Year 4
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 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 and strengthen these as needed.
In Years 3 and 4, students experience learning in familiar contexts and a range of contexts that relate to study in other areas of the curriculum. They interact with peers and teachers from other classes and schools in a range of face-to-face and online/virtual environments.
Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read, view and interpret spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and persuade. These encompass traditional oral texts including Aboriginal stories, picture books, various types of print and digital texts, simple chapter books, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts, dramatic performances and texts used by students as models for constructing their own work.
The range of literary texts for Foundation to Year 10 comprises Australian literature, including the oral narrative traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, as well as the contemporary literature of these two cultural groups, and classic and contemporary world literature, including texts from and about Asia.
Literary texts that support and extend students in Years 3 and 4 as independent readers describe complex sequences of events that extend over several pages and involve unusual happenings within a framework of familiar experiences. Informative texts include content of increasing complexity and technicality about topics of interest and topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum. These texts use complex language features, including varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary, a significant number of high-frequency sight words and words that need to be decoded phonically, and a variety of punctuation conventions, as well as illustrations and diagrams that support and extend the printed text.
Students create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive types of texts including narratives, procedures, performances, reports, reviews, poetry and expositions.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
Achievement Standard
Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing)
By the end of Year 4, students understand that texts have different text structures depending on purpose and context. They explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used to engage the interest of audiences. They describe literal and implied meaning connecting ideas in different textsÂ
They fluently read texts that include varied sentence structures, unfamiliar vocabulary including multisyllabic words. They express preferences for particular types of texts, and respond to others' viewpoints. They listen for and share key points in discussions.
Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating)
Students use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts. They understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text. They create texts that show understanding of how images and detail can be used to extend key ideas.
Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, varying language according to context. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary from a range of resources and use accurate spelling and punctuation, re-reading and editing their work to improve meaning.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
- Plus Plan
Informative Writing Posters
Display this set of 5 information report posters in your classroom during your informative writing unit.
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Natural Disasters Report – Mini Book Template
Download this natural disasters information report template to use when teaching informative writing to primary students.
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Country Report – Mini Book Template
Download this information report template to use when teaching informative writing to primary students.
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Changing Direct Speech to Indirect Speech – Differentiated Worksheets
Convert direct speech to indirect speech with differentiated quotation mark worksheets.
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Modal Language Matching Activity
Have students explore high modality and low modality language with this matching game to use during your persuasive writing unit.
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Giraffe Adaptations - Reading Comprehension Year 3
Read and learn about adaptations of the giraffe with a set of printable Year 3 comprehension activities.
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Paired Passage Worksheets-Mammals vs. Reptiles
Compare mammals vs. reptiles and add to your reading instruction with leveled nonfiction, compare and contrast passages, and worksheets.
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Inference Pictures – Digital Question Pack
Download this set of captivating pictures and thought-provoking questions designed to challenge students’ inference-making abilities.
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Poetic Devices Teaching Slides
Explore examples of poetic devices using this comprehensive and age-appropriate slide deck perfect for your poetry writing unit.
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Adverbial Phrases Category Sorting Game
Use this fun adverbs game in your literacy lesson or small groups to help students grasp the concept of adverb groups!
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Year 4 Magazine - What's Buzzing? (Issue 1)
A beautifully designed, 24-page reading magazine specifically designed for Year 4 students.
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Common Spelling Rules PowerPoint
Boost your students' spelling skills with an instructional slide deck teaching the different spelling rules.
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Suffix Mini Anchor Charts
Give your students a visual reminder of the meanings of 28 affixes with a printable set of miniature suffix anchor charts.
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Narrative Writing Word Wall
Review terms related to narrative texts and narrative writing with a set of 33 narrative vocabulary word wall cards.
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Letter to the Editor (Pet Ownership) – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a letter to the editor from the Year 4 magazine (Issue 3).
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The Secret Society of Vegetable Venerators – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a narrative from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 2).
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Types of Poetry Posters with Annotations
Use this set of 9 annotated posters when introducing structured forms of poetry to your students.
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Show Don’t Tell Posters – Character Feelings
Use this set of Show, Don’t Tell posters to help your students describe character emotions through vivid details instead of simple statements.
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Persuasive Text Planning Template (Using OREO)
A planning template for students to use when writing a persuasive text.
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Persuasive Devices Teaching Slides
Explore persuasive language devices with your students using this detailed and age-appropriate slideshow perfect for your persuasive writing unit.
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Exploring Poetry Workbook
Teach your students about all things poetry with this jam-packed poetry workbook created especially for primary school students.
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Heroic Homophones Cloze Worksheet
Help your students select the correct homophone to use in context with this one-page cloze passage worksheet.
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Persuasive Writing Word Wall Vocabulary
Persuasive language for a word wall.
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Narrative Writing Checklist Pack
Use this narrative checklist pack when teaching your students how to edit their narrative writing.
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Narrative Mood Teaching Slides
Explore narrative mood with this interactive presentation that helps students understand what mood is, why it matters and how to create it in their own writing.
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Story Settings Booklet
Explore common story settings in literature with this engaging 8-page mini book that helps students analyse settings from their own reading.
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Subjective Language Worksheet Pack
Teach subjective language with these five engaging worksheets designed to help students recognise and explore how personal opinions and emotions shape writing.
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Persuasive Paragraph Topic Sentences – Digital Template
Unlock persuasive writing paragraph starters with this ready-to-use slide deck designed to inspire confident, well-structured writing.
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Cause and Effect Comprehension Worksheets
Use these cause and effect comprehension worksheets to give your students practice reading, sequencing and matching effects to their causes.
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Public Speaking Skills Teaching Slides
Support students to develop public speaking skills like volume, pace, intonation and eye contact using this engaging slide deck designed for Year 3 and 4 students.
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Author’s Purpose Sorting Activity
Use this author’s purpose sort to teach your students the difference between persuasive, informative and narrative writing.
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Author's Purpose Pie Poster Set
Display this set of Author’s Purpose Pie posters to help students remember the various reasons authors write.