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)
- Plus Plan
Persuasive Writing Bump It Up Wall – Year 4
A visual display for your classroom to help students 'bump up' their persuasive writing.
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Biography Writing Bump It Up Wall
Use this visual display in your classroom to help students ‘bump up’ their biography writing.
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Explanation Text Writing Task – How Does a Plane Fly?
A scaffolded writing task for students to complete when learning about the explanation text type.
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Homophones Crossword Puzzle
Challenge your students to complete this vocabulary crossword puzzle by completing the sentences with the correct homophone.
- Free Plan
Identifying Procedural Language Worksheets
Help your students identify procedural language with this set of three worksheets.
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Reading Comprehension Strategies PowerPoint - Visualising
A 12 slide editable PowerPoint template explaining the reading comprehension strategy of visualising.
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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 - Thunderstorms
A comprehension activity using an information text about thunderstorms.
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Procedural Writing Sequencing Worksheet – How to Wash Your Dog
Use this procedural writing worksheet to teach your students about the importance of sequence in procedure texts.
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Subjective Language vs Objective Language Poster
Display this vibrant subjective language vs objective language poster in your classroom to illustrate the differences between personal opinions and factual statements.
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Cause and Effect Comprehension Worksheets
Use these cause and effect comprehension worksheets to give your students practice reading, sequencing and matching effects to their causes.
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Prepositional Phrase Worksheet Pack
Enhance your grammar lessons with this prepositional phrase worksheet pack, designed to help Year 4 students master prepositions and prepositional phrases.
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English Spelling Practice Activity Cards
Make English spelling practice more exciting with this set of 24 spelling activity task cards.
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How to Punctuate Dialogue Worksheets
Reinforce understanding of how to punctuate dialogue using double quotation marks with differentiated worksheets.
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Comprehension Task Cards Summarising
Practise summarising text with these relevant events-based texts.
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Rhetorical Questions Interactive Activity
Explore rhetorical questions with your students using this digital game perfect for your persuasive writing lessons.
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Informational Text Features Cheat Sheet
Download this list of text feature examples to teach your students about the purpose of these important textual elements.
- Free Plan
Nonfiction Text Features Worksheet
Download this nonfiction text features worksheet so students can practice locating different types of text features found in an information text.
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Informational Text Features: Match It Up!
Download this informational text features game to teach primary school students about the common text features of informational texts.
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Write Your Own Adverbial Phrases Worksheet
Use this set of differentiated adverbs worksheets to assess students’ ability to add adverb groups into simple sentences.
- Free Plan
Biography Brochure Template
A brochure template to use when writing biographies.
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Alliteration Poem Poster and Templates
Use this alliteration poem example and accompanying worksheets to teach your students how to write an alliteration poem.
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Advertisement Worksheet – K-9ine the Robot Dog
A comprehension worksheet for a persuasive magazine advertisement about a robotic dog.
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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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Discussion Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about discussions, including an annotated example.
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Compare and Contrast - Venn Diagram Template
A template to use when teaching students how to compare and contrast.
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Elephants Fact File and Report Writing Scaffold
Support your students in writing an information report about elephants with this fact file and writing scaffold.
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Homophones Practice Workbook 1
Strengthen your students’ ability to recognise homophones in context with this set of 6 worksheets with answers.
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Compare and Contrast - Comprehension Task
A task to use when teaching your students reading comprehension strategies.
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Subjective and Objective Language Teaching Slides
Teach your students how to confidently identify subjective and objective language in texts with this engaging, age-appropriate slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Elements of Visual Literacy Worksheets
Teach the elements of visual literacy with this engaging worksheet pack designed to help primary students analyse images and deepen their critical thinking skills.
- Plus Plan
Public Speaking Skills Teaching Slides
Support students to develop public speaking skills like volume, pace, intonation and eye contact using this engaging slide deck designed for Year 3 and 4 students.