Language scope and sequence · 2019. 1. 13. · Language scope and sequence 1 Language in the Primary Years Programme Beliefs and values in language Language stands at the center

Language scope and sequence


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Primary Years ProgrammeLanguage scope and sequence

IB learner profile Iprofile IB learner parner profile IB leaile IB learner profiIB learner profile Ier profile IB learne


International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®

The IB learner pro�le represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signi�cance.

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

We express ourselves con�dently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate e�ectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive di�erence in the lives of others and in the world around us.

We understand the importance of balancing di�erent aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interde-pendence with other people and with the world in which we live.

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and expe-rience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

IB learner profileThe aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

As IB learners we strive to be:

THE IB LEARNER PRO

FILE

IB mission statementThe International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

IB learner profile Iprofile IB learner parner profile IB leaile IB learner profiIB learner profile Ier profile IB learne


International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®

The IB learner pro�le represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signi�cance.

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

We express ourselves con�dently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate e�ectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive di�erence in the lives of others and in the world around us.

We understand the importance of balancing di�erent aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interde-pendence with other people and with the world in which we live.

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and expe-rience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

IB learner profileThe aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

As IB learners we strive to be:

THE IB LEARNER PRO

FILE


Contents

Language in the Primary Years Programme 1

Beliefs and values in language 1

Effective language practice 2

How language practices are changing 3

Knowledge and skills in language 4

The structure of the PYP language scope and sequence 5

Language strands 5

Key concepts in the PYP: What do we want students to understand about language? 8

Examples of questions that illustrate the key concepts 9

Overall expectations in language 10

Language planning: Sample processes 10

Learning continuums 12

Oral language—listening and speaking 12

Visual language—viewing and presenting 15

Written language—reading 19

Written language—writing 23

References 27

Language scope and sequence 1

Language in the Primary Years Programme

Beliefs and values in languageLanguage stands at the center of the many interdependent cognitive, affective, and social factors that shape learning.

David Corson, Language Policy in Schools: A Resource for Teachers and Administrators (1999)

The need to communicate is instinctive. The development of language is fundamental to that need to communicate; it supports and enhances our thinking and understanding. Language permeates the world in which we live; it is socially constructed and dependent on the number and nature of our social interactions and relationships.

The learning process simultaneously involves learning language—as learners listen to and use language with others in their everyday lives; learning about language—as learners grow in their understanding of how language works; and learning through language—as learners use language as a tool to listen, think, discuss and reflect on information, ideas and issues (Halliday 1980). An appreciation of these aspects of language learning may help teachers better understand and enhance students’ learning. However, these three aspects are so inextricably linked they are best not thought of as discrete processes.

Language plays a vital role in the construction of meaning. It empowers the learner and provides an intellectual framework to support conceptual development and critical thinking. In the PYP, it is recognized that the teaching of language should be in response to the previous experience, needs and interests of the student, rather than the consequence of a predetermined, prescriptive model for delivering language. Fragmenting learning into the acquisition of isolated skill sets can create difficulties for learners—for example, learners may be able to read, write and spell words correctly in isolation but may not be able to read, write or spell those same words in other contexts. Learners’ needs are best served when they have opportunities to engage in learning within meaningful contexts, rather than being presented with the learning of language as an incremental series of skills to be acquired.

PYP schools have a special responsibility to recognize and support language development to ensure that all students are provided with the environment and the necessary language support to enable them to participate fully in the academic programme and in the social life of the school, as well as to develop as individuals. All teachers in a PYP school are considered teachers of language. Language learning plays a major role in schools where the language(s) of instruction may not be the student’s first language. Research has shown that development of home and family languages is crucial for cognitive development and in maintaining cultural identity. It also has the potential to increase intercultural awareness and understanding, and enables students to remain in touch with, and maintain esteem for, the language, literature and culture of their home country. It is a strong predictor of their long-term academic achievement, including acquisition of other languages. Respect for differences between languages and between dialects should be promoted.

In PYP schools all students have the opportunity to learn more than one language from at least the age of 7. Every learner benefits from having access to different languages, and, through that access, to different cultures and perspectives. Acquisition of more than one language enriches personal development and helps facilitate international-mindedness. For these reasons it could be argued that bilingualism, if not multilingualism, is the hallmark of a truly internationally minded person and that this requirement should be central to all three IB programmes. However, to accept this premise one would have to argue in support of the reciprocal position, that a monolingual person has a limited capacity to be internationally minded. This is not the position the PYP has chosen to adopt. All elements of the PYP framework contribute to international-mindedness.


Language scope and sequence2

The IB learner profile is integral to learning and teaching language in the PYP because it represents the qualities of effective learners and internationally minded students. The learner profile, together with the other elements of the programme—knowledge, concepts, skills and action—informs planning and teaching in language.

Effective language practiceLanguage is the major connecting element across the curriculum. Therefore, in a PYP school the focus is not only on language for its own sake, but also on its application across the subjects and throughout the transdisciplinary programme of inquiry. It also facilitates connections with the wider community.

Language provides a vehicle for inquiry. In an inquiry-based classroom, teachers and students enjoy using language, appreciating it both functionally and aesthetically. The love and enjoyment of language through the integration of literature into student inquiry is an indicator of effective practice in a PYP classroom. For example, this may include: a series of books read as an author study; regional fairy tales as part of a unit of inquiry with a particular social studies emphasis; discussing a scientist’s biography or a newspaper article to front-load a science investigation; early years counting stories as reinforcement for mathematics development; and the comparison and practice of illustration techniques to encourage the development of art skills.

Teachers in PYP schools should strive to develop a caring language community in which all students feel accepted and confident that they will be supported by others in language learning and in taking risks. To encourage students to take risks in language learning (especially learning an additional language), they need to believe that there is a good chance they will succeed; they may not be willing to try unless they believe they have the confidence to get it at least partially right. Teachers need to structure learning/teaching situations so that students have opportunities for success. They use techniques that support students during the communication process and provide the “missing bits” when students cannot fully express their meaning—this is often referred to as scaffolding. In practical terms, scaffolding includes such things as body language and gestures, language accompanying actions, building on to what other students say, and guided questioning.

Learning language in a PYP classroom extends beyond the classroom walls, and has close connections to the central school library/media centre and to other classrooms. The teacher plans in collaboration with other classroom teachers and single-subject teachers. Additional-language teachers play a particularly important role in reinforcing, supporting and extending the classroom work.

The PYP classroom is also connected to the broader world through technology—students research and communicate not only through printed media but also through global electronic networks in order to access a vast range of multimedia resources.

A PYP teacher’s personal knowledge of language learning and teaching is of key importance. What teachers themselves understand shapes which resources they choose, what learning experiences they design and how effectively they teach. The teacher’s own interest in, and development of, language learning and teaching is maintained through regular professional development, reading of professional journals and, especially, through regular contact with colleagues who share their commitment to teaching language through inquiry. Commercially available resources for teaching language are carefully evaluated to ensure that they meet the needs of the teacher and the students, and the requirements of the programme.

Effective language learning and teaching are social acts, dependent on relationships with others, with context, with the environment, with the world, and with the self. Such learning is relevant, engaging, challenging and significant. Exposure to and experience with languages, with all their richness and diversity, creates an inquisitiveness about life and learning, and a confidence about creating new social interactions. Language provides a vehicle for learners to engage with the world and, in an IB World School, to relate to, and accept, responsibility for the mission of the IB to “help to create a better and more peaceful world”.



The role of language in the programme of inquiryLanguage is involved in all learning that goes on in a school, in both the affective and effective domains. Learners listen, talk, read and write their way to negotiating new meanings and understanding new concepts. In the “knowledge” area of the PYP, language is the most significant connecting element across the school’s curriculum, both within and outside its transdisciplinary programme of inquiry. It is the school’s responsibility to provide authentic contexts for language learning and teaching in all areas of the curriculum that are a reflection of, and relevant to, the community of learners, and to the educational theories underpinning the programme. In PYP schools there should be opportunities for students to negotiate their roles. Literacy, including oral and visual literacy as well as the ability to read and write, becomes increasingly important as greater demands are placed on learners as participants in the learning process.

The programme of inquiry provides an authentic context for learners to develop and use language. Wherever possible, language should be taught through the relevant, authentic context of the units of inquiry. The teacher should provide language learning opportunities that support learners’ inquiries and the sharing of their learning. Regardless of whether language is being taught within or outside the programme of inquiry, it is believed that purposeful inquiry is the way in which learners learn best. The starting point should always be learners’ prior experience and current understanding.

When teachers plan learning experiences that enable learners to develop language within meaningful and enjoyable contexts, learners are able to make connections, apply their learning, and transfer their conceptual understanding to new situations. This progressive conceptual development, together with an enjoyment of the process, provides the foundation for lifelong learning.

How language practices are changingGuided inquiry is the main approach to learning and teaching language in the PYP. This approach to teaching is broad and inclusive in that it provides a context within which a wide variety of teaching strategies and styles can be accommodated, provided that they are driven by a spirit of inquiry and a clear sense of purpose.

How are language practices changing?

Increased emphasis on: Decreased emphasis on:

promoting integrated language development teaching language as isolated strands

language as a transdisciplinary element throughout the curriculum

language as a separate discipline

additional-language teachers viewed (and viewing themselves) as PYP teachers

additional-language teachers seen as solely single-subject teachers

a literature-based approach to learning language using skill-drill texts and workbooks to learn language

a teaching approach that sees making mistakes in language as inevitable and necessary for learning

a teaching approach that focuses on encouraging students not to make mistakes in language

reading for meaning decoding only for accuracy

reading selected according to interest level reading selected according to decoding level

student-selected reading materials teacher-directed reading materials



How are language practices changing?

Increased emphasis on: Decreased emphasis on:

making world classics available for reading having only school classics available for reading

making culturally diverse reading material available

having only monocultural reading materials available

focusing on meaning when reading and writing focusing primarily on accuracy when reading and writing

encouraging appropriate cooperative discussion in the classroom

enforcing silent, individual work in the classroom

students engaged in spontaneous writing students carrying out teacher-imposed writing

a variety of scaffolded learning experiences—with the teacher providing strategies for the student to build on his or her own learning

activities where teachers simply model language for students

writing as a process writing only as a product

developing a range of independent spelling strategies

a dependence on the teacher as the only source of correct spelling

nurturing appreciation of the richness of language language study as grammar and syntax

literature as a means of understanding and exploring

literature study as vocabulary, grammar and syntax

teaching students to read and research using multimedia resources

providing print-only resources for reading and research

using language for creative problem solving and information processing

using language for rote learning

a range of appropriate assessment methods such as portfolios, conferencing, miscue analysis, writing sample analysis, response journals.

standardized reading and writing assessments.

Knowledge and skills in languageLanguage is a complex web of connections that transcends the artificial separations of subjects. When the three aspects of learning language, learning about language and learning through language, introduced earlier in this document, operate together in a relevant context, they provide the most supportive learning environment for language learners.

We need to develop students’ use of language, appreciation of language, awareness of the nature of language, of the many influences on language, and of the variety in and between languages and dialects. Students should recognize the transdisciplinary nature of language—they use language within and across the subjects and in a way that transcends them, both inside and outside the classroom. They should be encouraged to recognize that competency in language—and in more than one language—is a valuable life skill, a powerful tool both in societal communication and as a means of personal reflection. Furthermore, learning that language and literature are creative processes encourages the development of imagination and creativity through self-expression.



The structure of the PYP language scope and sequenceThe complexity and diversity of language provision, and the range of individual language profiles that are represented in PYP schools throughout the world, present a unique challenge. Some of the variables that exist in PYP schools include students learning in:

• a programme with one dominant language of instruction, which may be the students’ mother tongue or an additional language for them

• a bilingual programme where, most often, one of the languages of instruction is the student’s mother tongue

• a programme that offers support for students who are new to the language(s) of instruction; and additional mother-tongue support.

You may note that in PYP curriculum documents there is a reluctance to refer to “second language learning” and “second language learners” even though “second language” is a recognized linguistic term. Because it has several overlapping meanings, a decision was made over ten years ago by the PYP committee of the IB that the term “second language” could be misinterpreted and therefore misrepresent and oversimplify the experiences of some students. It is in recognition of the complexity of language learning situations in IB World Schools that the preferred PYP term is a learner of “an additional language”.

Some of the factors that will influence language development include similarities among language groups, exposure to the language, aptitude for the language, maturity, motivation, and both learning and teaching styles. The rate of language development varies from one learner to another, and on the significance of the language being learned to the learner. In all language learning situations it is necessary to identify the learner’s current developmental phase in order to plan learning experiences that will build on existing capability and understanding so as to support the learner’s progression onto the next developmental phase.

