K-6 English Syllabus Content Continuum

Including Access Points

A practical tool for teachers to support differentiated teaching and learning

in K-6 classrooms.

➢ Oral language and communication

➢ Vocabulary
➢ Phonological awareness
➢ Print conventions
➢ Phonic knowledge
➢ Reading fluency
➢ Reading comprehension
➢ Creating written texts
➢ Spelling
➢ Handwriting
➢ Understanding and responding to literature
Introduction

This tool was developed to support teachers with developing their understanding of how the
new English syllabus content progresses through K-6, from pre-Kindergarten access points
to the completion of primary school in Stage 3. As teachers have been navigating planning
for students working above or below Stage level with the new English syllabus for the first
time this year, it became clear there was a need for a version of the syllabus where related
syllabus content points for every Stage were presented on the same page.

Teachers can use this continuum to pinpoint where students are at in their learning journey,
develop individualised learning goals based on the next steps in the syllabus and plan
responsive teaching and learning programs across all focus areas of the English syllabus.
In a time where teacher workload is a significant issue, this document saves teachers time
scrolling and clicking between drop-down menus in different Stage sections of the online
syllabus document. I hope teachers will find it useful to have this document sitting beside
their computer while forming individual student learning goals, differentiating lesson plans
from the units of work and reporting on student progress against syllabus outcomes.

Tamara Slattery
Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Instruction
Terrigal Public School

Contents

Focus Area Page(s)

Oral language and communication 2-5

Vocabulary 6

Phonological awareness 7

Print conventions 7

Phonic knowledge 8

Reading fluency 9

Reading comprehension 10-12

Creating written texts 13-17

Spelling 18

Handwriting 19

Understanding and responding to literature 20-22

1
 ORAL LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Listening for Listening for understanding Listening for understanding Listening for understanding Listening for understanding
understanding ● Orientate self to the speaker ● Understand that oral language ● Pose and respond to specific ● Respond to questions with
● Respond to routine ● Recognise how nonverbal can be used in combination questions to clarify or follow up on elaboration and detail
sounds and language can contribute to with nonverbal communication information ● Apply interactive listening strategies
communications meaning in spoken ● Understand when a message ● Listen actively to identify spoken by responding to and providing
● Look at or communication is not clear and ask questions information, acknowledging the feedback to the speaker
acknowledge an ● Respond to spoken questions and/or gesture to elicit support value of others’ contributions ● Apply active listening strategies by
object or person with ● Follow up to three-part and/or seek clarification ● Identify connective vocabulary that retelling or repeating what another
intent to communicate spoken instructions ● Follow extended instructions supports cohesion and person has expressed and by
● Look at or ● Understand how pronouns that contain connectives and understanding in spoken text building on what has been said
acknowledge a can be linked to nouns to conjunctions ● Make notes when listening to ● Analyse key ideas and perspectives
communication support meaning ● Listen to or engage with texts spoken texts, asking questions to expressed by others through
partner ● Understand how the most for enjoyment and recognise clarify or follow up on information paraphrasing and note-taking
● Respond to a question common inflected word forms that their own experience can and seeking assistance if required ● Analyse how audio elements in texts
to indicate choice affect the meanings of words shape their ideas and opinions ● Paraphrase portions of a spoken integrate with linguistic, visual,
● Follow a single ● Listen for a purpose by of texts text or information that is gestural and spatial elements to
instruction agreeing or disagreeing, ● Respond to information by presented through media create meaning and impact
● Respond to indicate adding to the comment of asking relevant questions to ● Identify how inferred or literal ● Evaluate the effectiveness of
enjoyment or others, or sharing thoughts extend their own and others' meaning is impacted by tone, rhetorical questions used for
preference and feelings knowledge pace, pitch and volume, gesture intentional effect
and posture communication, and ● Evaluate features of spoken texts
how these affect the audience that contribute to own or others’
● Understand that rhetorical enjoyment
questions can be used for
intentional effect
● Identify the evidence a speaker
provides to support a point of view
● Identify language features in
spoken texts that contribute to own
or others’ enjoyment and
understanding

2
 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Social and learning Social and learning Social and learning interactions Interacting Interacting
interactions interactions ● Initiate, listen and/or respond in ● Contribute to discussions with ● Initiate and contribute to sustained
● Repeat or imitate ● Contribute to group partner and group peers and stay on topic, build on discussions, through questioning,
phonemes and/or conversations conversations others' ideas and express own building on/evaluating shared info
words as part of a ● Start a conversation with a ● Interact to evaluate ideas and ideas ● Identify varying social conventions
social interaction peer and/or adult, staying on refine meaning ● Identify contexts in which social that influence interactions across
● Accept or reject topic ● Use a range of strategies for conventions can vary and wide audiences
action, request or ● Take turns when speaking effective dialogue and manage influence interactions ● Describe ways of interacting with
comment during structured and digression from a topic ● Demonstrate appropriate language cultural protocols or practices used
● Use consistent unstructured play use when interacting in different by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
behaviours to ● Use oral language to make social and learning contexts Islander Peoples
indicate likes and requests and express needs ● Identify cultural practices and/or ● Follow agreed-upon protocols and
dislikes ● Use oral language to reason protocols that Aboriginal and/or define individual roles as needed
● Communicate needs when speaking Torres Strait Islander Peoples use for in-person or online interactions,
and express feelings ● Use oral language to to interact, and how these may establishing specific goals, criteria
● Respond consistently persuade, negotiate, give relate to specific roles or timeframes
to routine events opinions or discuss ideas ● Follow agreed-upon protocols and ● Interact in a range of contexts and
● Demonstrate an ● Use imaginative, verbal assigned roles for classroom deliberately adjust language and
understanding of language in structured and interactions in person and through style
turn-taking when unstructured activities the use of technology ● Ask and respond to analytical/
communicating ● Ask questions using who, ● Pose and respond to open-ended evaluative questions about
● Respond to a social what, when, where, why or questions about literature that literature that contribute to own/
interaction how contribute to own or others’ others’ enjoyment/understanding
● Initiate a social enjoyment ● Evaluate the role of gesture during
interaction social/learning interactions and
describe its impact on audience

Understanding and Understanding and using Understanding and using

using grammar when grammar when interacting grammar when interacting
interacting ● Understand there are many ● Incorporate extended
● Communicate a languages that are used by sentences (simple,
single idea family, peers and community compound, complex) during
● Communicate two ● Use short phrases and dialogue
connected ideas simple sentences when ● Organise key ideas in logical
speaking sequence
● Use connectives such as ● Use adjectives and adverbs to
and, but and because when elaborate and/or provide
speaking some supporting details or
● Use regular past tense verbs justifications and express
when speaking causal relationships
● Use irregular past tense ● Use tense correctly to discuss
verbs when speaking past, present and future
● Use a combination of events
sentences to elaborate and ● Link or compare ideas when
connect ideas interacting
3
 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Oral narrative Oral narrative Oral narrative Presenting Presenting

