA8ELICR1

For example:

collaborating with a peer to write a short script with two characters, focusing on dialogue choices to establish character
editing the use of imagery and word choices when creating a literary text and reflecting on the effect of those changes

Literacy

Texts in context

Identify how texts relate to contexts

WA8ELYT1

For example:

identifying how famous advertisements and posters relate to the context in which they were created
exploring how a popular song relates to a historical context

Interacting with others

Use interaction skills for identified purposes and situations, including when supporting or challenging the stated or implied meanings of spoken texts in presentations or discussions

WA8ELYI1

For example:

using appropriate linguistic, vocal and non-verbal protocols in a panel discussion about a social issue
demonstrating active listening skills, such as using positive body language, rephrasing to confirm understanding, offering suitable responses and asking open questions

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Analyse and evaluate the ways that language features vary according to the purpose and audience of the text, and the ways that sources and quotations are used in a text

WA8ELYA1

For example:

exploring how a persuasive text uses sources and quotations to strengthen its purpose and to appeal to a particular audience

Analyse how authors and creators use text structures to organise ideas and develop and shape meaning

WA8ELYA2

For example:

analysing how the organisation of an infographic shapes its meaning
explaining how the structure of a webpage visually signals its hierarchy

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring, questioning and inferring, to interpret and evaluate ideas when listening, reading and viewing

WA8ELYA3

For example:

participating in before, during and after reading activities, such as class discussions, completing graphic organisers and keeping a reading journal, to monitor evolving comprehension
interpreting and evaluating the selection and composition of an image or graphic in a news or online feature article

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts, organising and expanding ideas, and selecting text structures, language features, literary devices and visual features for purposes and audiences in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical

WA8ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations for purpose and audience, selecting language features, literary devices, visual features and features of voice to suit formal or informal situations, and organising and developing ideas in texts in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive and/or analytical

WA8ELYC2

Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods in relevant required contexts

WA8ELYC3

Select and vary features of digital tools to create texts for different purposes and audiences

WA8ELYC4

For example:

creating a mock sponsored social media post aimed at a particular audience
creating a vlog that reflects the style of a specific video sharing platform

Year 9
Year level description

In the middle adolescence phase of schooling, teaching and learning programs encourage students to develop an open and questioning view of themselves as active participants in their society and the world.

English provides opportunities for students to understand that particular ways of working and thinking have developed over time but still may be subject to debate, revision and change. Students develop a broader and more comprehensive understanding of the contexts of their lives and the world in which they live.

In Year 9, students use spoken, written or visual communication to interact with others and experience learning in familiar and unfamiliar contexts, including local or global community and vocational contexts. Teaching and learning programs should encourage students to develop an open and questioning view. Learning experiences should enable students to draw on increasingly diverse sources of information that facilitate comparing, contrasting, synthesising, questioning and critiquing information.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the texts they engage with. In Year 9, students learn how authors and creators adapt and experiment with text structures and language features. They learn how texts represent people and places and how techniques contribute to style, mood and tone.

Students engage with a range of texts for learning and enjoyment. They listen to, read, view, analyse, interpret, evaluate, create and perform a wide range of spoken, written and multimodal texts. These texts may include various types of media texts (including screen, online and digital texts), narratives (including novels), non-fiction, poetry and plays. Themes and issues may involve levels of abstraction, higher order reasoning and intertextual references. Students are beginning to develop a critical understanding of how texts, language, and visual and audio features relate to context, purpose and audience. They understand how the features of texts may be used as models for creating their own work. The range of texts includes:

literary texts that may be drawn from a range of genres, may involve complex, challenging plot sequences and/or hybrid structures that may serve multiple purposes, and may explore themes of human experience and cultural significance, interpersonal relationships, and/or ethical and global dilemmas in real-world and fictional settings. These texts may represent a variety of perspectives
informative, analytical and persuasive texts that may represent a synthesis of technical and abstract information (from credible or verifiable sources) about a wide range of specialised topics and concepts
texts with a variety of language features that may include successive complex sentences with embedded clauses, a high proportion of unfamiliar and technical vocabulary, figurative and rhetorical language, and/or dense information supported by various types of images and graphics.

Students create a range of texts whose purposes may be aesthetic, imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical. These texts may include narratives, dramatic performances and scripts, reports, responses (including reviews and personal reflections), arguments, literary analyses, discussions, visual texts, oral and audio texts, poetry, and types of media (including screen, online and digital texts) for a range of audiences.

