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Here you will find examples of teaching activities that align with the Level 6 English curriculum standards relevant to teaching and learning grammar. Many of these activities and ideas can be manipulated to suit a range of ages and abilities. Please see the Resources page for a list of books and websites with more lesson ideas suitable for a range of levels.
The AusVELS English curriculum (as per the Australian Curriculum) incorporates three interrelated strands: Language, Literature and Literacy (ACARA, 2012; AusVELS, 2015). The Level 6 English curriculum includes aspects of traditional Latin grammar (word and sentence level) such as the use of commas to separate clauses (ACELA1521; AusVELS, 2015). However the standards primarily incorporate functional grammar with a focus on meaning making and contextual language use in varying text types across multimodal forms. This way, grammar teaching can be considered and integrated into unit and lesson plans, without the need for isolated grammar lessons, to provide students with knowledge and understanding of how the English language works across a multiliteracies curriculum (range of modes, e.g. internet, books, newspaper) (Macken-Horarik et. al., 2012).
The AusVELS English curriculum (as per the Australian Curriculum) incorporates three interrelated strands: Language, Literature and Literacy (ACARA, 2012; AusVELS, 2015). The Level 6 English curriculum includes aspects of traditional Latin grammar (word and sentence level) such as the use of commas to separate clauses (ACELA1521; AusVELS, 2015). However the standards primarily incorporate functional grammar with a focus on meaning making and contextual language use in varying text types across multimodal forms. This way, grammar teaching can be considered and integrated into unit and lesson plans, without the need for isolated grammar lessons, to provide students with knowledge and understanding of how the English language works across a multiliteracies curriculum (range of modes, e.g. internet, books, newspaper) (Macken-Horarik et. al., 2012).
Text types/genres - reading, discussing & writing
Reading, discussing/analysing and writing of different text types is an umbrella method in which to incorporate grammar teaching in your classroom. Text types can be examined in a multitude of ways so that the grammar teaching is integrated in a meaningful, contextual manner.
Example activities:
At Level 6, students are expected to understand, evaluate, analyse and produce a range of cohesive texts. As teacher, you should ensure students are exposed to a variety of whole texts for discussion and analysis to assist in the creation of their own coherent writing (Knapp & Watkins, 2005; Waugh et al., 2013).
It is important to move toward independent writing through a practical sequence involving shared reading and familiarisation of a text type, discussion of genre and ideas about the language features and structure, followed by modelled and guided writing before finally moving onto independent writing (Waugh et al., 2013, p158).
Example activities:
- Dissection of a text at the word (e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives) and sentence level (e.g. simple, compound, complex) and for other structural aspects including the use of connectivies/cohesives. This can be done as a whole class where required or in groups or individually at activity stations to reinforce concepts.
- Shared reading of a text to investigate grammatical features including language features (e.g. metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia) and punctuation use.
- Investigation of the language features and text structure of a specific text type/genre to create purpose. This might begin as whole class and move into pairs/groups and individual work for discussion, analysis and writing.
At Level 6, students are expected to understand, evaluate, analyse and produce a range of cohesive texts. As teacher, you should ensure students are exposed to a variety of whole texts for discussion and analysis to assist in the creation of their own coherent writing (Knapp & Watkins, 2005; Waugh et al., 2013).
It is important to move toward independent writing through a practical sequence involving shared reading and familiarisation of a text type, discussion of genre and ideas about the language features and structure, followed by modelled and guided writing before finally moving onto independent writing (Waugh et al., 2013, p158).
CURRICULUM LINKS
Understanding, investigating and writing various text types is a key feature/requirement of the Level 6 English curriculum as can be seen in the content descriptions:
Dimension: Reading and Viewing
/ Strand: Language
- Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)
/Strand: Literacy
- Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711)
Dimension: Writing
/ Strand: Literature
- Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)/ Strand: Literacy
- Plan, draft and publish imaginative, information and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)
Dimension: Speaking and Listening
/ Strand: Language
- Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)
Pair/Group & Individual Work
Practise and reinforcement of concepts can be done in pairs or small groups or as individuals, depending on the needs of your class. Use of a range of presentation methods will help to keep children engaged. These might include the use of computers or handwriting on white boards, in exercise books or on poster paper or drawing. The required output will of course depend on your teaching aims and assessment intent.
Example activities:
Example activities:
- Activity stations whereby students work individually or in groups on different grammar topics. Depending on your teaching aims, these may involve a range of writing and discussion activities such as identifying or answering questions about language features within a text, the creation of sentences or spelling practise.
- Paired writing activities for word and sentence practise.
- Creation of displays or posters, for example, about grammatical concepts or word walls.
CURRICULUM LINKS
Level 6 English Curriculum - Dimension: Writing / Strand: Language
- Understand that cohesive links can be made in texts by omitting or replacing words (ACELA1520)
- Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)
- Understand the uses of commas to separate claues (ACELA1521)
Kinaesthetic Activities
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Whole-class or group activities such as miming, debates and acting used as games, warm-ups or investigations (Dykes, 2007) can help to grasp and reinforce grammar concepts.
Example activities:
Example activities:
- Performing activities (action words/verbs) such as talking, running and smiling, in different ways (adverbs) such as slowly, quickly, loudly, quietly (Waugh et al., 2013)
- Drama/acting activities (characters may be based on current class text or developed by students and teacher) are useful in examining the use of evaluative language to convey feeling and meaning.
- Debates can easily be used in an inter-disciplinary (cross-subject) manner while reinforcing the range of language features of persuasive text such as evaluative adjectives (to give weight), modal verbs and adverbs (to reinforce) and connectives (to give order/structure) (Winch, 2007).
CURRICULUM LINKS
Level 6 English Curriculum
Dimension: Writing
/ Strand: Language
- Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (ACELA1523)
- Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)
- Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)
Dimension: Speaking and Listening
/ Strand: Language
- Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)
/ Strand: Literacy
- Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)
Games
Games are student-centred and can help your class develop a positive attitude to grammar and literacy more generally while at the same time providing opportunity for targeted and repeated practise of various aspects of grammar such as spelling, word choice, punctuation and parts of speech (Pathan & Aldersi, 2014). It is important that the rules and aims are clearly explained, a time-frame is adhered to and the selected game is relevant to your teaching aim and chosen curriculum area (Pathan & Aldersi, 2014).
Example activities:
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CURRICULUM LINKS
Dimension: Writing
/ Strand: Language
- Understand that cohesive links can be made in texts by omitting or replacing words (ACELA1520)
- Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)
- Understand the uses of commas to separate clauses(ACELA1521)