Assessment standards

We know this when the learner:

• Listens to and appreciates challenging imaginative and informative oral texts (e.g. poems, praise poems, two- or three-episode stories and radio dramas, short talks, radio advertisements, debates).
• Listens actively and carefully for specific information and main ideas, and responds appropriately, for example:
• takes notes, summarises and draws conclusions;
• reflects on opinions, asks searching questions and challenges where necessary.
• Understands how familiar oral texts are organised and describes characteristic features (e.g. short stories, praise poems, short talks). This will include recognising tools used for humour such as punch lines, sarcasm and exaggeration and identifying, recognising and analysing sound effects in different audio-visual texts.
• Identifies and discusses the use of non-verbal strategies (e.g. eye contact, body language, tone of voice, pauses).
• Identifies the speaker’s reasons for choosing particular words, phrases and sentences to influence the listener and explains their impact (e.g. persuasive language, distinguishing between fact and opinion, identifying the speaker’s point of view, and recognising bias and prejudice).
• Recognises and accepts a wide range of different varieties of the language such as different accents and dialects and discusses the language of different age groups (e.g. slang).
• Identifies the values and historical, social and cultural contexts of different texts.

Assessment standards

We know this when the learner:

• Communicates ideas and feelings creative ly and expressively with a great degree of confidence and with limited assistance, using a range of selected oral text types (e.g. dramas, role-plays, songs).
• Communicates ideas, facts and opinions on challenging topics clearly and accurately and with a greater degree of coherence, using a range of factual oral text types (e.g. discussions, debates).
• Demonstrates basic skills in a range of oral text types:
• accurately sequences complex oral instructions and descriptions;
• explains how to do an experiment;
• carries out interviews with members of the community using basic interview techniques.
• Demonstrates a range of interaction skills by participating actively in group discussions, conversations, debates and group surveys, and while so doing:
• tackles important issues (e.g. social and ethical issues related to the environment and human rights);
• asks appropriate questions;
• takes on different roles;
• acknowledges others’ opinions and disagrees politely when necessary;
• motivates own point of view;
• gives and receives criticism;
• persuades others;
• bridges gaps by asking questions to clarify meaning, giving choices, keeping responses open-ended, and showing genuine interest;
• shows sensitivity to the rights and feelings of others in conversation where appropriate;
• challenges insensitive or discriminatory use of language.
• Gives oral presentations with a great degree of accuracy and creativity, paying attention to:
• clear and audible enunciation;
• pausing;
• variation in tempo and volume;
• purpose and audience;
• posture and body language;
• different presentation modes;
• register;
• tone;
• different social cultural conventions;
• appropriate figurative devices such as climax, anti-climax and hyperbole (exaggeration for effect).
• Identifies and discusses the features which contribute to the success of own communication.

Assessment standards

We know this when the learner:

• Reads spontaneously and often for pleasure and information across the range of texts studied, discusses personal response and the kinds of texts enjoyed, and recommends texts to others.
• Reads aloud and silently for a variety of purposes consolidating the appropriate reading strategies developed in earlier grades.
• Discusses the purpose, audience and context of a text.
• Shows understanding of information texts:
• identifies main ideas and explains how the details support the main idea;
• questions ideas where appropriate;
• makes judgements and draws conclusions about ideas on the basis of evidence;
• identifies and explains different points of view.
• Explains how key features and the organisation of different types of texts contribute to how the text functions (e.g. poems, short novels, newspaper articles, letters, ballads, book reviews).
• Demonstrates understanding of the text, its purpose and its relationship to own life by discussing the plot, themes, values, characters and setting.
• Analyses techniques used to create particular effects in visual, written and multimedia texts such as:
• the effectiveness of literary devices, and language used;
• the impact of design elements (e.g. type and position of art work, use of colour);
• the impact of camera and film techniques (e.g. close-ups, zoom shots, camera angles, flashbacks).
• Responds critically to texts:
• discusses writer’s point of view;
• discusses implicit (or hidden) messages in the text, as well as bias or prejudice;
• discusses how context influences the message;
• identifies what has been left out of the text and discusses why;
• questions whether learner agrees with the messages in the text.
• Discusses socio-cultural, environmental and ethical issues contained in texts and identifies the aspects of texts which carry the values related to them (e.g. content, language, art work, point of view and characterisation).
• Reflects on and discusses own skills as a reader.

Assessment standards

We know this when the learner:

• Writes a range of imaginative texts:
• to express imagination, ideas and feelings about self and others;
• to explore the creative, critical and playful use of language by means of narrative and descriptive compositions, dialogues, poems, songs and letters.
• Produces a range of factual written and multi-modal texts (texts using print and images) for various purposes, using a range of visual, and design elements where appropriate by means of recounts of events, research project reports, pamphlets, posters, and book reviews.
• Demonstrates basic skills in a range of features of writing appropriate to the text type (e.g. reveals character, establishes the setting and develops the plot in narrative and descriptive writing, and uses simple imagery in poetry).
• Uses the writing process collaboratively and independently to generate texts:
• selects and explores topics through brainstorming, using mind maps and lists;
• uses increasingly complex texts as models;
• plans and develops topic using relevant information from other sources;
• organises ideas coherently in logical order to produce first drafts;
• reflects on multiple drafts considering purpose, audience, language usage, bias, complex organisation and a few simple elements of style, and revises appropriately;
• critically reflects on own and peers’ writing and makes recommendations, showing sensitivity to the rights and feelings of others;
• proofreads and corrects draft by applying knowledge of language in context appropriate for the grade;
• publishes final product, paying attention to creative presentation and varied elements of design.