● Respond to ● Tell a story or information to ● Recite poems and rhymes ● Plan and deliver spoken ● Deliver presentations suited to
questions about peers or adults using oral ● Recount narratives with key presentations using language and purpose and audience
people, events or language components structure to suit purpose and ● Experiment with volume, pace and
objects in the ● Retell favourite stories, ● Adapt a narrative for a audience intonation to enhance meaning when
present poems, songs and rhymes particular audience ● Adjust volume, pace and presenting and reciting, and
● Retell parts of a with some parts as exact ● Deliver a planned narrative to intonation to enhance meaning recognise the effects these have on
favourite story, repetition and some in their an audience for specific when presenting and reciting audience understanding
poem, song or own words contexts and purposes ● Use temporal connectives to ● Select and use a variety of sentence
rhyme using ● Recall details of events or sequence planned information in lengths to suit the purpose of
gestures, stories using who, what, a presentation planned spoken texts
photographs, when, where, why and how ● Select and use prepositional, ● Use connectives to signal a change
pictures, symbols, adverbial and adjectival phrases in perspective or to show causal
signs or oral to extend communication and to relationships when speaking
language suit the intended purpose of a ● Use expanded noun and verb
● Communicate planned and delivered spoken groups to present planned, detailed
details of event in presentation descriptions
response to ● State a reasoned argument in a ● Present multimodal arguments that
questions using presentation about learning area include research and references,
who, what or when content, to a familiar audience topic-specific vocabulary and the
● Include multimodal features in selection of persuasive techniques
planned and delivered appropriate to audience
presentations, to expand ● Select multimedia components,
meaning and engage an visual displays or use gestural
audience features to enhance and bring clarity
● Reflect on and monitor own to presentations
presentations according to given ● Reflect on and monitor own and peer
criteria presentations according to given
criteria

4
 ORAL LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION: COMPLEMENTARY CONTENT FOR ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION FORMS

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Understanding and using Understanding and using grammar Listening for understanding Listening for understanding
grammar when interacting when interacting ● Attend to a presenter and identify ● Attend to a presenter and respond using
● Communicate using short ● Communicate extended ideas or information in gestural, symbolic, signed facial expression, gesture, symbols, signs
phrases and simple sentences using gestures, symbols, or spoken communication, or spoken language to provide feedback
sentences represented by signs, in combination with or in place acknowledging the value of others’ ● Attend to a communication partner and
gestures, symbols, signs of speech, during dialogue contributions respond to their ideas using gestures,
in combination with or in ● Communicate ideas in the past, ● Identify the features of symbolic, signed symbols, signs or spoken language
place of speech present and future using gestures, or spoken communication that support ● Evaluate nonverbal features of
● Connect two or more symbols, signs, in combination with or understanding in texts communication in texts, such as facial
ideas when in place of speech ● Make notes when accessing symbolic, expression, posture and eye gaze, that
communicating ● Use gestures, symbols, signs, in signed or spoken texts, and compose contribute to own or others’ enjoyment
● Communicate ideas from combination with or in place of messages to ask questions, seek
the past using gestures, speech, to link or compare ideas clarification, follow up on information or
symbols, signs in request assistance
combination with or in ● Paraphrase portions of information from
place of speech a signed or spoken text presented
● Use gestures, symbols, through media that might also use other
signs in combination with forms of visual communication
or in place of speech, to ● Identify features of nonverbal
connect and elaborate on communication that contribute to
ideas when retelling and own/others’ enjoyment or understanding
creating stories

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Oral narrative Oral narrative Presenting Presenting

● Present a story or ● Use gestures, symbols, signs, in ● Plan and deliver a series of visuals or ● Experiment with elements of body
information to peers or combination with or in place of speech, digital presentations using structure and language, including facial expression and
adults using gestures, to engage with poems and rhymes language to suit purpose and audience gesturing, and recognise the effect these
symbols, signs in ● Recount a narrative with key ● Adjust gestures, facial expressions and have on audience understanding
combination with or in components using gestures, symbols, posture to enhance meaning when ● Select words and phrases to
place of speech signs, in combination with or in place of presenting communicate information in a planned
● Retell favourite stories, speech ● Select and use prepositional, adverbial spoken text
poems, songs and ● Adapt a narrative for a particular and adjectival phrases as well as ● Select visual resources that suit the
rhymes using gestures, audience using gestures, symbols, nonverbal features of communication purpose of a planned presentation
symbols, signs in signs, in combination with or in place of such as gesture, facial expression, ● Use facial expression, gesture, posture,
combination with or in speech posture and eye gaze to enhance the symbols or signs to communicate a
place of speech ● Use gestures, symbols, signs, in intended message of a planned change in perspective
combination with or in place of speech presentation ● Combine images, symbols and/or words
to deliver a planned narrative to an representing nouns and verbs to present
audience for specific contexts and detailed descriptions
purposes

5
 VOCABULARY
ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Learning and using Learning and using words Learning and using Learning and using words Learning and using words
words ● Understand that texts in Standard words ● Build personal Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 ● Identify newly encountered words from
● Respond to familiar Australian English are made up of words ● Use taught vocabulary through social and learning interactions and wide reading, and use
vocabulary that is and groups of words that convey meaning morphemic interactions, reading and writing them in writing, discussions and
personal and relates ● Recognise and understand taught Tier 1 knowledge to create ● Understand that Aboriginal English is a presentations
to everyday and Tier 2 words word families recognised dialect and that Aboriginal ● Identify and use words that convey
situations ● Understand words that have different ● Understand and use English words are used in multimodal, informative and objective meanings in
● Recognise that meanings in different contexts words that have spoken and written texts texts
words convey ● Use vocabulary that is personal different meanings in ● Identify and explain the difference ● Identify and use words that convey
meaning by ● Use vocabulary that is specific to key different contexts between synonyms and antonyms subjective, emotive and persuasive
connecting a word, learning areas ● Understand and ● Describe how modal words indicate meanings in texts
sound, gesture, ● Use vocabulary to select, match and communicate jokes degrees of probability, occurrence, ● Use metalanguage when discussing
photograph, picture, provide categories for groups of images or and riddles that play obligation and inclination language features encountered in texts
symbol or sign with words on words ● Identify and use terminology associated ● Extend knowledge of literal and non-literal
an object or action ● Understand and use words to describe ● Identify, understand with figurative language encountered in word meanings through idiom or
● Recognise shape, size, texture, position, numerical and use wordplay and texts metaphor
vocabulary of order, time and seasons rhyme in a range of ● Recognise that words and phrases can ● Apply knowledge of taught Tier 3
personal significance ● Identify, name and describe a range of texts have literal or implied meanings according subject-specific morphemes and their
● Use vocabulary that objects, characters, animals, people and ● Use vocabulary to to context meanings
is specific to an places when given visual and/or auditory express cause and ● Understand that many words derive from ● Identify Aboriginal English words used in
environment or prompts effect other languages, including Aboriginal and multimodal, spoken and written texts
activity ● Use specific word choice to clarify ● Understand and Torres Strait Islander Languages, and that ● Identify and use words derived from other
● Respond to words meaning intentionally choose the pronunciation and spelling of words languages, incl Aboriginal and Torres
that have the same ● Experiment with and create wordplay & subject-specific may reflect their etymology Strait Islander Languages, and know that
meaning across poems vocabulary to ● Understand and use language associated the pronunciation and spelling of words
environments or ● Use and understand Tier 3 words that are enhance precision with digital texts may reflect their etymology
activities of personal interest and for effect

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Defining and analysing words Defining and analysing words

