Scheme of Work for Stage 4 English

Scheme of Work – English Stage 4
Introduction
This document is a scheme of work created by Cambridge as a suggested plan for delivery of Cambridge Primary English Stage 4. Learning objectives for the
stage have been grouped into topic areas or ‘units’. These have then been arranged in a recommended teaching order, but you are free to teach objectives in any
order within a stage as your local requirements and resources dictate.
The scheme of work assumes a term length of 10 weeks, with three terms per stage and three units per term. An overview of the sequence, number and title of
each unit for Stage 4 can be seen in the table on the next page. The scheme of work is based on the minimum length of a school year to allow flexibility. You
should be able to add in more teaching time as necessary, to suit the pace of your learners and to fit the work comfortably into your own term times.
Some learning objectives are designed to be recurring across all units. As such, these are listed separately at the beginning of the scheme of work as ongoing
work across Stage 4. These ongoing learning objectives are followed by the learning objectives for the topic of the unit, and related grammar and punctuation.
(Learning objectives are given using their curriculum framework codes and a summary rather than following the precise wording in the curriculum framework.)
Activities and resources are suggested against the objectives to illustrate possible methods of delivery. In the fiction and non-fiction units, these include more
general activities that can be carried out at any point across the unit to reinforce learners’ skills.
There is no obligation to follow the published Cambridge schemes of work to deliver Cambridge Primary. They have been created solely to provide an illustration of
how delivery might be planned over the six stages. A step-by-step guide to creating your own scheme of work and implementing Cambridge Primary in your school
can be found in the Cambridge Primary Teacher Guide available on the Cambridge Primary support site. Blank templates are also available on the Cambridge
Primary support site for you to use if you wish.
Two sample lesson plans (short-term plans), with suggested resources, are included in Appendix A at the end of this document.
Cambridge International Examinations is not responsible for the content of materials or websites recommended in this document. All website references were
accurate at the time of writing. As websites may be changed and newer, better websites are being created, teachers are advised to check all websites before using
them and encouraged to actively search for appropriate new online resources.
V1 7Y01 English Stage 4 1

Overview
Nine units of work are suggested for Stage 4. In each school term there are three units: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The range of topics suggested is:
TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3
Fiction Unit 1A: Historical fiction Unit 2A: Fantasy stories Unit 3A: Stories with issues and
(40% of teaching Reading and analysing historical fiction, Reading and analysing fantasy stories, dilemmas
time) then planning and writing a story in a then planning and writing a story. Reading and analysing real life stories that
historical setting. feature an issue or dilemma, then planning
and writing a story.
Non-fiction Unit 1B: Non-chronological reports Unit 2B: News reports Unit 3B: Explanations and persuasion
(40% of teaching Reading and analysing non-chronological Reading and analysing news reports, then Reading and analysing explanations and
time) reports, then planning and writing a report. planning and writing a report. persuasive texts, then planning and writing
them.
Poetry Unit 1C: Poems and playscripts on Unit 2C: Poems from different times and Unit 3C: Poems in a variety of forms
(20% of teaching common themes cultures Reading and analysing poems in a variety
time) Reading and analysing poems and Reading and analysing poems from of forms, then planning and writing a poem.
playscripts based on common themes, then different times and cultures, then planning
planning and writing a poem or playscript. and writing a poem.
For learners to become more proficient in English skills, it is important that they keep revisiting and consolidating skills in different contexts. For this reason, many
of the learning objectives are revisited in different ways in different units. This gives all learners the opportunity to grasp the ideas involved. Within each term, the
order in which units are taught is not important – the level of expectation is consistent across all three units. It is important, however, that you teach the Term 1
units before the Term 2 units, and the Term 2 units before the Term 3 units.
The teaching and learning of English skills is a continuum. The prior knowledge expected for these units is developed in earlier stages, and the skills and
understanding developed in Stage 4 are important for learners to make good progress in subsequent stages. If the Stage 4 level of work is not appropriate for the
learners in your class, it is recommended that you use ideas from the Stage 3 or Stage 5 units of work: comparable texts are often studied in each stage, so
matching a text type with the appropriate learning objectives is usually fairly easy.
V1 7Y01 English Stage 4

Key prior knowledge expected for these units is that learners:
 are familiar with all common ways of representing short and long vowel phonemes
 can use a variety of strategies for decoding unrecognised words, including using grammatical and contextual cues as well as various phonic
strategies
 are aware of simple morphology and know some common prefixes (including un, dis, de, re) and suffixes (including -s, -ed, -ing, -ful, -less, -ly) and
know what they signify
 can read longer texts with sustained concentration and awareness of when meaning is lost
 can form all letters correctly and use largely joined-up writing
 can write longer texts independently, with a high degree of accurate spelling
 can use sentence punctuation effectively and commas in lists.
In general, specific texts are not recommended because of the different resources available in each school and location. Teachers have the flexibility to include
resources that they have available and locally or nationally relevant resources. Descriptions of the types of texts you will need are given at the beginning of each
unit. The availability of large print and picture texts is never assumed, although many are available and you will be able to teach more effectively if learners can see
and read the text. It is assumed throughout that you have access to a whiteboard, blackboard or flipchart to record brief texts for general discussion and analysis.
Scheme of Work – English stage 4

Ongoing work
The learning objectives listed below should be taught, reinforced and developed throughout the entire school year.
You may wish to allocate time each day to teaching these learning objectives, or you may prefer to allocate a set amount of time each week.
Ongoing phonics, spelling and vocabulary

Framework Summary of learning Suggested activities
codes objectives
4Ro6 Apply effective strategies to read Have regular five-minute sessions, including at the beginning or end of literacy lessons, where you write a
4Wo1 unfamiliar words, and identify tricky word on the board and ask learners what they can say about it. Encourage observations which
syllabic patterns in multisyllabic include reference to:
words.  any recognised long or short vowel phonemes and the possible pronunciations (ask learners to make
links to other words when they explain the possible pronunciations, e.g. ea could be ‘ee’ as in bead or
‘e’ as in bread)
 any recognised syllables and possible pronunciations (with analogous words)
 prefixes or suffixes that are recognised
 possible pronunciations of the word.
When they have given you all the information about the word they can from looking at it, write the word in
a sentence and ask them to read it in the context of that sentence. What new information can they give
you about it now?
4Wo1 Recognise syllables, prefixes, As learners encounter longer words in their reading, and as their vocabulary develops and you encourage
4Ws6 suffixes and related words and them to use longer words in their writing, they need to begin to develop an understanding of word
4Ws9 use this information in spelling structure. Examine multisyllabic words and model how to analyse them:
4Ws10 and reading.  Does the word have a prefix or suffix? If so, what is the root word?
 Can I use this information to pronounce or spell the word?
 What does the prefix or suffix tell me about the word?
Divide the word into syllables. A syllable must have a vowel sound, and the vowel usually has consonants
surrounding it. The precise placement of the syllable boundary is not important, but breaking down the
word into syllables can help with both pronunciation and spelling.

4Ws1 Extend knowledge and use of Once learners have learnt to spell a word, insist they use it in their writing.
4Ws3 spelling patterns and check and
correct spellings in writing. Ask them to keep spelling logs of all their errors. In their spelling log they should write the correct version
of the word, identify the tricky bit and find other words which include the same tricky bit.
Ask learners to correct words you know they should be able to spell.
Teach them how to identify the words they need to learn and focus on.
4Ws2 Investigate spelling patterns and At Stage 4, learners are familiar with different ways of spelling the same phoneme. Introduce them to the
4Ws4 begin to generate some spelling word homophone and explain that it means ‘same sound’, i.e. words with the same pronunciation but
4Ws5 rules. different spelling.
4Ws7
Spell words with common letters Focus on common grammatical homophones, e.g. here/hear; there/their/they’re; your/you’re; to/too/two;
strings but different which/witch. Learners need to make correct choices when they are writing. Ask them to think of ways they
pronunciations and words with can remember which form is correct in a sentence.
common inflections.
Recognise less common homophones, e.g. piece–peace, ate–eight, night–knight, him–hymn, draw–
Match spelling to meaning when drawer (in some accents).
words sound the same
(homophones). Ask learners to find pairs of homophones and write definitions of each word.
In addition to recognising different ways of spelling the same phoneme, learners need to be aware of
different ways of pronouncing the same letter pattern. Find pairs of homographs (same spelling, different
pronunciations), e.g. wind, read, row, bow.
Make collections of words which have the same letter pattern but are pronounced differently, e.g. head–
bead, cough–enough–through, height–weight, what–hat.
4Wo4 Look for alternatives for Encourage learners to extend their vocabulary. Use more challenging vocabulary when you talk to them,
4Wa4 overused words/expressions; sometimes giving alternative forms for the words you use in order to explain them.
4SL2 use more powerful verbs and
more varied and precise Ask learners to collect words from their reading that might be useful in writing. Encourage the use of
vocabulary. dictionaries, including electronic handheld dictionaries if available. Ask them to use thesauruses to look for
alternatives for mundane words and phrases. When learners are writing and talking, expect them to make
precise vocabulary choices of powerful verbs and specific nouns.

