Find a skill and its lesson.

Reading, viewing and listening to texts

1. Re-reads closely to uncover main ideas and layers of meaningBuilds on: Supports inferences with evidence from the text (Years 5–6); Summarises and organises the main ideas of a text (Years 5–6)
2. Explores how culture and time shape language in textsBuilds on: Identifies where words come from (Years 5–6); Explains how perspective is shaped by context and authorial choice (Years 5–6)
3. Explains a personal response and where it comes fromBuilds on: Chooses texts and reading approaches for a purpose (Years 5–6)
4. Reads strategically: pathways, context cues and reading aloudBuilds on: Uses signposts and structure to find information fast (Years 5–6); Uses morphology and etymology to unlock unfamiliar words (Years 5–6)
5. Sustains wide reading across diverse perspectivesBuilds on: Explains a personal response and where it comes from
6. Reflects on what reading has taught youBuilds on: Sustains wide reading across diverse perspectives; Monitors, repairs and evaluates own comprehension strategies (Years 5–6)

Understanding and responding to texts A

1. Analyses how characters are constructed and what they representBuilds on: Analyses character attributes, archetypes and development (Years 5–6)
2. Identifies imagery, simile, metaphor and personification and analyses their effectBuilds on: Analyses figurative language, symbol and imagery in literature (Years 5–6)
3. Analyses narrative conventions and the identities they depictBuilds on: Analyses narrative conventions and the expectations they set (Years 5–6)
4. Analyses narrative voice, focaliser and personBuilds on: Explains how perspective is shaped by context and authorial choice (Years 5–6); Reads dialogue, quoted speech and reported speech (Years 3–4)
5. Understands texts as acts of representation and describes them with metalanguageBuilds on: Collects and uses newly met words, including metalanguage (Years 5–6); Explains how perspective is shaped by context and authorial choice (Years 5–6)
6. Analyses images, film and multimodal texts using their codes and conventionsBuilds on: Explains why an author structured a text the way they did (Years 5–6); Understands texts as acts of representation and describes them with metalanguage

Understanding and responding to texts B

1. Analyses how arguments are constructed and evidencedBuilds on: Judges argument, objectivity and the authority of texts (Years 5–6)
2. Explains how texts position readers to accept a point of viewBuilds on: Explains how perspective is shaped by context and authorial choice (Years 5–6); Distinguishes fact from opinion, identifies bias and questions the author (Years 5–6)
3. Explains how cultural context shapes a text and its languageBuilds on: Explains how texts position readers to accept a point of view; Explores how culture and time shape language in texts
4. Describes the stylistic and aesthetic qualities of a textBuilds on: Weighs modality and shades of meaning between synonyms (Years 5–6); Understands texts as acts of representation and describes them with metalanguage
5. Identifies themes and explains how they develop across a textBuilds on: Identifies the recurring messages in literature (Years 5–6); Re-reads closely to uncover main ideas and layers of meaning
6. Analyses personal voice and how a text builds authorityBuilds on: Analyses how arguments are constructed and evidenced

Understanding and responding to texts C

1. Analyses genre conventions and how texts exhibit or challenge themBuilds on: Explains genre codes and the texts that break them (Years 5–6); Analyses narrative conventions and the identities they depict
2. Analyses connections between texts, including adaptations and appropriationsBuilds on: Analyses genre conventions and how texts exhibit or challenge them; Compares and synthesises texts on the same topic (Years 5–6)
3. Explains why texts are valued differently in different contextsBuilds on: Describes the stylistic and aesthetic qualities of a text; Analyses connections between texts, including adaptations and appropriations

Essay craft and composing written texts

1. Controls the structural and grammatical conventions of imaginative, informative and persuasive writingBuilds on: Controls tense, referencing, substitution and paragraph transitions across a whole text (Years 5–6); Varies sentence type and length for clarity and effect suited to text purpose (Years 5–6)
2. Discusses a central idea from personal and objective positionsBuilds on: Writes objective arguments, blends them with personal ones, and presents multiple viewpoints (Years 5–6)
3. Uses imagery, figurative language and modality to create tone, atmosphere and moodBuilds on: Uses metaphor, hyperbole, oxymoron and allusion for effect (Years 5–6); Targets rhetorical devices and modality to qualify or strengthen arguments (Years 5–6)
4. Composes persuasive texts with a defining thesis, elaboration paragraphs and a synthesising conclusionBuilds on: Builds a statement of position and logical lines of argument to a rhetorical conclusion (Years 5–6); Writes objective arguments, blends them with personal ones, and presents multiple viewpoints (Years 5–6)
5. Uses rhetorical language to shape ideas and express a perspectiveBuilds on: Targets rhetorical devices and modality to qualify or strengthen arguments (Years 5–6)
6. Structures and sequences texts cohesively and orients the reader in the openingBuilds on: Controls tense, referencing, substitution and paragraph transitions across a whole text (Years 5–6)
7. Writes a structured analytical text with introduction, supporting points and conclusionBuilds on: Chooses informative formats and organises ideas into logically sequenced paragraphs (Years 5–6); Structures and sequences texts cohesively and orients the reader in the opening
8. Supports arguments with subjective and objective evidence, and refutes counterargumentsBuilds on: Composes persuasive texts with a defining thesis, elaboration paragraphs and a synthesising conclusion
9. Embeds textual evidence within sentences to support a personal perspectiveBuilds on: Writes a structured analytical text with introduction, supporting points and conclusion
10. Composes informative texts that summarise conceptual informationBuilds on: Writes a structured analytical text with introduction, supporting points and conclusion

