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
How to Identify Bias Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to identify bias in writing with this engaging slide deck, designed to help upper primary students develop critical reading skills.
- Plus Plan
Cultural Context in Literature Graphic Organiser
Explore cultural context in literature with this two-page graphic organiser that helps students examine how cultural traditions, values and norms influence texts.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Fossicking for Fossils – Comprehension Worksheet
Use a Fossil Comprehension worksheet to teach your year 5 and 6 students about what fossils are, how they’re formed, and more!
- Plus Plan
Objective and Subjective Language Digital Quiz
Spark deeper thinking about objective and subjective language with this interactive digital quiz that helps students distinguish between fact, opinion and biased opinion in real-world texts.
- Plus Plan
Analysing Text Context Worksheet Pack
Explore text context using this engaging set of comics designed to help students uncover the historical, social and cultural meaning behind the texts they read.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Biography of an Immigrant Writing Project
Uncover the untold stories of migrants with an enriching biography research project for upper primary students.
- Plus Plan
Australian Immigration – Analysing Infographics Worksheet
Explore Australian immigration trends with your students by analysing a kid-friendly infographic and answering guided questions.
- Plus Plan
Compound-Complex Sentence Test
Assess your students' understanding of compound-complex sentences with a printable Compound-Complex Sentence Test.
- Plus Plan
Author’s Purpose Graphic Organiser Pack
Explore the purpose of an author's writing with these Author's Purpose Graphic Organisers.
- Plus Plan
Monitoring Comprehension Anchor Charts
Display these Monitoring Comprehension Anchor Charts to help students with sentence starters and ways to monitor their comprehension while reading.
- Plus Plan
Using Context Clues Worksheet
Try a ‘Using Context Clues’ Worksheet to help your students determine the meaning of unfamiliar words based on the surrounding text.
- Free Plan
Free Click or Clunk Worksheet
Support students in monitoring their reading comprehension with this Click and Clunk Reading Strategy Recording Sheet!
- Plus Plan
Digital Comma Activities - Interactive Slide Deck
Engage your upper primary school students with Digital Comma Activities to help them practise using different comma rules.
- Plus Plan
Using Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning Worksheet
Practise defining unfamiliar words by looking for context clues within a sentence.
- Plus Plan
Finding Word Meaning In Text - Context Clues Activity Sheet
Use context clues to determine word meaning in text with a printable Context Clues Activity Sheet.
- Plus Plan
Monitoring Comprehension Symbols Worksheet
A 2 page worksheet focusing on the reading comprehension strategy of monitoring.
- 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
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.
- Plus Plan
Making Prediction Sentence Starter Flashcards
Use these Making Prediction Sentence Starter Flashcards to guide students in making accurate predictions using prompts.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Making Predictions PowerPoint
Use this Making Predictions PowerPoint to engage students in the learning of predicting during reading.
- Plus Plan
Printable Vocabulary Word Matrix Templates
Use a printable vocabulary word matrix template to help your students organise and remember important vocabulary words.
- Plus Plan
Vocabulary Builder Activity Pack - Upper Years
Use our Vocabulary Builder Activity Pack to help your upper-years students develop their vocabulary skills in a fun and meaningful way!
- Plus Plan
The Three States of Matter – Year 5 Reading Worksheets
Use a Year 5 Reading Comprehension passage and worksheet to teach your students about the three states of matter.
- Plus Plan
Cut and Paste Shades of Meaning Verb Sort
Engage your students in exploring subtle differences between verbs with this set of two cut and paste worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Grammar Practice Worksheets - Vocabulary Cut and Sort
Review parts of speech and vocabulary skills with a pack of cut-and-paste grammar practice worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Shades of Meaning Verb Flashcards
Encourage your students to use different shades of meaning in their sentence writing with this set of shades of meaning verb flashcards.
- Plus Plan
Australian Conservationists: Miranda Gibson – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Miranda Gibson and her conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
- Plus Plan
Australian Conservationists: Ian Kiernan – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Ian Kiernan and his conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.