Ongoing reading
codes objectives
4Ro1 Extend the range of reading and Continue to work to extend the range and quality of the books learners read, and to extend their interaction
4Ro2 explore the different processes with texts. Encourage them to keep reading journals in which they record their responses to the books
of reading silently and aloud. they read. They can share their reading journals in groups, reflecting on questions you ask them about
characters, setting or plot.
Check learners can both read closely and skim and scan for information or evidence in a text.
Talk about different styles of reading, both silently and aloud, and discuss the purposes of both.
4Ro4 Recognise and respond to As learners read aloud, check that they are using the punctuation to guide their intonation. Talk explicitly
4Ro5 punctuation to read with fluency, about:
understanding and expression.  the functions of the different punctuation marks
 how we respond to punctuation marks in reading
 how the punctuation marks help us as readers to make sense of a sentence.
4SL6 Adapt the pace and volume As learners read aloud in groups, to the class and in performances, help them to see that they need to
4SL7 when reading aloud. change the style and volume of their reading to suit the particular audience they are reading to.
Ongoing handwriting
codes objectives
4Wo2 Make the presentation of writing Remind learners of the three different styles and purposes of handwriting:
fit its purpose.  personal writing – for notes, letters to friends, etc.
 fast and fluent – the most common style of writing in school; it should be neat and legible, but fairly
quick
 presentation writing – only used when writing is to be displayed or has a special significance; slow,
painstaking writing, but beautiful to look at.

4Wo3 Use joined-up handwriting in all By Stage 4, learners should be able to join all of their writing. Always link the teaching of spelling to the
writing. teaching of handwriting so that learners learn to spell kinaesthetically as well as orally and visually.
Offer additional teaching support for learners whose letter formation is still not secure and who are not
joining their writing. Check that learners’ pencil grip is comfortable for more sustained writing.
Once you are confident of learners’ handwriting, introduce a greater variety of writing tools including
fountain pens and rollerball pens (but not usually ballpoints yet).
Ongoing writing
codes objectives
4Wo8 Write dictated sentences from In order to practise spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, read authentic texts aloud for
memory. learners to transcribe.
Ongoing speaking and listening

codes objectives
4SL1 Speak confidently and make Across the curriculum, when you have class and group discussions, encourage learners to:
4SL2 effective contributions in group  recognise that different kinds of language and vocabulary are appropriate for different situations
4SL4 and class discussions.  think about what they want to say so that they can express and develop their ideas thoughtfully
4SL5  share their own opinions and give evidence from books, general knowledge and previously expressed
4SL8 ideas to support their own
 listen to what others in the group are saying and respond politely to their ideas
 both give and accept criticism of their ideas in a group, when the criticism is appropriately phrased.

Unit 1A: Historical fiction
Reading and analysing historical fiction, then planning and writing a story in a historical setting
This is the first of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is four
weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of historical stories, first enjoying the texts as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of the text. Then they
will plan and write a story based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 Three or four short historical novels or a range of historical stories. You will need to have extracts of these stories enlarged for all learners to share, or multiple
copies.
 Use a good example of a short historical story. Ideally, find historical stories which are linked to work in history.
 A class novel, which is a chapter book that you can read gradually throughout the unit. You should expect to read it aloud to the class, either with learners
simply listening, or with them following in their own copies.
 A range of books that learners can read with increasing independence.

codes objectives
4Ro1 Read and enjoy historical Read some historical fiction texts. Ask learners to give their first responses, supported by reference to the
fiction. text.
 What did they like/dislike? How did it make them feel?
 Which passages/events were particularly effective or interesting? Can they begin to explain the
features of those parts of the text?
 Which characters did they like? Why did they like / were they interested in these characters?
Find out their impression of the setting:

 Did they recognise this was a historical story? Why? Ask learners to find examples in the text.
 Did they learn anything new about the times from the story?
 Was the setting believable? Can they find evidence for their view?
 Would they like to have lived in the setting?
 Which features of the setting did they like the most/least?
4Rx4 Understand how the historical Re-read a historical story. Focus first on the setting. Ask learners to look for clues that the setting isn’t the
4Ri1 setting and mood are created, modern day (e.g. All wood was precious and every house had a pile of logs against the wall ready for
4Ri2 and recognise how much we winter). Each of the clues individually doesn’t have to be exclusively evidence of the historical nature of the
4Rw3 need implicit knowledge to setting, but the accumulation of clues should support it.
read historical fiction.
Discuss the fact that a historical story can’t include all of the details about the place. The writer needs to
assume that the reader will infer more information and so create a more complete picture of the setting.
Can learners think of anything which they have added to their picture of the story although it’s not
mentioned explicitly in the text? (For example: Where was the woman cooking – in an oven or over a fire?
Why did the women spin and dye wool?)
As well as giving historical facts, the writer has to interest us in the place and give it an atmosphere. Can
learners find words and phrases at different points in the story that help to create this atmosphere?
How much does the weather and time of day contribute to the story? They are part of the setting as much
as the place is.

codes objectives
4Rx4 Understand how the Discuss the characters:

4Ri1 characters are created in  How much do we know about them?
4Ri2 historical fiction.  How are the characters in historical stories different from those in modern stories?
4Rw3  Could the story still happen in modern times? If so, would the characters’ actions and feelings be
similar?
Ask learners to briefly describe each of the characters.

4Ro2 Understand how the story is Introduce the idea that most short stories are told in five main stages:
4Rx1 structured.  the introduction – we are introduced to the characters and setting
4Rw7  the problem or build-up – something happens which triggers the rest of the story
4Rw8  the climax or conflict – the most exciting part of the story, what it is about
 the resolution – the climax is resolved, the story begins to wind down
 the conclusion – the story is brought to an end, a twist is added, or a sequel is hinted at.
Sometimes some of the stages are conflated, and a different number of paragraphs may be used for
different parts of the story, but this is a typical story structure.
Re-read a story. Ask learners to draw the events of the story on a flow diagram with five boxes. Can they
write one important event in each of the boxes to show the structure of the story?
Explore whether each stage the learners identify begins at the beginning of a new paragraph. (It is normal
for authors to use a new paragraph to mark that they are moving on to the next stage in their writing.)

codes objectives
4Wa6 Plan a historical story. Ask learners to say how they previously planned their writing. The planning tools they have experience of
4Wa10 should include flow diagrams, mind maps and storyboards / story maps.
4Wt1
Introduce them to the idea of planning their story from a paragraph plan. This can be like a flow diagram,
or linear down a piece of paper, but it will probably include more information than an action flow diagram.
Each paragraph on the plan should have:
 a heading showing which part of the story the paragraph relates to
 notes about the characters and setting
 notes about the action in the paragraph.
If you give learners a limited amount of space on the page for their planning, it will encourage them to plan
effectively and they won’t be able to write the whole story in their plan.
Ask learners to share their plan with a response partner and tell their story aloud, using the plan as a
guide. The response partner should make suggestions for improvement. Learners can alter their plans as
necessary.
4Ro1 Write a historical story from a After learners have finished planning their story, ask them to write the first draft. Give them the success
4Ro2 plan. criteria for the story, e.g. ‘Write a story with a historical setting, including details to build the setting. Build
4Rw1 your characters by including details about them. Use paragraphs and a good story structure.’
4Rw8
4Rw4 Redraft the story, improving After learners have written the first draft of their story, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it
4Wo4 the selection of vocabulary and aloud several times to check it.
4Wa2 checking spelling and  Does it make sense?
4Ws1 punctuation.  Have you used paragraphs?
 Have you given enough detail about the setting and characters to know it’s a historical story?
 Have you chosen the best words? Try to improve the quality of the verbs and nouns.
 Are punctuation and spelling correct?

