TEXTS

• Listening to, viewing and discussing. literature on tape, film, TV and video
• Sharing lighthearted language — humorous verse, riddles, chants & jokes.
• Choral readings of poems and songs.
• Responding to texts by illustrating, role playing, retelling.
• Using texts to give ideas and models for their own writing.
• Writing class, group & own stories, poems and factual texts.
• Choosing some of their own topics, purposes and audiences for writing.
• Being given help to plan, review and revise their writing.
• Learning how to edit and proof read.

CONTEXT

• Learning to link their reading and viewing to their own knowledge and experience.
• Learning to understand the people can interpret the same text in different ways.
• Learning that texts are created by real people.
• Learning that texts can be constructed to present a range of views.
• Thinking about the images of gender, race and violence shown in their own writing.

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

• Using big books and videos to learn about plot, setting, structure, characterisation
  
• Learning features of texts e.g. rhymes in poems, sound effects in film.
  
• Learning some of the distinguishing features of different types of literature.
  
• Talking about word choices, rhyme, rhythm, imagery.

STRATEGIES

• Using knowledge of pictures, language patterns, context and topic to predict.
• Learning strategies for selecting own reading material.
• Reading aloud to others and learning to read silently.
• Learning to rely less upon the pictures and more on the text for making meaning
• Recording reading and writing opinions in a journal
• Retelling, summarising & justifying recommendations of books
• Learning how to find out the spelling of unknown words.

TEXTS

Working with a selection from

• familiar radio programs.
• children’s newspaper & magazines.
• advertising posters, brochures, catalogues & leaflets.
• children’s national, variety, quiz and cartoon TV programs.
• TV advertisements.
• Extracts from radio & TV news broadcasts.

CONTEXT

• Learning that media texts are produced by groups of people working together.
• Learning that the purpose of many media texts is to sell something.
• Understanding that some media texts are mainly factual while others are mainly imaginary

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

• Recognising the structures & features of different kinds of media texts
• Recognising the similarities and differences between different kinds of media text

STRATEGIES

• Predicting on the basis of having read, seen or listened to similar texts.

TEXTS

• Range of texts that are already familiar from home and school use.
  
• Reading, viewing & writing captions, lists, labels, charts, signs, maps, tables, messages, notes, instructions, journals & diaries.
  
• Using reference materials for young readers including information books, atlases, dictionaries, junior thesauruses.
  
• Learning the spoken language of school e.g. speaking with the teachers & with peers, greeting visitors, taking part in assemblies.

CONTEXT

• Learning about the nature, purposes and uses for spoken, visual and written language.
• Discussing ways in which tone of voice, gesture and language can affect people's reactions to the speaker.
• Understanding some of the power and advantages of written language.

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

• Learning the basic structures for writing e.g. direction, letter-sound relationships, punctuation.
• Learning ways in which texts are organised e.g. tables of contents, headings.
• Learning how to form letter shapes & develop legible handwriting.
• Learning how to speak audibly, clearly and put ideas into order.

STRATEGIES

• Learning to ask questions to find out information.
• Learning to rephrase their speech if they are not understood.
• Using comments about their work to improve their speaking and writing.
• Learning to predict meaning in texts.
• Learning skills in gathering and sorting information.

TEXTS

• Stories, poems, plays and novels of mainly Australian origin.
• Non-fiction material on a wide range of topics.

CONTEXT

• Understanding why readers’ interpretations of texts may vary.
• Learning to be tolerant of opinions that differ from their own.
• Considering how people’s beliefs, attitudes and values are shown in texts.
• Learning how to talk about some of the values and attitudes found in texts (especially those from other places and times).
• Reflecting on, explaining and justifying their own opinions.

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

Students are learning

• the basic features of literary forms.
• that texts (such as science fiction) may be categorised according to their features.
• aspects such as point of view, characterisation, imagery, atmosphere, suspense and setting.
• the symbolic use of technical effects such as music and lighting in film.
• to experiment with and gain control of a range of structures and features in their own writing.
• To experiment with vocab, punctuation, layout and grammar options

STRATEGIES

• Reading silently and widely for pleasure.
• Learning to choose texts they will enjoy and will widen their reading experiences.
• Using procedures such as cloze, retellings and directed reading thinking activities.*
• Learning ways of coping with difficult texts.
• Using models of form and style to assist them with their own writing.
• Learning how to review, revise and proofread.
• Presenting writing for discussion by peers and other audiences.

*Directed reading thinking activity (DRTA) involves reading the text to students in instalments.

TEXTS

• Radio programs — talk back and news.
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Advertising posters, brochures, catalogues and leaflets
• TV programs for children and adults - news, cartoons, quizzes
  
• Computer programs
  
• Video games

CONTEXT

• Understanding the social, cultural and situational aspects of communication.
• Comparing the stereotyped portrayals shown in the media with their own lives.
• Constructing their own media texts.
• Monitoring the news noting that target audiences may affect the presentation.
• Reporting on school and local events using print, radio and video techniques.