Acknowledging that learning language is a developmental process, this scope and sequence document presents a set of developmental continuums that are designed as diagnostic tools to assist teachers in planning language learning experiences for students, and in monitoring students’ development throughout the primary years. Consideration of the range of language learning situations that exist in PYP schools is reflected in this document. It is intended to inform and support all teachers, as all teachers are teachers of language.

Language strands

What do we want students to know?The PYP has identified three strands—oral language, visual language, written language—that are learned across and throughout the curriculum, with each strand being an integral component of language learning. Each strand has been considered from both the receptive aspect—receiving and constructing meaning, and expressive aspect—creating and sharing meaning (figure 1). While the receptive and expressive aspects are clearly reciprocal, the processes involved in receiving and constructing meaning are different from those involved in creating and sharing meaning. The learner’s ability to understand language and use it effectively varies in different situations and from one individual to another. For this reason, it is important to distinguish between these two modes of learning and the demonstrated proficiencies associated with them. For example, a learner may listen attentively and reveal understanding through written or visual representations, but may require support to communicate ideas orally in the classroom.

The acknowledgment of both the receptive and expressive aspects of the language strands serves to ensure that teachers will be aware of the need to provide a balanced programme. Opportunities to listen



to, and receive, ideas and information in oral form should be balanced with opportunities to express ideas orally. In visual language, learners will view and interpret other people’s work and create and share their own presentations. The interwoven receptive and expressive aspects of the oral and visual strands are represented in one continuum for each strand. In written language, learners will experience reciprocal gains as they develop skills and understanding in reading and writing. The strands of oral, visual and written language have been described separately, and are represented by four continuums: listening and speaking; viewing and presenting; reading; writing.

StrandReceptive—receiving and constructing meaning

Expressive—creating and sharing meaning

Oral language Listening Speaking

Visual language Viewing Presenting

Written language Reading Writing

Figure 1Receptive and expressive aspects of language strands

Oral language—listening and speakingListening and speaking are natural, developmental processes that infants and young children are immersed in from their earliest experiences. Almost all children arrive at school with an impressive command of their home and family languages. However, the expectations and approach to language development in school is often very different from the successful learning environment the child has previously experienced. In the transition from home to school, or from one school to another, it is important to acknowledge the language profile of the individual and build on previous learning in ways that are positive and productive.

Oral language encompasses all aspects of listening and speaking—skills that are essential for ongoing language development, for learning and for relating to others. Listening (the receptive mode) and speaking (the expressive mode) work together in a transactional process between listeners and speakers. A balanced programme will provide meaningful and well-planned opportunities for learners to participate as listeners as well as speakers. Listening involves more than just hearing sounds; it requires active and conscious attention in order to make sense of what is heard. Purposeful talk enables learners to articulate thoughts as they construct and reconstruct meaning to understand the world around them. Oral language involves recognizing and using certain types of language according to the audience and purposes (for example, the language used at home, the language of the classroom, the language of play, the language of inquiry, conversations with peers, giving instructions, interpreting creative texts, the language of fantasy, the language of different generations, of different times and places).

In an inquiry-based learning environment, oral language exposes the thinking of the learner. It is a means by which “inner speech” (Vygotsky 1999) can be communicated and shared to negotiate and construct meaning and develop deeper levels of understanding.

Visual language—viewing and presentingViewing and presenting are fundamental processes that are historically and universally powerful and significant. The receptive processes (viewing) and expressive processes (presenting) are connected and allow for reciprocal growth in understanding; neither process has meaning except in relation to the other. It is important to provide a balanced programme with opportunities for students to experience both viewing and presenting. These processes involve interpreting, using and constructing visuals and multimedia in



a variety of situations and for a range of purposes and audiences. They allow students to understand the ways in which images and language interact to convey ideas, values and beliefs. Visual texts may be paper, electronic or live, observable forms of communication that are consciously constructed to convey meaning and immediately engage viewers, allowing them instant access to data. Examples of visual texts are: advertisements, brochures, computer games and programs, websites, movies, posters, signs, logos, flags, maps, charts, graphs, diagrams, illustrations, graphic organizers, cartoons and comics. Learning to interpret this data, and to understand and use different media, are invaluable life skills.

Acquiring skills related to technology and visual texts is significant because of their persuasive influence in society. It is important to learn how visual images influence meaning and produce powerful associations that shape the way we think and feel. Opportunities that invite students to explore the function and construction of images facilitate the process of critically analysing a range of visual texts. Learning to understand and use different visual texts expands the sources of information and expressive abilities of students.

Written language—readingReading is a developmental process that involves constructing meaning from text. The process is interactive and involves the reader’s purpose for reading, the reader’s prior knowledge and experience, and the text itself. It begins to happen when the young learner realizes that print conveys meaning and becomes concerned with trying to make sense of the marks on the page. The most significant contribution parents and teachers can make to success in reading is to provide a captivating range of picture books and other illustrated materials to share with beginning readers. Enthusiasm and curiosity are essential ingredients in promoting the desire to read. Children of all ages need to experience and enjoy a wide variety of interesting, informative, intriguing and creative reading materials.

Reading helps us to clarify our ideas, feelings, thoughts and opinions. Literature offers us a means of understanding ourselves and others, and has the power to influence and structure thinking. Well-written fiction provides opportunities for learners to imagine themselves in another’s situation, reflecting on feelings and actions, and developing empathy. The ability to read and comprehend non-fiction is essential for the process of inquiry. As inquirers, learners need to be able to identify, synthesize and apply useful and relevant information from text. Teachers should provide a balance between fiction and non-fiction, to meet the range of learning needs and interests of their students.

Children learn to read by reading. In order to develop lifelong reading habits, learners need to have extended periods of time to read for pleasure, interest, and information, experiencing an extensive range of quality fiction and non-fiction texts. As learners engage with interesting and appealing texts, appropriate to their experiences and developmental phase, they acquire the skills, strategies and conceptual understanding necessary to become competent, motivated, independent readers.

Written language—writingWriting is a way of expressing ourselves. It is a personal act that grows and develops with the individual. From the earliest lines and marks of young learners to the expression of mature writers, it allows us to organize and communicate thoughts, ideas and information in a visible and tangible way. Writing is primarily concerned with communicating meaning and intention. When children are encouraged to express themselves and reveal their own “voice”, writing is a genuine expression of the individual. The quality of expression lies in the authenticity of the message and the desire to communicate. If the writer has shared his or her message in such a way that others can appreciate it, the writer’s intention has been achieved. Over time, writing involves developing a variety of structures, strategies and literary techniques (spelling, grammar, plot, character, punctuation, voice) and applying them with increasing skill and effectiveness. However, the writer’s ability to communicate his or her intention and share meaning takes precedence over accuracy and the application of skills. Accuracy and skills grow out of the process of producing meaningful communication. Children learn to write by writing. Acquiring a set of isolated skills will not turn them into writers. It is only in the process of sharing their ideas in written form that skills are developed, applied and refined to produce increasingly effective written communication.



Key concepts in the PYP: What do we want students to understand about language?Central to the philosophy of the PYP is the principle that guided inquiry is a powerful vehicle for learning that promotes meaning and understanding, and challenges students to engage with significant ideas. Hence in the PYP there is also a commitment to a concept-driven curriculum as a means of supporting that inquiry. There are clusters of ideas that can usefully be grouped under a set of overarching concepts, each of which has major significance within and across disciplines, regardless of time or place.

These key concepts are one of the essential elements of the PYP framework. It is accepted that these are not, in any sense, the only concepts worth exploring. Taken together they form a powerful curriculum component that drives the teacher- and/or student-constructed inquiries that lie at the heart of the PYP curriculum.

When viewed as a set of questions, the concepts form a research tool that is manageable, open-ended and more readily accessible to students. It is these questions, used flexibly by teachers and students when planning an inquiry-based unit, that shape that unit, giving it direction and purpose.

The following table explains each concept from both the generic perspective and the language perspective.

Concept Generic perspective Language perspective

Form What is it like?

Everything has a form with recognizable features that can be observed, identified, described and categorized.

Every language has a form and a structure that makes it unique. Form may vary according to whether language is written or spoken.

Function How does it work?

Everything has a purpose, a role or a way of behaving that can be investigated.

The type of language we use varies depending on the circumstances, purpose, audience and genre.

Causation Why is it like it is?

Things do not just happen. There are causal relationships at work, and actions have consequences.

Language is fundamental to human activity. Many factors affect the development of language.

Change How is it changing?

Change is the process of movement from one state to another. It is universal and inevitable.

Language is not static; it changes constantly.

Connection How is it connected to other things?

We live in a world of interacting systems in which the actions of any individual element affect others.

Language is a major connecting system within, between and among all societies.



Concept Generic perspective Language perspective

Perspective What are the points of view?

Knowledge is moderated by perspectives. Different perspectives lead to different interpretations, understandings and findings. Perspectives may be individual, group, cultural or disciplinary.

Language can be interpreted and expressed in different ways. Literature, in particular, offers cultural, historical and personal perspectives on the world, and invites different interpretations.

Responsibility What is our responsibility?

People make choices based on their understandings, and the actions they take as a result do make a difference.

Language is powerful and can have a profound effect, both positive and negative. Therefore, it must be used responsibly.

Examples of questions that illustrate the key conceptsThe following table provides sample teacher/student questions that illustrate the key concepts, and that may help to structure or frame an inquiry. These examples demonstrate broad, open-ended questioning—requiring investigation, discussion, and a full and considered response—that is essential in an inquiry-led programme.

Concept Sample teacher/student questions

Form What is it like?

• What are the ways in which stories can be told?

• What are the parts of a book?

• What languages do the students in our class/school use?

• What makes this language unique?

Function How does it work?

• What part does literature play in the development of a culture?

• Why do we name things?

• How do different languages work?

• How do the pictures and text work together?

Causation Why is it like it is?

• What part does language play in cultural identity?

• To what extent does language influence thinking styles?

• Why does the same language develop differently in different places?

• Why did the author write the story in this way?

Change How is it changing?

• How have our languages changed historically?

• What has influenced the development of the language of specific disciplines?

• How do we use language differently as we grow?

• How have other languages and cultures changed our own language?



Concept Sample teacher/student questions

Connection How is it connected to other things?

• What are the similarities and differences between languages?

• What are the origins of names?

• How are storytelling traditions linked to culture?

• How do our experiences enable us to connect with stories?

Perspective What are the points of view?

• How could knowledge of a language help us to understand the culture?

• Why do some books become best-sellers?

• Which language do you think is the easiest to learn?

• Why is written language different to spoken language?

Responsibility What is our responsibility?

• How can the use of language influence people?

• How should we treat people who speak different languages from us?

• Why are we not allowed to read some books or websites?

• What responsibility does the author have to avoid bias and stereotyping?

Overall expectations in languageAcknowledging that learning language is a developmental process, Language scope and sequence presents a set of developmental continuums that are designed as diagnostic tools to assist teachers in planning language learning experiences for students, and in monitoring students’ development throughout the primary years. Consideration of the range of language learning situations that exist in PYP schools is reflected in this document. It is intended to inform and support all teachers, as all teachers are teachers of language.

The four language continuums in Language scope and sequence have been organized into five developmental phases with each phase building upon and complementing the previous one. These phases have not been named in order to avoid the value judgment implied in labelling a learner as “developing” or “proficient”, for example. The continuums make explicit the conceptual understandings that need to be developed at each phase. Evidence of these understandings is described in the behaviours or learning outcomes associated with each phase. For example, a 9 year old with well-developed home and family languages ability may quickly show evidence of some—but not all—of the learning outcomes identified in the early phases when moving into a new language of instruction; a child beginning school at age 3 may spend several years consolidating understanding to demonstrate consistently the learning outcomes identified in the initial phase.

Language planning: Sample processesWhen planning for language learning experiences, be mindful of the following practices.

• Guided inquiry is the main approach to learning and teaching language in the PYP.

• Wherever possible, language should be taught through the relevant and authentic context of the transdisciplinary programme of inquiry.



Within a unit of inquiryIt is important that the integrity of a central idea and ensuing unit is not jeopardized by a subject-specific focus too early in the planning process. Once an inquiry has been planned through to the identification of learning experiences, it would be appropriate to consider the following process.

Outside the units of inquiryWhen specific aspects of language learning need to be addressed outside the units of inquiry, purposeful inquiry is still considered the principal way in which students learn best.

Considering the central idea, the assessment task(s), and the learning experiences of the unit of inquiry, identify which conceptual understanding(s) (from the language continuums) will support and inform learning in the unit of inquiry.

Identify learning outcomes (listed in the language scope and sequence continuums) that will provide evidence of each student’s language development while contributing to engagement with the unit of inquiry.

Decide whether all the language learning experiences will occur within the unit of inquiry or whether some subject-specific front-loading experience is required, prior to application within the unit of the inquiry.

Identify which conceptual understanding(s) (from the language continuums) students have already shown evidence of.