Grammar and punctuation for Unit 1A
codes objectives
4Rw4 Identify adverbs and recognise Revise the term adverb. Explain that there are three kinds of adverbs:
4Ws6 -ly as a suffix linked to  adverbs of manner, which tell how something was done (e.g. softly, slowly, silently)
adverbs.  adverbs of time, which tell when something was done (e.g. later, meanwhile, afterwards, next)
 adverbs of place, which tell where something was done (e.g. outside, upstairs).
Adverbs are often found in adverbial phrases (where a group of words does the job of an adverb, e.g. very
softly, later that day, in the garden). As you read, point out the use of adverbs and adverbial phrases.
Explore the position of adverbs in a sentence. They are mobile and can occur in many places, e.g.
sweetly, she smiled; she sweetly smiled; she smiled sweetly. Notice that adverbials are often used at the
beginning of a paragraph in fiction texts.
Discuss how the adverb adds to the meaning of a sentence.
Point out that adverbs are often used as connectives, linking ideas in a text.
4Wp3 Investigate tenses and forms Remind learners about the importance of verbs in sentences. Ask them to identify the verbs in a text.
4Wp4 of verbs. Remind learners to look out for all parts of the verb to be – which is the most common verb in English –
4Wp5 and the verb to have, as well as ‘doing word’ verbs.
Collect all the parts of the verb to be on to a poster. Learners can add to the collection every time they
come across a new part of the verb.
Talk about features of verbs which help us to recognise the tense (e.g. the -ed ending for regular past
tense verbs). Introduce the term irregular verbs and check that learners know all the tenses of common
irregular verbs and can match past and present forms.
Discuss different ways in which the future can be expressed (e.g. will, be going to, using the present tense
– my train leaves at five past three).

codes objectives
4Wp2 Understand that commas can Find adverbs of time and place in sentences. Point out how often they are marked off with commas.
separate clauses in a
sentence. Introduce learners to the terms main clause and subordinate clause, explaining that the main clause
introduces the main idea and subordinate clause(s) adds information which is linked to the main idea.
Find sentences in your stories which contain more than one clause and a comma (e.g. Oliver Bard and his
friend Toki were in the way, so she sent them off to find firewood). Ask learners to identify the main
information in the sentence and then to find the additional information which is introduced by a connective.
Note how often there is a comma separating the clauses.
Ask learners to search for commas in a text. They already know that commas are used in lists and in
dialogue and speech. Can they find commas used to separate clauses?

Unit 1B: Non-chronological reports
Reading and analysing non-chronological reports, then planning and writing a report.
This is the second of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
four weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of non-chronological reports, first reading the reports as readers and finding information in the texts, then reading as
writers and analysing features of the text. Then they will plan and write a report based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 A range of non-chronological reports, ideally linked to a cross-curricular subject you are studying.

codes objectives
4Rx3 Find information in non- Teach learners how to draw and use a KWWL grid. This is a grid with four columns: What I Know, What I
4Rv1 chronological reports. Want to know, Where I will look, and What I have Learnt. Model asking a general question (e.g. Why do
we have seasons?), then:
 complete the first column of the grid together with what is already known
 frame questions for the second column, asking what needs to be found out
 suggest resources in the third column for where to look (include books and websites).
Allocate different questions to different groups of learners and challenge them to find the answer to their
question. When they have had time to research their question, gather together again and record what they
have learnt in the fourth column.
Ask pairs of learners to devise their own question and complete their own KWWL grid.
Ask learners to reflect on how they knew where to look for the information they wanted in the non-
chronological report texts, whether printed texts or online. Can learners list the organisational features they
used? Record ideas such as:
 the contents and index (check that learners recognise the differences in organisation and function)
 headings and subheadings
 topic sentences (the first sentence of a paragraph which often introduces the topic for the paragraph).
What other strategies did the learners use? Did they use any relevant images?
Ask learners to evaluate the different organisation features:

 Which was the most useful, and why?
 Which was the least useful, and why?
 Did any learners fail to find any information? Can they explain why that was?
 Can others help them to solve their problem?
4Rw6 Know or find language Ask learners to re-read a paragraph of text. Agree a list of language features of report texts, including:
4Rv1 features of non-chronological  use of the present tense, unless it is a historical report
report texts.  use of the third person
 a more formal style, not ‘chatty’
 full sentences, with few questions (except as headings or subheadings) and no dialogue
 topic sentences to introduce the topic for the paragraph.
(This should be revision from Stage 3; see Stage 3 Scheme of Work, Unit 3B.)

codes objectives
4Rw9 Understand the function of Revisit the use of paragraphs in report texts. Ask learners to read a page from a report text and consider
paragraphs in non- the paragraphs.
chronological reports.  How do paragraphs help to structure and organise ideas?
 How are paragraphs in non-fiction texts used differently from paragraphs in fiction texts?
4Wa11 Summarise a paragraph of text Ask learners to re-read a paragraph from a report text, then shut the book and tell a partner what the key
4SL3 in a sentence. ideas in the paragraph were. They can only use one sentence to summarise the key ideas. In a sentence,
4SL5 there should only be one (or at most two) main ideas.
Having spoken the summary, learners should write the sentence.
After learners have summarised several paragraphs from the full text, ask them to compare their summary
with the text.
 Have they isolated all the main ideas?
 What has been left out of the summary?
 Are the summary sentences very similar to the topic sentences, or are there differences?
4Rx2 Plan a non-chronological Ask learners to tell you how they previously planned non-fiction report texts. Mind maps, concept maps
4Wo5 report using information and spider diagrams are the most effective ways of planning these texts because they allow learners to
4Wo6 collected from other texts. organise and link information on the page; it doesn’t matter what order ideas are noted down – information
can be added to the diagram at any point.
Model how to record the information from the KWWL grid on a mind map diagram (don’t forget to include
the information in the K – first – column). Demonstrate how to:
 write the central theme in the centre of the page (e.g. seasons)
 write the related main topic areas around the word – these will eventually become headings (e.g. the
Sun, the tilt of the Earth, the effects); information found can be collected and linked to the relevant
headings.
Ask learners to complete a diagram like this for their own research, using their own KWWL grid.

codes objectives
4Wa7 Plan and write a non- Model using the diagram you completed in a planning session for creating a report text. First, determine
4Wt2 chronological report using the order of the paragraphs. Write the title and main heading. Model crafting sentences to include the
information collected from information you have recorded. Once you have recorded all the information about one aspect, write a new
other texts. heading and record the information in sentences.
Present the final text using Before learners begin to write their own text, give them the success criteria, e.g.:
paragraphs with headings and  write a non-chronological report text using appropriate sentences and vocabulary
subheadings.  organise the information into paragraphs
 use headings to help the reader to locate information quickly and effectively.
4Wo4 Redraft the report, improving After learners have written the first draft of their report, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it
4Ws1 punctuation.  Have you used paragraphs?
 Have you used headings to help the reader know where different information will be found?
 Is it formal enough?

Grammar and punctuation for Unit 1B
codes objectives
4Rw4 Identify adverbs and recognise Revise the term adverb. Explain that there are three kinds of adverbs:
4Ws6 -ly as a suffix linked to  adverbs of manner, which tell you how something was done (e.g. softly, slowly, silently)
adverbs.  adverbs of time, which tell you when something was done (e.g. later, meanwhile, afterwards, next)
 adverbs of place, which tell you where something was done (e.g. outside, upstairs).
Adverbs are often found in adverbial phrases (where a group of words does the job of an adverb, e.g. very
softly, later that day, in the garden). As you read, point out the use of adverbs and adverbial phrases.
Explore the position of adverbs in a sentence. They are mobile and can occur in many places, e.g.
sweetly, she smiled; she sweetly smiled; she smiled sweetly. Notice that adverbials are often used at the
beginning of a paragraph in fiction texts.
Discuss how the adverb adds to the meaning of a sentence.
Point out that adverbs are often used as connectives, linking ideas in a text.
4Wp3 Investigate tenses and forms Remind learners about the importance of verbs in sentences. Ask them to identify the verbs in a text.
4Wp4 of verbs. Remind learners to look out for all parts of the verb to be – which is the most common verb in English –
4Wp5 and the verb to have, as well as ‘doing word’ verbs.
Collect all the parts of the verb to be on to a poster. Learners can add to the collection every time they
come across a new part of the verb.
Talk about features of verbs which help us to recognise the tense (e.g. the ed ending for regular past
tense verbs). Introduce the term irregular verbs and check that learners know all the tenses of common
irregular verbs and can match past and present forms.
Discuss different ways in which the future can be expressed (e.g. will, be going to, using the present tense
– my train leaves at five past three).

codes objectives
4Wp2 Understand that commas can Find adverbs of time and place in sentences. Point out how often they are marked off with commas.
sentence. Introduce learners to the terms main clause and subordinate clause, explaining that the main clause
introduces the main idea and subordinate clause(s) adds information which is linked to the main idea.
Find sentences in your stories which contain more than one clause and a comma (e.g. Oliver Bard and his
friend Toki were in the way, so she sent them off to find firewood). Ask learners to identify the main
information in the sentence and then to find the additional information which is introduced by a connective.
Note how often there is a comma separating the clauses.
Ask learners to search for commas in a text. They already know that commas are used in lists and in
dialogue and speech. Can they find commas used to separate clauses?
Spelling and vocabulary for Unit 1B

codes objectives
4Ws8 Be confident with alphabetical In order for learners to use indexes and other alphabetically organised texts efficiently, it is important that
order. they are very familiar with alphabetical ordering. Develop this by:
 reciting the alphabet
 having time challenges for finding words in dictionaries
 having quizzes going round the class, with learners competing to answer questions like Which letter
comes after T?
 placing letter tiles in order starting in the middle of the alphabet, at the letter R, for example
 completing ‘fill in the missing letter’ activities where the first letter in the sequence is not necessarily
A.

