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
Writing a Narrative – Template
A template for students to use when planning a narrative text.
- Plus Plan
Difficult Spelling Words – Digital Quiz
Explore difficult spelling words with this interactive digital quiz, where students identify the correct spelling word to match the definition.
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Biography Poster Project Cut-Outs
Download this biography poster project containing engaging cut-outs that help students design an eye-catching and informative display about a person of their choice.
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Koala Information Report – Writing Project
Get your students writing a koala information report using this age-appropriate fact file and writing scaffold.
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Malala Yousafzai Biography for Students with Worksheets
Introduce young learners to an inspiring changemaker with this Malala Yousafzai biography for students with accompanying worksheets.
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Halloween Reading Comprehension – Fiction Story and Task Cards
Practise reading comprehension skills with an exciting Halloween reading comprehension activity for Year 4 students.
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Biography Research Template
Provide students with this biography research template to help them gather key life details and take organised notes for writing a well-structured biography.
- Plus Plan
Write an Ode Worksheet
Set your students up for success when writing an ode with this set of scaffolded, easy-to-follow worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Write a Cinquain Poem Worksheet
Set your students up for success when writing a cinquain poem with this set of scaffolded, easy-to-follow worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Write a Ballad Worksheet
Set your students up for success when writing a ballad with this set of scaffolded, easy-to-follow worksheets.
- Free Plan
Poetry Poster with Annotations
Use this poetry poster to introduce your students to the structure and language features of poems through an annotated example.
- Plus Plan
Writing Information Reports Teaching Slides
Teach your students the features of information reports using this detailed slideshow targeted at upper primary school students.
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Peer Editing Checklist Pack
Encourage thorough peer reviews by providing your students with printable peer review checklists for informative, persuasive, and narrative writing.
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When to Use Formal and Informal Language Teaching Slides
Teach your students when to use formal and informal language with this engaging set of teaching slides designed to help students confidently distinguish between language styles in real-world contexts.
- Plus Plan
Great White Shark Information Report – Writing Project
Get your students writing a great white shark information report using this age-appropriate fact file and writing scaffold.
- Plus Plan
Narrative Text Type Poster With Annotations
Display this narrative text with annotations to help students identify the structure of a narrative.
- Plus Plan
Summarising Teaching Slides
Teach students all about summarising with 15 teaching slides of summarising goodness.
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The History of Australia's Parliamentary System - Comprehension Worksheets
Explore the ins and outs of Australia’s parliamentary history with this reading comprehension activity.
- Plus Plan
Writing a Simile Poem - Worksheet
Experiment with similes by writing a simile poem about a special person.
- Plus Plan
Healthy Mind, Healthy Body: The Value of Vegetables – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a comic from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 2).
- Plus Plan
Write a Biography PowerPoint
Use this age-appropriate biography PowerPoint to teach your students about the purpose, structure and features of biographical texts.
- Plus Plan
The Poet's Lament - Comprehension
A comprehension activity using a poem.
- Plus Plan
Write a Colour Poem Worksheet
Set your students up for success when writing a colour poem with this set of scaffolded, easy-to-follow worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Writing Editing Checklist
Get your students using this editing checklist so that no mistake gets left behind!
- Plus Plan
Cohesive Sentence Interactive Activity
Engage students with interactive slides that teach the features of a cohesive sentence through a variety of hands-on activities.
- Plus Plan
Grammar Conventions - Year 6 Grammar and Punctuation Test Pack
Assess student knowledge of grammar conventions with a printable Year 6 Grammar and Punctuation Test Pack
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Digital Biography PowerPoint Template
Download this biography PowerPoint template, which helps students research and present facts about an influential person in a structured digital book.
- Plus Plan
Comprehension Monitoring Strategies PowerPoint
Use this Comprehension Monitoring Strategies PowerPoint to guide students through the learning of self monitoring while reading.
- Plus Plan
Write a Biography Project
Engage students in an enriching biography project that guides them through researching and writing about a famous person.
- Plus Plan
Australian Conservationists: The Irwins – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about the Irwin family and their conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
- Plus Plan
Magical Story Starters Task Cards
Get your students writing magical stories with this set of story starter task cards.
- Plus Plan
Explanation Text Type Poster With Annotations
Display this explanation text with annotations to help students identify the structure of an explanation.