Victorian Curriculum - English Version 2.0 - View levels consecutively down the page

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Level 3

Level 3 Description

The English curriculum is organised under 3 interrelated strands: Language, Literature and Literacy. While each strand articulates the essential skills of English, they should be seen as interlinked and interconnected. Together, the 3 strands focus on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, speaking, reading, viewing and writing. The English curriculum is underpinned by the selection of texts appropriate for the level...

The achievement standards explicitly link together skills drawn from the 3 strands, and map directly into the sub-strands. Unlike the strands, the achievement standards are organised through the language modes of Speaking and Listening, Reading and Viewing, and Writing. Further information about the connections between the content descriptions and the achievement standards can be found in the ‘Learning in English’ section.

At Level 3, students use cooperation strategies to interact, and they engage with spoken, written and visual communication.

The range of literary texts comprises the oral narrative traditions and literature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and classic and contemporary literature from a wide range of Australian and world authors, including texts from and about Asia.

Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment and learning. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts. Texts may include oral texts, picture books, various types of print and digital texts, chapter books, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts, dramatic performances, and texts used by students as models for constructing their own work.

Students engage with a range of texts that support and extend them as independent readers. Informative texts include content of increasing complexity and technicality about topics of interest and topics being studied in other areas of the curriculum. Literary texts may describe events that extend over several pages, unusual happenings within a framework of familiar experiences, and they may include images that extend meaning. These texts use language features including varied sentence structures, some unfamiliar vocabulary, a significant number of high-frequency words that can be decoded using phonic and morphemic knowledge, a variety of punctuation conventions, and illustrations and diagrams that support and extend the printed text.

Students create narrative, informative and persuasive texts, which may include stories, procedures, performances, reports, reviews, poetry and argument for particular purposes and audiences.

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Level 3 Content Descriptions

Language

Language for interacting with others

understand that cooperation with others depends on shared understanding of social conventions, including turn-taking language, which vary according to the degree of formality (VC2E3LA01)
1. recognising and using collaborative language in group and pair work; for example, initiating a topic, changing a topic through negotiation, affirming other speakers and building on their comments, asking relevant questions, providing useful feedback, prompting, and checking individual and group understanding
understand how the language of evaluation and emotion can be varied to be more or less forceful (VC2E3LA02)
1. recognising how choice of adverbs, nouns and verbs present different evaluations of characters in texts
2. exploring examples of language that demonstrate a range of emotions and positions, and building a vocabulary to express judgements about characters or events, for example ‘The wizard was cunning, expert, inventive’

Text structure and organisation

describe how different types of texts across the curriculum have different language features and structures depending on purposes (VC2E3LA03)
1. identifying the stages of a basic argument such as introduction, argument 1, argument 2 and conclusion
2. describing the typical text structure and language features of factual recounts, autobiographies, information reports, narratives, personal responses to literary texts (with reasons), sequential explanations, verse poetry and simple arguments, and describing their purposes
understand that paragraphs are a key organisational feature of the stages of written texts, grouping related information together (VC2E3LA04)
1. recognising that longer informative texts are organised into paragraphs, which begin with a topic sentence that predicts how the paragraph will develop and is then elaborated on in various ways
2. recognising that paragraphs in narrative texts vary in length and do not always follow a predictable structure
3. examining models of well-constructed paragraphs and identifying their features
identify the purpose of layout features in print and digital texts and the words used for navigation (VC2E3LA05)
1. examining the words used as hyperlinks
2. discussing words used as headings and subheadings in digital and print information texts
3. discussing words used for chapter headings in narratives

