YEAR1 - ENGLISH COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Outline

Overview

The English Syllabus at GEMS Wesgreen International Primary School aims to support students in becoming confident speakers, secure readers and creative writers who can write for a variety of purposes. We provide students with the opportunities to read and write a variety of texts, whilst building on their speaking and listening, reading and language skills.

Learning Outcomes

The aims of all subjects state what a teacher may expect to teach and what a student may expect to experience and learn. These aims suggest how the student may be changed by the learning experience. 

The aims of the English Syllabus are to encourage and enable students to: 

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding
• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information 
• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language
• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage 
• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences 
• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas 
• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate

Ongoing Objective

There are objectives that are covered and built upon throughout each unit of work.

Spoken Language

• To listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers
• To ask relevant questions to extend their understanding and knowledge
• To use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary
• To articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions
• To maintain attention and participate actively in collaborative conversations, staying on topic and initiating and responding to comments
• To speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English.
• To gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)

Reading

• To read accurately by blending sounds in unfamiliar words containing grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs) that have been taught.
• To read common exception words, noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound and where these occur in the word.
• To be able to read other words of more than one syllable that contain taught grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs)
• To read aloud accurately, books that are consistent with their developing phonic knowledge and that do not require them to use other strategies to work out words.
• To re-read these books to build up their fluency and confidence in word reading.

Comprehension

• To be able to listen to and discuss a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently
• To be able to link what they read or hear to their own experiences
• To be able to recognise and join in with predictable phrases
• To discuss word meanings, linking new meanings to those already known
• To draw on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher
• To check that the text makes sense to them as they read and correct inaccurate reading
• To discuss the significance of the title and events
• To make inferences on the basis of what is being said and done
• To be able to predict what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far
• To participate in discussion about what is read to them, taking turns and listening to what others say
• To explain clearly their understanding of what is read to them.

Spellings

• To learn to spell words containing each of the 40+ phonemes already taught
• To learn to spell common exception words
• To be able to spell the days of the week
• To name the letters of the alphabet in order and use letter names to distinguish between alternative spellings of the same sounds
• To be able to write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words using the GPCs and common exception words taught so far
• To be able to divide words into syllables e.g. pocket, rabbit, carrot, thunder

Handwriting and Presentation

• To form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another
• To use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.

Composition

• To begin to punctuate sentences using a capital letter and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
• To be able to sequence sentences to form short narratives
• To consider what they are going to write before beginning by:
• saying out loud what they are going to write about
• composing a sentence orally before writing it
• To discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• To be able to read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher.
• To read aloud what they have written with appropriate intonation to make the meaning clear
• To join words and joining clauses using ‘and’

Unit Overviews

Term 1

Unit 1 – Fiction: Exploring Stories

Approximate length: 6 weeks

In this first unit of KG2/ Year 1, the children will explore how to write simple lists, labels and captions. This opening unit allows the teachers to build a rapport with the students as they introduce objects and activities they like. The students look at the components that are required to make up a sentence and begin to choose appropriate adjectives to describe an object. We read books that the children are familiar with to spark their interest.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Leaving spaces between words
• Using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'
• Know that words can combine to make sentences

Unit 2 – Non-Fiction: Report Writing

Approximate length: 5 weeks

In this unit, the children explore a variety of different countries and continue practice sentence structure and formation in the form of report writing.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
• Leaving spaces between words
• Using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'
• Introduction to capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to demarcate sentences
• Know that words can combine to make sentences

Term 2

Unit 3 – Narrative: Traditional Tales

Approximate length: 5 weeks

In this unit, the children explore a variety of Traditional Tales. They are given the opportunity to explore their opinions of the different tales and are encouraged to read for pleasure.  We identify the structure and language features of a Traditional Tale as well as plenty of opportunities to role-play. The children will have opportunities to change parts of the story and attempt to write extended sentences, as well as more sentences.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• Re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
• Joining words and joining clauses using 'and'
• Beginning to punctuate sentences using a capital letter and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
• Speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
• Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates
• Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)

Unit 4 – Non-Fiction: Information Writing

Approximate length: 4 weeks

In this unit, children will learn about the classification of animals and learn key facts about different types of animals including; mammals, insects, birds, fish and reptiles.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
• Leaving spaces between words
• Using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'
• Introduction to capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to demarcate sentences
• Know that words can combine to make sentences

Unit 5 – Recount

Approximate length: 2 weeks

In this unit, children will learn about recounts and writing in the past tense, they will learn how to write a recount in the correct order.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
• Leaving spaces between words
• Using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'
• Introduction to capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to demarcate sentences
• Know that words can combine to make sentences

Term 3

Unit 6 – Non-Fiction; Instruction Writing

Approximate length: 4 weeks

In this unit, the children explore a variety of instruction texts. They are given the opportunity to follow instructions and create objects through following the instructions. Students will be learning about Plants, growing their own seed and then writing instructions on how to plant a seed and how to look after it. We identify the structure and language features of instructions and the students write their own set of instructions.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• To participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play/improvisations and debates
• Joining words and joining clauses using 'and'
• Beginning to punctuate sentences using a capital letter and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• Re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
• Using -ing, -ed, -er and -est where no change is needed in the spelling of root words [for example, helping, helped, helper, eating, quicker, quickest]
• Joining words and joining clauses using and
• Introduction to capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to demarcate sentences

Unit 7– Letter Writing

Approximate length: 2 weeks

In this unit, the children explore how to write a letter and understand what to include in a letter.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Leaving spaces between words
• Using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'
• Know that words can combine to make sentences

Unit 8 – Rhyme and Poetry

Approximate length: 3 weeks

In this unit, the children explore a variety of well-known poems and nursery rhymes. They are given the opportunity to learn and recite the poems, identify rhyming words, as well as take part in role play activities.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• Sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly
• Begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Leaving spaces between words
• Using a capital letter for names of people, places, the days of the week, and the personal pronoun 'I'
• Know that words can combine to make sentences
• To learn to appreciate rhymes and poems, and to recite some by heart

Unit 9 – Fiction: Fantasy Stories

Approximate length: 2 weeks

In this Unit children will explore how to write a descriptive piece of writing. The children will focus on using their imagination to write a short narrative.

Specific National Curriculum Objectives Covered:

• To participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play/improvisations and debates
• Joining words and joining clauses using 'and'
• Beginning to punctuate sentences using a capital letter and a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
• Saying out loud what they are going to write about
• Composing a sentence orally before writing it
• Sequencing sentences to form short narratives
• Re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense
• Discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils
• Read aloud their writing clearly enough to be heard by their peers and the teacher
• Using -ing, -ed, -er and -est where no change is needed in the spelling of root words [for example, helping, helped, helper, eating, quicker, quickest]
• Joining words and joining clauses using and
• Introduction to capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks to demarcate sentences
• Know that words can combine to make sentences
• Regular plural noun suffixes –s or –es [for example, dog, dogs; wish, wishes], including the effects of these suffixes on the meaning of the noun

Assessment

Formative: Throughout the units, the children will complete graded work, quizzes and speaking and listening activities which allows the teacher to assess the students attainment and inform their planning. 

Summative: At the end of each term we complete internal and standardized tests. This allows us to measure the students’ progress throughout the term and year.