Unit 1C: Poems and playscripts on common themes
Reading and analysing poems and playscripts based on common themes, then planning and writing a poem or playscript
This is the third of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
two weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of poems and playscripts, firstly enjoying them as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of the texts.
Then they will plan and write a poem and playscript based on ones they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 A variety of poetry anthologies containing both modern and classic poetry and including poems with themes in common. Try to select anthologies that are
appropriate for all of the reading attainments in the class.
 Sets of playscripts for learners to read. These may be linked to books you have read in class.

codes objectives
4Ro1 Read and enjoy poetry. Let learners browse through collections of poems based on the senses or observation and choose those
that they particularly enjoy. Possibly ask learners to make copies of the poems to add to a class anthology.
Work in groups with the learners and discuss each poem:

 likes and dislikes – Did you like/dislike the poem? Why? Were there certain words or phrases that
you liked/disliked?
 effects – What effect does the poem have on you, the reader?
 pictures – Does the poem paint a picture in your mind? How?
 patterns – Look for patterns of rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, lines, verse structure.
 words – Which words and phrases were particularly effective? Why?
 interesting things – What else would you like to say about the poem?
For individual poems, you can ask questions and have discussions about different topics, but this list
includes many of the issues it is interesting to discuss with poetry.
Bring some of the poems discussed by groups back to the whole class for a wider-ranging discussion and
to model good discussion for groups where it didn’t happen.
4Ro1 Extend the range of poems Try to extend learners’ choices of poems beyond modern, light-hearted verse. Once learners have
read. selected their favourite poems, find some other ‘classic’ poems which are on a similar theme.
4Ro3 Discuss the features of Choose pairs of poems which share a theme but are from different times and compare them.
4Rx4 different poems.  Can learners recognise what the theme of each poem is? Do they agree that they have broadly
4Ri2 the same theme?
4Rw2  Can they identify words and phrases which show that one poem is older than the other?
4Rw3  How are the rhyme, rhythm and verse structure similar? How are they different?
4Rw10  How are the poems laid out on the page?
Re-read both of the poems and ask learners to discuss their responses and suggest reasons.

codes objectives
4Ro7 Read playscripts, exploring Let groups of learners read playscripts aloud. Talk about the experience and check that learners are
4Rx4 how scenes are built up. aware of the basic structures of playscripts, including:
4Ri2  layout conventions and punctuation of speeches
4Rw2  the use of adverbs to show how a character speaks and moves
4Rw3  the use of stage directions.
Ask learners to plot the development of the story on a flow diagram. Compare how the story of a play
matches the story in a narrative text. Look at the use of new scenes and acts to show the progression and
structure of the story. What are they most closely linked to in narrative stories?
4Rw10 Plan and write a poem based Re-read one of the poems previously used in comparison. Ask learners what they recall of:
4Wa3 on the structure and theme of  its theme
an existing poem.  its structure (verses, rhyme and rhythm)
 its vocabulary.
In shared writing, write a new poem which is closely linked to one of those already studied. It should have
the same theme and a similar structure.
Let learners try their own poems, but remind them that poems need to be drafted, redrafted and polished
many times before they are ‘finished’.
4Ro7 Plan and write a playscript Work together to use a flow diagram to plot the development of a known story. Discuss how learners could
based on a familiar story. use this as the basis of the story for a playscript.
Ask learners to make a list of characters, then to work in small groups to write one scene’s worth of
dialogue as a playscript. Remind them to use the layout and conventions of playscripts. Make sure they
know too that the characters can only be developed through what they say – a playscript cannot use
narrative description. They should aim to give each character a clear voice and make their speeches
consistent with their character.
4Wo4 Redraft the poem and After learners have written the first draft of their poem and play, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e.
4Wo7 playscript, improving the read it aloud several times to check it.
4Wa4 selection of vocabulary and  Does it make sense?
4Wa5 checking spelling and  Have you chosen the best words? Try to improve the quality of the verbs and nouns.
4Ws1 punctuation.  Are punctuation and spelling correct?

Unit 2A: Fantasy stories
Reading and analysing fantasy stories, then planning and writing a story
This is the fourth of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
four weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of fantasy stories and stories set in imaginary worlds, first enjoying the texts as readers, then reading as writers and
analysing features of the text. Then they will plan and write a story based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 Three or four short fantasy stories and stories set in imaginary worlds. You will need to have extracts of these stories enlarged for all learners to share, or
multiple copies.

Framework Summary of learning Suggested Teaching Activities
code objectives
4Ro1 Read and enjoy fantasy Read some fantasy stories. Ask learners to give their first responses, supported by reference to the text.
4Ro2 stories.  What did they like/dislike? How did it make them feel?
4Ro3  Which passages/events were particularly effective or interesting? Can they begin to explain the
Find out their impression of the setting:

 Did they recognise this was fantasy? Why? Ask learners to find examples in the text.
 Was the setting believable? Can they find evidence for their view?
 Would they like to live in the setting?
 Which features of the setting did they like the most/least?
4Ro2 Understand how the setting Re-read a fantasy story. Focus first on the setting. The setting is one of the key features which make
4Ro3 and mood are created in fantasy fiction different from contemporary fiction. Look at one of the settings used in a story.
4Rx4 fantasy stories, and recognise  What are we told about it?
4Ri1 how much we need implicit  What aren’t we told but left to infer about the setting? (For example, if the place is dark and cold, we
4Ri2 knowledge to read historical can infer that it is unwelcoming; if it has unearthly plants and trees, we can infer that the setting is not
4Rw2 fiction. on Earth.)
4Rw3  Study the language used to describe the setting. Does the author make use of specific nouns,
4Wa5 adjectives and figurative language (including metaphor and simile)? Can learners find examples of
each? Evaluate how effective these descriptions are. Is a writer who is trying to create a weird planet
more or less likely to use a simile to compare it with our own planet? Discuss learners’ answers.
4Ro2 Understand how the Discuss the characters:
4Ro3 characters are created in  How much do we know about them?
4Ro8 fantasy stories.  Do we know most about what they look like, what they think about or what they do? In different books
4Rx4 the answer will be different.
4Ri1  How are characters described? Using specific nouns, adjectives or similes? Does the way they are
4Ri2 described contribute to our reaction to them? How?
4Rw2  Could the story you are reading happen on Earth? If so, would the characters’ actions and feelings be
4Rw3 similar?
4Wa1
Let learners work in groups, one describing a character, the others guessing which character is being
described. Which characteristic is the one that gives it away?

code objectives
4Rx1 Understand how the story is Remind learners of the five stages in a short story: introduction, problem/build-up, climax/conflict,
4Rw7 structured. resolution, and conclusion.
4Rw8
4Rw9 Draw a hump-backed bridge. Write Introduction on the ground on the left and Conclusion on the ground at
the right. The highest point of the hump should be the Climax (i.e. the most interesting point in the story).
The Problem and Resolution slope up and slope down of the bridge respectively. This can be a visual
metaphor for the story, with the slope and height of the bridge showing the level of excitement in the story.
Re-read the story. Ask learners to draw the events of the story on a flow diagram with five boxes. Can they
4Wa6 Consider story openings Examine the opening lines of a variety of fantasy stories.
before writing them.  Notice that most stories don’t begin with the words One day … How do they begin? Does the opening
line make any difference?
 How does the writer hook the reader in so that they want to read to the end of a story?
 How soon in the story does the writer establish that it’s a fantasy?
 How early are the characters introduced?
4Wa1 Plan a fantasy story. Remind learners how to use a paragraph planner to plan their story. Each paragraph on the plan should
4Wa6 have:
4Wa10  a heading showing which part of the story the paragraph relates to
4Wt1  notes about the characters and setting
4SL2  notes about the action in the paragraph.
4SL5
necessary.

