Year 6
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 5 and 6, students communicate with peers and teachers from other classes and schools, community members, and individuals and groups, 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, interpret and evaluate spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and persuade. These include various types of media texts including newspapers, film and digital texts, junior and early adolescent novels, poetry, non-fiction and dramatic performances. Students develop their understanding of how texts, including media texts, are influenced by context, purpose and audience.
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 5 and 6 as independent readers describe complex sequences, a range of non-stereotypical characters and elaborated events including flashbacks and shifts in time. These texts explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas within real-world and fantasy settings. Informative texts supply technical and content information about a wide range of topics of interest as well as topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum. Text structures include chapters, headings and subheadings, tables of contents, indexes and glossaries. Language features include complex sentences, unfamiliar technical vocabulary, figurative language, and information presented in various types of graphics.
Students create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive types of texts such as narratives, procedures, performances, reports, reviews, explanations and discussions.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
Achievement Standard
Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing)
By the end of Year 6, students understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects. They analyse and explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used by different authors to represent ideas, characters and events.
Students compare and analyse information in different and complex texts, explaining literal and implied meaning. They select and use evidence from a text to explain their response to it. They listen to discussions, clarifying content and challenging others' ideas.
Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating)
Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis. They show how specific details can be used to support a point of view. They explain how their choices of language features and images are used.
Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect. They demonstrate an understanding of grammar, and make considered vocabulary choices to enhance cohesion and structure in their writing. They use accurate spelling and punctuation for clarity and make and explain editorial choices based on criteria.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
- Plus Plan
Formal vs Informal Language Sorting Activity
Engage students in identifying formal vs informal language with this sorting activity that helps build understanding through real-world sentence examples.
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Language and Social Contexts Matching Game
Explore language and social contexts with this fun matching activity that helps students understand how our speech changes depending on the situation.
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Reader Response Journal for Literature
Help students think critically about key story elements such as character, plot and theme with this 22-page reader response journal set.
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Historical Context in Literature Graphic Organiser
Support students to explore historical context in literature with this two-page graphic organiser that helps them record key historical details from a piece of literature.
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Bias in Writing Worksheet Pack
Teach bias in writing with ease using this engaging worksheet pack designed to help upper primary students recognise and analyse bias across different texts.
- Free Plan
Free Click or Clunk Worksheet
Support students in monitoring their reading comprehension with this Click and Clunk Reading Strategy Recording Sheet!
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Click or Clunk Strategy Poster and Desk Mat
Explore the click and clunk reading strategy with your students using this poster and desk mat set.
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Making Prediction Sentence Starter Flashcards
Use these Making Prediction Sentence Starter Flashcards to guide students in making accurate predictions using prompts.
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Australian Conservationists: John Walmsley – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Dr John Walmsley and his conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
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Australian Conservationists: Ian Kiernan – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Ian Kiernan and his conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
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Australian Conservationists: Tim Flannery – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Tim Flannery and his conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
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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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The History of Halloween – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about the history of Halloween with a printable reading comprehension passage and questions.
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Affix Word Tree - Poster & Worksheet
Encourage vocabulary development with printable affix word tree anchor chart and worksheet
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A New Monarch: Brochure and Comprehension Task
Learn about the coronation process and King Charles III with this informative brochure and comprehension task.
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King Charles III Biography Planner Flipbook
Research and learn about King Charles III and discover biography writing.
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Words with Suffixes - Word Building Activity
Build words by matching the root word to suffixes and recording the new words on the answer sheet.
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Printable Vocabulary Games - Playing with Prefixes
Practise building and using words with common prefixes with a fun prefix vocabulary game.
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Google Slides Interactive - Prefixes Activity
Practise adding prefixes to words by identifying, defining, and matching them in context.
- Free Plan
Common Prefixes - Domino Game
Identify new words that include common prefixes with 28 prefixes and root word dominoes.
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Greek and Latin Roots- Vocabulary Notebook
Enhance vocabulary containing Greek and Latin roots with a Google Slides Interactive vocabulary notebook. Also available in print format.
- Plus Plan
Building Words with Prefixes Sorting Activity
Build words by matching the root word to prefixes and recording the new terms on the answer sheet.
- Free Plan
What is an Affix? Suffix Puzzle Pack
Practice building, reading, and understanding the meaning of words with suffixes with a fun set of printable puzzles for kids.
- Plus Plan
Greek and Latin Roots Poster Pack
Encourage vocabulary development with a set of 24 Greek and Latin Roots posters.
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Dictionary Definitions Match Up Game
A set of 20 word cards for students to match to their definition.
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Roll and Find – Figurative Language Worksheet
Explore, identify and interpret figurative language with this engaging roll and find activity.
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Greek and Latin Roots – Card Kaboom!
Explore Greek and Latin word origins with this hand-on card game.
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Roots Graphic Organiser Template
Use this graphic organiser to explore roots and their origins.
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Roots Window Graphic Organiser
Organise ideas about roots and their origins with this graphic organiser.
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Greek/Latin Roots Posters
Encourage vocabulary development with a set of 23 Greek and Latin roots posters.
- Plus Plan
A Thinker Like Me - Read and Respond Worksheet
A comprehension activity related to a poem.
- Plus Plan
Liquid Ice – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a fake advertisement from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 3).