Assessment standards

We know this when the learner:

• Uses language to think and reason:
• applies thinking and reasoning skills in a variety of contexts across the curriculum;
• discusses and explains the perspective and position of the author in various texts;
• explains and discusses cause and effect (e.g. ‘Why is this the cause of ...?’);
• presents a counter-argument and gives reasons (e.g. ‘I disagree because ...’ and ‘I support my argument with ...’);
• recognises and explains why information can be considered ‘factual’ or ‘objective’;
• draws on own experience in order to substantiate point of view;
• questions and infers to solve problems and develop thinking about complex issues, ideas and emotions (e.g. human rights issues, environmental issues, personal dilemmas, cross-curricular topics).
• Uses language to investigate and explore:
• asks questions on national and cross-curricular issues (e.g. corporal punishment, environmental debates);
• weighs options by considering a number of alternatives;
• does independent research across the curriculum;
• locates and accesses information from a wide variety of sources (e.g. radio, Internet, various kinds of written texts, libraries);
• refines the use of appropriate referencing techniques and conventions when copying (and citing) information from sources (e.g. records author, title, date, publisher, page numbers, website);
• works on increasingly complex projects across Learning Areas and produces a synthesised product.
• Processes information:
• experiments with different kinds of note-taking and note-making (e.g. taking notes under different circumstances, using abbreviations for speed);
• pays attention to referencing details;
• extracts and synthesises information, using listening, reading, writing and viewing skills;
• changes information from one format or language to another (transcoding or translation);
• summarises information or ideas by selecting, generalising, categorising and editing, and reflects critically on the product;
• formulates thoughts orally and in writing in increasingly complex ways, using knowledge of language (e.g. moving from simple to complex sentences).
• Thinks creatively:
• visualises, predicts, fantasises and empathises with sensitivity to make meaning and solve problems;
• imagines possibilities and alternatives to expand thinking (hypothesises and speculates);
• considers differences and uses them creatively and positively (e.g. differences in experience, culture, interest and personality);
• writes experimentally to explore ideas, emotions and imaginative experience;
• compares how different languages express terms in different Learning Areas and create links to help understanding and assist in problem-solving.
• Uses language to reflect:
• reflects on what is heard or read, to ask critical questions and challenge views;
• reflects on development of own ability as speaker, listener and writer in a range of different contexts, and identifies areas for improvement;
• consolidates reflection on own strengths as contributor in group activities and identifies further opportunities for development.

Assessment standards

We know this when the learner:

• Works with words:
• uses a range of different strategies to spell unfamiliar words;
• creates personal spelling list and dictionary of words across the curriculum and discusses which words give problems;
• uses the dictionary and thesaurus competently for vocabulary and spelling research;
• uses common abbreviations and acronyms appropriately;
• uses word families and words of the same field to develop vocabulary in context;
• uses prefixes and suffixes to work out meaning;
• explains how languages borrow words from one another, and how new words are coined.
• Works with sentences:
• identifies and uses nouns, verbs, modals, adjectives, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and articles;
• identifies and uses a variety of subordinate clauses correctly and appropriately (e.g. ‘As it was late, she went straight home.’);
• identifies and uses relative clauses and relative pronouns (e.g. ‘I know the person who did it.’);
• analyses the grammatical differences between statements, questions, commands, instructions and exclamations;
• identifies and uses the components of a sentence such as subject, verb, direct and indirect object, main and subordinate clauses;
• uses a range of punctuation appropriately (e.g. comma to separate an introductory phrase or clause from the main part of a sentence, and to separate phrases and clauses in a series).
• Works with texts:
• varies use of topic and supporting sentences (e.g. putting topic sentence at end) to develop coherent paragraphs;
• uses connecting words such as ‘therefore’ to develop a logical line of thought in a paragraph;
• links sentences in cohesive paragraphs using, for example, connecting words, and words that are commonly used together (collocations);
• sequences paragraphs in a logical order to create longer texts.
• Develops awareness and use of style:
• uses a variety of sentence lengths and analyses sentence types;
• distinguishes between formal and informal language and uses an appropriate style in writing and speaking;
• uses idioms and idiomatic expressions appropriately and creatively.
• Develops critical language awareness, for example:
• identifies implied meanings and multiple meanings;
• identifies manipulative language and rewrites this without the emotional undertones;
• examines how language is used to construct gender, race, the environment, health, etc., and how the reader is positioned.
• Uses meta-language (terms such as thesaurus, acronym, modal, article, relative clause).