code objectives
4Wa10 Explore alternative openings When learners have established the plan for their story, ask them to plan two or three alternative
for the story. openings. Each opening should have a different kind of beginning:
 an expression of time (e.g. One fine day)
 dialogue (e.g. ‘What’s your name?’ asked …)
 action (e.g. He ran as he had never run before).
After learners have written each of their story beginnings, they should evaluate them and decide which
one to use.
4Wa3 Write a fantasy story from a When learners have planned their story, ask them to write the first draft. Give them the success criteria for
4Wa6 plan. the story, e.g.:
4Wa10  Write a story with a fantasy setting, including details to build the setting.
4Wt1  Build your characters by including details about them.
 Use paragraphs and a good story structure, including a strong beginning.
4Wo4 Redraft the story, improving After learners have written the first draft of their fantasy story, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e.
4Wo7 the selection of vocabulary and read it aloud several times to check it.
4Wp1 punctuation.  Have you written a strong beginning and used paragraphs for the rest of the story?
4Wp3  Have you given enough detail about the setting and characters to know it’s a fantasy story?
4Wp6  Have you chosen the best words? Try to improve the quality of the verbs and nouns.
4Wp7  Are punctuation and spelling correct?
4Ws1

codes objectives
4Rw4 Identify adverbs and recognise Continue the work from last term on recognising adverbs and adverbial phrases.
4Ws6 -ly as a suffix linked to
adverbs.
4Wp4 Investigate tenses and forms Continue the work on tenses from last term.
of verbs.
4Wp2 Develop the use of commas to Continue the work on commas from last term.
sentence.
4Wp8 Use an apostrophe to show Revise the use of the apostrophe to show omission of letters in words like we’ll, can’t, I’m, didn’t, etc.
possession. Introduce the possessive apostrophe, emphasising the fact that it is used to show ownership. Make sure
learners understand that if they add an ‘s’ to mark a plural word, they don’t need to add an apostrophe (i.e.
the ‘grocer’s apostrophe’).
Find examples of possessive apostrophes in reading and talk about what they signify.
Give learners little exercises in deciding whether or not to use an apostrophe.
When learners are revising their writing, remind them to circle all the apostrophes they have used, then to
check whether the apostrophe is really needed each time.

codes objectives
4Rw1 Choose more accurate Find words and phrases which describe people, things and places in books and poems. The three most
4Wa4 words/expressions in likely ways of describing are:
description.  a specific noun (e.g. the caretaker rather than the man)
 adding an adjective (e.g. the old caretaker)
 using a simile or metaphor (e.g. The caretaker who was as old and wrinkled as a tortoise, or The
tortoise crawled towards us, clutching a broom in his hand).
Learners may not be familiar with simile and metaphor, so spend time exploring this way of describing.
 Ask learners to suggest a simile for a place or person in the book.
 Give learners sentence starters, e.g. He walked as slowly as …
 Make outlandish statements about a character or creature.
 Look for similes and metaphors in books and poems (some whole poems are extended metaphors).
 Listen for them in spoken language.
Revisit the accuracy of adjectives, particularly those with comparative and superlative forms. Find
comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.
Consider the suffix -ish and its use with adjectives (e.g. warmish, reddish).
Make lists of adjectives which express degrees of something (e.g. ancient, antique, aged, old, elderly,
enormous, huge, vast, big, large).
Add similes into your lists of degrees. Where do they tend to fit?

Unit 2B: News reports
Reading and analysing news reports, then planning and writing a report
This is the fifth of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is four
weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of news reports, first enjoying the texts as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of the text. Then they
will plan and write a report based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 A range of newspapers that all carry news stories on the same topic. These can include print versions of national and local newspapers and online news sites.

code objectives
4Rv1 Know and name different Give the different newspapers to pairs of learners. Give learners a list of labels, and ask them to match the
4Rv2 features in a newspaper. correct label to the different features on the newspaper pages, including:
 masthead (newspaper name)
 headline
 by-line
 story/report
 column
 adverts
 classified ads
 leader
 sections, e.g. sport, TV listings, film guides.
Discuss the purpose of the different features of the newspaper and where they are on the page and in the
paper. Focus particularly on the headline, whose purpose is not only to introduce the story but also to grab
readers’ attention and make them want to read the story. Point out that headlines may contain puns,
alliteration or common phrases used slightly oddly, and that headlines are not written in sentences.
Discuss the front page of the newspaper and compare it with the cover of a book. Talk about why
newspapers often start more than one story on the front page and then have to continue some of the
stories on inside pages.
Compare the stories on the front pages of national and local newspapers. Look at a page and ask learners
to identify whether it’s from a local or national paper. What clues did they use?
If a story is front page news, what does that tell us about the story’s importance? Is it because some news
is more important than other news, or is it a matter of choice/opinion? Who decides?
Help learners to understand that even facts are prioritised by the editor of a newspaper, so the order in
which stories are presented is one way in which the editor can express an opinion about the importance of
news stories relative to one another.

code objectives
4Rx3 Read newspaper reports and Give learners different newspapers and ask them to find reports about an event preselected by you
4Rx4 recognise that they usually (ideally it will be front page news in some newspapers and on the inside pages in others). Ask learners to
4Ri2 contain both fact and opinion. read the account of the event in their paper.
4Rv2
4Rv3 Make a table with two columns: Fact and Opinion. Discuss what the terms mean.
Ask one pair of learners to tell you something from their newspaper article. Is it in everybody’s paper? If
so, it may well be a fact and can be recorded in the first (facts) column. Is it in some papers, but not
others? Or are there contradictory ideas in different papers? If so, add the ideas to the second (opinions)
column.
Discuss the way that newspaper articles contain both facts and opinions, but mixed together so that it is
not always easy to tell which is which. Talk about why newspapers do this and the effect it has on readers.
4Rw3 Consider the style of writing in Put each pair of learners with another pair who have different kinds of newspapers, so that all learners
4Rv2 different newspapers. have the opportunity of reading a variety of styles of newspaper and of seeing how they are laid out, how
4SL5 they use colour, what kind of stories they think will interest their readers, etc.
Ask learners to choose any story and read it, looking at the language. They should consider, for example:
 the length and complexity of the sentences and the number of different kinds of connectives
 how many sentences there are in a paragraph
 how the newspaper uses headings
 whether the style is chatty or formal
 the kind of vocabulary chosen – (everyday, chatty vocabulary or more formal vocabulary?)
 how the paper refers to eye witnesses and the kind of information given about them
 how many facts and how many opinions are in a story
 the wording of the headlines.
Ask each group of four to evaluate the newspapers and tell you which they would prefer to read and why.

code objectives
4Rx2 Recognise the main point in an Give learners an article to read, without the headline. Ask them to write a headline for the article, which
4Wo5 article. should pick up on the main point in a way which will draw the reader in.
4Wo6
4Wa11 Discuss the process of making notes, establishing that notes don’t have to be written in sentences, but
should include all the key words and key ideas from the article.
Ask the learners to make notes to show what the article is about. Their notes will form the basis of their
own writing later.
4Wa2 Plan a newspaper report. Learners plan a newspaper report about an event in the news (local, national or international), something
4Wa7 that happened in the school, or an event in a book.
They can use a concept map or a flow diagram (which may be more appropriate) for planning their report.
They should plan using two different colours, one to record facts, the other to record opinions.
Remind them to think about headings and the order in which the events will be reported in the piece.
4Wo6 Write a newspaper report from When learners have planned their report, ask them to write the first draft. Give them the success criteria
4Wa8 a plan. for the report. For example: ‘Write a newspaper report modelling the language and style on the language
4Wa9 and style in one of the newspapers you have looked at. Use paragraphs to present your report, a headline
4Wa10 that grabs readers’ attention and introduces the report.’
4Wo4 Redraft the report, improving After learners have written the first draft of their report, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it
4Wa4 the selection of vocabulary and aloud several times to check it.
4Ws1 checking spelling and  Does it make sense?
4Ws3 punctuation.  Have you included an attention-grabbing headline?
 Have you written in paragraphs?

codes objectives
adverbs.
4Wp4 Investigate tenses and forms Continue the work on tenses from last term.
of verbs.
sentence.
4Wp8 Use an apostrophe to show Revise the use of the apostrophe to show omission of letters in words like we’ll, can’t, I’m, didn’t, etc.
possession. Introduce the possessive apostrophe, emphasising the fact that it is used to show ownership. Make sure
learners understand that if they add an ‘s’ to mark a plural word, they don’t need to add an apostrophe (i.e.
the ‘grocer’s apostrophe’).
Find examples of possessive apostrophes in reading and talk about what they signify.
Give learners little exercises in deciding whether or not to use an apostrophe.
When learners are revising their writing, remind them to circle all the apostrophes they have used, then to
check whether the apostrophe is really needed each time.

codes objectives
4Rw1 Choose more accurate Find words and phrases which describe people, things and places in books and poems. The three most
4Wa4 words/expressions in likely ways of describing are:
description.  a specific noun (e.g. the caretaker rather than the man)
 adding an adjective (e.g. the old caretaker)
 using a simile or metaphor (e.g. The caretaker who was as old and wrinkled as a tortoise, or The
tortoise crawled towards us, clutching a broom in his hand).
Learners may not be familiar with simile and metaphor, so spend time exploring this way of describing.
 Ask learners to suggest a simile for a place or person in the book.
 Give learners sentence starters, e.g. He walked as slowly as …
 Make outlandish statements about a character or creature.
 Look for similes and metaphors in books and poems (some whole poems are extended metaphors).
 Listen for them in spoken language.
Revisit the accuracy of adjectives, particularly those with comparative and superlative forms. Find
comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.
Consider the suffix -ish and its use with adjectives (e.g. warmish, reddish).
Make lists of adjectives which express degrees of something (e.g. ancient, antique, aged, old, elderly;
enormous, huge, vast, big, large).
Add similes into your lists of degrees. Where do they tend to fit?