Language for expressing and developing ideas

understand that a clause is a unit of grammar usually containing a subject and a verb that need to agree (VC2E3LA06)
1. identifying clauses in texts by locating verbs and the key words that link to the verbs, for example ‘While the cat slept, the mouse scurried across the path.’
2. identifying that a singular subject has a singular verb, and a plural subject has a plural verb, for example ‘The girl plays cricket.’ and ‘The girls play cricket.’
understand how verbs represent different processes for doing, feeling, thinking, saying and relating (VC2E3LA07)
1. exploring ‘doing’ and ‘saying’ verbs in narrative texts to understand how they give information about what characters do and say
2. exploring the use of ‘sensing’ verbs and how they allow readers to understand what characters think and feel, for example ‘He remembered his first day at school.’
3. exploring the use of ‘relating’ verbs in constructing definitions and descriptions; for example, identifying the relating verb ‘is’ or ‘are’, ‘has’ or ‘have’ in descriptions of animals
4. identifying different types of verbs and the way that they control meaning in a clause
understand that verbs are anchored in time through tense (VC2E3LA08)
1. learning how time is represented through the tense of a verb (for example, ‘She arrived.’ or ‘She is arriving.’) and adverbials of time (for example, ‘She arrived yesterday.’ or ‘She is arriving in the morning.’)
2. learning that tenses for some verbs are formed by changing the word, for example ‘She catches the ball.’ or ‘She caught the ball.’
understand how modal verbs indicate obligation, probability and possibility (VC2E3LA09)
1. exploring how modal verbs (for example, ‘must’, ‘might’ and ‘could’) indicate degrees of probability or obligation
identify how images and sound extend the meaning of a text (VC2E3LA10)
1. recognising how the relationship between characters can be depicted in images through the positioning of the characters; for example, facing each other or facing away from each other, the distance between them, the relative size, one character looking up (or down) at the other (power relationships), facial expressions and body gestures
2. recognising how images construct a relationship with the viewer through a direct gaze into the viewer’s eyes, inviting involvement, and how close-ups are more engaging than distanced images, which can suggest alienation or loneliness
extend topic-specific and technical vocabulary and know that words can have different meanings in different contexts (VC2E3LA11)
1. identifying and using technical words to describe length, for example metric units of length such as ‘millimetre’ and ‘centimetre’
2. identifying and using words to describe features of narratives, for example ‘character’, ‘plot’ and ‘setting’
3. identifying words that have different meanings in different contexts, for example ‘warm temperature’ and ‘warm character’
4. extending vocabulary by adding prefixes and suffixes to base words, for example ‘different’, ‘differently’ and ‘difference’
understand that apostrophes signal missing letters in contractions, and how apostrophes are used to show singular and plural possession in regular and irregular nouns (VC2E3LA12)
1. using apostrophes to create contractions; for example, ‘do not’ becomes ‘don’t’, ‘will not’ becomes ‘won’t’ and ‘of the clock’ becomes ‘o’clock’
2. using apostrophes to show singular possession, for example ‘my friend’s book’ and ‘the princess’s shoe’
3. using apostrophes to show plural possession, for example ‘the bees’ hive’ and ‘the princesses’ shoes’
4. using apostrophes to show plural possessions in irregular nouns, for example ‘the children’s shoes’ and ‘the mice’s cheese’

Literature

Literature and contexts

discuss characters, settings and events in different contexts in literary texts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors and illustrators and a wide range of Australian and world authors and illustrators (VC2E3LE01)
1. exploring the ways in which a wide range of authors tell the same story, identifying variations in the storyline
2. discussing characters and their relationship with Country/Place and families in literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors
3. discussing similarities and differences in the way that an archetype, such as a wolf, is portrayed in different versions of children’s stories by a wide range of world authors
4. exploring the ways that Australian settings are portrayed in stories

Engaging with and responding to literature

discuss connections between personal experiences and character experiences in a range of literary texts and give reasons for personal preferences (VC2E3LE02)
1. discussing relevant prior knowledge and past experiences to make meaningful connections to the people, places, events, issues and ideas in texts
2. selecting and discussing favourite texts and explaining reasons for assigning greater or lesser merit to particular texts or types of texts