Imaginative and poetic composition

1. Creates imaginative texts that drive plot, develop character and build place and atmosphereBuilds on: Crafts imaginative texts with deliberate choices of setting, character, voice and theme (Years 5–6)
2. Selects poetic forms and features to express ideas and personal perspectivesBuilds on: Selects poetic forms to express ideas descriptively (Years 5–6)
3. Experiments with unpredictable structural features to engage a readerBuilds on: Creates imaginative texts that drive plot, develop character and build place and atmosphere
4. Develops thematic elements around a central complication or conflictBuilds on: Creates imaginative texts that drive plot, develop character and build place and atmosphere
5. Reshapes aspects of texts to create new meaningBuilds on: Creates imaginative texts that drive plot, develop character and build place and atmosphere

Representing and multimodal composition

1. Composes visual and multimodal texts that create tone, atmosphere and moodBuilds on: Chooses multimodal features for an audience and acknowledges sources (Years 5–6)

Sentence-level grammar and punctuation

1. Embeds adjectival clauses and positions adverbial phrases and clauses to clarify meaningBuilds on: Embeds adjectival clauses and repositions adverbial clauses for effect (Years 5–6)
2. Selects noun groups and verb forms to control clarity and express modalityBuilds on: Uses appositives and nominalisation to write succinctly and authoritatively (Years 5–6)
3. Applies a wide range of punctuation to control clarity, pace and reader responseBuilds on: Uses parentheses, dashes and hyphens, and experiments with punctuation for effect (Years 5–6)
4. Constructs varied sentence structures and controls the four sentence types for purposeBuilds on: Varies sentence type and length for clarity and effect suited to text purpose (Years 5–6)
5. Controls agreement, prepositions, articles, conjunctions, linking devices and pronouns for cohesionBuilds on: Controls tense, referencing, substitution and paragraph transitions across a whole text (Years 5–6)
6. Controls active and passive voice and tense for particular purposesBuilds on: Controls tense, referencing, substitution and paragraph transitions across a whole text (Years 5–6)
7. Applies punctuation conventions for quotations and citing sourcesBuilds on: Uses capitals, commas and quotation marks consistently across a text (Years 5–6); Embeds textual evidence within sentences to support a personal perspective

Word-level language and spelling

1. Spells unfamiliar, complex and technical words using phonological, orthographic and morphological knowledgeBuilds on: Segments unfamiliar multisyllabic words and applies infrequent graphemes (Years 5–6); Adds derivational suffixes and assimilated prefixes to base words and roots (Years 5–6)
2. Selects topic-specific vocabulary that contributes to the stylistic features of writingBuilds on: Uses Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary, synonyms and modality with control (Years 5–6)

Planning, monitoring, revising and reflecting

1. Uses model texts to plan and to shape compositional choicesBuilds on: Plans hybrid texts and researches from several sources using print or digital tools (Years 5–6)
2. Monitors accuracy and responds to verbal and written feedbackBuilds on: Justifies authorial decisions and edits own and others' writing against criteria (Years 5–6)
3. Integrates information and perspectives from different sources into informed textsBuilds on: Assesses the reliability and authority of sources when researching (Years 5–6)
4. Reflects on own composition using technical vocabularyBuilds on: Monitors accuracy and responds to verbal and written feedback
5. Develops a coherent thesis for extended analytical and persuasive textsBuilds on: Composes persuasive texts with a defining thesis, elaboration paragraphs and a synthesising conclusion; Writes a structured analytical text with introduction, supporting points and conclusion
6. Plans a logical sequence of arguments and sets goals at conceptual, text and paragraph levelBuilds on: Develops a coherent thesis for extended analytical and persuasive texts
7. Produces co-constructed texts that represent different ideas and valuesBuilds on: Plans a logical sequence of arguments and sets goals at conceptual, text and paragraph level

Speaking

1. Participates in informal, speculative and exploratory discussion about texts and ideasBuilds on: Initiates and sustains a discussion by questioning, building on and evaluating ideas (Years 5–6); Applies interactive and active listening strategies and gives feedback to a speaker (Years 5–6)
2. Delivers a spoken text with control of intonation, emphasis, volume, pace and timingBuilds on: Delivers a presentation suited to purpose and audience, moderating length, content and style (Years 5–6); Experiments with volume, pace and intonation and recognises the effect on the audience (Years 5–6)
3. Creates spoken, signed or communicated texts that convey ideas and viewpoints to an audienceBuilds on: Delivers a spoken text with control of intonation, emphasis, volume, pace and timing; Identifies imagery, simile, metaphor and personification and analyses their effect
4. Uses rhetorical strategies to engage an audience and evoke an emotional responseBuilds on: Delivers a spoken text with control of intonation, emphasis, volume, pace and timing; Presents a researched multimodal argument with references and persuasive techniques (Years 5–6); Writes a persuasive text with a stated position, sequenced arguments and a conclusion (Years 3–4)