Unit 2C: Poems from different times and cultures
Reading and analysing poems from different times and cultures, then planning and writing a poem
This is the sixth of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
two weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of poems, first enjoying them as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of the text. Then they will plan and
write a poem based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 A range of poetry anthologies containing both modern and classic poetry and including poems from different cultures and times. Try to include some from the
country where you are living. Try to select anthologies that are appropriate for all of the reading attainments in the class.

codes objectives
4Ro1 Read and enjoy poetry. Let learners browse through collections of poems which are clearly about a different time or culture and
4Ro3 choose those that they particularly enjoy. Possibly ask learners to make copies of the poems to add to a
4Rx4 class anthology.
4Ri2
4Rw2 Work in groups with the learners and discuss each poem:
4Wa5  likes and dislikes – Did you like/dislike the poem? Why? Were there certain words or phrases that you
liked/disliked?
 effects – What effect does the poem have on you, the reader?
 pictures – Does the poem paint a picture in your mind? How?
 patterns – Look for patterns of rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, lines, verse structure.
 words – Which words and phrases were particularly effective? Why?
(For individual poems, you can ask questions and have discussions about different topics, but this list
includes many of the issues it is interesting to discuss with poetry.)
4Ro1 Extend the range of poems Try to extend learners’ choices of poems beyond modern, light-hearted verse. Once learners have
4Ro3 read. selected their favourite poems, find some other ‘classic’ poems which are on a similar theme and some
4Rw2 poems from other cultures.
4Rw10 Discuss the features of Choose pairs of poems which share a theme but are from different times and cultures and compare them.
different poems. What tells us that the poem comes from a different time or culture? Give learners any relevant background
information about the poem. Discuss the vocabulary, sentence structures and images and references.
Encourage learners to use specific terms when describing poetry structure, including terms such as
rhyming couplet, rhyme pattern, alternate line of rhyme, chorus.
Encourage learners to read the poems aloud, appreciating the time, the culture and the structure.

codes objectives
4Ro3 Plan to write a poem based on Re-read one of the poems you have previously used in comparison. Ask learners what they recall of:
the structure and theme of an  the time and culture in which it was written
existing poem.  its structure (including patterns of rhyme)
 its vocabulary.
In shared writing, write a new poem which is closely linked to one of those learners have studied, but
changing it to a different time and place (including modern times).
Explore what it might mean to ‘change it’ to a different time and culture. What should stay the same? What
can change?
4Wo4 Redraft the poem, improving After learners have written the first draft of their poem, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it
4Ws1 punctuation.  Have you chosen the best words? Try to improve the quality of the verbs and nouns.

Unit 3A: Stories with issues and dilemmas
Reading and analysing real life stories that feature an issue or dilemma, then planning and writing a story
This is the seventh of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
four weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of stories with issues and dilemmas, first enjoying the texts as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of
the text. Then they will plan and write a story based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 Three or four short stories in which characters face an issue or dilemmas and have to solve/resolve it (e.g. rejection, loss, rivalry, friendship problems). You
will need to have extracts of these stories enlarged for all learners to share, or multiple copies.

codes objectives
4Ro3 Develop an understanding of a Can learners name any authors? Ask them what they know about the authors they name.
4SL5 particular author and read a
variety of books by them. Discuss the idea that if they read a book by a particular author and enjoy it, they may want to try and find
other books by the same author.
If learners are keeping reading journals, suggest they record their responses to different books by the
same author.
If a learner is particularly fond of an author and has already read two or three of their books, ask them to
do a brief presentation to the class explaining why they like that author.
4Ro1 Read and enjoy real life stories Read some chosen stories. Ask learners to give their first responses, supported by reference to the text.
4SL5 with issues and dilemmas.  What did they like/dislike? How did it make them feel?
 Which passages/events were particularly effective or interesting? Can they begin to explain the
 Does one of the characters face an issue/dilemma/problem they have to solve? Ask learners to
summarise the issue and the solution.
4Rx4 Understand how the Discuss the characters:
4Ri1 characters are created in real  How much do we know about them?
4Ri2 life stories with issues and  Do we know most about what they look like, what they think about or what they do? In different books
4Rw2 dilemmas. the answer will be different.
4Rw3  How are characters described? Using specific nouns, adjectives or similes? Does the way they are
4SL5 described contribute to our reaction to them? How?
 What is the main issue/dilemma/problem faced by the character? Evaluate whether the character
solves it in a satisfactory way.
 Look again at what we know about the characters. In the fantasy stories we know most about what
they do. In these stories, is the emphasis on what the characters do, or what they feel and think?
 How does the author show the reader how the characters feel and what they think?
 Do the readers ever have to infer what a character is feeling or thinking from what is written in the text?
Can learners find an example?

codes objectives
4Ro8 Understand how the setting Re-read a story. In real life stories with issues/dilemmas the setting is usually less important than the
4Rx4 and mood are created in real character and the issue. Despite this, however, the story is established within a setting which can increase
4Ri1 life stories with issues and the drama in the story.
4Ri2 dilemmas, and recognise how
4Rw2 much we need implicit Look at the main setting used in a story.
4Rw3 knowledge to read these  What are we told about it?
stories.  What aren’t we told but left to infer about the setting?
 How does the setting contribute to the story? Could the same story happen in a different setting? How
would the story have to change?
 Study the language used to describe the setting. Does the author make use of specific nouns,
adjectives and figurative language (including metaphor and simile)? Can learners find examples of
each? Evaluate how effective these descriptions are.
4Rx1 Understand how the story is Remind learners of the five stages in a short story: introduction, problem/build-up, climax/conflict,
4Rw7 structured. resolution, and conclusion. Remind them too of the story bridge (see Unit 2A) to help learners to visualise
4Rw8 the structure of the story.
4Rw9
Re-read the story. Ask learners to draw the events of the story on a flow diagram with five boxes. Can they
4Wa6 Consider story openings Examine the opening lines of the story.
before writing them.  Notice that most stories don’t begin with the words One day … How does it begin? Does the opening
line make any difference?
 How does the writer hook the reader in so that they want to read to the end of a story?
 How early are the characters introduced?
 When is the issue/dilemma introduced?
4Wa6 Consider story endings before Examine the endings of the story.
writing them.  Is the ending satisfactory – does it leave the reader feeling that the story has been rounded off nicely?
 Does the ending relate to the beginning?
 How does the author build up to the ending of the story? Or does it seem a sudden, abrupt ending?
 Have all the loose ends been tied up?
 Look at the final sentences. Are they effective?

codes objectives
4Wa1 Write a character study. Before learners write their own story, ask them to write a character study. This can be based on a
character from a story already shared together, or one in a new story they plan to write. The character
study should include all the information they think the reader needs to know about the character, such as:
 the character’s age and information about their family
 a description of the character’s appearance
 information about the character’s friends, and how the character reacts to them and how they react to
the character
 what the character likes to do
 information about the character’s fears, worries and dislikes.
4Wa3 Plan a story with an issue. Remind learners how to use a paragraph planner to plan their story. Each paragraph on the plan should
4Wa6 have:
4Wt1  a heading showing which part of the story the paragraph relates to
4Wt2  notes about the characters and setting
4Wa10  notes about the action in the paragraph.
necessary.
4Wa3 Write a story from a plan. When learners have planned their story, ask them to write the first draft. Give them the success criteria for
4Wa6 the story, e.g.:
4Wa10  Write a story about a character who has an issue to deal with or who faces a dilemma.
4Wt1  Build your character by including details about them.
4Wt2  Use paragraphs and a good story structure, including a strong beginning and ending.

