2/21/2021 NAP - Minimum standards - reading

Minimum standards - reading

Year 3 | Year 5 | Year 7 | Year 9 |
The skills demonstrated in reading at a particular year level are dependent on the complexity and accessibility of the
text. Texts typically increase in difficulty from Year 3 to Year 9.

Year 3
In Year 3, reading texts tend to have predictable text and sentence structures. Words that may be unfamiliar are
explained in the writing or through the accompanying illustrations. Typically, these texts use familiar, everyday
language.
At the minimum standard, Year 3 students generally make some meaning from short texts, such as stories and
simple reports, which have some visual support. They make connections between directly stated information and
between text and pictures.
When reading simple imaginative texts, students can:
find directly stated information
connect ideas across sentences and paragraphs
interpret ideas, including some expressed in complex sentences
identify a sequence of events
infer the writer’s feelings.
When reading simple information texts, students can:
find directly stated information
connect an illustration with ideas in the text
locate a detail in the text
identify the meaning of a word in context
connect ideas within a sentence and across the text
identify the purpose of the text
identify conventions such as lists and those conventions used in a letter.
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Year 5
In Year 5, reading texts may include a range of genre including biographies, autobiographies and persuasive texts
such as advertisements. Sentence structure may be varied. Some unfamiliar vocabulary is included, particularly
subject-specific words, but its use will be supported by text and illustrations.
At the minimum standard, Year 5 students generally interpret ideas in simple texts and make connections between
ideas that are not stated. They identify the purpose of a text as well as parts of a text such as diagrams and
illustrations.
When reading a short narrative, students can:
locate directly stated information
connect and interpret ideas
recognise the relationship between text and illustrations

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interpret the nature, behaviour and motivation of characters

identify cause and effect.
When reading an information text, students can:
locate directly stated information
connect ideas to identify cause and effect
identify the main purpose for the inclusion of specific information, diagrams and illustrations
identify the meaning of a phrase in context
infer the main idea of a paragraph.
When reading a biography or autobiography, students can:
connect ideas
identify the main purpose of the text
make inferences about the impact of an event on the narrator
interpret an idiomatic phrase or the meaning of a simple figurative expression.
When reading a persuasive text such as an advertisement, students can:
locate directly stated information
identify the main idea of a paragraph or the main message of the text.
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Year 7
In Year 7, reading texts may include a wide range of genre such as arguments and poems. These texts may use
technical vocabulary, complex phrases and varied sentence structures. Use of complex punctuation is evident. Texts
include simple examples of figurative language.
At the minimum standard, Year 7 students generally infer the main idea in a text and connect ideas within and
between sentences. At this level, students will not only interpret the meaning of words but also the intention of a
narrator and the motivation of a character in a narrative, and the writer’s point of view in an argument.
When reading a narrative, students can:
infer the motivation or intention of the narrator or a character
draw together ideas to identify a character's attitude
interpret dialogue to describe a character
connect ideas to infer a character's intention or misconception, or the significance of the character’s actions
interpret the significance of an event for the main character.
When reading a poem, students can:
identify the intention of the narrator.
When reading an information text, students can:
identify the main idea of a paragraph and the main purpose of the text
link and interpret information across the text
recognise the most likely opinion of a person
use text conventions to locate a detail.
When reading a persuasive text such as an argument, students can:

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locate and interpret directly stated information, including the meaning of specific words and expressions
identify the main message of the text
identify the purpose of parts of the text
interpret the main idea of a paragraph
infer the writer's point of view
identify points of agreement in arguments that present different views
identify and interpret language conventions used in the text, such as lists, order of online posts and the use of
punctuation for effect
identify the common theme in a variety of writers’ opinions.
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Year 9
In Year 9, reading texts include those that describe, explain, instruct, argue and narrate, often in combination. Texts
will use less familiar vocabulary, including subject-specific words, and complex sentences that contain detailed
information. More extensive use of figurative language is evident.
At the minimum standard, Year 9 students generally infer the main idea in more complex texts and connect ideas
across the text. For example, students at this level identify the tone of an argument and infer the feelings of a
character by interpreting descriptive text, figurative language and dialogue in a narrative.
When reading a complex narrative, students can:
locate a directly stated detail
connect ideas across a paragraph or across the text to interpret a description or the motivation of characters
infer the main idea
interpret and evaluate a character’s behaviour and attitude
interpret dialogue to describe a character
interpret the reasons for a character's response
connect ideas to interpret figurative language
interpret the effect of a short sentence.
When reading a poem, students can:
identify the main idea of the poem.
When reading a complex biographical text, students can:
locate a directly stated idea in the text.
When reading a complex information text, students can:
locate directly stated information
connect ideas in the introduction of the text or in the body of the text and illustrations
identify the main purpose of a text or an element of the text
identify the main idea of a paragraph
identify the purpose of a labelled diagram
identify the intended audience of the text
identify conventions used in a text, such as abbreviations or italics for a foreign word.
When reading a persuasive text such as an argument, students can:
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connect ideas across the text or in two arguments

identify the tone of an argument.

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