● Use a thesaurus to locate synonyms ● Describe multiple meanings of words,
and antonyms or to clarify dictionary including their metaphorical uses
meanings, to expand vocabulary ● Evaluate the effectiveness of modal
● Define meanings for homonyms words used in texts to intensify or
according to context soften emotional responses
● Use word play incl puns/spoonerisms ● Analyse morphemic structures of Tier
● Apply morphemic knowledge to change 2/Tier 3 words to determine meaning
word meanings by adding different ● Compare nuances and subtleties
prefixes and suffixes to a base between synonyms to discern the most
word/root appropriate word for context
● Use word associations for word
knowledge

6
 PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS AND PRINT CONVENTIONS
*No Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 content
ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1

Phonological awareness Words

● Respond to familiar environmental sounds ● Repeat words and phrases
● Jump, clap or tap rhythms in rhymes, chants and songs ● Complete familiar spoken phrases in texts, including chants, rhymes, songs and poems
● Join in known rhymes, chants and songs ● Segment a spoken sentence of 3 to 5 words into separate spoken words
● Repeat words that rhyme Syllables
● Match images of words that rhyme ● Orally blend and segment syllables in words comprising up to 3 syllables
● Identify the syllables in a word ● Blend onset and rime to say a one-syllable word
● Say the first phoneme of own name
● Respond to the onset of words Phonemes
● Recognise which words in a set begin with the same phoneme ● Provide a word when given a starting phoneme
● Select photograph, picture or symbol to match onset/rime ● Consistently say the first phoneme of a spoken one-syllable word
blending ● Listen to up to 4 words, indicate those that start with the same phoneme and say other words that start with
● Blend 2 or 3 phonemes to make a one-syllable word that phoneme
● Orally blend up to 4 phonemes together to make a one-syllable spoken word
● Orally segment one-syllable words comprised of up to 4 phonemes into separate phonemes
● Identify the number of phonemes that make up a spoken one-syllable word comprising fewer than 4 phonemes
● Identify the first, middle and final phonemes in a one-syllable word
● Identify the difference between a voiced phoneme and an unvoiced phoneme
● Blend aloud all phonemes when asked to delete, add or substitute an initial phoneme
● Blend aloud all phonemes when asked to delete, add or substitute a final phoneme
● Blend aloud all phonemes when asked to substitute a medial vowel phoneme

Features of print Features of print

● Respond to images or words used to represent people, places ● Understand that written Standard Australian English uses letters to represent sounds
and objects in a text ● Understand that print contains a message
● Respond to symbols in the environment or in a text ● Identify pictures in texts
● Identify the topic of a book from its cover ● Identify words in a variety of situations in school, the classroom and the environment
● Match lower- and upper-case letters in some familiar words ● Know the difference between a letter and a word
● Distinguish between punctuation, letters, words and numerals in texts
● Identify spaces between words
● Identify numerals in texts
● Identify and name lower- and upper-case letters
● Recognise symbols, icons and personally significant words in everyday situations and in texts

Directionality of print Directionality of print

● Show awareness of a text being read ● Show awareness of appropriate orientation of the text being read
● Focus on a text being read ● Locate the front and back of a book and top and bottom of page
● Track text to follow a story ● Turn pages one at a time
● Turn pages of a book ● Begin reading at the top of the page and conclude reading at the bottom of the page
● Track text left to right and use return sweep
● Consistently read left page before right page

7
 PHONIC KNOWLEDGE
*No Stage 2 and Stage 3 content
ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1

Phonic knowledge Single-letter graphemes Single-syllable words

● Select the corresponding grapheme for the first ● Match a single-letter grapheme with a phoneme ● Blend grapheme–phoneme correspondences to read
phoneme of the word corresponding to a ● Say the most common phoneme for single-letter CCVCC words, CCCVC words and CCCVCC words and
photograph, picture or symbol graphemes (graphs) apply this when reading texts
● Say the phoneme and matching letter name for ● Blend single-letter grapheme–phoneme ● Segment and encode one-syllable high-frequency base
some single-letter graphemes correspondences to decode VC and CVC words, and words with split digraphs and apply this when creating texts
● Identify CVC words which begin with the same apply this knowledge when reading, including decodable ● Segment and encode CCVCC words, CCCVC words and
phoneme texts CCCVCC words and apply this when creating texts
● Identify CVC words with the same rime ● Segment and encode single-letter VC and CVC words, ● Blend and decode one-syllable words with taught extended
● Identify CVC words which begin with different and apply this knowledge when writing words and vowel graphs and digraphs, including graphemes for
phonemes creating texts r-controlled vowels and diphthongs, and apply this when
● Blend common single-letter grapheme–phoneme reading texts
correspondences to read CCVC and CVCC words, and ● Segment and encode one-syllable words with taught vowel
apply this when reading texts, including decodable texts graphs, digraphs and trigraphs and apply this when creating
● Segment common, single-letter grapheme–phoneme texts
correspondences to encode CCVC and CVCC words ● Decode words with less common consonant digraphs and
apply this when reading texts
● Decode words with trigraphs and quadgraphs and apply this
when reading texts

Digraphs Multisyllabic words

● Decode and blend words containing consonant digraphs ● Blend and decode 2-syllable words with taught vowel
and apply this when reading texts, including decodable graphs, digraphs, trigraphs and quadgraphs, including
texts graphemes for r-controlled vowels and diphthongs and apply
● Segment and encode CVC words containing consonant this when reading texts
digraphs ● Decode 2-syllable base words with common double
● Decode words containing split digraphs and vowel consonants when reading texts
digraphs
● Experiment with encoding high-frequency words
containing split digraphs and vowel digraphs

8
 READING FLUENCY
*Stage 3 fluency content is found in Stage 3 Reading Comprehension focus area of the syllabus.

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Automaticity Automaticity Automaticity Reading automaticity and rate Reading fluently (from
● Recognise or match ● Read words automatically ● Apply ● Explain how effortless and accurate word reading, at a pace Reading
familiar words then apply to texts grapheme–phoneme appropriate for text and purpose, can support reading fluency Comprehension focus
● Match words to ● Read texts with taught correspondence to read and comprehension area in syllabus)
photographs, pictures grapheme–phoneme words with automaticity ● Syllabify, blend grapheme–phoneme correspondences and ● Syllabify, blend
or symbols of familiar correspondences and taught ● Read aloud with an easy use morphemic knowledge as strategies for reading words grapheme–phoneme
people or objects high-frequency words with speech rhythm accurately correspondences and
● Locate a familiar automaticity ● Self-correct when fluency ● Read multisyllabic words, phrases and continuous texts with use morphemic
object or place in a ● Know that fluent reading and/or meaning is accuracy and appropriate rate suited to reading purpose knowledge as
text involves recognising and interrupted ● Maintain stamina when reading extended texts strategies for reading
reading words accurately and ● Demonstrate use of navigation pathways to support fluency words accurately
automatically when engaging with print, visual and multimodal texts ● Adjust reading rate to
suit the purpose for
Prosody Prosody Prosody Prosody reading and the
● Respond to varying ● Read phrases comprising 2 ● Use sentence ● Explain how prosodic reading involves emphasis, complexity of the text
expression when a or 3 words aloud, in a punctuation to enhance expression, intonation and pausing ● Adjust prosodic
story is read to them rhythmic manner reading in a ● Adjust voice, tone, volume and pitch reflected by the reading to enhance
● Copy varying ● Know that pace and conversational manner punctuation in a text, to enhance reading fluency and support meaning and engage
expression when expression vary when ● Adjust phrasing, comprehension an audience
joining in rhymes, reading, according to the intonation, volume or rate ● Apply appropriate tone to represent characters' emotions ● Efficiently follow
poems, chants, songs audience and purpose to maintain fluency when when reading text with dialogue signposting features
or stories ● Stop at the end of a sentence reading aloud to navigate print and
in response to a full stop ● Vary pace when reading digital texts
● Regulate their voice to according to the
respond to punctuation such audience and purpose
as question marks and
exclamation marks