codes objectives
4Wo4 Redraft the story, improving After learners have written the first draft of their story, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it
4Wp1 punctuation.  Have you written a strong beginning and used paragraphs for the rest of the story?
4Wp3  Have you given enough detail about the character?
4Wp6  Have you rounded the story off nicely?
4Wp7  Have you chosen the best words? Try to improve the quality of the verbs and nouns.
4Ws1  Are punctuation and spelling correct?

code objectives
adverbs.
sentence.
4Wp8 Use an apostrophe to show Continue the work on apostrophes from last term.
possession.
4Rw1 Choose more accurate Continue the work on adjectives and figurative language from last term.
4Wa4 words/expressions in
description.
4Rw11 Investigate the grammar of Find or write an example of a simple statement, e.g. Samir was worried. Ask learners to tell you about the
statements, questions and sentence. Establish that this sentence:
orders.  begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop
 has a verb
 only has one main clause
 is in the past tense
 is very short.
Introduce the word statement and explain that most sentences are statements. Can the learners think of
any other sentence types? (Hint: they may be able to if they think about the punctuation marks that can be
found at the end of a sentence.)
Ask learners to turn the statement into a question. Explore what has changed and what has stayed the
same.
Ask them to turn the statement into an order. Explore what has changed and what has stayed the same.
Once learners have explored the three sentence types starting from the simple sentence, find longer
sentences in books and explore how to transform them into different sentence types.
Scheme of

Unit 3B: Explanations and persuasion
Reading and analysing explanations and persuasive texts, then planning and writing them
This is the eighth of nine units for Stage 4 You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
four weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss a variety of explanations and persuasive texts, first enjoying the texts as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of
the text. Then they will plan and write an explanation and persuasive text based on ones they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 A range of short texts containing explanations or persuasion. You can find persuasive letters in adverts and holiday brochures as well as in letters to
newspapers and magazines, including those aimed at younger readers, and explanations are in many non-fiction books including manuals. The exercise New
Life in Classroom Activities for Cambridge International Primary Programme has an explanatory text. You will need to have extracts of these stories enlarged
for all learners to share, or multiple copies.

codes objectives
4Rv1 Recognise the main features Look at an explanatory text together. Many explanations are presented as flow diagrams and often contain
of non-fiction text types. language similar to that of a report text. The main difference between the text types is their purpose: a
report text aims to describe how things are; an explanation explains a process or how something works.
Discuss the key features of explanations:

 The order in which the events are described is important (in a non-chronological report, on the other
hand, the order isn’t important). Ordering the paragraphs in the correct sequence is key to making the
explanation clear.
 There are usually a lot of connectives, especially connectives of cause and effect (e.g. so, in order to,
because) and connectives of sequence (e.g. first, next, meanwhile, then, after that).
Look at another explanatory text and ask learners to find features which show that it is an explanation, not
a report text.
4Rx2 Use the paragraph structure of Examine the structure and language of explanations:
4Rw9 a text and key words to help  How many main ideas are there in each paragraph? (Usually just one. Paragraphs in explanatory texts
4Rv1 identify the main points. are often similar to those in report texts and begin with a topic sentence.)
 Explanations tend to list the main ideas from each of the paragraphs in order.
 Explore what happens to the explanation if these ideas are mixed up. Does the explanation still make
sense?
 Compare explanations with flow diagrams with explanations in words only. Is the language different?
Which is easier to follow?
4Wa11 Summarise an explanation. Ask learners to read an explanation. Then ask them to re-read each paragraph and summarise its main
point in one or two sentences. Remind learners to write in sentences and to state the main point using
different words and phrases from the original text as much as possible.

codes objectives
4Rw6 Consider how persuasive texts Look at some persuasive texts together (e.g. adverts for holidays in brochures) and discuss them:
4Rv1 are structured and ordered to  What is the purpose of the text?
4Rv3 make a convincing argument.  Do you find it convincing? Why?
 Who do you think the text is aimed at? Why?
 Do you think the text is based on opinions or facts? Find some of each.
Look more carefully at the structure:

 Is there an opening statement (e.g. explaining why it would be good for you if you …)?
 After the opening statement, are points made to prove the opening statement, usually followed by
evidence for them?
 Is there a summary at the end (e.g. recommending that you should …)?
Some persuasive texts also mention possible reasons against what they are trying to persuade you to do,
in order to point out that these reasons are worthless – and so make the case for doing the thing even
stronger.
4Rw6 Explore the language of Ask learners to compare a persuasive text with a report text:
4Rv1 persuasive texts.  Look at the language used. Which is more formal (usually the report) and which ‘chattier’ (usually the
4Rv3 persuasive text)? Why?
 Which one talks to the reader more directly? Point out that persuasive texts often address the reader
directly, even using pronouns like we to identify very closely with the reader and to draw the reader in.
 Which one uses a wider range of descriptive adjectives? The persuasive text is likely to have lots of
adjectives to make its point more forceful and dramatic.
 Which one contains more opinions? Again, this is likely to be the persuasive text; how good it identifies
something is a matter of opinion not quantifiable fact.
4Rw5 Explore the connectives used Choose a persuasive text written in paragraphs in order to look more closely at connectives. Give learners
4Rw6 in persuasive texts. highlighter pens and ask them to find and highlight the connectives, e.g. if … so, if … then, although,
4Rv3 however, nevertheless, therefore, moreover, furthermore, because, and.
Point out that these connectives are rarely found in reports or explanations, but are commonly found in
persuasive texts. The precise choice of connective depends on the audience and purpose of the text.
Time/sequence connectives are found much less often in persuasive texts.

codes objectives
4SL1 Develop and organise ideas, Before learners begin writing either of these text types, get them to develop and practise the necessary
4SL3 express an opinion, consider language skills through some speaking and listening activities. Ask them to:
4SL4 alternative opinions, and deal  explain the rationale behind a decisions or opinion
4SL5 politely with opposing points of  prepare a short presentation to explain how something works
view.  plan a radio advert advertising a school event
 participate in a class debate.
4Wo5 Plan and write an explanation. Link the writing task (explanation) to a cross-curricular subject, e.g. explaining the water cycle; the
4Wo6 processes involved in picking, preparing and shipping tea; the life cycle of a chicken. Before learners begin
4Wa9 their plan, remind them:
4Wa10  that their explanation should begin with a general statement to introduce the topic
 that ideas should be explained in paragraphs
 of the importance of getting the paragraphs in the right order, to make a series of logical steps
 that time connectives are often appropriate
 to finish with a conclusion.
Learners should use a flow diagram to plan their explanation, with the introduction in the first box and the
conclusion in the last. They may find it helpful to record ideas for connectives on their plan to make sure
they aren’t overusing the same one and making their writing repetitive.
Ideally, learners should share their plan with a response partner before beginning to write. Response
partners should check that the plan makes sense and that all of the important information has been
included.
4Rw5 Plan and write a persuasive Before learners begin to plan their persuasive text, they need to be sure they have enough information and
4Wo2 text. understand the issues. Make sure they have made notes and gathered information from other sources
before they start trying to put them into a persuasive framework.
4Wo5
4Wo6 One effective way of planning a persuasive text is for learners to write each successive point they want to
4Wa8 make on a separate small sheet of paper. They can then explore changing the order of the points and the
4Wa9 impact this has. What order gives the most persuasive message? Again, it is sensible for them to record
connectives on their plan.
4Wa10
Ideally, learners should share their plan with a response partner before beginning to write. Response
partners should check that the plan makes sense and that all of the important information has been
included.

codes objectives
4Wo4 Redraft the text, improving the After learners have written their first draft, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it aloud several
4Wo7 selection of vocabulary and times to check it.
checking spelling and  Does it make sense? Is the explanation clear? / Does it persuade you to …?
4Wa4
punctuation.  Have you chosen the best words? Try to improve the quality of the verbs and nouns.
4Ws1  Are punctuation and spelling correct?