Year 9
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and multimodal texts, including literary texts. With a range of purposes and for audiences, they discuss and expand on ideas, shaping meaning and providing substantiation. They select and experiment with text structures to organise and develop ideas. They select and experiment with language features, literary devices, multimodal features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and/or engage audiences. They analyse and interpret representations of people, places, events and concepts, and how texts reflect contexts. They analyse and interpret the aesthetic qualities of texts and the effects of text structures, language features, literary devices, intertextual references and multimodal features. They incorporate supporting evidence from texts to provide substantiation.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and multimodal texts, including literary texts, for a range of purposes and audiences, expressing and expanding ideas, shaping meaning and providing substantiation. They select and experiment with text structures to organise, develop and link ideas. They select and experiment with language features and literary devices, and experiment with multimodal features.

Year 9
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Recognise how language empowers relationships and roles

WA9ELAI1

For example:

identifying the various communities to which students belong and exploring how language reinforces membership of these communities, such as the slang of teenage groups

Understand how evaluation can be expressed directly and indirectly using devices, such as allusion, evocative vocabulary and metaphor

WA9ELAI2

For example:

exploring how advertisements use figurative language and evocative vocabulary to indirectly influence readers and viewers to evaluate a product or service
discussing the direct use of evaluative language in a range of product reviews

Text structure, organisation and features

Examine how authors and creators adapt text structures and language features by experimenting with spoken, written, visual and multimodal elements and their combination

WA9ELAT1

For example:

comparing the use and effects of linear and non-linear narrative structures in short stories
exploring how interactive graphic novels combine words, illustrations, animations and audio to create an interactive experience

Investigate a range of cohesive devices that condense information in texts, including nominalisation, and devices that link, expand and develop ideas, including text connectives

WA9ELAT2

For example:

sequencing and developing an argument using language, such as initially, moreover and consequently

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Identify how authors vary sentence structures creatively for effects, such as intentionally using a dependent clause on its own or a sentence fragment

WA9ELALA1

For example:

exploring the effects of using an interrupting clause, such as His friend, who had left home the previous year, suddenly returned.
using a dependent clause on its own intentionally, such as If you see what I mean.
using a sentence fragment, such as Breathtaking!

Understand how abstract nouns and nominalisation can be used to summarise ideas in texts

WA9ELALA2

For example:

exploring sections of academic and technical texts, and analysing the use of abstract nouns, such as the previous argument and the prologue to summarise and distil information and preceding explanations, and structure the argument
comparing the effect of different types of analytical paragraphs, including those that use nominalisation and those that do not

Analyse how symbols in visual and multimodal texts augment meaning

WA9ELALA3

For example:

investigating the symbolism of specific seasons, weather and colours in a film, and their contribution to viewers’ understandings
exploring how symbols have different meanings for different groups and cultures

Analyse how vocabulary choices contribute to style, mood and tone

WA9ELALA4

For example:

identifying vocabulary choices that create mood in a text
altering the tone of a narrative by changing the vocabulary in dialogue tags, such as ‘Sit down,’ she whispered. ‘Sit down!’ she screamed. ‘Sit down?’ she argued.

Understand and use punctuation conventions for referencing and citing others for formal and informal purposes

WA9ELALA5

For example:

producing accurate references in formal writing and identifying when it is appropriate to use direct quotations or to report sources more generally
including a reference list at the end of a slideshow in a multimodal presentation

Word knowledge

Use word knowledge to maintain conventional spelling, and recognise that spelling can be varied for particular effects

WA9ELAW1

For example:

exploring the spelling of neologisms and their effects in media texts, such as selfie and Paralympics
analysing how spelling is used to represent the distinctive speech of a character by noting where authors have dropped letters from words to emulate the sound of spoken words

Literature

Literature and contexts

Analyse the representations of people and places in literary texts drawn from historical, social and cultural contexts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and creators

WA9ELICO1

For example:

exploring and comparing representations of values of characters, such as exploring the values associated with family in short stories drawn from different cultures and times
examining how picture books and graphic novels by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and creators represent places in particular ways

Engaging with and responding to literature

Present a personal response to a literary text comparing initial impressions and subsequent analysis of the whole text

WA9ELIEN1

For example:

recording evolving responses to a novel in a reading journal

Analyse how features of literary texts influence readers’ preference for texts

WA9ELIEN2

For example:

devising, analysing and presenting the results of a survey that asks friends and family to vote on why readers prefer particular literary texts by considering reasons, such as characterisation, setting details, plot events, themes and figurative language
discussing how language features are crafted for an intended audience in a range of picture books aimed at young children

Examining literature

Analyse texts and evaluate the aesthetic qualities and appeal of an author’s and creator’s literary style

