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
Greek/Latin Roots Posters
Encourage vocabulary development with a set of 23 Greek and Latin roots posters.
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Morphology Game – Bingo!
Examine word parts and identify their morphological meanings in this engaging bingo game.
- Free Plan
Comma Task Cards
Use these printable Comma Task Cards to help your students master the use of commas and comma rules.
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Year 6 Magazine – "What's Buzzing?" (Issue 3) Task Cards
A set of five literacy rotation task cards to be used in conjunction with Issue 3 of Teach Starter's Year 6 magazine.
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A Thinker Like Me - Read and Respond Worksheet
A comprehension activity related to a poem.
- Free Plan
Biography Brochure Template
A brochure template to use when writing biographies.
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Life Without Tacos – Comprehension Task
A comprehension passage and accompanying worksheet about cultural diffusion.
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The Discovery of Tutankhamen's Tomb – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an information report from the Year 6 magazine (Issue 3).
- Free Plan
Letter to the Editor (Sugary Snacks Ban) – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a letter to the editor from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 3).
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The Aether – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a narrative from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 3).
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Blast Off with Space Rex 2000 – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a fake advertisement from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 2).
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Year 6 Magazine - "What's Buzzing?" (Issue 1) Task Cards
A set of five literacy rotation task cards to be used in conjunction with Issue 1 of Teach Starter's Year 6 magazine.
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NAPLAN-Style Assessment Rubric – Biographical Texts
Use this NAPLAN-style rubric to assess students’ biography writing as you prepare students for Year 5 tests.
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Human Histories: Amazing Achievements - Read and Respond Worksheet
A comprehension activity related to a biographical text.
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Literary Description Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about literary descriptions, including an annotated example.
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Review Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about reviews, including an annotated example.
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Editing and Revising Anchor Chart
Use this editing and revising anchor chart to remind your students of the steps involved in revising and editing their writing.
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Reading Detectives Bookmarks
8 colourful reading detective bookmarks to use during guided reading sessions in the classroom.
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Read and Roll - Comprehension Dice Game
A fun reading comprehension strategy game to play in the classroom during literacy groups.
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What are Bushfires? Cloze Worksheet
A cloze worksheet about bushfires.
- Free Plan
Paralympic Sports – Inquiry-Based Project
Have your students investigate the different types of Paralympic sports with this inquiry-based learning project.
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Literary Context Task Cards
Explore literary context using this set of 36 engaging task cards designed to help students analyse the historical, social and cultural influences behind the texts they read.
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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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Social Context in Literature Graphic Organiser
Support students to explore social context in literature with this two-page graphic organiser that helps them explore societal norms in a piece of literature.
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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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Opinion Writing Worksheets — 'Life on the Road'
Contemplate life on the open road with these opinion writing worksheets that help students construct a piece of writing backed by their personal reasons and opinions.
- 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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Comprehension Monitoring Strategies PowerPoint
Use this Comprehension Monitoring Strategies PowerPoint to guide students through the learning of self monitoring while reading.
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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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'Let's Eat, Grandma!' - Commas Save Lives Poster Pack
Display a ‘Let’s Eat Grandma, Commas Save Lives!’ poster to remind your students of the importance of including commas in their writing.
- Plus Plan
Three Levels of Reading Posters
Teach your students to read beyond the lines, between the lines and on the lines with a set of printable 3 Levels of Reading posters.