Grade 06: English

In this unit, 'Reading prose and drama', you learn to identify theme, character and point of view with evidence. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Reading prose and drama' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: identify theme, character and point of view with evidence, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Read a prose extract and notice the narrator. 'I laughed when the new boy dropped his books. Later I saw Dev hand him half his lunch and say nothing. My cheeks burned.' The word 'I' shows first-person point of view. We see only what the narrator sees and feels.
2. Step 2, Identify character with evidence. Dev: kind, because he shares his lunch quietly. The narrator: ashamed, because 'my cheeks burned'. Look at what characters do, say and feel, and quote a few words. A trait needs evidence, such as 'Dev is kind: he hands over half his lunch.'
3. Step 3, Identify the theme. A theme is the message about life in a story, written as a sentence. Not 'kindness' alone but 'Small acts of kindness can make us see our own unkind behaviour.' Evidence: the narrator laughs, then feels ashamed after seeing Dev's kindness.
4. Step 4, Notice point of view in a change. Rewrite in third person: 'Rahul laughed when the new boy dropped his books.' Now we see from outside and do not know that his cheeks burned. First person gives us thoughts, so the reader feels the shame more.
5. Step 5, Read a drama extract. 'RAHUL: (looking at his feet) I am sorry I laughed. DEV: It is all right.' Names show who speaks, and brackets give stage directions that show feeling. Drama shows character through dialogue and actions, with no narrator.
6. Step 6, Your turn: identify the character trait and evidence in 'Mira picked up the litter nobody else noticed and dropped it in the bin.' Answer: Mira is responsible and thoughtful. Evidence: she picked up litter nobody else noticed. A possible theme: small good actions matter even when unseen.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Identify theme, character and point of view with evidence: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Pronouns, tenses and sentence types', you learn to use pronouns, tenses and four sentence types accurately. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Pronouns, tenses and sentence types' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: use pronouns, tenses and four sentence types accurately, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Choose the right pronoun. Subject: I, he, she, we, they. Object: me, him, her, us, them. Model: "She gave him the book." "Between you and me, it was easy." Reason: use object forms after verbs and prepositions.
2. Step 2, Match the tense to the time. Present: "She studies every night." Past: "She studied last night." Present perfect: "She has studied for an hour." Future: "She will study tomorrow." Reason: the time word guides the tense.
3. Step 3, Use the four sentence types. Statement: "The library opens at nine." Question: "When does it open?" Command: "Please close the door." Exclamation: "What a lovely surprise!" Reason: each type has a purpose and punctuation.
4. Step 4, Check subject-verb agreement. "The team plays well." "The boys play well." "Neither of the answers is correct." Reason: the verb agrees with the subject, not the nearest noun.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Wrong: "Me and her goes to the market." Right: "She and I go to the market." Another error: "He have finished his work." Right: "He has finished his work."
6. Step 6, Rewrite a paragraph with consistent tense. Before: "Yesterday, I walk to school and see my friend." After: "Yesterday, I walked to school and saw my friend." Underline the verbs to check them.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write one sentence of each type about a school trip. Model answer: "We visited the museum." "What did you see there?" "Please bring your notebook." "How amazing the dinosaurs were!"

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Use pronouns, tenses and four sentence types accurately: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Paragraph and descriptive writing', you learn to write a paragraph that describes a person or place with detail. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Paragraph and descriptive writing' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: write a paragraph that describes a person or place with detail, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Learn the paragraph shape: a topic sentence, three or four detail sentences and a closing sentence. Topic: the fish market at dawn. Write: 'The fish market at dawn is a noisy, salty world.' This sentence names the place and gives the overall feeling.
2. Step 2, Add detail using the senses. Sight: 'silver fish piled on crushed ice'. Sound: 'sellers shouting prices across the stalls'. Smell: 'a sharp smell of salt and seaweed'. Touch: 'wet, cold boards under my sandals'. Choose exact words, not just 'nice' or 'big'.
3. Step 3, Show, do not tell. Weak: 'The seller was angry.' Better: 'The seller slapped his hand on the counter and glared at the customer.' When a person is described, use looks, movements and voice. Write one detailed sentence about a person this way.
4. Step 4, Join the sentences smoothly. 'The fish market at dawn is a noisy, salty world. Silver fish lie on crushed ice while sellers shout their prices. A sharp smell of seaweed drifts through the air. By the time the sun is up, the best fish are gone.' Read it aloud.
5. Step 5, Check and improve. Does every sentence match the topic? Replace weak words with better ones, such as 'shouted' instead of 'said'. Check capitals, full stops and commas in lists. A paragraph of six or seven sentences is enough at this stage.
6. Step 6, Your turn: write a topic sentence and one sensory detail about your classroom at lunchtime. Model answer: 'The classroom at lunchtime is a cheerful jumble. Lunch boxes clatter open and the smell of warm bread floats from every desk.'