WA9ELIEX1

For example:

comparing poems created by the same author to determine literary style, assessing their appeal and presenting comparisons to other poems
discussing similarities and differences in aesthetic qualities and appeal in two film versions of the same story by different creators

Analyse the effect of text structures, language features and literary devices, such as extended metaphor, metonymy, allegory, symbolism and intertextual references

WA9ELIEX2

For example:

analysing how text structures, language features and literary devices are used in a play to influence the emotional response of the audience
investigating the effect of metonymy in song lyrics and poetry

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts, which may be hybrid, that experiment with text structures, language features and literary devices for purposes and audiences

WA9ELICR1

For example:

taking an existing short story in print form and making a short film
producing a hybrid literary text, that combines features of different genres, such as a coming of age/science fiction narrative

Literacy

Texts in context

Analyse how representations of people, places, events and concepts relate to contexts

WA9ELYT1

For example:

analysing the representation of a public figure in different types of news media and biographies and recognising how these vary in different contexts
analysing the language features used to represent individuals or groups in advertisements from different time periods

Interacting with others

Listen to spoken texts that have different purposes and audiences, analysing how language features position listeners to respond in particular ways, and use interaction skills to present and discuss opinions regarding these texts

WA9ELYI1

For example:

presenting a tutorial to the class analysing the purpose, audience and language features of a famous speech
using effective strategies for dialogue and discussion in a range of formal and informal contexts, including speaking clearly and coherently and at appropriate length, asking questions about stated and implied ideas, and restating and summarising main ideas

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Analyse and evaluate how language features are used to represent a perspective of an issue, event, situation, individual or group

WA9ELYA1

For example:

evaluating how a documentary uses language features to represent a perspective on a contentious issue

Analyse the use of text structures within paragraphs and extended texts, and evaluate their impact on ideas and meaning

WA9ELYA2

For example:

evaluating text structures used in non-fiction texts to shape reader response, such as comparison, contrast, juxtaposition, the changing of chronological order, and the expansion and compression of time

Use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring, questioning and inferring, to compare and contrast ideas and opinions in and between texts when listening, reading and viewing

WA9ELYA3

For example:

comparing the representation of a news event across spoken, print and online sources, summarising their qualities, identifying opinions and analysing evidence
connecting information explored in a speech to prior knowledge about a social issue

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts, organising, expanding and developing ideas, and selecting text structures, language features, literary devices and multimodal features for purposes and audiences in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical

WA9ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations for purpose and audience, using language features, literary devices and features of voice, such as volume, tone, pitch and pace, and organising, expanding and developing ideas in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical

WA9ELYC2

Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods in relevant required contexts

WA9ELYC3

Select and experiment with features of digital tools to create texts for a range of purposes and audiences

WA9ELYC4

For example:

creating an advertising campaign, including a print advertisement and audio/visual commercial, for a particular audience
creating a short interactive graphic novel or picture book that incorporates words, audio and visual elements

Year 10
Year level description

In Year 10, students use spoken, written or visual communication to interact with others and experience learning in familiar and unfamiliar contexts, including local or global community and vocational contexts. Teaching and learning programs should encourage students to develop an open and questioning view. Learning experiences should enable students to draw on increasingly diverse and complex sources of information that facilitate comparing, contrasting, synthesising, questioning and critiquing information.

Critical literacy is integral to the English curriculum. It is developed when students actively question, analyse, evaluate and synthesise the texts they engage with. In Year 10, students learn how language features and text structures may have aesthetic qualities. They learn how representations of individuals, groups and places relate to context and how techniques shape values, beliefs and attitudes.

Students engage with a range of texts for learning and enjoyment. They listen to, read, view, analyse, interpret, evaluate, create and perform a wide range of spoken, written and multimodal texts. These texts may include various types of media (including screen, online and digital texts), narratives (including novels), non-fiction, poetry and plays. Themes and issues may involve levels of abstraction, higher order reasoning and intertextual references. Students develop a critical understanding of how texts, language, and visual and audio features relate to context, purpose and audience. They understand how the features of texts may be used as models for creating their own work. The range of texts includes:

literary texts that may be drawn from a range of genres that may involve complex, challenging plot sequences and hybrid structures that may serve multiple purposes and that may explore themes of human experience and cultural significance, interpersonal relationships, and ethical and global dilemmas in real-world and fictional settings. These texts may represent a variety of perspectives
informative, analytical and persuasive texts that may represent a synthesis of technical and abstract information (from credible or verifiable sources) about specialised topics and concepts
texts with a variety of language features that may include successive complex sentences with embedded clauses, a high proportion of unfamiliar and technical vocabulary, figurative and rhetorical language, and/or dense information supported by various types of images and graphics.

