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)
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Adver-relays Active Learning Game
A whole class active game that encourages learning through a physical setting.
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Poetry Poster with Annotations
Use this poetry poster to introduce your students to the structure and language features of poems through an annotated example.
- Free Plan
Writing a Speech Poster
A poster highlighting the main parts to a speech.
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Finding Word Meaning In Context - Word Meaning Cards
A teaching resource to help teach your students how to find word meaning in context.
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Author's Purpose - Sorting Worksheet
A teaching resource to help teach your students the different reasons authors may write.
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Author's Purpose - Puzzle Activity
A teaching resource to help teach your students the different reasons authors may write.
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Summarising a Story Graphic Organisers
Use these graphic organisers to help students when summarising a story.
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Sequencing - Events Worksheet
A worksheet to use when teaching students how to sequence important events when reading.
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Story Sequencing - Template
A worksheet to use when teaching students how to sequence important events when reading.
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Recalling Facts - Letter to the Editor Activity
A worksheet to use when teaching students how to recall facts and details when reading.
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Recalling Facts - Newspaper Worksheet
A worksheet to use when teaching students how to recall facts and details when reading.
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Compare and Contrast - Objects Worksheets
A pack of 5 worksheets comparing and contrasting pictures of similar objects.
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Compare and Contrast - Vocabulary Poster
A poster detailing vocabulary used when comparing and contrasting.
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Cause and Effect - Scenario Worksheet
A worksheet and answer sheet to use when teaching students the cause and effect comprehension strategy.
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Cause and Effect - Sentence Sort Worksheet
A worksheet and answer sheet to use when teaching students the cause and effect comprehension strategy.
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120 Comprehension Strategy Question Cards
A set of 120 open-ended question cards to help students apply comprehension strategies when reading.
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Comprehension Task Cards - Recognising Cause And Effect
A set of comprehension task cards to help students recognise cause and effect when reading.
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Comprehension Task Cards - Compare And Contrast
A set of comprehension task cards to help students compare and contrast when reading.
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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 Resource Pack
A 16 page resource pack including 8 detective roles to assign to students during guided reading sessions.
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Punctuation Pressure Worksheet
A worksheet consolidating students' understanding of punctuation.
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Reading Comprehension Strategies PowerPoint - Questioning
A 15 slide editable PowerPoint template explaining the reading comprehension strategy of questioning.
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Persuasive Texts Writing Scaffold
A one page scaffolding sheet which can be used to write a persuasive text.
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Comprehension - Roald Dahl
A comprehension activity using a biography of Roald Dahl.
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Comprehension - Why Bears Have Stumpy Tails
A comprehension activity using a narrative text for lower grades.
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The Park - Comprehension
A comprehension activity using poetry.
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Activating Prior Knowledge - Comprehension Strategy Task Cards
A set of 12 task cards to help students activate their prior knowledge before reading.
- Free Plan
Activating Prior Knowledge - Comprehension Strategy Poster
A poster explaining how to activate prior knowledge before reading.
- Plus Plan
Editing Symbols Chart
Use this editing symbols chart to help simplify the proofreading process for your students.
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Gemstones Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an information report about gemstones with this fact file and writing scaffold.
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Cars Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an information report about cars with this fact file and writing scaffold.
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Doctors Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an information report about doctors with this fact file and writing scaffold.