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Write a paragraph that describes a person or place with detail: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Poetry and figurative language', you learn to explain simile, metaphor and personification in a poem. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Poetry and figurative language' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: explain simile, metaphor and personification in a poem, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Read the poem. 'The moon is a lantern hung in the sky, / The clouds, like sheep, wander slowly by. / The wind whispers secrets to every tree, / And the night yawns wide over land and sea.' Read it twice and picture each line.
2. Step 2, Explain the simile. 'The clouds, like sheep, wander slowly by.' A simile compares using like or as. Clouds and sheep are both white, soft and slow, so we picture the sky as a calm field. The simile makes the sky gentle and peaceful.
3. Step 3, Explain the metaphor. 'The moon is a lantern hung in the sky.' A metaphor says one thing is another. The moon gives light in the dark as a lantern does, and it seems to hang from above. This makes the night feel safe and warm.
4. Step 4, Explain the personification. Personification gives human actions to things. 'The wind whispers secrets' makes wind seem like a person speaking softly, and 'the night yawns' makes the night seem sleepy. Both make the scene feel alive and quiet.
5. Step 5, Write an explanation using the pattern: quote, name the device, say the effect. 'The line "the night yawns wide" is personification. It gives the night a human action, which makes it feel sleepy and calm.' Always finish with the effect on the reader.
6. Step 6, Your turn: name the device in each phrase and explain one. (a) the river laughed as it ran (b) the sun is a golden coin (c) as quiet as a mouse. Answer: (a) personification, (b) metaphor, (c) simile. Example: (a) the river seems happy, so it feels lively.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Explain simile, metaphor and personification in a poem: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Letters, notices and messages', you learn to write formal and informal messages for a purpose. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Letters, notices and messages' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: write formal and informal messages for a purpose, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Choose the form by purpose and reader. A message is short and quick for a friend. A notice informs many people. A formal letter asks or complains. Ask: who will read this, and what do I want them to do? The answer decides the tone and the layout.
2. Step 2, Write an informal message. 'Hi Sara, I am at the library until 4 pm. Please bring the maths notes. Thanks! Tara. 2:30 pm.' It includes the date or time, the greeting, the main point, and the sender's name. Keep it short and friendly.
3. Step 3, Write a notice. Layout: NOTICE at the top, then a date, then a title, then the body, then the name and role of the writer. 'BOOK FAIR. 12 March. All students are invited to the school hall, 9 am to 3 pm. Library Prefect.' Give what, when and where.
4. Step 4, Write a formal letter. Put the sender's address and date on the top right, then 'Dear Sir or Madam', then a subject line. 'I am writing to request permission to hold a book fair in the school hall.' End with 'Yours faithfully' and your name.
5. Step 5, Compare tone. Informal: 'Can we use the hall? It would be great!' Formal: 'I would be grateful if we could use the hall.' Use contractions and exclamation marks with friends only. Always check that who, what, when and where are all present.
6. Step 6, Your turn: write a notice in two lines for a drawing contest on 20 April in Room 4 at 10 am. Model answer: 'NOTICE. Drawing Contest. All students are invited to Room 4 on 20 April at 10 am. Art Club Secretary.'

