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
Writing a Narrative – Template
A template for students to use when planning a narrative text.
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Character Description – Text Analysis Worksheets
Teach character description with this set of four worksheets that help students explore how authors use the STEAL technique to bring characters to life.
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Cohesive Sentence Interactive Activity
Engage students with interactive slides that teach the features of a cohesive sentence through a variety of hands-on activities.
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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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Monitor and Clarify Reading Strategy Worksheets
Help students monitor and clarify while reading using these Monitor and Clarify Reading Strategy Worksheets.
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Relative Pronouns Worksheet Pack
Use this relative pronouns worksheet pack to get your students identifying and using these essential parts of speech.
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The Olympic Games - Comprehension Task
Encourage students to apply a range of comprehension and writing skills when finding out interesting fun facts about the Olympics with a printable reading comprehension task.
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Punctuation Poster Pack
Display this set of 6 punctuation posters in your classroom to remind your students of the most common punctuation marks and their uses.
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Dealing With Direct Speech - Worksheet
Use this worksheet when teaching students the rules for punctuating direct speech using double quotation marks.
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Inspiring Story Starters Task Cards
Get your students writing inspiring stories with this set of story starter task cards.
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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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Subordinating Conjunctions Game Show
Use this interactive digital activity to assist your students in practising identifying and constructing sentences using subordinating conjunctions in a fun way!
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The Force of Friction Comprehension Worksheets
Download this friction worksheet to teach your Year 4 students about the force of friction and its impact on our daily lives.
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My Strange Shrinking Parents – Literature Task Cards
Deep dive into the characters and themes of Zeno Sworder’s highly acclaimed book, My Strange Shrinking Parents, with this set of 12 literature task cards.
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-Less Suffixes Worksheet
Build vocabulary skills with a suffix worksheet featuring the suffix -less.
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ARMS and COPS – Editing Posters and Checklists (Landscape)
Encourage your students to proofread and edit their writing using the C.O.P.S. and A.R.M.S acronyms with a pair of printable writing posters.
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How to Make a Milkshake – Procedural Writing Worksheet
Explore how to make a milkshake while your students fine-tune their procedural writing skills.
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Acrostic Poems Poster and Templates
Use this acrostic poem example and accompanying templates to teach your students how to write an acrostic poem.
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Human Histories: Amazing Artists – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a magazine article about some amazing artists.
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Discussion Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about discussions, including an annotated example.
- Free Plan
Bumping-Up Procedure Texts Worksheet
Download these procedural writing worksheets to get your students bumping-up some simple procedure texts.
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Homophones Practice Workbook 2
Consolidate your students’ ability to recognise homophones in context with this set of 9 worksheets with answers.
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Comprehension - Tia's Tantrum
A comprehension activity using a narrative text.
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Compare and Contrast - Comprehension Task
A task to use when teaching your students reading comprehension strategies.
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Subjective Language vs Objective Language Poster
Display this vibrant subjective language vs objective language poster in your classroom to illustrate the differences between personal opinions and factual statements.
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Cohesive Devices Teaching Slides
Explore cohesive devices with this engaging teaching slide deck designed to help primary students understand and use them confidently in their writing.
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Immigration Vocabulary List & Activity Pack
Download our immigration vocabulary list and printable vocabulary activities to teach your students about human migration and immigration.
- Free Plan
Self Monitoring Reading Strategy Poster
Help students reflect on their reading with this Self Monitoring Reading Strategy Poster.
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Author's Purpose Worksheet Set
Assess reading comprehension by using this comprehensive Author's Purpose Worksheet Set.
- Free Plan
Public Speaking Tips For Students - Poster
Display this Public Speaking Tips for Students poster in your classroom when learning how to speak in front of peers.
- Plus Plan
Self-Monitoring Reading Activities
Explore how to monitor reading while reading with this set of Self-Monitoring Reading Activities task cards.
- Plus Plan
Word Detective - Interactive Context Clues Game
Play interactive Context Clues games to help your students practise determining the meaning of unknown words in context.