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Year 1 Non-fiction

Narrative
16-17 weeks
UNIT 1
Stories with familiar settings
*
(4 weeks or 2 x 2 weeks)
UNIT 2
Stories from a range of cultures/Stories with predictable and patterned language
*
(4 weeks or 2 x 2 weeks)
UNIT 3
Traditional and fairy tales
* (includes plays)
(4-5 weeks or 2-3 + 2 weeks)
UNIT 4
Stories about fantasy worlds
*
(4 weeks or 2 x 2 weeks)
Non-fiction
12 weeks
UNIT 1
Labels, lists and captions
*
(1 week)
UNIT 2
Instructions
*
(2 weeks)
UNIT 3
Recounts, dictionary
*
(2 weeks)
UNIT 4
Information texts
*
(5 weeks)
UNIT 5
Recount(fact and fiction)
*
(2 weeks)
Poetry
6 weeks
UNIT 1
Using the senses
*
(2 weeks)
UNIT 2
Pattern and rhyme

(2 weeks)
UNIT 3
Poems on a theme

(2 weeks)
Additional text-based units
UNIT 1
A day in the life of an RSPCA inspector
*
(2 weeks)
UNIT 2
The story of Jake and Bones

(2 weeks)
Numbers of weeks identified for each unit are suggestions only

* Where the unit title is asterisked, detailed planning exemplification has been produced and can be accessed by clicking on the title.

The combined content of these units, together with continuous and discrete work at word and sentence level, carries the learning that children can be expected to achieve in Year 1. Further work on presentational skills and speaking and listening will be ongoing throughout the year. Literacy learning in Year 1 is summarised in the objectives in the twelve strands. The year divides into 16-17 weeks on narrative, 12 weeks on non-fiction and 6 weeks on poetry but these timings and the ordering of many of the units can be flexible. This flexibility means that schools can position the units to create purposeful links across the curriculum. However care must be taken to maintain the progression in learning at text, sentence and word levels if these units are taught in a different order from the one suggested.

It is expected that the non-fiction units will take place before, after or alongside units from across the curriculum that will provide the content and purpose for speaking, listening, reading and writing. Many schools will also wish to link narrative, plays and poetry units across the curriculum.

See pages 29-36 of Learning and teaching in the primary years: Designing opportunities for learning (Ref: 0521-2004) to see how curriculum maps can be used to align units of study across curriculum areas.

See the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's opportunities for and examples of embedding aspects of English in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, music, science and mathematics at Key Stages 1 and 2 http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_5226.aspx

Non-fiction block

Although these units do not simply repeat the exemplified planning previously published, this remains relevant, and in some instances may be drawn upon for materials and approaches. The relationship between the two is shown in one of the tables below.

The non-fiction block addresses the following learning objectives.

Non-fiction UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 UNIT 5
1. Speaking          
Tell stories and describe incidents from their own experience in an audible voice tick tick tick   tick
Retell stories, ordering events using story language          
Experiment with and build new stores of words to communicate in different contexts          
2. Listening and responding          
Listen with sustained concentration, building new stores of words in different contexts tick tick tick tick  
Listen to and follow instructions accurately, asking for help and clarification if necessary tick tick      
Listen to tapes or video and express views about how a story or information has been presented       tick  
3. Group discussion and interaction          
Take turns to speak, listen to others' suggestions and talk about what they are going to do tick tick      
Ask and answer questions, make relevant contributions, offer suggestions and take turns tick tick tick tick  
Explain their views to others in a small group; decide how to report the group's views to the class         tick
4. Drama          
Explore familiar themes and characters through improvisation and role-play          
Act out own and well-known stories, using voices for characters          
Discuss why they like a performance          
5. Word recognition: decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling)          
Recognise and use alternative ways of pronouncing the graphemes already taught tick tick tick tick tick
Recognise and use alternative ways of spelling the graphemes already taught tick tick tick tick tick
Identify the constituent parts of two- and three-syllable words to support application of phonic knowledge and skills tick tick tick tick tick
Recognise automatically an increasing number of familiar high frequency words tick tick tick tick tick
Apply phonic knowledge and skills as the prime approach to reading and spelling unfamiliar words which are not completely decodable tick tick tick tick tick
Read more challenging texts which can be decoded using their acquired phonic knowledge and skills, along with automatic recognition of high frequency words tick tick tick tick tick
Read and spell phonically decodable two- and three-syllable words tick tick tick tick tick
6. Word structure and spelling          
Spell new words using phonics as the prime approach tick tick tick tick tick
Segment sounds into their constituent phonemes in order to spell them correctly tick tick tick tick tick
Recognise and use alternative ways of spelling the graphemes already taught tick tick tick tick tick
Use knowledge of common inflections in spelling such as plurals, -ly, -er tick tick tick tick tick
Read and spell phonically decodable two- and three-syllable words tick tick tick tick tick
7. Understanding and interpreting texts          
Identify the main events and characters in stories, and find specific information in simple texts tick tick tick   tick
Use syntax and context when reading for meaning          
Make predictions showing an understanding of ideas, events and characters       tick  
Recognise the main elements that shape different texts   tick tick tick tick
Explain the effect of patterns of language and repeated words and phrases tick        
8. Engaging with and responding to texts          
Select books for personal reading and give reasons for choices       tick  
Visualise and comment on events, characters and ideas, making imaginative links to own experiences     tick    
Distinguish fiction and non-fiction texts and the different purposes for reading them tick tick      
9. Creating and shaping texts          
Independently choose what to write about, plan and follow it through tick tick tick tick  
Use key features of narrative in their own writing          
Convey information and ideas in simple non-narrative forms tick tick tick tick tick
Find and use new and interesting words and phrases, including 'story language'       tick  
Create short simple texts on paper and on screen which combine words with images (and sounds) tick tick tick tick tick
10. Text structure and organisation          
Write chronological and non-chronological texts using simple structures tick tick tick tick tick
Group written sentences together in chunks of meaning or subject tick tick tick tick  
11. Sentence structure and punctuation          
Compose and write simple sentences independently to communicate meaning tick tick tick tick tick
Use capital letters and full stops when punctuating simple sentences tick tick tick tick  
12. Presentation          
Write most letters, correctly formed and orientated using a comfortable and efficient pencil grip       tick  
Write with spaces between words accurately       tick  
Use the space bar and keyboard to type name and simple text tick tick tick   tick

Match between current planning and the previous National Literacy Strategy planning materials

Non-fiction 2006 UNIT 1
Labels, lists and captions
(1 week)
UNIT 2
Instructions
(2 weeks)
UNIT 3
Recounts, dictionary
(2 weeks)
UNIT 4
Information texts
(5 weeks)
UNIT 5
Recount (fact and fiction)
(2 weeks)
National Literacy Strategy 2003 Term 1
Non-fiction 1: Captions/lists
Non-fiction 2: Instructions
Term 2
Non-fiction 1
Non-fiction 2
Term 3
Non-fiction 1: Recount
Non-fiction 2: Information texts