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2

Monitoring reading fluency

● Recognise that there are different purposes and
audiences for reading and adjust reading rate to suit a
text’s purpose
● Reflect on and compare differences between own oral
reading fluency and silent reading fluency
● Reflect on how adjusting reading rate and prosody
supports comprehension and can engage an audience
● Reflect on stamina for reading sustained texts
● Monitor and adjust own goals for improving reading
fluency

9
 READING COMPREHENSION

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Recalling details Recalling details Recalling details

● Match a ● Recall key ● Use information read in
prompt to a characters, texts to enhance learning
familiar story events and/or across key learning
● Indicate information in text areas
preference for ● Recall the ● Confirm meaning by
a character or sequence of sequencing and
event in a events/ explaining events and
story through information in information
photographs, texts ● Recount relevant ideas
pictures, ● Recount the from texts in the form of
symbols, relevant ideas a written, visual or oral
signs or from the text summary
words ● Use information ● Interpret patterns in texts
or events from to enhance
different parts of understanding
the text to form
an opinion

Activate word Activating word Activating word meaning Reading for interest and wide purposes Reading for interest and wide purposes
meaning meaning ● Use known vocabulary to ● Identify different purposes and strategies for ● Select, compare and reflect on texts read for
● Respond to ● Recognise build a mental model of reading personal interest
familiar the content of a text ● Select and read texts of personal interest and to ● Reflect on reading experiences and identify texts and
text, images,
vocabulary in a ● Use known morphemes gather information for learning language features that are enjoyable
objects or text and known vocabulary in ● Build topic knowledge, including key vocabulary, ● Select texts from print or digital sources to gather and
sounds that ● Use known the text to work out or and activate background knowledge prior to and organise research on a topic
convey vocabulary to refine the meaning of during reading ● Use criteria to determine the accuracy and reliability
meaning build a mental unknown words ● Identify similarities and compare differences of sourced information
● Respond to model of the ● Draw on sources to seek within and between texts by making text-to-self, ● Adjust reading approach to suit the purpose for
words or content of the text clarification for unknown text-to-text and text-to-world connections reading
● Use known words ● Locate, select and retrieve relevant information ● Bring subject vocabulary, technical vocabulary,
images used to
vocabulary to ● Understand vocabulary from a print or digital text and consider accuracy background knowledge and conceptual knowledge to
convey work out or refine that signals humorous of information presented new reading tasks
meaning in the the meaning of wordplay in texts ● Determine the relevance of a text for a specific ● Compare and evaluate print and digital texts for their
community unknown words purpose pertinence to a task, their authority and their level of
● Respond to ● Ask or pause to detail
indicate lack of clarify meaning of ● Use and compare different texts on similar themes or
understanding unknown words topics to synthesise ideas or information

10
ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Understanding Understanding and Understanding and Comprehending language Comprehending language

and connecting connecting connecting sentences ● Use morphemic knowledge to read/understand ● Use morphology & etymology to define unfamiliar words
sentences sentences ● Know that a complex words ● Describe how own mental model is adjusted as new
● Identify words that sentence includes a ● Adjust own mental model as reading presents new words and info deepen understanding during reading
● Respond to a
represent who, clause for expressing a words and understanding ● Explain how language evokes responses when reading
single sentence to what, when, where main message and one ● Use key words from a text to visualise events, ● Explain how modality can have subtle impacts on the
demonstrate and why in texts elaborating on message characters and settings when making inferences meanings of words and contribute to deeper
understanding ● Identify ● Know the meaning and and confirming predictions understanding when reading
● Respond to 2 or conjunctions in a purpose of coordinating ● Identify the adverbs, nouns and verbs that influence ● Identify lexical cohesive devices used by the author that
more sentences compound and subordinating own emotional response to characters support understanding when reading
in a text to sentence, their conjunctions and identify ● Identify different types of verbs that control meaning ● Recognise that anaphors, such as pronouns and verb
meaning and them in a complex ● Identify word patterns, including repetition, that phrases, take their meanings from other parts of a text
demonstrate
purpose sentence create cohesion or effect to support inference
understanding ● Understand how ● Recognise how the ● Understand that word contractions are a feature of ● Identify cause and effect using knowledge of causal
adjectives position of a clause in a informal language and that apostrophes of connectives
describe a noun complex sentence contraction are used to signal missing letters ● Understand that sentence openers signal what the
and verbs identify influences the important ● Identify different types of connectives used by the sentence will be about, and that the rest of the sentence
actions in a idea for the reader author that support inference can provide new information
sentence ● Identify pronouns linked to ● Use knowledge of homonyms to understand ● Analyse how the meanings of key words and phrases in
● Recognise how nouns within and across metaphor and to support inference sentences across texts support local/global inferencing
the position of sentences and/or ● Link the meanings of words and phrases across ● Recognise that personal narratives contain more
words in a paragraphs consecutive sentences to support local inferencing subjective language, but factual accounts of events
sentence changes ● Make an inference by ● Clarify and link the meanings of key words across a contain more objective language
its meaning connecting the meaning of text to support global inferencing ● Compare and evaluate subjective and objective
words across sentences ● Identify and describe the difference between language to identify bias
and/or paragraphs subjective and objective language in texts ● Recognise a sequence of clauses may use different
● Understand past, present and future tense and their tenses but remain connected through a section of text
impact on text meaning

Understanding Understanding Understanding whole text Comprehending text structures and features Comprehending text structures and features
whole text whole text ● Combine multiple ● Identify different structures and features of ● Use knowledge of text structure to navigate the text
● Engage with ● Understand that sources of info to make persuasive, informative and imaginative texts to locate specific information
texts for a informative and meaning ● Identify/describe how text structure, features and ● Analyse how the integration of persuasive,
variety of imaginative texts ● Use navigation language work together to achieve a text’s informative and/or narrative structures within a text
purposes have different pathways, (incl purpose can enhance effect
structures, hyperlinks), for essential ● Describe how multimodal features enhance ● Compare purposes for different texts and consider
● Select or
features and information to support meaning and contribute to salience in texts why authors and illustrators have structured texts in
respond to a
forms reading fluency and ● Understand that dialogue is a common feature of particular ways
preferred text enhance meaning imaginative texts, signalled by quotation marks to ● Analyse use of multimodal features to enhance
● View, listen to or ● Identify how creative indicate interactions between characters meaning within texts
read different visual features are used ● Identify the difference between quoted speech
types of texts to expand meaning and reported speech
● Coordinate information or ● Understand that literal information can be
events from different sourced directly from a text and that inferences
parts of the text to form can be made by using multiple sources of
an overall opinion information