To build on what students already understand and can do, identify the conceptual understanding(s) that will provide either reinforcement or an appropriate level of challenge for the next stage of learning.

Identify the demonstrated learning outcomes (listed in the language scope and sequence continuums) that should provide observable evidence of whether the conceptual understanding(s) have been achieved, and whether the students have been able to apply their understanding in diverse ways.

Plan a range of learning experiences that accommodate the appropriate developmental phases of all learners, and will enable individual learners to consolidate and develop understanding, demonstrate skills and knowledge, and move on to new challenges.

Ensure that assessment will inform each student’s language profile and further learning needs.

Decide what differentiation will be required in order to appropriately use and develop language for each student during the unit.

Figure 2Sample processes when planning for language learning experiences


Learning continuums

Oral language—listening and speakingListening and speaking are natural, developmental processes that infants and young children are immersed in from their earliest experiences. Almost all children arrive at school with an impressive command of their home and family languages. However, the expectations and approach to language development in school is often very different from the successful learning environment the child has previously experienced. In the transition from home to school, or from one school to another, it is important to acknowledge the language profile of the individual and build on previous learning in ways that are positive and productive.

Oral language encompasses all aspects of listening and speaking—skills that are essential for ongoing language development, for learning and for relating to others. Listening (the receptive mode) and speaking (the expressive mode) work together in a transactional process between listeners and speakers. A balanced programme will provide meaningful and well-planned opportunities for learners to participate as listeners as well as speakers. Listening involves more than just hearing sounds; it requires active and conscious attention in order to make sense of what is heard. Purposeful talk enables learners to articulate thoughts as they construct and reconstruct meaning to understand the world around them. Oral language involves recognizing and using certain types of language according to the audience and purposes (for example, the language used at home, the language of the classroom, the language of play, the language of inquiry, conversations with peers, giving instructions, interpreting creative texts, the language of fantasy, the language of different generations, of different times and places).

In an inquiry-based learning environment, oral language exposes the thinking of the learner. It is a means by which “inner speech” (Vygotsky 1999) can be communicated and shared to negotiate and construct meaning and develop deeper levels of understanding.

Overall expectationsPhase 1Learners show an understanding of the value of speaking and listening to communicate. They recognize that sounds are associated with objects, or with symbolic representations of them. They are using language to name their environment, to get to know each other, to initiate and explore relationships, to question and inquire.

Phase 2Learners show an understanding that sounds are associated with objects, events and ideas, or with symbolic representations of them. They are aware that an object or symbol may have different sounds or words associated with it in different languages. They are beginning to be cognizant about the high degree of variability of language and its uses.

Phase 3Learners show an understanding of the wide range of purposes of spoken language: that it instructs, informs, entertains, reassures; that each listener’s perception of what they hear is unique. They are compiling rules about the use of different aspects of language.

Phase 4Learners show an understanding of the conventions associated with speaking and listening and the value of adhering to those conventions. They are aware that language is a vehicle for becoming knowledgeable; for negotiating understanding; and for negotiating the social dimension.

Phase 5Learners are able to understand the difference between literal and figurative language; how to use language differently for different purposes. They are aware that they are building on their previous experiences and using language to construct new meaning.

Learning continuums


Lear

ning

con

tinu

um fo

r ora

l lan

guag

e—lis

teni

ng a

nd s

peak

ing

Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sSp

oken

wor

ds c

onne

ct u

s w

ith

othe

rs.

Peop

le li

sten

and

spe

ak to

sha

re

thou

ghts

and

feel

ings

.

Peop

le a

sk q

uest

ions

to le

arn

from

oth

ers.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sTh

e so

unds

of l

angu

age

are

a sy

mbo

lic w

ay o

f rep

rese

ntin

g id

eas

and

obje

cts.

Peop

le c

omm

unic

ate

usin

g di

ffer

ent l

angu

ages

.

Ever

yone

has

the

right

to s

peak

an

d be

list

ened

to.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sSp

oken

lang

uage

var

ies

acco

rdin

g to

the

purp

ose

and

audi

ence

.

Peop

le in

terp

ret m

essa

ges

acco

rdin

g to

thei

r uni

que

expe

rienc

es a

nd w

ays

of

unde

rsta

ndin

g.

Spok

en c

omm

unic

atio

n is

diff

eren

t fro

m w

ritte

n co

mm

unic

atio

n—it

has

its o

wn

set o

f rul

es.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sTa

king

tim

e to

refle

ct o

n w

hat

we

hear

and

say

hel

ps u

s to

m

ake

info

rmed

judg

men

ts a

nd

form

new

opi

nion

s.

Thin

king

abo

ut th

e pe

rspe

ctiv

e of

our

aud

ienc

e he

lps

us to

co

mm

unic

ate

mor

e ef

fect

ivel

y an

d ap

prop

riate

ly.

The

gram

mat

ical

str

uctu

res

of

a la

ngua

ge e

nabl

e m

embe

rs

of a

lang

uage

com

mun

ity to

co

mm

unic

ate

with

eac

h ot

her.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sSp

oken

lang

uage

can

be

used

to

pers

uade

and

influ

ence

peo

ple.

Met

apho

rical

lang

uage

cre

ates

st

rong

vis

ual i

mag

es in

our

im

agin

atio

n.

List

ener

s id

entif

y ke

y id

eas

in

spok

en la

ngua

ge a

nd s

ynth

esiz

e th

em to

cre

ate

thei

r ow

n un

ders

tand

ing.

Peop

le d

raw

on

wha

t the

y al

read

y kn

ow in

ord

er to

infe

r new

m

eani

ng fr

om w

hat t

hey

hear

.

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• us

e ge

stur

es, a

ctio

ns, b

ody

lang

uage

and

/or w

ords

to

com

mun

icat

e ne

eds

and

to

expr

ess

idea

s

• lis

ten

and

resp

ond

to p

ictu

re

book

s, s

how

ing

plea

sure

, an

d de

mon

stra

ting

thei

r un

ders

tand

ing

thro

ugh

gest

ures

, exp

ress

ion

and/

or

wor

ds

• na

me

clas

smat

es, t

each

ers

and

fam

iliar

cla

ssro

om a

nd

play

grou

nd o

bjec

ts

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• lis

ten

and

resp

ond

in s

mal

l or

larg

e gr

oups

for i

ncre

asin

g pe

riods

of t

ime

• lis

ten

to a

nd e

njoy

st

orie

s re

ad a

loud

; sh

ow u

nder

stan

ding

by

resp

ondi

ng in

ora

l, w

ritte

n or

vi

sual

form

• m

emor

ize

and

join

in w

ith

poem

s, rh

ymes

and

son

gs

• fo

llow

cla

ssro

om

inst

ruct

ions

, sho

win

g un

ders

tand

ing

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• lis

ten

atte

ntiv

ely

and

spea

k ap

prop

riate

ly in

sm

all a

nd

larg

e gr

oup

inte

ract

ions

• lis

ten

to a

var

iety

of o

ral

pres

enta

tions

incl

udin

g st

orie

s, p

oem

s, rh

ymes

and

re

port

s an

d re

spon

d w

ith

incr

easi

ng c

onfid

ence

and

de

tail

• pi

ck o

ut m

ain

even

ts a

nd

rele

vant

poi

nts

in o

ral t

exts

• fo

llow

mul

ti-st

ep d

irect

ions

• re

tell

fam

iliar

sto

ries

in

sequ

ence

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• lis

ten

appr

ecia

tivel

y an

d re

spon

sive

ly, p

rese

ntin

g th

eir o

wn

poin

t of v

iew

and

re

spec

ting

the

view

s of

ot

hers

• lis

ten

for a

spe

cific

pur

pose

in

a v

arie

ty o

f situ

atio

ns

• id

entif

y an

d ex

pand

on

mai

n id

eas

in fa

mili

ar o

ral t

exts

• lis

ten

refle

ctiv

ely

to s

torie

s re

ad a

loud

in o

rder

to

iden

tify

stor

y st

ruct

ures

and

id

eas

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• pa

rtic

ipat

e ap

prop

riate

ly

as li

sten

er a

nd s

peak

er, i

n di

scus

sion

s, c

onve

rsat

ions

, de

bate

s an

d gr

oup

pres

enta

tions

• ge

nera

te, d

evel

op a

nd

mod

ify id

eas

and

opin

ions

th

roug

h di

scus

sion

• lis

ten

and

resp

ond

appr

opria

tely

to in

stru

ctio

ns,

ques

tions

and

exp

lana

tions

• in

fer m

eani

ngs,

dra

w

conc

lusi

ons

and

mak

e ju

dgm

ents

abo

ut o

ral

pres

enta

tions

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• in

tera

ct e

ffec

tivel

y w

ith

peer

s an

d ad

ults

in fa

mili

ar

soci

al s

ettin

gs

• te

ll th

eir o

wn

stor

ies

usin

g w

ords

, ges

ture

s, a

nd o

bjec

ts/

artif

acts

• re

peat

/ech

o si

ngle

wor

ds

• us

e si

ngle

wor

ds a

nd tw

o-

wor

d ph

rase

s in

con

text

• jo

in in

with

poe

ms,

rhym

es,

song

s an

d re

peat

ed p

hras

es

in s

hare

d bo

oks

• un

ders

tand

sim

ple

ques

tions

an

d re

spon

d w

ith a

ctio

ns o

r w

ords

• fo

llow

cla

ssro

om d

irect

ions

an

d ro

utin

es, u

sing

con

text

cu

es

• re

aliz

e th

at p

eopl

e sp

eak

diff

eren

t lan

guag

es

• us

e th

e m

othe

r ton

gue

(with

tr

ansl

atio

n, if

nec

essa

ry) t

o ex

pres

s ne

eds

and

expl

ain

idea

s

• re

aliz

e th

at w

ord

orde

r can

ch

ange

from

one

lang

uage

to

ano

ther

• us

e ow

n gr

amm

ar s

tyle

as

par

t of t

he p

roce

ss o

f de

velo

ping

gra

mm

atic

al

awar

enes

s.

• de

scrib

e pe

rson

al

expe

rienc

es

• ob

tain

sim

ple

info

rmat

ion

from

acc

essi

ble

spok

en te

xts

• di

stin

guis

h be

ginn

ing,

m

edia

l and

end

ing

soun

ds

of w

ords

with

incr

easi

ng

accu

racy

• fo

llow

two-

step

dire

ctio

ns

• pr

edic

t lik

ely

outc

omes

whe

n lis

teni

ng to

text

s re

ad a

loud

• us

e la

ngua

ge to

add

ress

thei

r ne

eds,

exp

ress

feel

ings

and

op

inio

ns

• as

k qu

estio

ns to

gai

n in

form

atio

n an

d re

spon

d to

inqu

iries

dire

cted

to

them

selv

es o

r to

the

clas

s

• us

e or

al la

ngua

ge to

co

mm

unic

ate

durin

g cl

assr

oom

act

iviti

es,

conv

ersa

tions

and

im

agin

ativ

e pl

ay

• ta

lk a

bout

the

stor

ies,

w

ritin

g, p

ictu

res

and

mod

els

they

hav

e cr

eate

d

• be

gin

to c

omm

unic

ate

in

mor

e th

an o

ne la

ngua

ge

• us

e gr

amm

atic

al ru

les

of th

e la

ngua

ge(s

) of i

nstr

uctio

n (le

arne

rs m

ay o

verg

ener

aliz

e at

this

sta

ge).

• an

ticip

ate

and

pred

ict w

hen

liste

ning

to te

xt re

ad a

loud

• us

e la

ngua

ge fo

r a v

arie

ty

of p

erso

nal p

urpo

ses,

for

exam

ple,

invi

tatio

ns

• ex

pres

s th

ough

ts, i

deas

and

op

inio

ns a

nd d

iscu

ss th

em,

resp

ectin

g co

ntrib

utio

ns

from

oth

ers

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

a v

arie

ty

of d

ram

atic

act

iviti

es, f

or

exam

ple,

role

pla

y, p

uppe

t th

eatr

e, d

ram

atiz

atio

n of

fa

mili

ar s

torie

s an

d po

ems

• us

e la

ngua

ge to

exp

lain

, in

quire

and

com

pare

• re

cogn

ize

patt

erns

in

lang

uage

(s) o

f ins

truc

tion

and

use

incr

easi

ngly

acc

urat

e gr

amm

ar

• be

gin

to u

nder

stan

d th

at

lang

uage

use

is in

fluen

ced

by it

s pu

rpos

e an

d th

e au

dien

ce

• un

ders

tand

and

use

spe

cific

vo

cabu

lary

to s

uit d

iffer

ent

purp

oses

• he

ar a

nd a

ppre

ciat

e di

ffer

ence

s be

twee

n la

ngua

ges.

