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Year 2 Non-fiction

Narrative
14 weeks
UNIT 1
Stories with familiar settings
(4 weeks)
Non-fiction
15 weeks
UNIT 1
Instructions
*
(4 weeks)
UNIT
Explanations
*
(3 weeks)
UNIT 3
Information texts
(4 weeks)
Poetry
6 weeks
UNIT 2
Really looking *
(2 weeks)
UNIT 3
Silly stuff
(2 weeks)
Additional text-based units
2 weeks
Really looking *
(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 2. Further work on presentational skills and speaking and listening will be ongoing throughout the year. Literacy learning in Year 2 is summarised in the objectives in the twelve strands. The year divides into 14 weeks on narrative, 15 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 the non-fiction 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
1. Speaking        
Speak with clarity and use appropriate intonation when reading and reciting texts tick      
Tell real and imagined stories using the conventions of familiar story language        
Explain ideas and processes using imaginative and adventurous vocabulary and non-verbal gestures to support communication   tick tick tick
2. Listening and responding        
Listen to others in class, ask relevant questions and follow instructions tick tick tick  
Listen to talk by an adult, remember some specific points and identify what they have learned   tick tick  
Respond to presentations by describing characters, repeating some highlights and commenting constructively        
3. Group discussion and interaction        
Ensure everyone contributes, allocate tasks, and consider alternatives and reach agreement tick tick    
Work effectively in groups by ensuring each group member takes a turn challenging, supporting and moving on        
Listen to each other's views and preferences, agree the next steps to take and identify contributions by each group member     tick  
4. Drama        
Adopt appropriate roles in small or large groups and consider alternative courses of action     tick  
Present part of traditional stories, own stories or work from different parts of the curriculum for members of their own class        
Consider how mood and atmosphere are created in live or recorded performance        
5. Word recognition: decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling)        
Read independently and with increasing fluency longer and less familiar texts tick tick tick tick
Spell with increasing accuracy and confidence, drawing on word recognition and knowledge of word structure and spelling patterns tick tick tick tick
Know how to tackle unfamiliar words which are not completely decodable tick tick tick tick
Read and spell less common alternative graphemes including trigraphs tick tick tick tick
Read high and medium frequency words independently and automatically tick tick tick tick
6. Word structure and spelling        
Spell with increasing accuracy and confidence, drawing on word recognition and knowledge of word structure and spelling patterns including common inflections and use of double letters tick tick tick tick
Read and spell less common alternative graphemes including trigraphs tick tick tick tick
7. Understanding and interpreting texts        
Draw together ideas and information from across a whole text, using simple signposts in the text tick     tick
Give some reasons for why things happen or characters change   tick    
Explain organisational features of texts, including alphabetical order, layout, diagrams, captions, hyperlinks and bullet points tick tick tick tick
Use syntax and context to build their store of vocabulary when reading for meaning        
Explore how particular words are used, including words and expressions with similar meanings     tick  
8. Engaging with and responding to texts        
Read whole books on their own, choosing and justifying selections        
Engage with books through exploring and enacting interpretations tick tick tick  
Explain their reactions to texts, commenting on important aspects       tick
9. Creating and shaping texts        
Draw on knowledge and experience of texts in deciding and planning what and how to write tick tick tick  
Sustain form in narrative, including use of person and time        
Maintain consistency in non-narrative, including purpose and tense tick      
Make adventurous word and language choices appropriate to style and purpose of text     tick  
Select from different presentational features to suit particular writing purposes on paper and on screen tick tick tick tick
10. Text structure and organisation        
Use planning to establish clear sections for writing   tick tick tick
Use appropriate language to make sections hang together tick tick   tick
11. Sentence structure and punctuation        
Write simple and compound sentences and begin to use subordination in relation to time and reason   tick tick  
Compose sentences using tense consistently (present and past)     tick  
Use question marks and use commas to separate items in a list tick   tick  
12. Presentation        
Write legibly, using upper and lower case letters appropriately within words, and observing correct spacing within and between words        
Form and use the four basic handwriting joins        
Word process short narrative and non-narrative texts       tick

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

Non-fiction 2006 UNIT 1
Instructions
(4 weeks)
UNIT 2
Explanations
(3 weeks)
UNIT 3
Information texts
(4 weeks)
UNIT 4
Non-chronological reports
(4 weeks)
National Literacy Strategy 2003 Term 1
Instructions
Term 2
Explanations
Term 2
Categorising
Term 3
Information texts
Term 3
Reports