What will children learn in their Year 7 English classes?
Your child has made the big leap to secondary school and KS3. So what will they learn in their new Year 7 English classes?
Given the size of the year group and the range of abilities within a year, most secondary schools teach English in ability sets, and your child will probably be assessed, either before they start school, or at the beginning of the term, to determine which is the best set for them. The KS3 curriculum overall is the same for all sets, but higher ability groups will be working at a higher level, while lower sets will be given more support.
Reading
Year 7 children are expected to be confident, fluent readers. The emphasis now is on interpretation and comprehension, and the children will be working with both written and electronic material. In KS3 there are two areas of focus for reading:
Reading for meaning
Finding information in a text
Using techniques such as scanning and skimming
Looking for subtle, implied meaning
Understanding the main point of view
Examining the impact of multimodal text (material which uses two or more media together, such as words and pictures)
Understanding the author’s craft
Looking at a piece and thinking about its cultural, social and historical context
Thinking about how a writer uses imagery, simile and metaphor
Examining how the author uses structure, layout and presentation, in print and electronically
Writing
Year 7 children will be working on developing their imaginative ideas and themes, and could be working on:
Stories
Poems
Scripts and screenplays
Autobiographies
Advertisements and persuasive writing
Articles
Essays
Reviews
In this written work, the children will be concentrating on:
Planning and drafting
Presenting ideas logically and clearly
Precise and imaginative vocabulary
Spelling common words correctly
Using correct punctuation in sentences and speech
Structure and presentation
Use of paragraphs
Editing, proofreading and revising their work on screen and paper
Preparing for Year 7 English at home:
Before your child starts school, ask your school for a reading list – this will give you an idea of the books and authors your child will be studying, and will give your some tips for summer holiday reading
Look out for film adaptations of classic novels or plays – it’s often a good way to introduce what could be a long or tricky read
Make time for reading – there will be more homework now, so encourage your child to set aside time, perhaps at bedtime, to read for pleasure
If your child isn’t keen on writing, encourage them to write a blog or create a website about a hobby or interest
If your child is expected to use a keyboard and finds it tricky, look for a touch typing course to help them with speed and accuracy
Encourage your child to join in extra-curricular activities – secondary schools run a variety of clubs and groups, which are ideal for developing communication skills
And that’s it for our guide to Year 7 English! We wish you and your little Year 7 all the best, and are super excited for you to engage with the course!
Are you having trouble staying focused? Here are some ways to improve your productivity!
