The Year 6 Learner

 

Approach

 

In English lessons, children are taught speaking, listening, reading and writing skills through studying a variety of styles of writing (genres).  Teachers follow the Teaching Sequence for Writing, which means that children will firstly be taught to read and understand the text, then practise the skills of the style of writing (including grammar) and apply into their own writing. 

 

The Primary National Curriculum statements will be taught through the modules below.

 

Y6 English Coverage

 

The Year 6 English curriculum consists of the following modules:

 

Poetry

 

Fiction

Historical Stories

Significant Authors

Adventure Stories/Quests

Flashback stories

Extending narratives

 

Non-Fiction

Recounts

Persuasive texts and balanced arguments

 

Key poets/authors your children will encounter are:

 

David Wiesner

Michael Morpurgo

Eugene Trivizas & Helen Oxbury

Tom Mitton

Fiona French

Philip Pullman

Shakespeare

 

Recommended reading list (a variety is best):

 

Key Texts:

 

Fantasy

 

Skellig – David Almond

The Various – Steve Augarde

Artemis Fowl – Eoin Colfer

The Bag of Bones – Vivian French

Inkheart trilogy – Cornelia Funke

Coraline – Neil Gaiman

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen – Alan Garner

Pure Dead Magic – Debi Gliori

Wolf Brother – Michelle Paver

Truckers – Terry Pratchett

The Spiderwick Chronicles – Lynne Reid Banks

Goblins series – Philip Reeve

Wonderstruck – Brian Selznick

The Amulet of Samarkand – Jonathon Stroud

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making – Catherynne M. Valente

Tanglewreck – Jeanette Winterson

 

Science Fiction

 

Supernaturalist – Eoin Colfer

Grinny: Grinny and You Remember Me – Nicholas Fisk

Among the Hidden – Margaret Peterson Haddix

Double Identity – Margaret Peterson Haddix

Maphead – Lesley Howarth

The Giver – Lois Lowry

Other Worlds: 10 Amazing Sci Fi Stories – Rick Riordan ed.

Timesnatch – Robert Swindells

Hydra – Robert Swindells

 

Chilling Stories

 

The Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman

Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror – Chris Priestley

Horowitz Horror – Anthony Horowitz

Breathe – Cliff McNish

At the Firefly Gate – Linda Newberry

Chill – Alex Nye

Tales from the Tunnel’s Mouth – Chris Priestley

Tales of Terror From the Black Ship – Chris Priestley

Marianne Dreams – Catherine Storr

 

Real Life

 

Pig Heart Boy – Malorie Blackman (science/ethics)

Tangerine – Edward Bloor (blindness)

The Eighteenth Emergency – Betsy Byars  (bullying)

The 10PM Question – Kate De Gold (worry/anxiety)

Running on Cracks – Julia Donaldson (running from home – mature themes)

Step By Wicked Step – Anne Fine  (step parenting)

Dead End in Norvelt – Jack Gantos  (boredom, friendship)

Love, Aubrey – Suzanne LaFleur (family)

Hangman  - Julia Jarman (bullying)

The View from Saturday – E.L. Konisburg (friendship)

The Other Side of Truth – Bevery Naidoo (refugee)

Wonder – R.J. Palacio (appearance)

 

Adventure

 

Noah Barleywater Runs Away – John Boyne

Ruby Holler – Sharon Creech

Danny: the champion of the world – Roald Dahl

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – Kate DiCamillo

Stormbreaker – Anthony Horowitz

The Devil and his Boy – Anthony Horowitz

Journey to the River Sea – Eva Ibbotson

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – E. L. Konigsburg

Outlaw: the Legend of Robin Hood – Tony Lee

The Ghost of Thomas Kempe – Penelope Lively

Mortal Engines – Phillip Reeves

Varjak Paw – S. F. Said

The Invention of Hugo Cabret – Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck – Brian Selznick

 

War

 

Warboy – Michael Foreman

Once/Now/Then/After – Morris Gleitzman

Goodnight, Mr Tom – Michelle Magorian

War Horse – Michael Morpurgo

At the Firefly Gate – Linda Newberry

Johnny and the bomb – Terry Pratchett

My Friend the Enemy – Dan Smith

The Machine Gunners – Robert Westall

Carrie’s War – Nina Bawden

Doodlebug Summer – Alison Price

Soldier Dog – Sam Angus

 