11
ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Monitoring Monitoring Monitoring Monitoring comprehension Monitoring comprehension

comprehension comprehension comprehension ● Identify how their background knowledge is used ● Analyse how language, background and vocabulary
● Respond to text ● Stop reading ● Register a break in to actively build and adjust a mental model prior knowledge, and inferencing are used together to
● Respond to when a break in comprehension when to and during reading effectively build and adjust a mental model prior to
familiar images, comprehension is reading ● Identify where meaning breaks down when and during reading
objects, sounds registered ● Identify when meaning is reading ● Monitor and repair reading when meaning breaks
and actions ● Re-read to check not complete and/or ● Identify and use strategies to repair reading when down
within a text if an error was contradicts prior meaning breaks down ● Evaluate the effectiveness of comprehension
● Follow a made understanding ● Ask questions to clarify meaning and promote strategies used to support reading and interpretation
sequence ● Self-correct error ● Re-read words, phrases deeper understanding of a text of texts
represented in using phonic or sentences to check ● Make gist statements and record them to monitor ● Ask questions to clarify thinking, and to provide
photographs, knowledge and clarify precise understanding reasons or evidence
pictures, ● Ask a question or meaning ● Use information from paragraphs or chapters to ● Question the assertions made by authors when
symbols or make a statement ● Ask a clarifying question group related ideas and support summarisation of engaging with print and digital texts
words to clarify meaning when more background the whole text ● Check the accuracy of own recorded gist statements
● Predict purpose, knowledge is needed to ● Reflect on reading experiences and identify texts made during reading, before summarising information
type of text or make an inference of personal significance and pleasure to determine a text’s main themes, ideas or concepts
topic from title, ● Use knowledge of text ● Reflect on own understanding of texts and ● Categorise information or ideas and create
illustration, image structure, type of text, monitor own goals for reading hierarchies to aid recall and support summarisation
and/or form author, and forms of ● Synthesise summaries of multiple texts and share
● Clarify own writing to predict and information with peers to generate, compare and
purpose for confirm meaning contrast new conceptual understandings
reading a text ● Use a mental model to ● Reflect on personal connections with a text and
● Use background confirm predictions identify how interests and experiences can influence
knowledge when ● Make text-to-self, understanding and appreciation of ideas presented
identifying text-to-text or ● Generate, monitor and adjust own goals for
connections text-to-world connections improving oral reading fluency and silent reading
between a text, when reading fluency
own life, other ● Use visual and/or
texts and/or the auditory features in
world multimodal texts to build
● Use visual cues in meaning
multimodal texts ● Monitor understanding to
to interpret ensure meaning is
meaning sustained and expanded
through the whole text

12
 CREATING WRITTEN TEXTS

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Text features Text features Text features Syllabus content is separated into imaginative, Syllabus content is separated into imaginative,
● Create a text including at ● Write texts that describe, informative, persuasive and multiple purpose texts. informative, persuasive and multiple purpose texts.
● Participate in
creating texts with least 2 related ideas explain, give an opinion,
recount an event, tell a story 1. Imaginative purposes 1. Imaginative purposes
others ● Sequence ideas in a text
● Use a logical order to ● Create imaginative texts to engage an ● Choose literary forms with appropriate
● Use photographs, ● Include recognisable
sequence ideas and events in audience, using first person or third person text structures, features and language
pictures, symbols to structural features for text
sentences across a text narrative voice to engage target audiences
create texts purpose
● Group sentences into ● Experiment using second person narrative ● Make creative choices about temporal
● Select or match ● Create written texts that
paragraphs commencing with a voice for effect and spatial settings, character profiles
photographs, describe, give an opinion,
topic sentence, followed by ● Use an orientation, complication, resolution and motives to enhance reader
pictures, symbols or recount an event, convey
other sentences with related structure to create narratives centred on engagement
words to complete a a story
ideas time, place and characters ● Experiment with characterisation
text
● Select and use a range of ● Sequence ideas and actions into ● Choose and control narrative voice
● Create a multimodal
conjunctions to create paragraphs aligned to the stages of the across a text
text to convey an
cohesive texts text, to provide elaborated details about ● Experiment with the development of
idea
● Use noun/pronoun-referencing settings, character motives and actions thematic elements
● Match photos,
across a text ● Experiment with using and punctuating ● Select and use poetic forms to
pictures, symbols or
● Use subject–verb agreement dialogue in texts descriptively express ideas
words to recreate a
across a text ● Experiment with different poetic forms using
familiar text
● Use appropriate tense across a stanzas
text ● Experiment with poetry to include
● Use visual elements to expand innovative use of punctuation to suit
meaning in own texts purpose and for effect

2. Informative purposes 2. Informative purposes

● Create informative written texts including ● Choose text formats with appropriate
headings, paragraphs with topic text structures, features and language
sentences, and may conclude information to inform target audiences
in a final paragraph ● Develop informative texts that include
● Create texts that describe experiences/ headings, ideas grouped into
observations to connect with audience paragraphs that include a topic
● Create written texts that instruct, may sentence, and a paragraph with
include a statement of purpose/goal, a list concluding information
of resources and a series of steps ● Describe and/or explain ideas through
● Create written texts that explain how/why logically sequenced paragraphs
something happens through steps, (incl ● Compare and contrast or discuss cause
opening statement & conclusion) and effect through sequenced
● Create written factual and historical paragraphs
accounts that include an introduction with ● Create factual and historical accounts
the who, what, when, where and why of an that incorporate broader contextual
experience or event, a description of a information
series of events and a conclusion

13
 3. Persuasive purposes 3. Persuasive purposes
● Create written texts that argue a viewpoint ● Choose text formats with appropriate
using rhetorical devices to persuade an text structures, features and language
audience to persuade a target audience
● Use a structure that includes a statement ● Group ideas to develop a statement of
of position, has sequenced paragraphs position, and logical lines of argument
and a conclusion that synthesise points, and structure a
● Sequence argument points in paragraphs rhetorically effective conclusion
that begin with a topic sentence and ● Create objective, impersonal
support the development of ideas arguments
● Experiment with modality to modulate an ● Combine personal and objective
argument for persuasive effect arguments for persuasive effect
● Use facts or opinions to reinforce a ● Present arguments from one or
viewpoint multiple viewpoints to persuade
audiences
● Use rhetorical devices targeted to the
audience
● Use modality to strengthen arguments

4. Text features for multiple purposes 4. Text features for multiple purposes
● Maintain appropriate, consistent past, ● Control tense across a text according
present or future tense across a text to purpose, shifting between past,
● Maintain noun–pronoun referencing present and future tense if required
across a text for cohesion ● Maintain correct noun–pronoun
● Use temporal, conditional and causal referencing, subject–verb agreement
conjunctions within sentences, and as and use temporal, conditional and
connectives to link ideas across sentences causal connectives to build cohesion
for cohesion ● Use word repetition/word associations
● Maintain correct subject–verb agreement as cohesive devices across texts
throughout a text ● Substitute specific nouns with
● Use definite articles for particular things all-purpose words as a cohesive
and indefinite articles for general things for device to replace verb groups, noun
cohesion groups or whole clauses
● Use language to create imagery or ● Experiment with figurative language
humour, including idioms, puns, simile and for effect and to engage, incl
personification metaphor, hyperbole, oxymoron and
● Select and use multimodal features to add allusion
meaning ● Create written texts that include
multiple paragraphs with clear,
coherent transition of ideas
● Choose multimodal features suited to
a target audience and purpose, to
reinforce and extend ideas
● Acknowledge sources of info to add
credibility and authority to arguments

