FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY

KSSM

English Language
Form 1

Syllabus
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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Secondary Form 1
Syllabus

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
 Secondary Form 1 Syllabus

Overview:

The aim of learning English in Form 1 is to continue providing pupils with positive and
successful experiences with English, along with an integrated focus on grammar and varied
and continued practice of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and
Literature in Action. This syllabus sets out the themes, topics, grammar and vocabulary
pupils will learn in Form 1. It also provides a list of suggested text types suitable for pupils in
Form 1.

Themes and Topics:

The English Language Curriculum for Malaysian Secondary Schools emphasises the
importance of sustaining the use of the English language within and beyond the classroom.
The curriculum adopts an inter-disciplinary approach and this is reflected within the four
broad themes of:

People and Culture

Health and Environment
Science and Technology
Consumerism and Financial Awareness

The selected textbook for Form 1 (Pulse 2 Units 1 5) and the lessons that teachers will
create themselves (i.e. the non-textbook-based lessons) will all be based on the above four
themes. Details of themes and lessons can be found within the Scheme of Work document.

Grammar:

In Form 1 there will be a number of lessons where grammar is explicitly focused on. These
will cover a range of grammatical structures and functions at the A2 level of the CEFR.
Although grammar is explicitly taught, it should be noted that teachers will need to ensure
that grammatical structures and functions are integrated where possible within lessons
focusing on the four skills Literature in Action. For this reason, grammar lessons are referred
to as Language Awareness lessons within the Scheme of Work.

This syllabus will provide teachers with the list of grammatical structures and functions
covered within the Pulse 2 textbook, and an additional list which teachers will need to refer
to when creating their own non-textbook-based lessons.

Vocabulary:

The Form 1 syllabus lists vocabulary in two ways: by textbook unit and by category.
The words in the Form 1 wordlist come from the Pulse 2 textbook, Units 1 5. These words
are repeated within the textbook units, and so pupils will have the opportunity to recycle
them as they learn to use them. There is also a Study Guide section at the end of each unit
to provide consolidation of vocabulary (and of language structures). The non-textbook-based
lessons should ideally aim to recycle some of the textbook-based vocabulary whenever
possible.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Pupils are not expected to learn all these words by heart, or to spell all of them with 100%
accuracy; although good accuracy in spelling is a requirement at A2 level, complete
accuracy in spelling is above the A2 target in the CEFR.

The wordlist does not show all the words which pupils will meet in Form 1. Teachers can, of
course, choose other words for pupils to learn or omit some words from the wordlist, if this is
appropriate to their local context.

In addition to the provided wordlist within this syllabus document, teachers are encouraged
to consult the following additional vocabulary resources:

1. English Vocabulary Profile (EVP): The EVP shows the most common words and
phrases that pupils need to know in British or American English. The meaning of
each word or phrase in the wordlist has been assigned a level between A1 and C2
on the CEFR. The EVP can therefore provide teachers with guidance on A2
appropriate words.

EVP can be accessed at http://www.englishprofile.org/wordlists

2. Cambridge English: Key for Schools Wordlist: Although this is a wordlist which
teachers can use to prepare their pupils for the A2 Key for Schools Examination,
teachers will find this to be a user-friendly resource as this provides A2 words within
an accessible wordlist document.

http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/22105-ket-vocabulary-list.pdf

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS):

Pupils have frequent opportunities to develop higher order thinking skills as they learn
English in Form 1 using The Pulse 2 textbook. For example, in Unit 3, pupils read a text
about lightning and are then asked to investigate this subject further on the internet which
requires them to evaluate the content of various web pages before making their selection.
Pupils then compare the information they have found and collaborate to design and produce
a fact sheet. This gives pupils opportunities to analyse, evaluate and prioritise information.
Pupils will also need to justify their reasoning behind the selection of their chosen facts. The
practice of these skills is repeated throughout the textbook.

In the non-textbook-based lessons, teachers have the opportunity to expand their pupils
higher order thinking skills according to observed needs within the class. A particularly good
opportunity to do this is within the Literature in Action lessons where pupils are encouraged
to respond to a range of texts. Here pupils can be encouraged to infer cause and
consequence, speculate on alternative outcomes to storylines, assess and criticise
characters behaviours or choices, invent new endings or outcomes and to create their own
expression of the themes explored by writing their own poems and stories.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Text types:

It is important to ensure that pupils are exposed to a variety of text types. The selected text
types should be based on pupils needs and interests. The selected text types below are
varied and are appropriate to the A2 level within CEFR. The Pulse 2 textbook contains
several of the chosen text types below (e.g. magazine article, magazine interview, news
reports, online news article). Teachers are also encouraged to incorporate a range of text
types within their own non-textbook-based lessons. Teachers should note that other text
types which suit their pupils needs or interests are of course possible.

