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)
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Inference vs Prediction - Presentation
A teaching presentation outlining the similarities and differences between inference and prediction.
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Comprehension Task Cards - Recalling Facts And Details
A set of comprehension task cards to help students recall facts and details when reading.
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Comprehension Task Cards - Understand Sequence
A set of comprehension task cards to help students understand sequence when reading.
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Compare and Contrast - Comprehension Task
A task to use when teaching your students reading comprehension strategies.
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Procedural Recount Text Type Poster With Annotations
A poster about the procedural recount text type, including an annotated example.
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Write a Persuasive Letter Project
Help your students write a persuasive letter to their school principal with this engaging project that builds essential writing skills while making learning meaningful.
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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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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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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.
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Migrant Life Writing Prompts
Spark thoughtful classroom discussions and meaningful writing about migrant life with these engaging writing prompts for upper primary students.
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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.
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Australian Conservationists: Miranda Gibson – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Miranda Gibson and her conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
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Australian Conservationists: Tim Flannery – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about Tim Flannery and his conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
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Inspiring Story Starters Task Cards
Get your students writing inspiring stories with this set of story starter task cards.
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Developing and Introducing Bills – Comprehension Worksheets
Explore how bills are introduced and developed through the parliamentary process with this differentiated reading comprehension activity.
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Which Suffix is it? - Task Cards
Practise using suffixes in sentences with a set of printable suffix task cards.
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Greek and Latin Root Words - Illustrated Word Wall
Use word wall displays to build student vocabulary with daily exposure to Greek and Latin root words.
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Greek and Latin Roots Poster Pack
Encourage vocabulary development with a set of 24 Greek and Latin Roots posters.
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Roll to Create a Silly Book Title – Differentiated Writing Activity
Print a differentiated literacy activity using dice and a chart to create a silly book title and storybook.
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Comprehension Task Cards - Identifying Author's Purpose
A set of comprehension task cards to help students identify the author's purpose when reading.
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Roots Window Graphic Organiser
Organise ideas about roots and their origins with this graphic organiser.
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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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The Aether – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a narrative from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 3).
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Main Clauses and Subordinate Clauses Poster
A poster explaining main clauses and subordinate clauses.
- Free Plan
Books for Sharing Indigenous Perspectives - Poster
A list of Indigenous storybooks for the classroom recommended by Aboriginal education organisation, Wingaru Education.
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Australia Day Cloze Worksheet
A cloze activity based on information about Australia Day.
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Write a Diamante Poem Worksheet
Set your students up for success when writing a diamante poem with this set of scaffolded, easy-to-follow worksheets.
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Words with Prefixes Worksheet - Prefix Re-
Build students' understanding of the prefix re-.with a printable prefix worksheet.
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NAPLAN-Style Assessment Rubric - Procedural Writing
A NAPLAN-style rubric designed to help teachers to assess students' procedural writing.
- Plus Plan
Out of the Book - Comprehension Board Game
A fun comprehension strategy board game for students to play during literacy rotations.
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The Poet's Lament - Comprehension
A comprehension activity using a poem.