14
 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Sentence-level Sentence-level grammar Sentence-level grammar Sentence-level grammar Sentence-level grammar

grammar ● Identify/ use verbs in ● Write compound sentences ● Use adjectival clauses with noun groups to ● Experiment with the use of non-finite
● Communicate an simple sentences (in own using coordinating add information to subjects and objects verbs in adverbial clauses
idea using a subject writing) conjunctions ● Use adverbial phrases or clauses to add ● Make choices about verbs and verb
and a verb ● Know that a simple ● Recognise compound information to the verb or verb group of the groups to achieve precision and add
sentence makes sense sentences in own writing, main or other clauses, to provide reasons detail
by itself and is a knowing that each clause has for or circumstances ● Experiment with embedding adjectival
complete thought (subject meaning by itself ● Use coordinating conjunctions in compound clauses with the subject and/or object
and verb) ● Use a combination of simple sentences to compare and contrast, or for of other clauses, to modify the meaning
● Write a simple sentence and compound sentences to addition or to add detail to a noun or noun group
with subject–verb- object engage the reader when ● Use subordinating conjunctions in complex ● Experiment with the placement of
structure to convey ideas creating written texts sentences to signal sequence, reason or adverbial clauses, to modify the
● Recognise a simple ● Use noun groups to describe cause & effect meaning or to add detail to a verb or
sentence in own writing people, things ● Use verb sentence openers to indicate verb group
● Identify and use nouns in ● Use action, saying, relating action processes ● Include appositives to provide details to
simple sentences (in own and sensing verbs to add detail ● Select and use precise saying, thinking, nouns and to vary sentence structures
writing) and precision to writing acting, and relating verbs and verb groups suited to text purpose
● Use personal pronouns ● Use adverbs to modify the to align with text purposes ● Create nominalisations to convey
● Use prepositional meaning of verbs, adjectives ● Create cause-and-effect statements abstract ideas and concepts succinctly
phrases to indicate ● Writes using contextually ● Use declarative sentences to provide facts and authoritatively
time/place precise prepositional phrases or state a viewpoint ● Make choices about the use of
● Identify and use time ● Accurately use articles and ● Use imperative sentences to advise, declarative, exclamatory, interrogative
connectives to sequence pronouns in own writing provide instructions, express a request or a and imperative sentences to suit text
information and events ● Use time connectives to command purpose, and for meaning and effect
● Experiment with sequence information and ● Use exclamatory sentences to emphasise a ● Vary sentence structures or lengths
compound sentences - events in texts point or express a strong emotion when using simple, compound and
recognise each clause ● Experiment with writing ● Use interrogative sentences to ask a direct complex sentences, with a focus on
makes meaning by itself complex sentences which question, or for rhetorical effect to engage achieving clarity and effect suited to
include a clause for the main the reader with a viewpoint text purpose
message and dependent ● Use simple, compound and complex
clause to elaborate or modify sentences of varying lengths for variation
the message and readability

15
 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Punctuation Punctuation Punctuation Punctuation Punctuation

● Match lower- and ● Understand that ● Use commas to separate ● Use capital letters to indicate the beginning ● Use capital letters at the beginning of a
upper-case letters in punctuation is a feature ideas, lists and/or dependent of a sentence, proper nouns, headings and sentence, to indicate proper nouns, for
of written language and clauses in a sentence subheadings, to indicate the beginning of a headings and subheadings, to indicate
some familiar words
how it impacts meaning ● Use punctuation, including poetry line, for emphasis, and when using the beginning of a poetry line, for
● Use a capital letter to question marks and acronyms emphasis, and when using acronyms
start a sentence and a exclamation marks, accurately ● Use commas between words in a list or to ● Use a comma to separate a
full stop to end a and for effect separate adjectives when more than one is subordinate clause or a phrase from
sentence ● Use quotation marks for simple used the main clause, or to separate
● Use capital letters when dialogue ● Use a comma to separate a dependent information within a sentence, or to
writing proper nouns ● Use possessive apostrophes in clause before a main clause separate items in a list
● Use question marks and own writing ● Use bullet points or numbering to list items ● Use quotation marks consistently
exclamation marks or a sequence of steps across a text to distinguish words that
● Use apostrophes for contractions, and to are spoken by characters in dialogue or
show singular and plural possession words authored by others
● Understand and use quoted and reported ● Understand that texts, such as poetry,
text or speech in own writing may include innovative use of
● Use multimodal and digital processes to punctuation, and experiment with
recount and record significant events punctuation to suit purpose/for effect
● Use parentheses in first instance when
abbreviating names using acronyms &
when acknowledging a source
● Experiment with dashes/parentheses
for humorous or ironic effect
● Understand/use simple hyphenation
generalisations

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Word-level language Word-level language Word-level language Word-level language Word-level language
● Identify a person, ● Explain the purpose of a ● Use modifying and qualifying ● Use topic-specific Tier 2 and Tier 3 ● Use topic-specific Tier 2 and Tier 3
animal or place when verb, noun and adjective words and words to indicate vocabulary to demonstrate authority vocabulary intentionally to add
in own writing quantity ● Experiment with words, word order and credibility and enhance authority
given a noun
● Intentionally select ● Use creative wordplay to affect repetition for rhetorical effect or to create ● Experiment with word choices to create
● Identify an action nouns, verbs, adjectives the reader atmosphere humour, for clarity or emphasis, to suit
when given a verb and articles ● Make intentional word choices ● Experiment with modality to indicate audience and purpose
● Identify a person, ● Use personal vocabulary, to enhance precision of probability, occurrence, obligation or ● Control modality related to probability,
animal or place when words on display and in meaning and ideas in a text inclination occurrence, obligation or inclination for
asked who, what or texts when constructing ● Use personal pronouns to suit purpose precision
where sentences and to connect personally with the ● Select and use a range of synonyms in
audience a longer text, for precision and to
● Identify a verb when
● Use adjectives to develop descriptive create variety for reader engagement
asked what the action features
is ● Use synonyms to replace words to avoid
repetition and engage the reader

16
 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Planning and revising Planning and revising Planning and revising Planning, monitoring and revising Planning, monitoring and revising
● Identify people, ● Identify differences ● Identify the context, audience ● Plan structures and language to suit the ● Select text formats for combined
places or events that between spoken and and purpose for own texts purpose of a text purposes, creating hybrid texts for
they would like to written language ● Use knowledge of similarities ● Research, summarise and list topic-related target audiences
create a text about ● Identify different and differences between ideas when planning ● Use print or digital tools to plan,
● Match or select purposes for writing imaginative, informative and ● Create texts by drawing on personal and sequence, create, revise, edit and
photographs, ● Use drawing, images or persuasive texts when others’ experiences, and texts read, publish texts
pictures, symbols or mind maps to support planning for writing viewed and listened to for inspiration and ● Research and summarise information
words to complete a planning and writing ● Use a variety of planning ideas from several sources to plan for writing
text ● Understand they can strategies and tools for ● Create texts using digital technologies ● Create texts using digital technologies
improve their writing creating texts ● Reflect on and monitor texts according to suited to a target audience and
based on feedback from ● Understand their own texts can given criteria, and respond to feedback purpose, to support and enhance the
teachers improve through feedback & from others development of ideas
● Edit their texts after editing ● Proofread, revise and edit written texts to ● Assess the reliability and authority of
receiving feedback ● Re-read and edit their own refine language, correct spelling and sources, including digital sources,
texts after receiving feedback ensure cohesion and engagement for the when researching and acknowledging
reader texts
● Reflect on own writing by explaining
and justifying authorial decisions
regarding text-level features,
sentence-level grammar, punctuation
and word-level language
● Re-read, proofread and edit own and
other’s writing, and use criteria and
goals in response to feedback