Examining literature

discuss how an author uses language and illustrations to build plots and portray characters and settings in literary texts, and explore how mood is created through settings and events (VC2E3LE03)
1. identifying and discussing how the use of descriptive language creates setting, influences atmosphere and draws readers into events that follow, for example ‘The castle loomed dark and forbidding.’
2. discussing the language used to describe the traits of characters in stories, their actions and motivations, for example ‘Dev was so lonely; he desperately wanted a pet, so he hatched a plan to get what he wanted.’
identify and discuss some literary devices, including rhythm and onomatopoeia in poetry and prose, and discuss the ways that they shape the reader’s reaction (VC2E3LE04)
1. discussing the effects of imagery in texts, for example the use of imagery related to nature in haiku poems
2. generating questions to discuss effects, for example ‘Why does the poet use onomatopoeia in this line of the poem?’

Creating literature

create texts, using or adapting language features, characters, settings, plot structures and ideas from literary texts they have encountered (VC2E3LE05)
1. drawing on literary texts read, viewed and listened to for inspiration and ideas to create texts
2. adapting texts read, viewed and listened to by changing the setting or revising an ending
3. discussing characters encountered in literary texts and sharing ideas about how those characters may be a model for students’ own writing

Literacy

Interacting with others

use interaction skills to contribute to conversations and discussions to share text- or topic-based information and ideas (VC2E3LY01)
1. building on and connecting ideas and opinions expressed by others
2. listening actively, including listening for specific information, recognising the value of others’ contributions and responding through comments, recounts and summaries of information
3. learning the specific speaking or listening skills of different group roles, for example group leader, note taker and reporter
4. using language appropriately in different situations; for example, explaining a procedure to a group or engaging in a game with friends
deliver spoken texts to an audience using features of voice (VC2E3LY02)
1. adjusting tone and pace to purpose and audience

Phonic and word knowledge

understand how to apply knowledge of phoneme–grapheme correspondences, syllables, and blending and segmenting to fluently read and write multisyllabic words with more complex letter patterns (VC2E3LY03)
1. reading and writing more complex words with consonant digraphs and consonant blends, for example ‘shrinking’, ‘against’ and ‘rocket’
2. reading and writing consonant digraphs representing different sounds, for example ‘machine’, ‘change’ and ‘school’
understand how to apply knowledge of common base words, prefixes, suffixes and generalisations for adding a suffix to a base word to read and comprehend new multimorphemic words (VC2E3LY04)
1. understanding how to use knowledge of prefixes to change the meaning of a base word, for example ‘undone’, ‘remove’ and ‘misunderstand’
2. using generalisations for adding a suffix to a base word to form a plural or past tense; for example, to make a word plural when it ends in ‘ss’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’ or ‘z’, add ‘es’
use phoneme–grapheme relationships and less common letter patterns to spell words (VC2E3LY05)
1. using phonic knowledge to explore less common letter patterns after short vowels, for example words that end in ‘dge’, such as ‘badge’, ‘edge’ and ‘fridge’
2. using phonic knowledge and knowledge of letter patterns to spell words with 3-letter blends, for example ‘str-ip’
recognise and know how to write most high-frequency words, including some homophones (VC2E3LY06)
1. using context and syntactic knowledge to spell homophones, for example ‘break’ and ‘brake’ or ‘ate’ and ‘eight’

Building fluency and making meaning

read different types of texts using phonic, semantic and grammatical knowledge to read accurately and fluently for meaning, re-reading and self-correcting when required (VC2E3LY07)
1. using phonic knowledge, word knowledge, vocabulary and grammatical knowledge to read unknown words
2. reading a wider range of texts from different learning areas, including chapter books and informative texts

Texts in context

discuss how texts with similar purposes can be created for different audiences (VC2E3LY08)
1. discussing the ways in which a safety campaign varies depending on its audience; for example, comparing how a road safety campaign for adults driving a car is different to a road safety campaign for children crossing the road
2. discussing how the instructions for assembling and using toys vary according to the age of the intended user

