* 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 6. Further work on presentational skills and speaking and listening will be ongoing throughout the year. Literacy learning in Year 6 is summarised in the objectives in the twelve strands. The year divides into 10-11 weeks on narrative, 12 weeks on non-fiction and 3 weeks on poetry, with 8 weeks for revision 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).

Poetry block

• Poetry Units 1 and 2 are relatively free-standing and could be used at any stage of the first two terms, although Unit 1 needs to feed into and therefore precede Unit 2. Unit 2 could be postponed until the later summer term if this fits better with other requirements and constraints.
• A further poetry unit (along with one for narrative and plays and another for non-fiction) is designed for use in the late spring or early summer and provides an element of revision before the national tests, without stalling the forward momentum of overall learning.

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 poetry units address the following learning objectives.

Poetry	UNIT 1	UNIT 2
1. Speaking
Use a range of oral techniques to present persuasive arguments and engaging narratives
Participate in whole-class debate using the conventions and language of debate, including standard English
Use the techniques of dialogic talk to explore ideas, topics or issues
2. Listening and responding
Make notes when listening for a sustained period and discuss how note-taking varies depending on context and purpose
Analyse and evaluate how speakers present points effectively through use of language and gesture
Listen for language variation in formal and informal contexts.
Identify the ways spoken language varies according to differences in context and purpose of use
3. Group discussion and interaction
Consider examples of conflict and resolution, exploring language used
Understand and use a variety of ways to criticise constructively and respond to criticism
4. Drama
Improvise using a range of drama strategies and conventions to explore themes such as hopes, fears, desires
Consider the overall impact of a live or recorded performance, identifying dramatic ways of conveying characters' ideas and building tension
Devise a performance considering how to adapt the performance for a specific audience
5. Word recognition (objectives covered by the end of Year 2)
6. Word structure and spelling
Spell familiar words correctly and employ a range of strategies to spell difficult and unfamiliar words
Use a range of appropriate strategies to edit, proofread and correct spelling in own work, on paper and on screen
7. Understanding and interpreting texts
Appraise a text quickly, deciding on its value/quality/usefulness
Understand underlying themes, causes and points of view
Understand how writers use different structures to create coherence and impact
Explore how word meanings change when used in different contexts
Recognise rhetorical devices used to argue, persuade, mislead and sway the reader
8. Engaging with and responding to texts
Read extensively and discuss personal reading with others, including in reading groups
Sustain engagement with longer texts, using different techniques to make the text come alive
Compare how writers from different times and places present experiences and use language
9. Creating and shaping texts
Set own challenges to extend achievement and experience in writing
Use different narrative techniques to engage and entertain the reader
In non-narrative, establish, balance and maintain viewpoints
Select words and language drawing on their knowledge of literary features and formal and informal writing
Integrate words, images and sounds imaginatively for different purposes
10. Text structure and organisation
Use varied structures to shape and organise texts coherently
Use paragraphs to achieve pace and emphasis
11. Sentence structure and punctuation
Express subtle distinctions of meaning, including hypothesis, speculation and supposition, by constructing sentences in varied ways
Use punctuation to clarify meaning in complex sentences
12. Presentation
Use different styles of handwriting for different purposes with a range of media, developing a consistent and personal legible style
Select from a wide range of ICT programs to present text effectively and communicate information and ideas

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