Suggested Text Types:

Articles Leaflets
Adverts Maps
Blog posts Message boards
Charts Online articles
Comics Poems
Dialogues Questionnaires
Graphs Quizzes
Guides Stories
Instructions Web pages
Interviews

Text content:

When creating, selecting or adapting text content for Form 1, teachers should focus on
content which is within their pupils interest or experience and can widen their world
knowledge. The concepts within the text should be varied in order to integrate concrete
specific and some abstract concepts such as national identity, cultural values etc.)

Text content should include support for pupils when suitable (e.g. pictures to support a text
about geographical descriptions). They should also provide opportunities for pupils to
engage with texts about real life appropriate to their age range and level. Where possible,
text content should reflect the Malaysian National Education Policy that aims to develop a
greater understanding and sensitivity of the different races and ethnic groups within
Malaysia.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Form 1 Textbook scope and sequence

Theme Unit Topic Language Awareness Content Vocabulary

People and 1 What do you like? Present simple Free-time activities
Culture chat online
a. Affirmative do water sports
I / We / You wear casual clothes. go to a caf
He / She / [It] watches films. go to a concert
b. Negative go to the gym
I / We / You / They dont study art. go for a run
He / She / [It] doesnt play rugby. go shopping
c. Questions and short answers hang out with friends
Do I / you / we / they live in a house? listen to music
Yes, I do. / No, I dont. play computer games
Does he / she / [it] like to sing? play volleyball
Yes, he / she / [it] does. send text messages
No, he / she / [it] doesnt. surf the internet
watch DVDs
Present continuous
Skills and abilities
a. Affirmative act
Im dancing. bake a cake
You / We / Theyre cooking. cook
He / She / [It]s watching a DVD. dance
b. Negative do tricks
Im not talking to Jane. draw
We / You / They arent listening. drive a car
He / She / [It] isnt listening. paint
c. Questions and short answers play a musical instrument
Am I going fast? ride a motorbike
Yes, I am. sing
Are we / you / they eating? speak a language
Yes, we are. tell jokes
Is / he / she / [it] playing the guitar? write songs
No, he / she / [it] isnt.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
 Time words
always
at the moment
every day
now
often
once a week / month / year
never
sometimes
today
tonight
usually

People and 2 Fact or fiction? Past simple Literature

Culture adventure story
a. affirmative autobiography
I read the book in class. biography
They enjoyed the autobiography. comic novel
b. negative cookery book
I didnt see the film adaptation. detective novel
They didnt want to read the ending. fairy tale
c. questions historical novel
Did I finish the book? poetry book
Did you like the main character? romantic novel
d. short answers science fiction novel
Yes, I / you / he / she / it / we / they did. thriller
No, I / you / he / she / it / we / they didnt. travel guide

was / were

a. affirmative
He was an actor.
Many events were free.
b. negative
It wasnt a good performance.
They werent in the show.
c. questions
Was I / he / she / [it] an explorer?
Were we / you / they critical about the novel?

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
 d. short answers Professions
No, I / he / she / [it] wasnt. astronaut
Yes, we / you / they were. athlete
comedian
could / couldnt dancer
engineer
a. affirmative explorer
You could visit many places. inventor
b. negative musician
We couldnt see the stage. painter
c. questions pilot
Could they perform? politician
d. short answers scientist
Yes, they could. / No, they couldnt. writer

Health and 3 Wild weather Past continuous Weather

Environment blizzard
a. affirmative cloudy
I / He / She / [It] was talking with friends. damp
We / You / They were doing their homework. dry
b. negative foggy
I / He / She / [It] wasnt tidying her room. hailstones
We / You / They werent eating lunch. heatwave
c. questions icy
Was it snowing? rainy
Were we / you / they walking? snowy
d. short answers stormy
Yes, it was. sunny
No, we / you / they werent. thunder and lightning
warm
Adjectives and Adverbs wet
windy
Its cold. Dress warmly.
Its foggy. Drive carefully.
Its raining hard today.
I can easily do this exercise.
She speaks English well.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
 Past continuous and past simple Natural disasters
avalanche
His mum was cooking dinner when she heard a drought
shout. earthquake
Lots of brick fell on me while I was lying on the famine
ground. flood
hurricane
landslide
tornado
tsunami
volcano
wildfire

Health and 4 Life on Earth Comparatives and superlatives Geography and landscape
Environment beach
faster - the fastest canyon
hotter - the hottest cave
funnier - the funniest cliff
more expensive - the most expensive coast
better - the best desert
worse - the worst forest
island
a / an, some, any, countable nouns lake
mountain
Countable nouns ocean
reef
He climbed a mountain. river
Theres an elephant. valley
There are some great beaches. waterfalls
I havent got a car.
There arent any animals on the island.
Is that a waterfall?
Are there any owls?