• un

ders

tand

that

idea

s and

op

inio

ns c

an b

e ge

nera

ted,

de

velo

ped

and

pres

ente

d th

roug

h ta

lk; t

hey

wor

k in

pa

irs a

nd g

roup

s to

deve

lop

oral

pre

sent

atio

ns

• ar

gue

pers

uasiv

ely

and

defe

nd

a po

int o

f vie

w

• ex

plai

n an

d di

scus

s the

ir ow

n w

ritin

g w

ith p

eers

and

adu

lts

• be

gin

to p

arap

hras

e an

d su

mm

ariz

e

• or

gani

ze th

ough

ts a

nd

feel

ings

bef

ore

spea

king

• us

e a

rang

e of

spec

ific

voca

bula

ry in

diff

eren

t sit

uatio

ns, in

dica

ting

an

awar

enes

s tha

t lan

guag

e is

influ

ence

d by

pur

pose

, au

dien

ce a

nd c

onte

xt

• re

aliz

e th

at g

ram

mat

ical

st

ruct

ures

can

be

irreg

ular

an

d be

gin

to u

se th

em

appr

opria

tely

and

con

siste

ntly

• us

e or

al la

ngua

ge

appr

opria

tely

, con

fiden

tly a

nd

with

incr

easin

g ac

cura

cy

• ve

rbal

ize

thei

r thi

nkin

g an

d ex

plai

n th

eir r

easo

ning

• re

cogn

ize

that

diff

eren

t fo

rms o

f gra

mm

ar a

re u

sed

in

diffe

rent

con

text

s

• ap

prec

iate

that

lang

uage

is

not a

lway

s use

d lit

eral

ly;

unde

rsta

nd a

nd u

se th

e fig

urat

ive

lang

uage

of t

heir

own

cultu

re.

• us

e an

incr

easi

ng v

ocab

ular

y an

d m

ore

com

plex

sen

tenc

e st

ruct

ures

with

a h

igh

leve

l of

spe

cific

ity

• ar

gue

pers

uasi

vely

and

ju

stify

a p

oint

of v

iew

• sh

ow o

pen-

min

ded

attit

udes

w

hen

liste

ning

to o

ther

po

ints

of v

iew

• pa

raph

rase

and

sum

mar

ize

whe

n co

mm

unic

atin

g or

ally

• un

ders

tand

and

use

fig

urat

ive

lang

uage

suc

h as

si

mile

, per

soni

ficat

ion

and

met

apho

r

• us

e or

al la

ngua

ge to

fo

rmul

ate

and

com

mun

icat

e po

ssib

ilitie

s an

d th

eorie

s

• us

e st

anda

rd g

ram

mat

ical

st

ruct

ures

com

pete

ntly

in

appr

opria

te s

ituat

ions

• us

e re

gist

er, t

one,

voi

ce le

vel

and

into

natio

n to

enh

ance

m

eani

ng

• ap

prec

iate

that

peo

ple

spea

k an

d re

spon

d ac

cord

ing

to p

erso

nal a

nd c

ultu

ral

pers

pect

ives

• us

e sp

eech

resp

onsi

bly

to in

form

, ent

erta

in a

nd

influ

ence

oth

ers

• re

flect

on

com

mun

icat

ion

to

mon

itor a

nd a

sses

s th

eir o

wn

lear

ning

.

Learning continuums


Visual language—viewing and presentingViewing and presenting are fundamental processes that are historically and universally powerful and significant. The receptive processes (viewing) and expressive processes (presenting) are connected and allow for reciprocal growth in understanding; neither process has meaning except in relation to the other. It is important to provide a balanced programme with opportunities for students to experience both viewing and presenting. These processes involve interpreting, using and constructing visuals and multimedia in a variety of situations and for a range of purposes and audiences. They allow students to understand the ways in which images and language interact to convey ideas, values and beliefs. Visual texts may be paper, electronic or live, observable forms of communication that are consciously constructed to convey meaning and immediately engage viewers, allowing them instant access to data. Examples of visual texts are: advertisements, brochures, computer games and programs, websites, movies, posters, signs, logos, flags, maps, charts, graphs, diagrams, illustrations, graphic organizers, cartoons and comics. Learning to interpret this data, and to understand and use different media, are invaluable life skills.

Acquiring skills related to technology and visual texts is significant because of their persuasive influence in society. It is important to learn how visual images influence meaning and produce powerful associations that shape the way we think and feel. Opportunities that invite students to explore the function and construction of images facilitate the process of critically analysing a range of visual texts. Learning to understand and use different visual texts expands the sources of information and expressive abilities of students.

Overall expectationsPhase 1Learners show an understanding that the world around them is full of visual language that conveys meaning. They are able to interpret and respond to visual texts. Although much of their own visual language is spontaneous, they are extending and using visual language in more purposeful ways.

Phase 2Learners identify, interpret and respond to a range of visual text prompts and show an understanding that different types of visual texts serve different purposes. They use this knowledge to create their own visual texts for particular purposes.

Phase 3Learners show an understanding that visual text may represent reality or fantasy. They recognize that visual text resources can provide factual information and increase understanding. They use visual text in a reflective way to enrich their storytelling or presentations, and to organize and represent information.

Phase 4Learners show an open-mindedness about the use of a range of visual text resources to access information. They think critically, and are articulate about the use of visual text to influence the viewer. They are able to use visual imagery to present factual information, or to tell a story.

Phase 5Through inquiry, learners engage with an increasing range of visual text resources. As well as exploring the viewing and presenting strategies that are a part of the planned learning environment, they select and use strategies that suit their learning styles. They are able to make connections between visual imagery and social commentary. They show more discernment in selecting information they consider reliable. They are able to use visual imagery to support a position.

Learning continuums


Lear

ning

con

tinu

um fo

r vis

ual l

angu

age—

view

ing

and

pres

enti

ng

Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sVi

sual

lang

uage

is a

ll ar

ound

us.

The

pict

ures

, im

ages

, and

sy

mbo

ls in

our

env

ironm

ent

have

mea

ning

.

We

can

enjo

y an

d le

arn

from

vi

sual

lang

uage

.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sPe

ople

use

sta

tic a

nd m

ovin

g im

ages

to c

omm

unic

ate

idea

s an

d in

form

atio

n.

Visu

al te

xts

can

imm

edia

tely

ga

in o

ur a

tten

tion.

View

ing

and

talk

ing

abou

t the

im

ages

oth

ers

have

cre

ated

he

lps

us to

und

erst

and

and

crea

te o

ur o

wn

pres

enta

tions

.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sVi

sual

text

s ca

n ex

pand

ou

r dat

abas

e of

sou

rces

of

info

rmat

ion.

Visu

al te

xts

prov

ide

alte

rnat

ive

mea

ns to

dev

elop

new

leve

ls o

f un

ders

tand

ing.

Sele

ctin

g th

e m

ost s

uita

ble

form

s of

vis

ual p

rese

ntat

ion

enha

nces

our

abi

lity

to e

xpre

ss

idea

s an

d im

ages

.

Diff

eren

t vis

ual t

echn

ique

s pr

oduc

e di

ffer

ent e

ffec

ts a

nd a

re

used

to p

rese

nt d

iffer

ent t

ypes

of

info

rmat

ion.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sVi

sual

text

s ha

ve th

e po

wer

to

influ

ence

thin

king

and

be

havi

our.

Inte

rpre

ting

visu

al te

xts

invo

lves

m

akin

g an

info

rmed

judg

men

t ab

out t

he in

tent

ion

of th

e m

essa

ge.

To e

nhan

ce le

arni

ng w

e ne

ed

to b

e ef

ficie

nt a

nd c

onst

ruct

ive

user

s of

the

inte

rnet

.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sTh

e ai

m o

f com

mer

cial

med

ia

is to

influ

ence

and

per

suad

e vi

ewer

s.

Indi

vidu

als

resp

ond

diff

eren

tly

to v

isua

l tex

ts, a

ccor

ding

to

thei

r pre

viou

s ex

perie

nces

, pr

efer

ence

s an

d pe

rspe

ctiv

es.

Know

ing

abou

t the

tech

niqu

es

used

in v

isua

l tex

ts h

elps

us

to in

terp

ret p

rese

ntat

ions

and

cr

eate

our

ow

n vi

sual

eff

ects

.

Synt

hesi

zing

info

rmat

ion

from

vi

sual

text

s is

dep

ende

nt u

pon

pers

onal

inte

rpre

tatio

n an

d le

ads

to n

ew u

nder

stan

ding

.

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• at

tend

to v

isua

l inf

orm

atio

n sh

owin

g un

ders

tand

ing

thro

ugh

play

, ges

ture

s, fa

cial

ex

pres

sion

• re

veal

thei

r ow

n fe

elin

gs

in re

spon

se to

vis

ual

pres

enta

tions

, for

exa

mpl

e,

by s

how

ing

amus

emen

t, cu

riosi

ty, s

urpr

ise

• ob

serv

e vi

sual

cue

s th

at

indi

cate

con

text

; sho

w

unde

rsta

ndin

g by

mat

chin

g pi

ctur

es w

ith c

onte

xt

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• at

tend

to v

isua

l inf

orm

atio

n sh

owin

g un

ders

tand

ing

thro

ugh

disc

ussi

on, r

ole

play

, ill

ustr

atio

ns

• ta

lk a

bout

thei

r ow

n fe

elin

gs

in re

spon

se to

vis

ual

mes

sage

s; sh

ow e

mpa

thy

for

the

way

oth

ers

mig

ht fe

el

• re

late

to d

iffer

ent c

onte

xts

pres

ente

d in

vis

ual t

exts

ac

cord

ing

to th

eir o

wn

expe

rienc

es, f

or e

xam

ple,

“T

hat l

ooks

like

my

uncl

e’s

farm

.”

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• vi

ew v

isua

l inf

orm

atio

n an

d sh

ow u

nder

stan

ding

by

aski

ng re

leva

nt q

uest

ions

an

d di

scus

sing

pos

sibl

e m

eani

ng

• di

scus

s th

eir o

wn

feel

ings

in

resp

onse

to v

isua

l mes

sage

s; lis

ten

to o

ther

resp

onse

s,

real

izin

g th

at p

eopl

e re

act

diff

eren

tly

• re

aliz

e th

at v

isua

l in

form

atio

n re

flect

s an

d co

ntrib

utes

to th

e un

ders

tand

ing

of c

onte

xt

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• vi

ew, r

espo

nd to

and

de

scrib

e vi

sual

info

rmat

ion,

co

mm

unic

atin

g un

ders

tand

ing

in o

ral,

writ

ten

and

visu

al fo

rm

• de

scrib

e pe

rson

al re

actio

ns

to v

isua

l mes

sage

s; re

flect

on

why

oth

ers

may

per

ceiv

e th

e im

ages

diff

eren

tly

• un

ders

tand

and

exp

lain

how

vi

sual

eff

ects

can

be

used

to

refle

ct a

par

ticul

ar c

onte

xt

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• vi

ew a

nd c

ritic

ally

an

alys

e a

rang

e of

vis

ual

text

s, c

omm

unic

atin

g un

ders

tand

ing

thro

ugh

oral

, w

ritte

n an

d vi

sual

med

ia

• id

entif

y fa

ctor

s th

at

influ

ence

per

sona

l rea

ctio

ns

to v

isua

l tex

ts; d

esig

n vi

sual

te

xts

with

the

inte

ntio

n of

in

fluen

cing

the

way

peo

ple

thin

k an

d fe

el

• an

alys

e an

d in

terp

ret t

he

way

s in

whi

ch v

isua

l eff

ects

ar

e us

ed to

est

ablis

h co

ntex

t

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• re

cogn

ize

fam

iliar

sig

ns,

labe

ls a

nd lo

gos,

for

exam

ple,

ped

estr

ian

wal

king

si

gn, e

mer

genc

y ex

it si

gn,

no d

ogs

allo

wed

; ide

ntify

si

mila

ritie

s an

d di

ffer

ence

s

• m

ake

pers

onal

con

nect

ions

to

vis

ual t

exts

, for

exa

mpl

e, a

pi

ctur

e bo

ok a

bout

chi

ldre

n m

akin

g fr

iend

s in

a n

ew

situ

atio

n

• us

e bo

dy la

ngua

ge to

co

mm

unic

ate

and

to c

onve

y un

ders

tand

ing,

for e

xam

ple,

po

intin

g, g

estu

ring,

faci

al

expr

essi

ons

• se

lect

and

inco

rpor

ate

colo

urs,

sha

pes,

sym

bols

an

d im

ages

into

vis

ual

pres

enta

tions

• sh

ow a

ppre

ciat

ion

of

illus

trat

ions

in p

ictu

re b

ooks

by

sel

ectin

g an

d re

read

ing

fam

iliar

boo

ks, f

ocus

ing

on

favo

urite

pag

es

• lo

cate

and

use

app

ropr

iate

te

chno

logy

icon

ogra

phy

to

activ

ate

diff

eren

t dev

ices

, for

ex

ampl

e, c

ompu

ter g

ames

, CD

pla

yer,

tele

visi

on

• lis

ten

to te

rmin

olog

y as

soci

ated

with

vis

ual t

exts

an

d un

ders

tand

term

s su

ch

as c

olou

r, sh

ape,

siz

e.