Students create a range of texts whose purposes may be aesthetic, imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical. These texts may include narratives, dramatic performances and scripts, reports, responses (including reviews and personal reflections), arguments, literary analyses, discussions, visual texts, oral and audio texts, poetry and types of media (including screen, online and digital texts) for a range of audiences.

Year 10
Achievement standard

By the end of the year:

Speaking and Listening

Students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and multimodal texts, including literary texts. With a range of purposes and for audiences, they discuss ideas and responses to representations, making connections and providing substantiation. They select, adapt and experiment with text structures to organise and develop ideas. They select, adapt, vary and experiment with language features, rhetorical and literary devices, and experiment with multimodal features and features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

Students read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and engage audiences. They analyse, interpret and evaluate representations of people, places, events and concepts, and how interpretations of these may be influenced by readers and viewers. They analyse, interpret and evaluate the effects of text structures, language features, literary devices, intertextual connections and multimodal features, and their contribution to the aesthetic qualities of texts. They incorporate supporting evidence from texts to provide substantiation.

Writing and Creating

Students create written and multimodal texts, including literary texts, for a range of purposes and audiences, expressing ideas and representations, making connections and providing substantiation. They select, adapt and experiment with text structures to organise, develop and link ideas and representations. They select, adapt, vary and experiment with language features, literary devices, and multimodal features.

Year 10
Content descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

Understand how language can have inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can empower or disempower people

WA10ELAI1

For example:

writing an open letter that uses language to empower a social group
discussing how language can be disempowering, such as the use of gendered words manpower or housewife

Understand that language used to evaluate, implicitly or explicitly, reveals an individual’s values

WA10ELAI2

For example:

identifying subtle or implied values communicated through evaluative language, such as the connotations of elder, senior citizen, geriatric and old timer

Text structure, organisation and features

Analyse text structures and language features and evaluate their effectiveness in achieving their purpose

WA10ELAT1

For example:

evaluating the use of visual, audio and written features and structures to influence audience responses in television and online news and current affairs programs

Understand how paragraph structure can be varied to create cohesion, and paragraphs and visual features can be integrated for different purposes

WA10ELAT2

For example:

evaluating the effect of the integration of texts and images in graphic novels
writing an online or print feature article which integrates graphics or images for a purpose

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of particular sentence structures to express and craft ideas

WA10ELALA1

For example:

exploring how a sentence can begin with a coordinating conjunction for stylistic effect, such as And she went on planning how she would manage it.

Analyse how meaning and style are achieved through syntax

WA10ELALA2

For example:

identifying how logical relations between ideas are built up by combining main with subordinate clauses that indicate cause, result, manner, concession, condition and so on, such as Although the poet was not generally well-received by critics during her life, her reputation grew substantially after her death.

Evaluate the features of visual and multimodal texts, and the effects of those choices on representations

WA10ELALA3

For example:

examining features of drama television shows that create representations, such as evaluating the use of light and dark

Use an expanded technical and academic vocabulary for precision when writing academic texts

WA10ELALA4

For example:

writing an analytical essay about rhythm in poetry with appropriate use of terms, such as enjambment, end-stop, caesura

Understand how authors use and experiment with punctuation

WA10ELALA5

For example:

examining an author’s use of ellipses to create tentativeness in a character’s speech
reviewing the use of punctuation to represent emotions, such as the use of multiple exclamation marks or punctuation emojis

Word knowledge

Use word knowledge to maintain conventional spelling and to manipulate standard spelling for particular effects

WA10ELAW1

For example:

exploring the use of ‘sensational spelling’ in which words are deliberately spelt in non‑standard ways, such as kwik‑e‑mart

Literature

Literature and contexts

Analyse representations of individuals, groups and places and evaluate how they relate to contexts in literary texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, wide-ranging Australian and world authors and creators

WA10ELICO1

For example:

analysing how stories written by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors modernise traditional stories, and evaluating the responses of contemporary audiences
investigating how a creator’s personal, cultural and/or social context influences the ways in which they represent an individual, group or place in a literary text

Engaging with and responding to literature

Reflect on and extend others’ interpretations of and responses to literary texts

WA10ELIEN1

For example:

presenting an argument based on close textual analysis and further research to support an interpretation of a play, such as creating a set of director’s notes

Analyse how the aesthetic qualities associated with text structures, language features, literary devices and visual features, and the context in which these texts are experienced, influence audience response

WA10ELIEN2

For example:

discussing how audiences responded to a classic film at its time of production and how a contemporary audience might respond to the film today
exploring the aesthetic qualities of a popular literary text