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Write formal and informal messages for a purpose: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Comprehension of unseen passages', you learn to answer literal, inference and vocabulary questions. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Comprehension of unseen passages' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: answer literal, inference and vocabulary questions, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Read the passage before the questions. 'The old lighthouse stood at the edge of the cliff. Every night its beam swept across the waves, warning ships about the sharp rocks below. Ana climbed 120 steps each evening to light the lamp. One stormy night the beam flickered, and Ana did not rest until it shone again.'
2. Step 2, Answer a literal question. 'How many steps did Ana climb?' The answer is stated in the text: 120. Scan the passage for the number, copy it and answer in a full sentence: 'Ana climbed 120 steps each evening.' Literal answers come straight from the words on the page.
3. Step 3, Answer an inference question. 'What kind of person is Ana?' It is not stated, so use clues: she climbed 120 steps every evening and 'did not rest until it shone again'. She is dutiful and determined. Write: 'Ana is determined because she did not rest until the beam shone.'
4. Step 4, Answer a vocabulary question. 'What does flickered mean?' Read the sentence around it: in a storm, the beam needed Ana's attention and then 'shone again'. So it was shining unsteadily, going on and off. Answer: flickered means shone unsteadily.
5. Step 5, Check each answer. Reread the question, make sure you have used the passage and that your sentence makes sense. For two-mark questions give two points. Leave a line of working so you can show where you found the evidence.
6. Step 6, Your turn: using the lighthouse passage, why did the beam matter, and what does 'sharp' tell us about the rocks? Answer: The beam warned ships about the rocks below. 'Sharp' tells us that the rocks were dangerous and could damage a ship.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Answer literal, inference and vocabulary questions: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Speaking and listening', you learn to present a short talk and give feedback. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen first: your teacher or a recording says the new words or sentences from 'Speaking and listening' twice. You repeat them aloud.
• Notice the pattern: find where the new sound, word form or sentence rule appears in a short text and mark it.
• Use it: present a short talk and give feedback, first with help, then alone.
• Check and fix: read your work aloud once more; fix one thing you hear is wrong.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Plan the talk in minutes. Topic: "A book I recommend". Opening: 30 seconds. Main points: two minutes. Close: 30 seconds. Reason: planning time keeps you from rushing or running out.
2. Step 2, Write an opening that catches attention. "Have you ever read a story that you could not put down? Today I want to tell you about one." Reason: a question or a surprising fact draws the audience in.
3. Step 3, Use short cue cards. Card: "Title; main character; one exciting moment; why I recommend it." Reason: cards hold prompts, not the full script, so your voice stays natural.
4. Step 4, Give feedback with a model. Use: two stars and a wish. "Your voice was clear and the examples were interesting. Next time, slow down a little." Reason: praise first, then one specific suggestion, is useful and kind.
5. Step 5, Fix an error. Weak feedback: "It was fine." Better: "I liked how you described the main character. Your ending was clear." Another error: criticising the speaker. Right: describe what you saw or heard.
6. Step 6, Close the talk and invite a reply. "To sum up, this story is exciting and thoughtful, so I recommend it. Thank you. Any questions?" Reason: ending with a summary and thanks tells the audience you are done.
7. Step 7, Your turn. Write the opening line and a two stars and a wish feedback for a classmate's talk on football. Model answer: "Opening: What makes a team win? Feedback: Clear voice, good facts. Next time, look at the audience more."

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Present a short talk and give feedback: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

On the slide: L1 Basic · Letters, sounds and first reading

Notes: Match letters to sounds and read short words and simple sentences aloud. Notes: use the sounds s, a, t, p, i, n; learners blend them into sat, pin and tap, then read a three-word sentence and clap the syllables.

On the slide: L2 Awareness · Sentences and simple writing

Notes: Write a clear sentence with a capital letter and full stop, and read a short story with understanding. Notes: give a picture prompt; learners say the sentence first, write it, and check capital, spacing and full stop with a partner before reading it aloud.

On the slide: L3 Foundation · Paragraphs, grammar and reading for meaning

Notes: Write a paragraph of five connected sentences and identify nouns, verbs and adjectives in a text. Notes: colour nouns blue and verbs red in a short passage; learners then write about their street, using at least two adjectives and one linking word.

This course: Grade 06 English is at this level. Its units include Reading prose and drama; Pronouns, tenses and sentence types; Paragraph and descriptive writing; Poetry and figurative language and more.

On the slide: L4 Practitioner · Essays, speaking and responding to texts

Notes: Write a 300-word structured essay and give a short talk, quoting evidence from a text to support a view. Notes: model Point, Evidence, Explain; learners write one paragraph about a character, quote one line, and explain what it shows, then speak it aloud.

On the slide: L5 Specialist · Analysis, argument and style

Notes: Analyse a writer's choices of language and structure and write a sustained argument of 600 words. Notes: take two openings of different short stories; learners compare tone, sentence length and imagery in a table, then argue which opening works better and why.

On the slide: L6 Advanced · Literary and linguistic study

Notes: Evaluate texts through a critical lens, tracing how language changes across time and context in a researched essay. Notes: compare an older and a modern passage; learners list five differences in vocabulary and syntax and argue in 1,500 words what each reveals about its period.

On the slide: L7 Super expert · Research, editing and authorship

Notes: Produce an original piece of research or a polished long-form text, with a literature review and defended method. Notes: pick a narrow question about language in one genre; build a corpus of fifty samples, analyse patterns, write 5,000 words, and revise after external review.