• lo

cate

fam

iliar

vis

ual t

exts

in

mag

azin

es, a

dver

tisin

g ca

talo

gues

, and

con

nect

th

em w

ith a

ssoc

iate

d pr

oduc

ts

• sh

ow th

eir u

nder

stan

ding

th

at v

isua

l mes

sage

s in

fluen

ce o

ur b

ehav

iour

• co

nnec

t vis

ual i

nfor

mat

ion

with

thei

r ow

n ex

perie

nces

to

con

stru

ct th

eir o

wn

mea

ning

, for

exa

mpl

e, w

hen

taki

ng a

trip

• us

e bo

dy la

ngua

ge in

m

ime

and

role

pla

y to

co

mm

unic

ate

idea

s an

d fe

elin

gs v

isua

lly

• re

aliz

e th

at s

hape

s, s

ymbo

ls

and

colo

urs

have

mea

ning

an

d in

clud

e th

em in

pr

esen

tatio

ns

• us

e a

varie

ty o

f im

plem

ents

to

pra

ctis

e an

d de

velo

p ha

ndw

ritin

g an

d pr

esen

tatio

n sk

ills

• ob

serv

e an

d di

scus

s ill

ustr

atio

ns in

pic

ture

bo

oks

and

sim

ple

refe

renc

e bo

oks,

com

men

ting

on th

e in

form

atio

n be

ing

conv

eyed

• re

cogn

ize

tech

nolo

gy

icon

ogra

phy

and

follo

w

prom

pts

to a

cces

s pr

ogra

ms

or a

ctiv

ate

devi

ces

• re

cogn

ize

and

nam

e fa

mili

ar v

isual

text

s, fo

r ex

ampl

e, a

dver

tisin

g, lo

gos,

labe

ls, si

gns,

tech

nolo

gy

icon

ogra

phy

• ob

serv

e an

d di

scus

s fam

iliar

an

d un

fam

iliar

visu

al

mes

sage

s; m

ake

judg

men

ts

abou

t effe

ctiv

enes

s

• di

scus

s per

sona

l exp

erie

nces

th

at c

onne

ct w

ith v

isual

im

ages

• us

e ac

tions

and

bod

y la

ngua

ge to

rein

forc

e an

d ad

d m

eani

ng to

ora

l pre

sent

atio

ns

• se

lect

and

use

suita

ble

shap

es,

colo

urs,

sym

bols

and

layo

ut

for p

rese

ntat

ions

; pra

ctise

and

de

velo

p w

ritin

g/ca

lligr

aphy

st

yles

• re

aliz

e th

at te

xt a

nd

illus

trat

ions

in re

fere

nce

mat

eria

ls w

ork

toge

ther

to

conv

ey in

form

atio

n, a

nd c

an

expl

ain

how

this

enha

nces

un

ders

tand

ing

• w

ith g

uida

nce,

use

the

inte

rnet

to a

cces

s rel

evan

t in

form

atio

n; p

roce

ss a

nd

pres

ent i

nfor

mat

ion

in w

ays

that

are

per

sona

lly m

eani

ngfu

l

• us

e ap

prop

riate

term

inol

ogy

to d

iscus

s visu

al te

xts,

for e

xam

ple,

logo

s, fo

nt,

fore

grou

nd, b

ackg

roun

d,

impa

ct

• re

cogn

ize

and

nam

e fa

mili

ar

visu

al te

xts a

nd e

xpla

in w

hy

they

are

or a

re n

ot e

ffec

tive,

fo

r exa

mpl

e, a

dver

tisin

g,

logo

s, la

bels

, sig

ns, b

illbo

ards

• in

terp

ret v

isua

l cue

s in

orde

r to

anal

yse

and

mak

e in

fere

nces

abo

ut th

e in

tent

ion

of th

e m

essa

ge

• ex

plai

n ho

w re

leva

nt p

erso

nal

expe

rienc

es c

an a

dd to

the

mea

ning

of a

sele

cted

film

/m

ovie

; writ

e an

d ill

ustr

ate

a pe

rson

al re

spon

se

• id

entif

y as

pect

s of b

ody

lang

uage

in a

dra

mat

ic

pres

enta

tion

and

expl

ain

how

th

ey a

re u

sed

to c

onve

y th

e m

ood

and

pers

onal

trai

ts o

f ch

arac

ters

• de

sign

pos

ters

and

cha

rts,

us

ing

shap

es, c

olou

rs,

sym

bols

, lay

out a

nd fo

nts,

to

ach

ieve

par

ticul

ar e

ffec

ts;

expl

ain

how

the

desi

red

effe

ct is

ach

ieve

d

• di

scus

s a n

ewsp

aper

repo

rt

and

tell

how

the

wor

ds a

nd

pict

ures

wor

k to

geth

er to

co

nvey

a p

artic

ular

mes

sage

• pr

epar

e, in

divi

dual

ly o

r in

col

labo

ratio

n, v

isua

l pr

esen

tatio

ns u

sing

a ra

nge

of m

edia

, inc

ludi

ng c

ompu

ter

and

web

-bas

ed a

pplic

atio

ns

• id

entif

y el

emen

ts a

nd

tech

niqu

es th

at m

ake

adve

rtise

men

ts, l

ogos

and

sy

mbo

ls ef

fect

ive

and

draw

on

this

know

ledg

e to

cre

ate

thei

r ow

n vi

sual

effe

cts

• re

aliz

e th

at c

ultu

ral i

nflu

ence

s af

fect

the

way

we

resp

ond

to

visu

al e

ffect

s and

exp

lain

how

th

is af

fect

s our

inte

rpre

tatio

n,

for e

xam

ple,

the

use

of

part

icul

ar c

olou

rs o

r sym

bols

• re

aliz

e th

at in

divi

dual

s in

terp

ret v

isual

info

rmat

ion

acco

rdin

g to

thei

r per

sona

l ex

perie

nces

and

diff

eren

t pe

rspe

ctiv

es

• sh

ow h

ow b

ody

lang

uage

, for

ex

ampl

e, fa

cial

exp

ress

ion,

ge

stur

e an

d m

ovem

ent,

post

ure

and

orie

ntat

ion,

eye

co

ntac

t and

touc

h, c

an b

e us

ed to

ach

ieve

effe

cts a

nd

influ

ence

mea

ning

• ap

ply

know

ledg

e of

pr

esen

tatio

n te

chni

ques

in

orig

inal

and

inno

vativ

e w

ays;

expl

ain

thei

r ow

n id

eas f

or

achi

evin

g de

sired

effe

cts

• ex

amin

e an

d an

alys

e te

xt

and

illus

trat

ions

in re

fere

nce

mat

eria

l, inc

ludi

ng o

nlin

e te

xt, e

xpla

inin

g ho

w v

isual

an

d w

ritte

n in

form

atio

n w

ork

toge

ther

to re

info

rce

each

ot

her a

nd m

ake

mea

ning

m

ore

expl

icit

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• th

roug

h te

ache

r mod

ellin

g,

beco

me

awar

e of

te

rmin

olog

y us

ed to

tell

abou

t vis

ual e

ffec

ts, f

or

exam

ple,

feat

ures

, lay

out,

bord

er, f

ram

e

• vi

ew d

iffer

ent v

ersi

ons

of

the

sam

e st

ory

and

disc

uss

the

effe

ctiv

enes

s of

the

diff

eren

t way

s of

telli

ng th

e sa

me

stor

y, fo

r exa

mpl

e, th

e pi

ctur

e bo

ok v

ersi

on a

nd th

e fil

m/m

ovie

ver

sion

of a

sto

ry

• be

com

e aw

are

of th

e us

e an

d or

gani

zatio

n of

vis

ual

effe

cts

to c

reat

e a

part

icul

ar

impa

ct, f

or e

xam

ple,

do

min

ant i

mag

es s

how

wha

t is

impo

rtan

t in

a st

ory

• ob

serv

e vi

sual

imag

es a

nd

begi

n to

app

reci

ate,

and

be

able

to e

xpre

ss, t

hat t

hey

have

bee

n cr

eate

d to

ach

ieve

pa

rtic

ular

pur

pose

s.

• vi

ew a

rang

e of

vis

ual

lang

uage

form

ats

and

disc

uss

thei

r eff

ectiv

enes

s,

for e

xam

ple,

film

/vid

eo,

post

ers,

dra

ma

• re

aliz

e th

at e

ffec

ts h

ave

been

se

lect

ed a

nd a

rran

ged

to

achi

eve

a ce

rtai

n im

pact

, for

ex

ampl

e, th

e w

ay in

whi

ch

colo

ur, l

ight

ing,

mus

ic a

nd

mov

emen

t wor

k to

geth

er in

a

perf

orm

ance

• ob

serv

e an

d di

scus

s vi

sual

pr

esen

tatio

ns; m

ake

sugg

estio

ns a

bout

why

they

ha

ve b

een

crea

ted

and

wha

t th

e cr

eato

r has

bee

n ai

min

g to

ach

ieve

.

• di

scus

s an

d ex

plai

n vi

sual

im

ages

and

eff

ects

usi

ng

appr

opria

te te

rmin

olog

y,

for e

xam

ple,

imag

e,

sym

bol,

grap

hics

, bal

ance

, te

chni

ques

, com

posi

tion

• ex

perie

nce

a ra

nge

of

diff

eren

t vis

ual l

angu

age

form

ats;

appr

ecia

te a

nd

desc

ribe

why

par

ticul

ar

form

ats

are

sele

cted

to

achi

eve

part

icul

ar e

ffec

ts

• ob

serv

e an

d di

scus

s the

ch

oice

and

com

posi

tion

of

visu

al p

rese

ntat

ions

and

ex

plai

n ho

w th

ey c

ontr

ibut

e to

mea

ning

and

impa

ct, f

or

exam

ple,

faci

al e

xpre

ssio

ns,

spee

ch b

ubbl

es, w

ord

imag

es

to c

onve

y so

und

effe

cts

• re

aliz

e th

at v

isua

l pr

esen

tatio

ns h

ave

been

cr

eate

d to

reac

h ou

t to

a pa

rtic

ular

aud

ienc

e an

d in

fluen

ce th

e au

dien

ce in

so

me

way

; dis

cuss

the

effe

cts

used

and

how

they

mig

ht

influ

ence

the

audi

ence

.

• na

viga

te th

e in

tern

et in

re

spon

se to

ver

bal a

nd v

isua

l pr

ompt

s w

ith c

onfid

ence

an

d fa

mili

arity

; use

te

chno

logy

to p

repa

re th

eir

own

pres

enta

tions

• us

e ap

prop

riate

term

inol

ogy

to id

entif

y a

rang

e of

vis

ual

effe

cts/

form

ats

and

criti

cally

an

alys

e th

eir e

ffec

tiven

ess,

fo

r exa

mpl

e, m

ood,

med

ia,

juxt

apos

ition

, pro

port

ion

• an

alys

e th

e se

lect

ion

and

com

posi

tion

of v

isua

l pr

esen

tatio

ns; s

elec

t ex

ampl

es to

exp

lain

how

th

ey a

chie

ve a

par

ticul

ar

impa

ct, f

or e

xam

ple,

do

min

ant i

mag

es, u

se o

f co

lour

, tex

ture

, sym

bolis

m

• id

entif

y th

e in

tend

ed

audi

ence

and

pur

pose

of

a v

isua

l pre

sent

atio

n;

iden

tify

over

t and

sub

limin

al

mes

sage

s

• re

flect

on

way

s in

whi

ch

unde

rsta

ndin

g th

e in

tent

ion

of a

vis

ual m

essa

ge

can

influ

ence

per

sona

l re

spon

ses.

Learning continuums


Written language—readingReading is a developmental process that involves constructing meaning from text. The process is interactive and involves the reader’s purpose for reading, the reader’s prior knowledge and experience, and the text itself. It begins to happen when the young learner realizes that print conveys meaning and becomes concerned with trying to make sense of the marks on the page. The most significant contribution parents and teachers can make to success in reading is to provide a captivating range of picture books and other illustrated materials to share with beginning readers. Enthusiasm and curiosity are essential ingredients in promoting the desire to read. Children of all ages need to experience and enjoy a wide variety of interesting, informative, intriguing and creative reading materials.

Reading helps us to clarify our ideas, feelings, thoughts and opinions. Literature offers us a means of understanding ourselves and others, and has the power to influence and structure thinking. Well-written fiction provides opportunities for learners to imagine themselves in another’s situation, reflecting on feelings and actions, and developing empathy. The ability to read and comprehend non-fiction is essential for the process of inquiry. As inquirers, learners need to be able to identify, synthesize and apply useful and relevant information from text. Teachers should provide a balance between fiction and non-fiction, to meet the range of learning needs and interests of their students.