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

• Learning the features of media texts.
• Finding features that distinguish fact from opinion in spoken, written and visual texts.
• Composing reports, articles, editorials, and advertisements relevant to school or local community.
• Comparing print, radio and TV advertisements.

STRATEGIES

• Understanding the production processes and the roles of the people by producing their own newspapers, magazines or radio programs.
• Appreciating the effects of music, sound, clothing, dialogue, stance and tone of voice to give particular impressions.

TEXTS

• Texts met in class, school and daily life.
• Studying and constructing persuasive and argumentative texts such as letters, debates and group discussions.
• Gaining the discussion and problem solving skills needed to work in pairs, small and large groups.
• Finding. selecting and recording information.

CONTEXT

• Considering the impact of verbal and non-verbal language on people.
• Considering the needs of an audience when speaking and writing.
• Recognising the differences between spoken and written language.
• Learning the importance of standard Australian English.

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

• Learning aspects of structure and organisation including layout, vocab. volume and body language.
• Learning to use features such as sub-headings and diagrams in own texts.
• Considering ways in which intonation, rhythm, pronunciation and enunciation influence audience reactions to performances.

STRATEGIES

Developing strategies for

• using discussion and problem solving skills.
  
• participating in group work.
  
• Planning, preparing and presenting formal talks,
  
• Gathering, recording and interpreting data and reporting findings.
  
• Completing short, tightly focused research tasks.
  
• Coping with complex information texts.

TEXTS

• Complex texts that explore issues
• A wide range of texts
• A balanced selection of texts
• A self selected wide reading program
• A more structured study of literature
• Awareness of the underlying attitudes, values and beliefs in texts
• Producing and performing drama texts
• Consider elements of style and structure in films

CONTEXT

• Learning how authors' backgrounds influence the texts they create
• Reflecting on why some texts have endured
• Considering the values in texts , how they may have changed and how the texts are likely to be interpreted by different groups
• Comparing the ideas, attitudes and values in texts with those in texts from other periods and cultures
• Comparing the purposes and appeal to particular audiences of texts

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

Studying the structures and features of texts

• to discuss themes with perception
• to experiment with the features in their own texts

Studying in fiction, drama and film

• plot
• characterisation
• setting
• conflict
• narration
• how techniques produce special effects
• differences in genres

Studying the

• key features of poetry including the writing of original poetry
• roles of directors, editors, designers, cinematographers etc
  
• literary devices such as symbolism

STRATEGIES

Keeping a reading journal for their wide reading to

• Predict
• Comments on feelings
• Review their opinions
• Discuss attitudes towards characters, themes, points of view and style

Use their knowledge of narrative techniques to

• Interpret texts
• Construct their own imaginative texts

Learn to select evidence by

• Making notes in the margin while reading
• Making notes while watching a film

TEXTS

Studying

• newspaper and magazine journalism
• editorials and letters to the editor
• advertising

Examining critically and responding to

• current issues from a range of perspectives
  
• images of modern culture and society
  
• media stereotypes
  
• persuasive techniques

Experimenting with

• using persuasive techniques in own texts
• the construction of media texts

CONTEXT

Learning about

• the influence of media on their lives
• the cultural contexts
• the effects of images, music and word choice on audiences
• experimenting with target audiences

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

Considering the impact of

• persuasion and appeal
• word choice
• different structures for different media texts
• using the features in their won texts

STRATEGIES

• comparing the way the same events are reported in different TV news programs, newspapers and magazines
• constructing media texts such as advertisements for the same product for different media

TEXTS

Using language for school purposes

• exploring ideas
• writing in reflective journals

Learning how to

• use Standard Australian English
• sustain a point of view by using evidence
• reach logical conclusions
• plan and develop formal arguments about complex issues
• plan and present formal essays
• plan and present formal speeches

Learning how to manage information including

• making notes
• summarising
• taking minutes
• compiling a meeting agenda

Use language associated with becoming workers, consumers, members of clubs

• filling out forms
• understanding legal language
• speaking to unknown adults recognising jargon

Working with peers in self managed groups

CONTEXT

Learning more about the

• specific effects on texts of context, audience and purpose
• the differences between speech and writing
• the way language use is interpreted in terms of power relationships in society
• ways in which different varieties of English might be interpreted by some groups of people

STRUCTURES & FEATURES

Learning about

• using complex sentences
• punctuating simple, compound and complex sentences
• producing spoken and written texts with more accuracy and complexity
• ways in which body language, structure, style and intonation influence others

STRATEGIES

Learning how to

• analyse ideas and information in texts
• develop strategies for speaking and listening
• read texts for information and other specific purposes
• clarify the key features of writing tasks
• plan, draft, proofread and edit writing
• gather data to summarise and analyse
• use personal journals

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