Mysteries

 

Chasing Vermeer – Blue Bailliett

The Crossroads – Chris Grabenstein

Silver Fin – Charlie Higson

The Case of the London Dragonfish – Joan Lennon

The Sign of the Black Dagger – Joan Lingard

Magnus Finn and the Selkie Secret – Janis Mackay

Out of the Depths – Cathy MacPhail

Flood and Fang – Marcus Sedgwick

Humour

How to Train Your Dragon - Cressida Cowell

How To Train Your Dragon http://www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/

How to speak dragonese - Cressida Cowell

The Meanwhile Adventures – Roddy Doyle

Boom! – Mark Haddon

Ribblestrop – Andy Mulligan

Goblins series – Philip Reeve

Holes – Louis Sachar

There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom – Loius Sachar

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat – Dave Shelton

Gangsta Granny – David Walliams

Ratburger – David Walliams

 

Animals

 

The Midnight Fox – Betsy Byars

The Tale of Despereaux – Kate DiCamillo

Charlotte’s Web – E.B.White

Flush – Carl Hiaasen

One Boy and His Dog – Eva Ibbotson

A Coyote in the House – Elmore Leonard

The Call of the Wild – Jack London

Going Home –Cliff McNish

Why the Whales Came – Michael Morpurgo

The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips – Michael Morpurgo

War Horse – Michael Morpurgo

Catscape – Mike Nicholson

Wolf Brother – Michelle Paver

The Outlaw Varjack Paw – S.F. Said

Black Beauty – Anna Sewell

 

Curriculum Content

 

Speaking and Listening

Children will be taught to discuss their learning and to develop speaking skills. They will become more familiar with and confident in, using language in a variety of situations, for a range of audiences and purposes. They will, for example

·Develop their understanding of a subject through discussions, learning to give their opinions and listen to other viewpoints.

·Speak clearly and in different ways for drama, formal presentations and debate.

·They will prepare work orally, through drama and role play, discussing, rehearsing and recording their ideas.

 

Reading

 

This part of the curriculum is broken down into ‘word reading’ and ‘comprehension’. 

Word reading will not be directly taught, except where individuals need support.  Instead, children will be encouraged to work out unfamiliar words that they meet.  They should use their knowledge of word roots and word families to help them to understand new words.  Children will be taught key comprehension skills to enable them to read, understand and enjoy a wide range of books. Year 6 will have the opportunity to read and discuss a wider range of fiction, poetry, plays and non-fiction.  They will, for example:

·Identify and discuss themes and conventions across a wide range of writing

·Predict what may happen based on evidence and clues given

·Give responses to texts and recommend books to peers, giving reasons for views and choices

·Use clues from the text to work out characters’ feeling, actions or motives and give evidence to back their conclusions

·Discuss and evaluate how authors use language (including figurative language) and consider the impact on the reader.

·Compare different texts

 

Writing

 

Writing is developed through teaching the following:

 

Spelling: Children should learn to spell new words correctly and have opportunities to practise spelling skills.  They will be taught spelling patterns and conventions, and draw on their knowledge of word families and roots to help them spell new words correctly.  They will continue to practise and use the words included in Appendix 1 of the National Curriculum for years 5 & 6. Children will be expected to use a dictionary and thesaurus.

 

Handwriting: Pupils will continue to be taught handwriting in order to increase speed, fluency and legibility.

 

Composition (structure): This includes vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. To develop their composition skills, the children will be taught to

·Plan, draft, compose, edit and evaluate their writing

·Use a wide variety of punctuation and grammar features with confidence

·Refine their grammar and vocabulary to further develop the effectiveness of their writing

·Use a wider range of techniques to build detail into their writing and ensure it flows smoothly throughout the sections of a piece.

·Build on their understanding of the differences between Standard and non-Standard English, and will also focus on how to achieve different levels of formality in their spoken and written language.

·Adapt writing for a range of purposes and audiences as part of their work across the curriculum. In year 6 this will include (cross curricular example, schools to insert their own)

 

Grammar will be taught throughout the writing process and teachers will follow the terms and concepts of Appendix 2 of the National Curriculum.

 

Should you wish for a more detailed explanation, please follow this link to the Primary National Curriculum document