Children learn to read by reading. In order to develop lifelong reading habits, learners need to have extended periods of time to read for pleasure, interest, and information, experiencing an extensive range of quality fiction and non-fiction texts. As learners engage with interesting and appealing texts, appropriate to their experiences and developmental phase, they acquire the skills, strategies and conceptual understanding necessary to become competent, motivated, independent readers.

Overall expectationsPhase 1Learners show an understanding that print represents the real or the imagined world. They know that reading gives them knowledge and pleasure; that it can be a social activity or an individual activity. They have a concept of a “book”, and an awareness of some of its structural elements. They use visual cues to recall sounds and the words they are “reading” to construct meaning.

Phase 2Learners show an understanding that language can be represented visually through codes and symbols. They are extending their data bank of printed codes and symbols and are able to recognize them in new contexts. They understand that reading is a vehicle for learning, and that the combination of codes conveys meaning.

Phase 3Learners show an understanding that text is used to convey meaning in different ways and for different purposes—they are developing an awareness of context. They use strategies, based on what they know, to read for understanding. They recognize that the structure and organization of text conveys meaning.

Phase 4Learners show an understanding of the relationship between reading, thinking and reflection. They know that reading is extending their world, both real and imagined, and that there is a reciprocal relationship between the two. Most importantly, they have established reading routines and relish the process of reading.

Phase 5Learners show an understanding of the strategies authors use to engage them. They have their favourite authors and can articulate reasons for their choices. Reading provides a sense of accomplishment, not only in the process, but in the access it provides them to further knowledge about, and understanding of, the world.

Learning continuums


Lear

ning

con

tinu

um fo

r wri

tten

lang

uage

—re

adin

g

Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sIll

ustr

atio

ns c

onve

y m

eani

ng.

Prin

t con

veys

mea

ning

.

Peop

le re

ad fo

r ple

asur

e.

Stor

ies

can

tell

abou

t im

agin

ed

wor

lds.

Prin

ted

info

rmat

ion

can

tell

abou

t the

real

wor

ld.

Ther

e ar

e es

tabl

ishe

d w

ays

of

sett

ing

out p

rint a

nd o

rgan

izin

g bo

oks.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sTh

e so

unds

of s

poke

n la

ngua

ge

can

be re

pres

ente

d vi

sual

ly.

Writ

ten

lang

uage

wor

ks

diff

eren

tly fr

om s

poke

n la

ngua

ge.

Cons

iste

nt w

ays

of re

cord

ing

wor

ds o

r ide

as e

nabl

e m

embe

rs

of a

lang

uage

com

mun

ity to

co

mm

unic

ate.

Peop

le re

ad to

lear

n.

The

wor

ds w

e se

e an

d he

ar

enab

le u

s to

cre

ate

pict

ures

in

our m

inds

.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sD

iffer

ent t

ypes

of t

exts

ser

ve

diff

eren

t pur

pose

s.

Wha

t we

alre

ady

know

ena

bles

us

to u

nder

stan

d w

hat w

e re

ad.

App

lyin

g a

rang

e of

str

ateg

ies

help

s us

to re

ad a

nd u

nder

stan

d ne

w te

xts.

Won

derin

g ab

out t

exts

and

as

king

que

stio

ns h

elps

us

to

unde

rsta

nd th

e m

eani

ng.

The

stru

ctur

e an

d or

gani

zatio

n of

writ

ten

lang

uage

influ

ence

s an

d co

nvey

s m

eani

ng.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sRe

adin

g an

d th

inki

ng w

ork

toge

ther

to e

nabl

e us

to m

ake

mea

ning

.

Chec

king

, rer

eadi

ng a

nd

corr

ectin

g ou

r ow

n re

adin

g as

w

e go

ena

ble

us to

read

new

and

m

ore

com

plex

text

s.

Iden

tifyi

ng th

e m

ain

idea

s in

the

text

hel

ps u

s to

und

erst

and

wha

t is

impo

rtan

t.

Know

ing

wha

t we

aim

to

achi

eve

help

s us

to s

elec

t use

ful

refe

renc

e m

ater

ial t

o co

nduc

t re

sear

ch.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sA

utho

rs s

truc

ture

sto

ries

arou

nd

sign

ifica

nt th

emes

.

Effe

ctiv

e st

orie

s ha

ve a

str

uctu

re,

purp

ose

and

sequ

ence

of e

vent

s (p

lot)

that

hel

p to

mak

e th

e au

thor

’s in

tent

ion

clea

r.

Synt

hesi

zing

idea

s an

d in

form

atio

n fr

om te

xts

lead

s to

ne

w id

eas

and

unde

rsta

ndin

g.

Read

ing

open

s ou

r min

ds to

m

ultip

le p

ersp

ectiv

es a

nd h

elps

us

to u

nder

stan

d ho

w p

eopl

e th

ink,

feel

and

act

.

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• en

joy

liste

ning

to s

torie

s

• ch

oose

and

“rea

d” p

ictu

re

book

s fo

r ple

asur

e

• lo

cate

and

resp

ond

to

aspe

cts

of in

tere

st in

sel

f-se

lect

ed te

xts

(poi

ntin

g,

exam

inin

g pi

ctur

es c

lose

ly,

com

men

ting)

• sh

ow c

urio

sity

and

ask

qu

estio

ns a

bout

pic

ture

s or

te

xt

• lis

ten

atte

ntiv

ely

and

resp

ond

to s

torie

s re

ad a

loud

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• se

lect

and

rere

ad fa

vour

ite

text

s fo

r enj

oym

ent

• un

ders

tand

that

prin

t is

perm

anen

t, fo

r exa

mpl

e,

whe

n lis

teni

ng to

fam

iliar

st

orie

s, n

otic

es w

hen

the

read

er le

aves

out

or c

hang

es

part

s

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

sha

red

read

ing,

po

sing

and

resp

ondi

ng to

qu

estio

ns a

nd jo

inin

g in

the

refr

ains

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• de

velo

p pe

rson

al

pref

eren

ces,

sel

ectin

g bo

oks

for p

leas

ure

and

info

rmat

ion

• re

ad te

xts

at a

n ap

prop

riate

le

vel,

inde

pend

ently

, co

nfid

ently

and

with

goo

d un

ders

tand

ing

• re

cogn

ize

a ra

nge

of

diff

eren

t tex

t typ

es, f

or

exam

ple,

lett

ers,

poe

try,

pl

ays,

sto

ries,

nov

els,

repo

rts,

ar

ticle

s

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• re

ad a

var

iety

of b

ooks

for

plea

sure

, ins

truc

tion

and

info

rmat

ion;

refle

ct re

gula

rly

on re

adin

g an

d se

t fut

ure

goal

s

• di

stin

guis

h be

twee

n fic

tion

and

non-

fictio

n an

d se

lect

bo

oks

appr

opria

te to

spe

cific

pu

rpos

es

• un

ders

tand

and

resp

ond

to th

e id

eas,

feel

ings

and

at

titud

es e

xpre

ssed

in

vario

us te

xts,

sho

win

g em

path

y fo

r cha

ract

ers

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• re

ad a

wid

e ra

nge

of te

xts

conf

iden

tly, i

ndep

ende

ntly

an

d w

ith u

nder

stan

ding

• w

ork

in c

oope

rativ

e gr

oups

to

loca

te a

nd s

elec

t tex

ts

appr

opria

te to

pur

pose

and

au

dien

ce

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

cla

ss, g

roup

or

indi

vidu

al a

utho

r stu

dies

, ga

inin

g an

in-d

epth

un

ders

tand

ing

of th

e w

ork

and

styl

e of

a p

artic

ular

au

thor

and

app

reci

atin

g w

hat

it m

eans

to b

e an

aut

hor

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

sha

red

read

ing,

jo

inin

g in

with

rhym

es,

refr

ains

and

repe

ated

text

as

they

gai

n fa

mili

arity

• m

ake

conn

ectio

ns to

thei

r ow

n ex

perie

nce

whe

n lis

teni

ng to

or “

read

ing”

text

s

• be

gin

to d

iscr

imin

ate

betw

een

visu

al

repr

esen

tatio

ns s

uch

as s

ymbo

ls, n

umbe

rs,

tech

nolo

gy ic

onog

raph

y,

lett

ers

and

wor

ds

• re

cogn

ize

thei

r ow

n fir

st

nam

e

• ex

pres

s op

inio

ns a

bout

the

mea

ning

of a

sto

ry

• sh

ow e

mpa

thy

for c

hara

cter

s in

a s

tory

• di

stin

guis

h be

twee

n pi

ctur

es a

nd w

ritte

n te

xt,

for e

xam

ple,

can

poi

nt to

a

pict

ure

whe

n as

ked

• in

dica

te p

rinte

d te

xt w

here

th

e te

ache

r sho

uld

star

t re

adin

g

• ha

ndle

boo

ks, s

how

ing

an

unde

rsta

ndin

g of

how

a

book

wor

ks, f

or e

xam

ple,

co

ver,

begi

nnin

g, d

irect

iona

l m

ovem

ent,

end

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

gui

ded

read

ing

situ

atio

ns, o

bser

ving

and

ap

plyi

ng re

adin

g be

havi

ours

an

d in

tera

ctin

g ef

fect

ivel

y w

ith th

e gr

oup

• lis

ten

atte

ntiv

ely

and

resp

ond

activ

ely

to re

ad-

alou

d si

tuat

ions

; mak

e pr

edic

tions

, ant

icip

ate

poss

ible

out

com

es

• re

ad a

nd u

nder

stan

d th

e m

eani

ng o

f sel

f-sel

ecte

d an

d te

ache

r-se

lect

ed te

xts

at a

n ap

prop

riate

leve

l

• us

e m

eani

ng, v

isua

l, co

ntex

tual

and

mem

ory

cues

, and

cro

ss-c

heck

cue

s ag

ains

t eac

h ot

her,

whe

n ne

cess

ary

(teac

her m

onito

rs

mis

cues

to id

entif

y st

rate

gies

us

ed a

nd s

trat

egie

s to

be

deve

lope

d)

• re

ad a

nd u

nder

stan

d fa

mili

ar

prin

t fro

m th

e im

med

iate

en

viro

nmen

t, fo

r exa

mpl

e,

sign

s, a

dver

tisem

ents

, log

os,

tech

nolo

gy ic

onog

raph

y

• m

ake

conn

ectio

ns b

etw

een

pers

onal

exp

erie

nce

and

stor

yboo

k ch

arac

ters

• un

ders

tand

sou

nd–s

ymbo

l re

latio

nshi

ps a

nd re

cogn

ize

fam

iliar

sou

nds/

sym

bols

/w

ords

of t

he la

ngua

ge

com

mun

ity

• id

entif

y an

d ex

plai

n th

e ba

sic

stru

ctur

e of

a s

tory

—be

ginn

ing,

mid

dle

and

end;

m

ay u

se s

tory

boar

ds o

r co

mic

str

ips

to c

omm

unic

ate

elem

ents

• m

ake

pred

ictio

ns a

bout

a

stor

y, b

ased

on

thei

r ow

n kn

owle

dge

and

expe

rienc

e;