code objectives
adverbs.
sentence.
4Wp8 Use an apostrophe to show Continue the work on apostrophes from last term
possession.
4Rw1 Choose more accurate Continue the work on adjectives and figurative language from last term.
4Wa4 words/expressions in
description.
4Rw11 Investigate the grammar of Find or write an example of a simple statement, e.g. Samir was worried. Ask learners to tell you about the
statements, questions and sentence. Establish that this sentence:
orders.  begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop
 has a verb
 only has one main clause
 is in the past tense
 is very short.
Introduce the word statement and explain that most sentences are statements. Can the learners think of
any other sentence types? (Hint: they may be able to if they think about the punctuation marks that can be
found at the end of a sentence.)
Ask learners to turn the statement into a question. Explore what has changed and what has stayed the
same.
Ask them to turn the statement into an order. Explore what has changed and what has stayed the same.
Once learners have explored the three sentence types starting from the simple sentence, find longer
sentences in books and explore how to transform them into different sentence types.
Scheme of Work – English stage 4

Unit 3C: Poems in a variety of forms
Reading and analysing poems in a variety of forms, then planning and writing a poem
This is the ninth of nine units for Stage 4. You should expect to cover three units each term (fiction, non-fiction, poetry and plays). Time suggested for this unit is
two weeks.
Outline:
Learners will read and discuss poems written in a variety of forms, first enjoying them as readers, then reading as writers and analysing features of the text. Then
they will plan and write a poem based on one of the texts they have read and analysed.
Resources needed:
 A range of poetry anthologies containing poems written in a variety of forms, including haiku, tanka and cinquain, limerick, riddle and lists. Try to select
anthologies that are appropriate for all of the reading attainments in the class.

codes objectives
4Ro1 Read and enjoy poetry. Let learners browse through poems in a variety of forms. Work in groups with learners and discuss each
4Ro3 poem:
4Ro8  likes and dislikes – Did you like/dislike the poem? Why? Were there certain words or phrases that you
4Rx4 liked/disliked?
4Ri2  effects – What effect does the poem have on you, the reader?
4Rw2  pictures – Does the poem paint a picture in your mind? How?
4Rw3  patterns – Look for patterns of rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, lines, verse structure.
4Wa5  words – Which words and phrases were particularly effective? Why?
(For individual poems, you can ask questions and have discussions about different topics, but this list
includes many of the issues it is interesting to discuss with poetry.)
4Rw10 Discuss the features of syllabic What do learners notice about the poems written with syllabic forms, e.g. haiku, tanka, cinquain? Have
4Wo2 poetry. they deduced that the syllable pattern is?
 haiku: 3 lines, 17 syllables – 5,7,5
 tanka: 5 lines, 31 syllables – 5,7,5,7,7
 cinquain: 5 lines, 22 syllables – 2,4,6,8,2
Both haiku and tanka are traditional Japanese forms; the cinquain was invented in the 20th century in
America. In all of these poems, the aim is to capture a moment in nature or the seasons, and the
challenge is not to use similes to do so.
Re-read the syllabic poems you have looked at so far, count the syllables and consider how successful the
poet was at ‘capturing a moment’.
4Rw10 Discuss features of other Re-read examples of limericks, riddles and lists. What can learners tell you about them? What are the
4Wo2 poems written in a specific features which define the poem’s form and challenge the poet?
form.  limerick: 5 lines, characteristic ‘skipping’ rhythm, a twist in the last line
 riddle: poem or verse builds up a puzzle with clues for the reader to solve
 list poem: has a line or phrase which repeats, or is a list

codes objectives
4Rw10 Plan to write a poem with a Let learners re-read the poems, particularly those with the form they have chosen to write in later. Ask
4Wo2 specific form. them to note down the key features of the form they are going to write in.
Learners can then work individually or in pairs to draft their poem.

4Wo4 Redraft the poem, improving After learners have written the first draft of their poem, ask them to do the ‘writer’s mumble’, i.e. read it
4Wa4 checking spelling and  Does it make sense. Read it aloud. Does it ‘work’?
4Ws1 punctuation.  Does it meet all the requirements of the form?

Appendix A: Sample lesson plans
Stage 4: Lesson plan 1
Week beginning: Unit 2B: News reports Class: Stage 4
Timing Framework Learning objectives Success criteria Activities Resources Evidence of
ref. (see notes below re. differentiation details, etc.) achievement
W: whole class; G: group; I: Individual
Description W/G/I
10 mins 4Wp8 Learn the use of the Can I say where an Display sentences and discuss use of apostrophe for W Prepared sentences
apostrophe to show apostrophe should be in possession. on flipchart or IWB
possession, e.g. girl’s, a sentence?
girls’.
15 mins (Once rules are agreed, Learners to work in pairs: G/W ‘Apostrophes’ O/D
they can be the success A to decide which sentences are correct worksheet
criteria for a revision
activity later.) B to decide which statements are true.
Learners share ideas and decide upon rules.
30 mins 4Rv1 Identify different types of Can I find the different Give newspapers to pairs of learners. Ask them to G/W Newspapers and O/D
4Rv2 non-fiction text and their parts of a newspaper? find the different parts. Write labels on sticky notes sticky notes
known key features. Can I say what the next to the feature. Collect all of the ideas. Flipchart or board for
Read newspaper reports different parts are for? Discuss ideas including where found in the collating
and consider how they newspaper. Paper for recording
engage the reader. ideas
Word banks of
features for support as
necessary
5 mins Set homework.
Organisation: details of differentiation / groups / adults’ role (linked to activities) Notes / extension opportunities / homework
Most of lesson will be closely led by teacher to keep on track. Homework: Look for newspapers at home; try to identify different parts; bring to Q&A: question and
For support: Learners number sticky notes and write later when word banks of school for next lesson. answer
newspaper features can be made available. Extension work: Ask learners to investigate another newspaper to see if the parts D: discussion
(features) they have found are also in another newspaper – are they common to all O: observation
newspapers? If not, which ones are?
M: marked work

Stage 4: Lesson plan 2
Week beginning: Unit 2B: News reports Class: Stage 4
Timing Framework Learning objectives Success criteria Activities Resources Evidence of
ref. (see notes below re. differentiation details, etc.) achievement
W: whole class; G: group; I: Individual
Description W/G/I
10 mins 4Rv1 Identify different types of As before. Discuss the newspapers from home. Are the W D
4Rv2 non-fiction text and their features common to all papers?
known key features.
Read newspaper reports
and consider how they
engage the reader.
10 mins Can I say what a good Ask learners to cut out headlines from newspapers. W/G O/D
headline should be like? Examine them and discuss style/language/purpose.
What is the language like?
15 mins Discuss with partners what a good headline should G O/D
be like.
15 mins (Learners to agree Invite learners to write their own headlines. Share I/G M
success criteria.) with partners.
Assessment then takes place to decide if the criteria
have been met.
10 mins Share headlines. W D
Organisation: details of differentiation / groups / adults’ role (linked to activities) Notes / extension opportunities / homework
Some learners may need reading support. At the end of the session all should have made a promising start with the text type. Q&A: question and
Writing headlines: a classroom assistant could act as scribe for a group. They Active learning and assessment will have been managed successfully. answer
have an important role in assessing each learner’s input and ability to produce ICT: News on the internet could be examined (under supervision). Is the language in D: discussion
headlines that meet the criteria. headlines similar? O: observation
Teacher could challenge some learners to use specific language features, e.g. M: marked work
alliteration.

Stage 4
Apostrophes
1. You be the teacher!

Look at the sentences.
Decide which ones use an apostrophe correctly.
Mark the sentences with a tick or a cross.
1. The girls looked at the book.

2. It was late when the boy’s father came home.
3. There were thirty potatoe’s in the sack.
4. The learners’ toys were broken.
5. The horses saddle was dark brown.
2. True or false?
Read the statements.
Which ones are true? Which are false?
Circle T for true or F for false.
a. An apostrophe goes before or after the

letter s to show something belongs to
someone. T / F
b. You should always put an apostrophe
before an s. T / F
c. You only use an apostrophe after an s. T / F
d. You only use an apostrophe if you have
shortened a word. T / F
V1 7Y01 English Stage 4 56

Scheme of Work for Stage 4 English

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Scheme of Work – English Stage 4

V1 7Y01 English Stage 4 1

TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3

V1 7Y01 English Stage 4

V1 7Y01 English Stage 4

Ongoing phonics, spelling and vocabulary

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Ongoing speaking and listening

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Find out their impression of the setting:

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4Rx4 Understand how the Discuss the characters:

Ask learners to briefly describe each of the characters.

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Discuss how the adverb adds to the meaning of a sentence.

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Ask learners to evaluate the different organisation features:

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Having spoken the summary, learners should write the sentence.

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Discuss how the adverb adds to the meaning of a sentence.

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Spelling and vocabulary for Unit 1B

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Work in groups with the learners and discuss each poem:

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Find out their impression of the setting:

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Give learners little exercises in deciding whether or not to use an apostrophe.

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Give learners little exercises in deciding whether or not to use an apostrophe.

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Discuss the key features of explanations:

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