Analysing, interpreting and evaluating

identify the purpose and audience of different types of texts through the use of language features and/or images in the texts (VC2E3LY09)
1. identifying words, phrases and images intended to persuade listeners, viewers or readers
2. identifying features of advertisements that target children
3. identifying the purpose of a narrative text; for example, identifying the purpose of a fable
use comprehension strategies, such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning, to analyse texts by drawing on a growing knowledge of context, text structures and language features to build literal and inferred meanings (VC2E3LY10)
1. making predictions about a text, drawing on knowledge of the topic, subject-specific vocabulary and experience of texts on the same topic
2. identifying important ideas, events or details in texts
3. learning new content from reading and listening, and asking questions to expand understanding
4. comparing and contrasting how different texts present similar ideas or information
5. drawing inferences, using evidence from the text and prior knowledge and experience; for example, making predictions about a character's likely actions or about the content of tabbed pages on a website
6. determining the relevance of a text for a particular task

Creating texts

create narrative, informative and persuasive texts, written and spoken, with ideas grouped in simple paragraphs, using topic-specific and precise vocabulary and multimodal elements as appropriate (VC2E3LY11)
1. gathering information and ideas about a topic in preparation for writing, which may include information and ideas from online and digital sources
2. researching a topic to prepare an oral or multimodal presentation
3. planning the sequence of ideas and information using techniques such as storyboards or a simple flow chart
4. explaining ideas to a peer when planning a presentation
5. selecting an appropriate text structure for a writing purpose, and sequencing content for clarity and to have an impact on an audience
6. using appropriate simple and compound sentences to express and combine ideas
7. using vocabulary, including topic-specific vocabulary, relevant to the type of text and purpose
8. using digital tools to plan, sequence, compose and edit texts
re-read and edit texts for meaning, appropriate structure, grammatical choices and punctuation (VC2E3LY12)
1. using print and online dictionaries and spellcheck to edit spelling, realising that spellcheck accuracy depends on understanding the word function, for example ‘there’ or ‘their’ and ‘rain’ or ‘reign’
2. checking for correct use of apostrophes for contractions and to indicate possession
write words using joined letters that are clearly formed and consistent in size (VC2E3LY13)
1. Content description does not require elaboration.

Level 3 Achievement Standard

By the end of Level 3, students demonstrate the following skills in English.

Speaking and Listening

When interacting with others, students extend topic-specific and appropriate vocabulary and use cooperation strategies and interaction skills to contribute to discussions.

They explore the language of evaluation and emotion.

When speaking to an audience, students deliver short spoken texts, exploring topics and text types, including multimodal or digital elements, and using features of voice.

Reading and Viewing

When reading and viewing, students engage with a range of different types of texts for meaning.

They read using phonic, morphemic and vocabulary knowledge; grammatical knowledge such as subject–verb agreement and tense; and knowledge of apostrophe use.

They read multisyllabic words with more complex letter patterns.

When demonstrating understanding of texts, they discuss connections between the experiences of characters in texts and their own personal experiences to build literal and inferred meanings. They share personal preferences for texts.

They explore how different types of texts across the curriculum, both print and digital, use different structures for purpose and navigation. They identify literary devices, such as rhythm and onomatopoeia, and describe how images and sound can extend meaning.

Writing

When creating written and spoken texts to inform, narrate, explain or argue, students use ideas and details from previously encountered texts, learnt topics or topics of interest, and they include appropriate multimodal elements. They re-read their texts and edit for meaning, structure and grammatical choices.

They use text structures to begin to develop paragraphs for different purposes. They use grammar and punctuation to appropriately represent processes and connections, including using modal verbs.

They extend their use of topic-specific vocabulary, such as technical words, and adopt and adapt language features from texts.

They write texts using letters that are joined, accurately formed and consistent in size. They spell multisyllabic words using phonic and morphemic knowledge, and high-frequency words.