revi

se o

r con

firm

pre

dict

ions

as

the

stor

y pr

ogre

sses

• re

aliz

e th

at th

ere

is a

di

ffer

ence

bet

wee

n fic

tion

and

non-

fictio

n an

d us

e bo

oks f

or p

artic

ular

pur

pose

s,

with

teac

her g

uida

nce

• re

cogn

ize

and

use

the

diff

eren

t par

ts o

f a b

ook,

for

exam

ple,

title

pag

e, c

onte

nts,

in

dex

• un

ders

tand

sou

nd–s

ymbo

l re

latio

nshi

ps a

nd a

pply

re

liabl

e ph

onet

ic s

trat

egie

s w

hen

deco

ding

prin

t

• us

e a

rang

e of

str

ateg

ies

to

self-

mon

itor a

nd s

elf-

corr

ect,

for e

xam

ple,

mea

ning

, co

ntex

t, re

read

ing,

read

ing

on, c

ross

-che

ckin

g on

e cu

e so

urce

aga

inst

ano

ther

• di

scus

s pe

rson

ality

and

be

havi

our o

f sto

rybo

ok

char

acte

rs, c

omm

entin

g on

re

ason

s w

hy th

ey m

ight

reac

t in

par

ticul

ar w

ays

• re

cogn

ize

the

auth

or’s

purp

ose,

for e

xam

ple,

to

info

rm, e

nter

tain

, per

suad

e,

inst

ruct

• un

ders

tand

that

sto

ries

have

a

plot

; ide

ntify

the

mai

n id

ea; d

iscu

ss a

nd o

utlin

e th

e se

quen

ce o

f eve

nts

lead

ing

to th

e fin

al o

utco

me

• ap

prec

iate

that

writ

ers

plan

an

d st

ruct

ure

thei

r sto

ries

to a

chie

ve p

artic

ular

eff

ects

; id

entif

y fe

atur

es th

at c

an b

e re

plic

ated

whe

n pl

anni

ng

thei

r ow

n st

orie

s

• us

e re

fere

nce

book

s,

dict

iona

ries,

and

co

mpu

ter a

nd w

eb-b

ased

ap

plic

atio

ns w

ith in

crea

sing

in

depe

nden

ce a

nd

resp

onsi

bilit

y

• kn

ow h

ow to

ski

m a

nd s

can

text

s to

dec

ide

whe

ther

th

ey w

ill b

e us

eful

, bef

ore

atte

mpt

ing

to re

ad in

det

ail

• as

par

t of t

he in

quiry

pr

oces

s, w

ork

coop

erat

ivel

y w

ith o

ther

s to

acc

ess,

read

, in

terp

ret,

and

eval

uate

a

rang

e of

sou

rce

mat

eria

ls

• id

entif

y re

leva

nt, r

elia

ble

and

usef

ul in

form

atio

n an

d de

cide

on

appr

opria

te w

ays

to u

se it

• id

entif

y ge

nre

(incl

udin

g fa

ntas

y, b

iogr

aphy

, sci

ence

fic

tion,

mys

tery

, his

toric

al

nove

l) an

d ex

plai

n el

emen

ts

and

liter

ary

form

s th

at a

re

asso

ciat

ed w

ith d

iffer

ent

genr

es

• ap

prec

iate

str

uctu

ral a

nd

styl

istic

diff

eren

ces

betw

een

fictio

n an

d no

n-fic

tion;

sh

ow u

nder

stan

ding

of t

his

dist

inct

ion

whe

n st

ruct

urin

g th

eir o

wn

writ

ing

• ap

prec

iate

aut

hors

’ use

of

lang

uage

and

inte

rpre

t m

eani

ng b

eyon

d th

e lit

eral

• un

ders

tand

that

aut

hors

use

w

ords

and

lite

rary

dev

ices

to

evok

e m

enta

l im

ages

• re

cogn

ize

and

unde

rsta

nd

figur

ativ

e la

ngua

ge, f

or

exam

ple,

sim

iles,

met

apho

rs,

idio

ms

• m

ake

infe

renc

es a

nd b

e ab

le

to ju

stify

them

• id

entif

y an

d de

scrib

e el

emen

ts o

f a s

tory

—pl

ot, s

ettin

g, c

hara

cter

s,

them

e—an

d ex

plai

n ho

w

they

con

trib

ute

to it

s ef

fect

iven

ess

• co

mpa

re a

nd c

ontr

ast t

he

plot

s of

two

diff

eren

t but

si

mila

r nov

els,

com

men

ting

on e

ffec

tiven

ess

and

impa

ct

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• re

aliz

e th

at th

e or

gani

zatio

n of

on-

scre

en te

xt is

diff

eren

t fr

om h

ow te

xt is

org

aniz

ed

in a

boo

k

• jo

in in

with

cha

nts,

poe

ms,

so

ngs,

wor

d ga

mes

and

cl

appi

ng g

ames

, gai

ning

fa

mili

arity

with

the

soun

ds

and

patt

erns

of t

he la

ngua

ge

of in

stru

ctio

n.

• in

stan

tly re

cogn

ize

an

incr

easi

ng b

ank

of h

igh-

freq

uenc

y an

d hi

gh-in

tere

st

wor

ds, c

hara

cter

s or

sym

bols

• ha

ve a

sec

ure

know

ledg

e of

th

e ba

sic

conv

entio

ns o

f the

la

ngua

ge(s

) of i

nstr

uctio

n in

prin

ted

text

, for

exa

mpl

e,

orie

ntat

ion,

dire

ctio

nal

mov

emen

t, la

yout

, spa

cing

, pu

nctu

atio

n

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

lear

ning

en

gage

men

ts in

volv

ing

read

ing

alou

d—ta

king

ro

les

and

read

ing

dial

ogue

, re

peat

ing

refr

ains

from

fa

mili

ar s

torie

s, re

citin

g po

ems.

• di

scus

s th

eir o

wn

expe

rienc

es a

nd re

late

them

to

fict

ion

and

non-

fictio

n te

xts

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

col

labo

rativ

e le

arni

ng e

xper

ienc

es,

ackn

owle

dgin

g th

at p

eopl

e se

e th

ings

diff

eren

tly a

nd

are

entit

led

to e

xpre

ss th

eir

poin

t of v

iew

• w

onde

r abo

ut te

xts

and

ask

ques

tions

to tr

y to

un

ders

tand

wha

t the

aut

hor

is s

ayin

g to

the

read

er.

• ac

cess

info

rmat

ion

from

a

varie

ty o

f tex

ts b

oth

in p

rint

and

onlin

e, fo

r exa

mpl

e,

new

spap

ers,

mag

azin

es,

jour

nals

, com

ics,

gra

phic

bo

oks,

e-b

ooks

, blo

gs, w

ikis

• kn

ow w

hen

and

how

to u

se

the

inte

rnet

and

mul

timed

ia

reso

urce

s fo

r res

earc

h

• un

ders

tand

that

the

inte

rnet

m

ust b

e us

ed w

ith th

e ap

prov

al a

nd s

uper

visi

on

of a

par

ent o

r tea

cher

; rea

d,

unde

rsta

nd a

nd s

ign

the

scho

ol’s

cybe

r-sa

fety

pol

icy.

• di

stin

guis

h be

twee

n fa

ct

and

opin

ion,

and

reac

h th

eir

own

conc

lusi

ons

abou

t wha

t re

pres

ents

val

id in

form

atio

n

• us

e a

rang

e of

str

ateg

ies

to s

olve

com

preh

ensi

on

prob

lem

s an

d de

epen

thei

r un

ders

tand

ing

of a

text

• co

nsis

tent

ly a

nd c

onfid

ently

us

e a

rang

e of

reso

urce

s to

fin

d in

form

atio

n an

d su

ppor

t th

eir i

nqui

ries

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

col

labo

rativ

e le

arni

ng, c

onsi

derin

g m

ultip

le p

ersp

ectiv

es

and

wor

king

with

pee

rs

to c

o-co

nstr

uct n

ew

unde

rsta

ndin

g

• us

e th

e in

tern

et re

spon

sibl

y an

d kn

owle

dgea

bly,

ap

prec

iatin

g its

use

s an

d lim

itatio

ns

• lo

cate

, org

aniz

e an

d sy

nthe

size

info

rmat

ion

from

a

varie

ty o

f sou

rces

incl

udin

g th

e lib

rary

/med

ia c

entr

e,

the

inte

rnet

, peo

ple

in th

e sc

hool

, fam

ily, t

he im

med

iate

co

mm

unity

or t

he g

loba

l co

mm

unity

.

Learning continuums


Written language—writingWriting is a way of expressing ourselves. It is a personal act that grows and develops with the individual. From the earliest lines and marks of young learners to the expression of mature writers, it allows us to organize and communicate thoughts, ideas and information in a visible and tangible way. Writing is primarily concerned with communicating meaning and intention. When children are encouraged to express themselves and reveal their own “voice”, writing is a genuine expression of the individual. The quality of expression lies in the authenticity of the message and the desire to communicate. If the writer has shared his or her message in such a way that others can appreciate it, the writer’s intention has been achieved. Over time, writing involves developing a variety of structures, strategies and literary techniques (spelling, grammar, plot, character, punctuation, voice) and applying them with increasing skill and effectiveness. However, the writer’s ability to communicate his or her intention and share meaning takes precedence over accuracy and the application of skills. Accuracy and skills grow out of the process of producing meaningful communication. Children learn to write by writing. Acquiring a set of isolated skills will not turn them into writers. It is only in the process of sharing their ideas in written form that skills are developed, applied and refined to produce increasingly effective written communication.

Overall expectationsPhase 1Learners show an understanding that writing is a form of expression to be enjoyed. They know that how you write and what you write conveys meaning; that writing is a purposeful act, with both individual and collaborative aspects.

Phase 2Learners show an understanding that writing is a means of recording, remembering and communicating. They know that writing involves the use of codes and symbols to convey meaning to others; that writing and reading uses the same codes and symbols. They know that writing can describe the factual or the imagined world.

Phase 3Learners show an understanding that writing can be structured in different ways to express different purposes. They use imagery in their stories to enhance the meaning and to make it more enjoyable to write and read. They understand that writing can produce a variety of responses from readers. They can tell a story and create characters in their writing.

Phase 4Learners show an understanding of the role of the author and are able to take on the responsibilities of authorship. They demonstrate an understanding of story structure and are able to make critical judgments about their writing, and the writing of others. They are able to rewrite to improve the quality of their writing.

Phase 5Learners show an understanding of the conventions pertaining to writing, in its different forms, that are widely accepted. In addition, they demonstrate a high level of integration of the strands of language in order to create meaning in a manner that suits their learning styles. They can analyse the writing of others and identify common or recurring themes or issues. They accept feedback from others.

Learning continuums


Lear

ning

con

tinu

um fo

r wri

tten

lang

uage

—w

riti

ng

Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sW

ritin

g co

nvey

s m

eani

ng.

Peop

le w

rite

to te

ll ab

out t

heir

expe

rienc

es, i

deas

and

feel

ings

.

Ever

yone

can

exp

ress

th

emse

lves

in w

ritin

g.

Talk

ing

abou

t our

sto

ries

and

pict

ures

hel

ps o

ther

peo

ple

to

unde

rsta

nd a

nd e

njoy

them

.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sPe

ople

writ

e to

com

mun

icat

e.

The

soun

ds o

f spo

ken

lang

uage

ca

n be

repr

esen

ted

visu

ally

(le

tter

s, s

ymbo

ls, c

hara

cter

s).

Cons

iste

nt w

ays

of re

cord

ing

wor

ds o

r ide

as e

nabl

e m

embe

rs

of a

lang

uage

com

mun

ity to

un

ders

tand

eac

h ot

her’s

writ

ing.

Writ

ten

lang

uage

wor

ks

diff

eren

tly fr

om s

poke

n la

ngua

ge.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sW

e w

rite

in d

iffer

ent w

ays

for

diff

eren

t pur

pose

s.

The

stru

ctur

e of

diff

eren

t typ

es

of te

xts

incl

udes

iden

tifia

ble

feat

ures

.

App

lyin

g a

rang

e of

str

ateg

ies

help

s us

to e

xpre

ss o

urse

lves

so

that

oth

ers

can

enjo

y ou

r writ

ing.

Thin

king

abo

ut s

tory

book

ch

arac

ters

and

peo

ple

in re

al li

fe

help

s us

to d

evel

op c

hara

cter

s in

ou

r ow

n st

orie

s.

Whe

n w

ritin

g, th

e w

ords

we

choo

se a

nd h

ow w

e ch

oose

to

use

them

ena

ble

us to

sha

re o

ur

imag

inin

gs a

nd id

eas.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

sW

ritin

g an

d th

inki

ng w

ork

toge

ther

to e

nabl

e us

to e

xpre

ss

idea

s an

d co

nvey

mea

ning

.

Ask

ing

ques

tions

of o

urse

lves

an

d ot

hers

hel

ps to

mak

e ou

r w

ritin

g m

ore

focu

sed

and

purp

osef

ul.

The

way

we

stru

ctur

e an

d or

gani

ze o

ur w

ritin

g he

lps

othe

rs

to u

nder

stan

d an

d ap

prec

iate

it.

Rere

adin

g an

d ed

iting

our

ow

n w

ritin

g en

able

s us

to e

xpre

ss

wha

t we

wan

t to

say

mor

e cl

early

.

Conc

eptu

al u

nder

stan

ding

s St

orie

s th

at p

eopl

e w

ant t

o re

ad a

re b

uilt

arou

nd th

emes

to

whi

ch th

ey c

an m

ake

conn

ectio

ns.

Effe

ctiv

e st

orie

s ha

ve a

pur

pose

an

d st

ruct

ure

that

hel

p to

mak

e th

e au

thor

’s in

tent

ion

clea

r.

Synt

hesi

zing

idea

s en

able

s us

to

build

on

wha

t we

know

, ref

lect

on

diff

eren

t per

spec

tives

, and

ex

pres

s ne

w id

eas.

Know

ing

wha

t we

aim

to a

chie

ve

help

s us

to p

lan

and

deve

lop

diff

eren

t for

ms

of w

ritin

g.

Thro

ugh

the

proc

ess

of

plan

ning

, dra

ftin

g, e

ditin

g an

d re

visi

ng, o

ur w

ritin

g im

prov

es

over

tim

e.