17
 SPELLING

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Spelling Integrated spelling components Phonological component Phonological component Phonological component
Combine phonological, phonic, ● Segment single-syllable words into ● Explain how to segment multisyllabic ● Segment unfamiliar
● Match letters in own orthographic and morphemic knowledge to
name spell taught high-frequency irregular words
phonemes as a strategy for spelling words into syllables and phonemes. multisyllabic words into
● Sequence letters in own comprising up to 3 phonemes ● Segment multisyllabic words into Apply in spelling. syllables and phonemes as
name syllables and phonemes as a ● Identify differences in vowel phonemes a strategy when spelling
Phonological component strategy for spelling (short, long, diphthong, schwa vowels)
● Recognise words that
● Segment single-syllable words ● Recognise stressed/unstressed
start with the same
into phonemes syllables in multisyllabic words. Apply.
phonemes
● Segment multisyllabic words into ● Understand that the schwa occurs in an
● Respond to words that
syllables and phonemes unstressed syllable. Apply.
start with different
phonemes
● Identify letters in known Orthographic component Orthographic component Orthographic component Orthographic component
words through ● Spell their own name ● Explain when to use double ● Understand that some graphemes ● Apply and explain graphemes
gesturing, pointing, ● Know that the digraphs zz, ss, ll, consonants to spell 2-syllable base are dependent on their position in a identified by their etymology
matching or naming ff and ck do not usually start a words. Apply in spelling. word in English and apply this ● Apply infrequently occurring
word in Standard Australian ● Spell high-frequency base words knowledge when spelling graphemes and letter
English with taught vowel graphs, digraphs, ● Understand that graphemes can be patterns when spelling base
● Know words do not usually end split digraphs, trigraphs and explained by their etymology words in a range of writing
with the letter v, and that ve is quadgraphs ● Apply knowledge of taught vowel contexts
commonly used ● Explain consonant trigraphs, –tch graphemes when spelling ● Recognise that the same
● Experiment with some vowel and –dge, can end a base word ● Proofread, identify and correct grapheme can represent
digraphs and split digraphs to immediately following a short vowel. misspellings when creating texts different phonemes
spell taught high-frequency Apply in spelling. ● Use spelling reference tools and ● Proofread written texts to
words and/or personally ● Spell taught high-frequency recognise that spellcheck accuracy correct misspellings, making
significant words contractions may depend on understanding the use of spelling reference
● Use extended phonic code for taught word tools
consonant phonemes

Morphological component Morphological component Morphological component Morphological component

● Add plural-marking suffix (s) to ● Add plural-marking suffixes ● Identify inflected suffixes, explaining ● Explain and use spelling
base nouns that require no ● Add tense-marking suffixes when/how to treat base words when conventions to add
change ● Spell nouns ending in the suffix –er to they are affixed, and apply this derivational suffixes such as
● Experiment with the indicate a person knowledge when spelling -ion, -ian, -ence, -ous to
tense-marking suffixes to spell ● Use comparative and superlative ● Identify derivational suffixes (-able, base words or roots
familiar base verbs suffixes –er, –est -ness, -ian,-ment) explaining ● Explain and use spelling
● Spell high-frequency compound ● Use suffixes –ful, –y and –ly when/how to treat base words when conventions for assimilated
words and homophones ● Use morphemes to spell compound they are affixed. Apply. prefixes such as in-, ad-,
words and homophones with
comprising taught graphemes ● Identify prefixes with no change to the com-
single-letter graphemes, digraphs,
split digraphs, trigraphs &
base word/root when they are affixed. ● Explain the etymology of
quadgraphs Apply in spelling. taught roots. Apply.
● Use common prefixes such as un–, ● Correctly spell irregular plurals ● Correctly spell taught
re– and dis– ● Correctly spell taught homophones homophones.

18
 HANDWRITING

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Handwriting Handwriting Handwriting Handwriting legibility and Handwriting legibility and

● Make an intentional mark on a ● Use a stable posture when ● Form all letters with consistent fluency fluency
page or digital device handwriting or drawing by sitting size and slope in NSW ● Understand that legible ● Sustain writing with a legible,
● Use sponges/paints to form comfortably with feet flat on the Foundation Style from memory handwriting is consistent in size fluent and personal handwriting
strokes on paper floor, the writing arm resting on ● Position all letters correctly on and spacing and can support style across a text
● Form moulding clay or dough a table, with the opposite hand the line with appropriate spacing learning ● Use handwriting efficiently in
to letter templates resting on the paper, and between words ● Apply appropriate pressure when formal and informal situations
● Trace letter templates using shoulders relaxed joining letters ● Adjust handwriting style to suit
finger or stylus ● Correctly produce a clockwise ● Join letters when writing familiar writing purpose
Complementary content for ellipse, anticlockwise ellipse and words
students unable to produce downward diagonal stroke when ● Join letters using consistent size
handwriting forming letters and spacing to develop fluency
● Locate letters on a keyboard ● Use writing implements with a ● Sustain the NSW Foundation
● Locate function keys to stable and relaxed pencil grasp Style cursive to facilitate fluency
produce lower-case and ● Apply appropriate pressure and legibility across a text
upper-case letters when handwriting to produce
● Use a touch screen or stylus to legible writing
select lower-case and ● Form all handwritten letters in
upper-case letters NSW Foundation Style when
● Use a touch screen, stylus or given a verbal prompt from the
keyboard to produce correct starting point and
lower-case and upper-case continue in the correct direction
letters ● Apply taught handwriting skills
● Use speech-to-text applications when creating texts
to produce letters

Software functionalities and typing Software functionalities and typing Software functionalities and typing
● Use word-processing program ● Use knowledge of keyboard ● Navigate the keyboard with
functions, including text-editing layout/functions to type texts efficiency and accuracy when
applications ● Position a chosen device in a way typing words, numerals,
● Recognise and use keys to show that facilitates efficient and punctuation and other symbols
more complex punctuation or sustained text creation ● Understand that position of the
symbols ● Search, filter, select, download device in relation to the user can
● Type up to 5 familiar words per and save relevant information affect posture and glare
minute ● Monitor goals that build on typing ● Reflect on and monitor typing
● Use taught software functions to accuracy and rate accuracy and rate according to
create texts in a range of modes ● Use word-processing program goals and given criteria
for different contexts, audiences functions or augmentative and ● Evaluate and select applications
and purposes alternative communication (AAC) and tools to create text to suit
to draft and revise texts audience/purpose
● Select and insert visual, print and ● Use taught shortcut functions to
audio elements into texts facilitate text creation

19
 UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONDING TO LITERATURE

ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Context Context Context Context Context

● Identify or respond to images, ● Identify aspects of their own ● Identify how the language and (from Perspective and context (from Perspective and Context focus
sounds and objects around world represented in texts form of a text vary according to focus area in syllabus) area in syllabus)
them ● Identify texts that are composed purpose, audience and mode ● Understand that literature is ● Explore how perspective is
● Match objects of references with for specific audiences and ● Identify representations of created by drawing upon influenced by personal, social
images purposes groups and cultures in a range personal, social and cultural and cultural contexts
● Respond to informative text ● Identify and contrast features of of texts contexts and perspectives ● Describe how Aboriginal and
● Engage with texts of personal texts that inform, persuade ● Recognise ways that settings ● Understand how context informs Torres Strait Islander authors’
significance and/or entertain and situations are represented the setting within a text, and language use promotes a shared
● Create imaginative and/or within texts experiment with setting for understanding of cultural context
informative texts relating to their ● Create and re-create texts in a different contexts when creating ● Reflect on and explain how
own experience, the world range of modes and media texts personal, social and cultural
and/or other texts using understanding of context ● Describe how Aboriginal and/or context is expressed in own texts
Torres Strait Islander authors
use language to build cultural
understanding and context

Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative Narrative

● Identify key characters, places ● Understand that narrative can ● Identify the sequence of events ● Describe the interplay of plot, ● Describe how narrative
or events in a narrative through be real or imagined that make up a narrative in own character and setting in different conventions engage the reader
gesturing, pointing, matching, ● Identify narratives told through a and others’ texts types of narratives through models of behaviour, and
signing or naming range of modes and media ● Identify patterns in narratives ● Describe how narratives set up apply narrative conventions when
● Identify the beginning or end of ● Identify, discuss and compare that set up expectation and aid expectations using familiar, real creating texts
a narrative the beginning, middle and end in prediction of actions and and imagined characters, ● Recognise that narratives reflect
● Respond to or join in refrains in a range of narratives attitudes situations and phrases both personal and common lived
narratives ● Experiment with using parts ● Identify and appreciate how key ● Describe how narrative experiences and offer models of
and/or features of a narrative, messages in narratives evoke conventions engage the reader behaviour, which may be rejected
innovating from a mentor text feelings ● Describe connections between or accepted
● Create and re-create narratives own or shared experiences and ● Describe how patterns in
using understanding of narrative those depicted in narratives narratives set up expectations
features ● Identify the purpose and and notice when those patterns
structure of Aboriginal and are subverted
Torres Strait Islander cultural ● Describe the difference in
narratives purpose between Aboriginal
● Experiment with narrative Dreaming stories and Aboriginal
structures and narrative Songlines
conventions encountered in
literature when creating texts

20
 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Character Character Character Characterisation Characterisation

● Identify characters in texts ● Use background knowledge to ● Identify how characters are ● Understand that characterisation ● Analyse attributes of character
through gesturing, pointing, support understanding of constructed through different refers to the qualities attributed and use similar attributes when
matching, signing or naming characters’ actions in a text modes and media and through a to real and imagined characters, creating texts
● Indicate personal feelings ● Reason using background combination of modes including their personality and ● Recognise how character
towards characters knowledge as to why a ● Identify how a character reflects emotional attributes archetypes and stereotypes are
● Respond to images of character has acted in a certain their own or other lived ● Recognise that characters may represented in literature
characters from a text way experiences be identified through familiar, ● Analyse how engagement with
● Identify, match or locate ● Identify and discuss character ● Compare and contrast individual or group characters within and between
characters by their features and actions characters in text characteristics texts invites enjoyment of
appearance or personality ● Identify and discuss language ● Identify how characters can ● Identify how authors use literature
used to describe characters in invite positive and negative dialogue to convey what ● Identify the ways different
narratives responses characters say and think, and elements of a text contribute to
● Share feelings and thoughts in ● Identify the language, dialogue, experiment with dialogue when character development and
response to characters and actions, images or music that creating texts adapt these elements when
actions in texts create a reader response to a ● Describe how a character drives creating texts
● Identify and compare characters character the plot in a narrative
in a range of texts ● Create and re-create characters ● Describe how characters invite
● Understand that characters in in texts that demonstrate emotional engagement with
texts are represented by how understanding of character traits literature
they look, what they say and do, ● Describe ways in which
and their thoughts characters are represented in
literature and experiment with
characterisation when creating
texts

Imagery, symbol and connotation Imagery, symbol and connotation Imagery, symbol and connotation Imagery, symbol and connotation Imagery, symbol and connotation
● Respond to cues within a text ● Identify and discuss how ● Identify figurative language and ● Recognise imagery and symbols ● Analyse how figurative language
● Respond to actions, images or creative language and/or wordplay in texts in literature in literature can enhance
symbols enhance enjoyment in ● Identify symbols and images in ● Identify figurative language in meaning and affect the audience
sounds within a text
texts texts, and how they bring literature and how it can ● Recognise recurring and
● Identify how visual cues deeper meaning influence meaning, and universal symbols and imagery in
contribute to the meaning of a ● Create texts that include experiment with figurative literature, describe their
text symbols, wordplay and language when creating texts meanings and experiment with
● Identify how words and word figurative language ● Describe how words, sounds, symbol and imagery when
order influence meaning in ● Innovate from studied texts images, logos and colour creating texts
texts using wordplay and figurative contribute to meaning in ● Describe how Aboriginal and
● Experiment with creative play language literature Torres Strait Islander authors use
with language in own texts ● Recognise how Aboriginal and symbols and imagery to share
Torres Strait Islander authors cultural perspectives and stories
use imagery and symbols in in texts
texts

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 ACCESS POINTS EARLY STAGE 1 STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3

Perspective Perspective Perspective and argument Perspective and argument Perspective and argument
● Respond to preferred texts ● Express likes and dislikes ● Identify phrases in texts that (argument content from Argument (argument content from Argument
● Choose which book to engage about a text project opinions and authority focus area of and authority focus area of syllabus)
with ● Identify favourite stories and/or ● Identify how structure and syllabus) ● Identify how perspective is made
characters in texts using verbal images reinforce ideas ● Understand that literature is evident through authorial choices
and/or nonverbal modes ● Identify and share how their own created by drawing upon ● Explore how perspective is
● Compare opinions of a text or experience and interests personal, social and cultural influenced by personal, social
characters with peers influence opinions and/or contexts and perspectives and cultural contexts
interpretations of texts ● Identify and describe ways in ● Recognise how an argument is
● Identify arguments and the which perspective is influenced by perspective and
intended audience represented in literature create texts that adopt a
● Express preferences for specific ● Identify and discuss the purpose perspective beyond personal
texts and authors and recognise of a text, and its intended experience
the opinions of others audience, mode and medium ● Understand the authority given to
● Create and re-create texts that ● Recognise an argument is not a objectivity versus subjectivity in
include persuasive arguments, dispute but a single perspective arguments
using knowledge of text and that is presented/ defended ● Analyse and compare features
language features ● Describe the difference between within and between texts, that
● Create paragraphs that contain authorship and authority characterise an authoritative
a single idea, beginning with a ● Understand that to control style
topic sentence and including impact and effect authors make ● Compare the reliability and
supporting evidence with intentional choices about validity of texts to make
elaborations language, form and structure judgements about their authority

Representation Theme Theme

● Identify cultural representations ● Describe the difference between ● Identify core social, personal and
in a range of texts themes and topics in literature moral messages within and
● Express personal responses to ● Identify themes in literature, between texts
the real and imagined worlds recognising that there may be ● Identify/describe messages
that are represented in texts multiple themes within and common to lived experiences that
● Adapt a well-known text for a between texts recur in literature. Use these
different audience/purpose representations in own texts

Genre Genre
● Understand that genre refers to ● Explain how genre can be
texts that are grouped according recognised by established codes
to purpose, subject matter, form, and conventions that govern
structure and language choices, content and construction of
and that a type of text can differ literature, and apply this
in mode and medium knowledge when creating texts
● Identify different text genres ● Examine and experiment with
when a text is characterised by elements in literature that do not
more than a single genre follow the form and function of a
single genre

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