English key stage 2

Statutory content 

Teaching should ensure that work in 'speaking and listening', 'reading' and 'writing' is integrated.

Explanatory notes

In English, during key stage 2 pupils learn to change the way they speak and write to suit different situations, purposes and audiences. They read a range of texts and respond to different layers of meaning in them. They explore the use of language in literary and non-literary texts and learn how language works.

Speaking and listening: during key stage 2 pupils learn how to speak in a range of contexts, adapting what they say and how they say it to the purpose and the audience. Taking varied roles in groups gives them opportunities to contribute to situations with different demands. They also learn to respond appropriately to others, thinking about what has been said and the language used.

Knowledge, skills and understanding

Speaking

1. To speak with confidence in a range of contexts, adapting their speech for a range of purposes and audiences, pupils should be taught to:

  1. use vocabulary and syntax that enables them to communicate more complex meanings
  2. gain and maintain the interest and response of different audiences [for example, by exaggeration, humour, varying pace and using persuasive language to achieve particular effects]
  3. choose material that is relevant to the topic and to the listeners
  4. show clear shape and organisation with an introduction and an ending
  5. speak audibly and clearly, using spoken standard English in formal contexts
  6. evaluate their speech and reflect on how it varies.

Listening

2. To listen, understand and respond appropriately to others, pupils should be taught to:

  1. identify the gist of an account or key points in a discussion and evaluate what they hear
  2. ask relevant questions to clarify, extend and follow up ideas
  3. recall and re-present important features of an argument, talk, reading, radio or television programme, film
  4. identify features of language used for a specific purpose [for example, to persuade, instruct or entertain]
  5. respond to others appropriately, taking into account what they say.

Group discussion and interaction

3. To talk effectively as members of a group, pupils should be taught to:

  1. make contributions relevant to the topic and take turns in discussion
  2. vary contributions to suit the activity and purpose, including exploratory and tentative comments where ideas are being collected together, and reasoned, evaluative comments as discussion moves to conclusions or actions
  3. qualify or justify what they think after listening to others' questions or accounts
  4. deal politely with opposing points of view and enable discussion to move on
  5. take up and sustain different roles, adapting them to suit the situation, including chair, scribe and spokesperson
  6. use different ways to help the group move forward, including summarising the main points, reviewing what has been said, clarifying, drawing others in, reaching agreement, considering alternatives and anticipating consequences.

Drama

4. To participate in a wide range of drama activities and to evaluate their own and others' contributions, pupils should be taught to:

  1. create, adapt and sustain different roles, individually and in groups
  2. use character, action and narrative to convey story, themes, emotions, ideas in plays they devise and script
  3. use dramatic techniques to explore characters and issues [for example, hot seating, flashback]
  4. evaluate how they and others have contributed to the overall effectiveness of performances.

Standard English

5. Pupils should be taught the grammatical constructions that are characteristic of spoken standard English and to apply this knowledge appropriately in a range of contexts.

Language variation

6. Pupils should be taught about how language varies:

  1. according to context and purpose [for example, choice of vocabulary in more formal situations]
  2. between standard and dialect forms [for example, in drama, the effect of using standard or dialect forms]
  3. between spoken and written forms [for example, the differences between transcribed speech, direct speech and reported speech].

Explanatory notes

Note on standard English

The paragraphs on standard English, language variation, language structure and language structure and variation in speaking and listening, reading and writing provide a coherent basis for language study.

When teaching standard English it is helpful to bear in mind the most common nonstandard usages in England:

  • subject-verb agreement (they was)

  • formation of past tense (have fell, I done)

  • formation of negatives (ain't)

  • formation of adverbs (come quick)

  • use of demonstrative pronouns (them books).

Breadth of study

7. During the key stage, pupils should be taught the Knowledge, skills and understanding through the following range of activities, contexts and purposes.

Speaking

8. The range should include:

  1. reading aloud
  2. presenting to different audiences
  3. extended speaking for different purposes.

Listening

9. The range should include opportunities for pupils to listen to:

  1. live talks/readings/presentations
  2. recordings [for example, radio, television, film]
  3. others in groups.

Group discussion and interaction

10. The range of purposes should include:

  1. investigating, selecting, sorting
  2. planning, predicting, exploring
  3. explaining, reporting, evaluating.

Drama activities

11. The range should include:

  1. improvisation and working in role
  2. scripting and performing in plays
  3. responding to performances.

This content relates to the 1999 programmes of study and attainment targets.