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• ex

perim

ent w

ith w

ritin

g us

ing

diff

eren

t writ

ing

impl

emen

ts a

nd m

edia

• ch

oose

to w

rite

as p

lay,

or

in in

form

al s

ituat

ions

, for

ex

ampl

e, fi

lling

in fo

rms

in a

pr

eten

d po

st o

ffic

e, w

ritin

g a

men

u or

wis

h lis

t for

a p

arty

• di

ffer

entia

te b

etw

een

illus

trat

ions

and

writ

ten

text

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• en

joy

writ

ing

and

valu

e th

eir

own

effo

rts

• w

rite

info

rmal

ly a

bout

thei

r ow

n id

eas,

exp

erie

nces

and

fe

elin

gs in

a p

erso

nal j

ourn

al

or d

iary

, ini

tially

usi

ng s

impl

e se

nten

ce s

truc

ture

s, fo

r ex

ampl

e, “I

like

…”,

“I c

an …

” , “

I wen

t to

…”,

“I a

m g

oing

to

…”

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• en

gage

con

fiden

tly w

ith th

e pr

oces

s of

writ

ing

• w

rite

abou

t a ra

nge

of to

pics

fo

r a v

arie

ty o

f pur

pose

s,

usin

g lit

erar

y fo

rms

and

stru

ctur

es m

odel

led

by th

e te

ache

r and

/or e

ncou

nter

ed

in re

adin

g

• us

e gr

aphi

c or

gani

zers

to

plan

writ

ing,

for e

xam

ple,

M

ind

Map

s®, s

tory

boar

ds

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• w

rite

inde

pend

ently

an

d w

ith c

onfid

ence

, de

mon

stra

ting

a pe

rson

al

voic

e as

a w

riter

• w

rite

for a

rang

e of

pu

rpos

es, b

oth

crea

tive

and

info

rmat

ive,

usi

ng d

iffer

ent

type

s of

str

uctu

res

and

styl

es

acco

rdin

g to

the

purp

ose

of

the

writ

ing

Lear

ning

out

com

esLe

arne

rs:

• w

rite

inde

pend

ently

and

w

ith c

onfid

ence

, sho

win

g th

e de

velo

pmen

t of t

heir

own

voic

e an

d st

yle

• w

rite

usin

g a

rang

e of

te

xt ty

pes

in o

rder

to

com

mun

icat

e ef

fect

ivel

y,

for e

xam

ple,

nar

rativ

e,

inst

ruct

iona

l, pe

rsua

sive

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• us

e th

eir o

wn

expe

rienc

e as

a

stim

ulus

whe

n dr

awin

g an

d “w

ritin

g”

• sh

ow c

urio

sity

and

ask

qu

estio

ns a

bout

writ

ten

lang

uage

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

sha

red

writ

ing,

obs

ervi

ng th

e te

ache

r’s w

ritin

g an

d m

akin

g su

gges

tions

• lis

ten

and

resp

ond

to s

hare

d bo

oks

(enl

arge

d te

xts)

, ob

serv

ing

conv

entio

ns

of p

rint,

acco

rdin

g to

the

lang

uage

(s) o

f ins

truc

tion

• be

gin

to d

iscr

imin

ate

betw

een

lett

ers/

char

acte

rs,

num

bers

and

sym

bols

• sh

ow a

n aw

aren

ess

of

soun

d–sy

mbo

l rel

atio

nshi

ps

and

begi

n to

reco

gniz

e th

e w

ay th

at s

ome

fam

iliar

so

unds

can

be

reco

rded

• w

rite

thei

r ow

n na

me

inde

pend

ently

.

• re

ad th

eir o

wn

writ

ing

to th

e te

ache

r and

to c

lass

mat

es,

real

izin

g th

at w

hat t

hey

have

w

ritte

n re

mai

ns u

ncha

nged

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

sha

red

and

guid

ed w

ritin

g, o

bser

ving

th

e te

ache

r’s m

odel

, ask

ing

ques

tions

and

off

erin

g su

gges

tions

• w

rite

to c

omm

unic

ate

a m

essa

ge to

a p

artic

ular

au

dien

ce, f

or e

xam

ple,

a

new

s st

ory,

inst

ruct

ions

, a

fant

asy

stor

y

• cr

eate

illu

stra

tions

to m

atch

th

eir o

wn

writ

ten

text

• de

mon

stra

te a

n aw

aren

ess

of th

e co

nven

tions

of w

ritte

n te

xt, f

or e

xam

ple,

seq

uenc

e,

spac

ing,

dire

ctio

nalit

y

• co

nnec

t writ

ten

code

s w

ith th

e so

unds

of s

poke

n la

ngua

ge a

nd re

flect

this

un

ders

tand

ing

whe

n re

cord

ing

idea

s

• fo

rm le

tter

s/ch

arac

ters

co

nven

tiona

lly a

nd le

gibl

y,

with

an

unde

rsta

ndin

g as

to

why

this

is im

port

ant w

ithin

a

lang

uage

com

mun

ity

• di

scrim

inat

e be

twee

n ty

pes

of c

ode,

for e

xam

ple,

lett

ers,

nu

mbe

rs, s

ymbo

ls, w

ords

/ch

arac

ters

• or

gani

ze id

eas

in a

logi

cal

sequ

ence

, for

exa

mpl

e, w

rite

sim

ple

narr

ativ

es w

ith a

be

ginn

ing,

mid

dle

and

end

• us

e ap

prop

riate

writ

ing

conv

entio

ns, f

or e

xam

ple,

w

ord

orde

r, as

requ

ired

by

the

lang

uage

(s) o

f ins

truc

tion

• us

e fa

mili

ar a

spec

ts o

f w

ritte

n la

ngua

ge w

ith

incr

easi

ng c

onfid

ence

and

ac

cura

cy, f

or e

xam

ple,

sp

ellin

g pa

tter

ns, h

igh-

freq

uenc

y w

ords

, hig

h-in

tere

st w

ords

• us

e in

crea

sing

ly a

ccur

ate

gram

mat

ical

con

stru

cts

• w

rite

legi

bly,

and

in a

co

nsis

tent

sty

le

• pr

oofr

ead

thei

r ow

n w

ritin

g an

d m

ake

som

e co

rrec

tions

an

d im

prov

emen

ts

• us

e fe

edba

ck fr

om te

ache

rs

and

othe

r stu

dent

s to

im

prov

e th

eir w

ritin

g

• us

e a

dict

iona

ry, a

thes

auru

s an

d w

ord

bank

s to

ext

end

thei

r use

of l

angu

age

• ke

ep a

log

of id

eas

to w

rite

abou

t

• ov

er ti

me,

cre

ate

exam

ples

of

diff

eren

t typ

es o

f writ

ing

and

stor

e th

em in

thei

r ow

n w

ritin

g fo

lder

• sh

ow a

war

enes

s of

diff

eren

t au

dien

ces

and

adap

t writ

ing

appr

opria

tely

• se

lect

voc

abul

ary

and

supp

ortin

g de

tails

to a

chie

ve

desi

red

effe

cts

• or

gani

ze id

eas

in a

logi

cal

sequ

ence

• re

read

, edi

t and

revi

se to

im

prov

e th

eir o

wn

writ

ing,

fo

r exa

mpl

e, c

onte

nt,

lang

uage

, org

aniz

atio

n

• re

spon

d to

the

writ

ing

of

othe

rs s

ensi

tivel

y

• us

e ap

prop

riate

pun

ctua

tion

to s

uppo

rt m

eani

ng

• us

e kn

owle

dge

of w

ritte

n co

de p

atte

rns

to a

ccur

atel

y sp

ell h

igh-

freq

uenc

y an

d fa

mili

ar w

ords

• us

e a

rang

e of

str

ateg

ies

to re

cord

wor

ds/id

eas

of

incr

easi

ng c

ompl

exity

• re

aliz

e th

at w

riter

s as

k qu

estio

ns o

f the

mse

lves

and

id

entif

y w

ays

to im

prov

e th

eir w

ritin

g, fo

r exa

mpl

e, “I

s th

is w

hat I

mea

nt to

say

?”, “

Is

it in

tere

stin

g/re

leva

nt?”

• ch

eck

punc

tuat

ion,

var

iety

of

sen

tenc

e st

arte

rs, s

pelli

ng,

pres

enta

tion

• us

e a

dict

iona

ry a

nd

thes

auru

s to

che

ck a

ccur

acy,

br

oade

n vo

cabu

lary

and

en

rich

thei

r writ

ing

• ad

apt w

ritin

g ac

cord

ing

to th

e au

dien

ce a

nd

dem

onst

rate

the

abili

ty

to e

ngag

e an

d su

stai

n th

e in

tere

st o

f the

read

er

• us

e ap

prop

riate

pa

ragr

aphi

ng to

org

aniz

e id

eas

• us

e a

rang

e of

voc

abul

ary

and

rele

vant

sup

port

ing

deta

ils to

con

vey

mea

ning

an

d cr

eate

atm

osph

ere

and

moo

d

• us

e pl

anni

ng, d

raft

ing,

ed

iting

and

revi

ewin

g pr

oces

ses

inde

pend

ently

an

d w

ith in

crea

sing

co

mpe

tenc

e

• cr

itiqu

e th

e w

ritin

g of

pee

rs

sens

itive

ly; o

ffer

con

stru

ctiv

e su

gges

tions

• va

ry s

ente

nce

stru

ctur

e an

d le

ngth

• de

mon

stra

te a

n in

crea

sing

un

ders

tand

ing

of h

ow

gram

mar

wor

ks

• us

e st

anda

rd s

pelli

ng

for m

ost w

ords

and

use

ap

prop

riate

reso

urce

s to

ch

eck

spel

ling

• us

e a

dict

iona

ry, t

hesa

urus

, sp

ellc

heck

er c

onfid

ently

and

ef

fect

ivel

y to

che

ck a

ccur

acy,

br

oade

n vo

cabu

lary

and

en

rich

thei

r writ

ing

Learning continuums


Phas

e 1

Phas

e 2

Phas

e 3

Phas

e 4

Phas

e 5

• w

rite

an in

crea

sing

num

ber

of fr

eque

ntly

use

d w

ords

or

idea

s in

depe

nden

tly

• ill

ustr

ate

thei

r ow

n w

ritin

g an

d co

ntrib

ute

to a

cla

ss

book

or c

olle

ctio

n of

pu

blis

hed

writ

ing.

• pa

rtic

ipat

e in

teac

her

conf

eren

ces

with

teac

hers

re

cord

ing

prog

ress

and

no

ting

new

lear

ning

go

als;

self-

mon

itor a

nd

take

resp

onsi

bilit

y fo

r im

prov

emen

t

• w

ith te

ache

r gui

danc

e,

publ

ish

writ

ten

wor

k, in

ha

ndw

ritte

n fo

rm o

r in

digi

tal f

orm

at.

• w

ork

coop

erat

ivel

y w

ith

a pa

rtne

r to

disc

uss

and

impr

ove

each

oth

er’s

wor

k,

taki

ng th

e ro

les

of a

utho

rs

and

edito

rs

• w

ork

inde

pend

ently

, to

prod

uce

writ

ten

wor

k th

at is

le

gibl

e an

d w

ell-p

rese

nted

, w

ritte

n ei

ther

by

hand

or i

n di

gita

l for

mat

.

• ch

oose

to p

ublis

h w

ritte

n w

ork

in h

andw

ritte

n fo

rm o

r in

digi

tal f

orm

at

inde

pend

ently

• us

e w

ritte

n la

ngua

ge a

s a

mea

ns o

f ref

lect

ing

on th

eir

own

lear

ning

• re

cogn

ize

and

use

figur

ativ

e la

ngua

ge to

enh

ance

w

ritin

g, fo

r exa

mpl

e,

sim

iles,

met

apho

rs, i

diom

s,

allit

erat

ion

• id

entif

y an

d de

scrib

e el

emen

ts o

f a s

tory

—se

ttin

g,

plot

, cha

ract

er, t

hem

e

• lo

cate

, org

aniz

e, s

ynth

esiz

e an

d pr

esen

t writ

ten

info

rmat

ion

obta

ined

from

a

varie

ty o

f val

id s

ourc

es

• us

e a

rang

e of

tool

s an

d te

chni

ques

to p

rodu

ce

writ

ten

wor

k th

at is

at

trac

tivel

y an

d ef

fect

ivel

y pr

esen

ted.


References

Halliday, M. 1980. “Three aspects of children’s language development: Learning language, learning through language, learning about language”. In Goodman, Y, Haussler, MH and Strickland, D (eds). Oral and Written Language Development Research. Urbana, Illinois, USA. National Council of Teachers of English. Pp 7–19.

Vygotsky, L. 1999. Thought and Language. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The MIT Press.

Documents

Language scope and sequence · 2019. 1. 13. · Language scope and sequence 1 Language in the Primary Years Programme Beliefs and values in language Language stands at the center