Uncountable nouns

I need some information about volunteering.

There isnt any clean water in some countries.
Did you try any special food?

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Much, many, a lot of Animals
bee
Countable nouns butterfly
crocodile
There are a lot of volunteering projects. elephant
I didnt go to many boring places. giraffe
How many people were there? gorilla
owl
Uncountable nouns penguin
polar bear
We had a lot of time to explore the city. rhinoceros
There isnt much rain in summer. snake
How much food will we need? tiger
turtle
whale

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Science and 5 Lets experiment will / wont Science
Technology battery
a. affirmative clone
Robots will work for humans. cure
We will be able to do more things we enjoy. disease
b. negative DNA
Learning a second language wont be necessary. genetically modified crops
c. questions planet
Will humans be able to fly? satellite
d. short answers solar panel
Yes, they will. / No, they wont. spacecraft
vaccine
First conditional wind turbine

a. situation result
If scientists continue to experiment, we will find
cures for more diseases.
b. result situation
There will be more explosions in our science class
if we arent careful with the chemicals. Science in the classroom
acid
air
bubbles
chemical reaction
explosion
gas
gravity
jug
laboratory
liquid
pressure
temperature
test tube
thermometer

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Form 1 Textbook vocabulary by category

Animals Free time activities Fixed phrases

bee, butterfly, crocodile, elephant, giraffe, gorilla, chat online, do water sports, go to a caf, go to a Congratulations.
owl, penguin, polar bear, rhinoceros, snake, tiger concert, go to the gym, go for a run, go shopping, Cool!
turtle, whale hang out with friends, listen to music, play Exactly!
computer games, play volleyball, send text Great, thanks!
messages, surf the internet, watch DVDs Hi there.
Hows it going?
It looks great / nice.
Many happy returns!
Me too.
Nice to meet you.
No way!
Okay, brilliant!
Okay, lets go!
Sounds fun.
Thats a good idea.
Thats right.
Thats true.
Wow!
Youre joking.
Yeah.
Yuk!

Geography and landscape Literature Natural disasters

beach, canyon, cave, cliff, coast, desert, forest, adventure story, autobiography, biography, avalanche, drought, earthquake, famine,
island, lake, mountain, ocean, reef, river ,valley comic novel, cookery book, detective novel, flood, hurricane, landslide, tornado, tsunami
waterfalls fairy tale, historical novel, poetry book, romantic volcano, wildfire
novel, science fiction novel, thriller, travel guide

Professions Skills and abilities Time words

astronaut, athlete, comedian, dancer, engineer, act, bake a cake, cook, dance, do tricks, draw, now, at the moment, today, tonight
explorer, inventor, musician, painter, pilot, drive a car, paint, play a musical instrument, ride a always, usually, often, sometimes, never, every
politician, scientist, writer motorbike, sing, speak a language, tell jokes, write day, once a week /month /year
songs

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Weather Science Science in the classroom
blizzard, cloudy, damp, dry, foggy, hailstones, battery, clone, cure, disease, DNA, genetically acid, air, bubbles, chemical reaction, explosion,
heatwave, icy, rainy, snowy, stormy, sunny, modified crops, planet, satellite, solar panel, gas, gravity, jug, laboratory, liquid, pressure,
thunder and lightning, warm, wet, windy spacecraft, vaccine, wind turbine temperature, test tube, thermometer

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus
Grammar (Language Awareness) Syllabus

Many of the key grammatical areas at the A2 level are integrated explicitly in the five units of the Pulse 2
textbook and these areas have been indicated in the above Form 1 textbook scope and sequence table.
Teachers will need to ensure that the following grammatical areas are also covered within their own
Form 1 non-textbook-based lessons.

1. Indirect questions with present and past tenses

Do you know what ?
Can you tell me ?

2. Past tense with a limited range of sequencing adverbs

first, then, after that, etc.

3. Modal verbs to talk about rules and obligations

must, mustnt, should, shouldnt

4. Present continuous, going to, will, to talk about future events, plans and arrangements
Tomorrow were meeting in the park to play football.

5. Modal verbs to give and talk about advice

Can, could, should, shouldnt, might

6. Defining relative clauses to describe and give information

who, which, and that

7. Growing range of prepositions

against, into, out, of, towards, past, over, near to, in front of, etc.

8. Infinitive of purpose
She went to the shops to buy a new bag for school.

9. Passive sentences (present simple and past simple)

The house is made from wood.

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Secondary Form 1 Syllabus