Evaluate the social, moral or ethical perspectives represented in literary texts

WA10ELIEN3

For example:

identifying and analysing ethical perspectives on a significant issue in a novel, including values and/or principles involved, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the perspectives presented
considering the moral perspective adopted by a documentary and evaluating whether it aligns with the viewer’s personal stance

Examining literature

Analyse how text structure, language features, literary devices and intertextual connections shape interpretations of texts

WA10ELIEX1

For example:

examining satirical representations of events or ideas and determining how satire shapes interpretations and responses

Compare and evaluate how ‘voice’ as a literary device is used in different types of texts, such as poetry, novels and film, to evoke emotional responses

WA10ELIEX2

For example:

comparing the ‘voice’ of protest in a range of poems and songs, evaluating how different voices evoke a response

Analyse and evaluate the aesthetic qualities of texts

WA10ELIEX3

For example:

considering how the two parts of the glossary definition of aesthetic – ‘concerned with a sense of beauty’ and ‘an appreciation of artistic expression’ – are different and how they intertwine

Creating literature

Create and edit literary texts with a sustained ‘voice’, selecting and adapting text structures, literary devices, and language, auditory and visual features for purposes and audiences

WA10ELICR1

For example:

creating and editing a suite of short texts that focus on a key idea expressed in different voices
composing an autobiographical narrative in the form of a digital story that incorporates written, visual and auditory features

Literacy

Texts in context

Analyse and evaluate how people, places, events and concepts are represented in texts and relate to contexts

WA10ELYT1

For example:

identifying stereotypes about Australia and Australian people in popular media and exploring how these representations are influenced by context

Interacting with others

Listen to spoken texts and explain the purposes and effects of text structures and language features, and use interaction skills to discuss and present an opinion about these texts

WA10ELYI1

For example:

presenting opinions about a podcast or radio interview in a group discussion

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

Analyse and evaluate how language features are used to implicitly or explicitly represent values, beliefs and attitudes

WA10ELYA1

For example:

exploring the implicit and explicit values, beliefs and attitudes expressed and critiqued in social or political cartoons

Analyse and evaluate how authors and creators use text structures to organise ideas and achieve a purpose

WA10ELYA2

For example:

evaluating how the organisation of ideas in a documentary achieves a purpose

Integrate comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring, questioning and inferring, to analyse and interpret complex and abstract ideas when listening, reading and viewing

WA10ELYA3

For example:

interpreting how visual, written and audio features represent abstract concepts in advertising, such as the representation of parenthood
watching or listening to a speech about the meaning of success and considering what the concept means to the viewer or listener

Creating texts

Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts, organising, expanding and developing ideas through experimenting with text structures, language features, literary devices and multimodal features for specific purposes and audiences in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical

WA10ELYC1

Plan, create, rehearse and deliver spoken and multimodal presentations by experimenting with rhetorical devices, and the organisation and development of ideas, to engage audiences for different purposes in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical

WA10ELYC2

Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods in relevant required contexts

WA10ELYC3

Select, adapt and experiment with features of digital tools to create texts for a range of purposes and audiences

WA10ELYC4

For example:

creating two short radio or podcast interviews focusing on the same topic but for two different audiences
creating a playlist of songs that is inspired by a written text using a digital platform or program, and writing a rationale justifying the choices of digital features

Pre-primary to Year 10 English Syllabus

ABLEWA Stage AStage A description

Stage AAchievement standard

Stage AContent descriptions

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

ABLEWA Stage BStage B description

Stage BAchievement standard

Stage BContent descriptions

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

ABLEWA Stage CStage C description

Stage CAchievement standard

Stage CContent descriptions

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

ABLEWA Stage DStage D description

Stage DAchievement standard

Stage DContent descriptions

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Reading and viewing

Writing

Speaking and Listening

Pre-primaryYear level description

Pre-primary Achievement standard

Pre-primary Content descriptions

Language for interacting with others

Text structure, organisation and features

Language for expressing and developing ideas

Phonic and word knowledge

Literature and contexts

Engaging with and responding to literature

Examining literature

Creating literature

Texts in context

Interacting with others

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

ABLEWA Stage A
Stage A description

Stage A
Achievement standard

Stage A
Content descriptions

ABLEWA Stage B
Stage B description

Stage B
Achievement standard

Stage B
Content descriptions

ABLEWA Stage C
Stage C description

Stage C
Achievement standard

Stage C
Content descriptions

ABLEWA Stage D
Stage D description

Stage D
Achievement standard

Stage D
Content descriptions

Pre-primary
Year level description

Pre-primary
Achievement standard

Pre-primary
Content descriptions