NZC - English Phase 1 (Years 0–3)

During the first six months

During the first year 

During the second year 

During the third year 

During the first six months 

During the first year 

During the second year 

During the third year 

Communicating and Presenting 

Verbal reasoning 

• A question asks something, and often begins with words such as who, what, where, when, why, or how. 
• Words such as ‘because’ and ‘so’ are used to explain why something happened (e.g. ‘He fell because the floor was slippery’ or ‘The floor was slippery, so he fell’). 

• Clarification questions (e.g. ‘What do you mean …?’, ‘Can you explain …?’) are used when something is confusing, unclear, or needs more detail. 
• If/then sentences can show what might happen when something else happens (e.g. ‘If it’s raining, then we stay inside’). 

• ‘Why’ questions show what caused something to happen. 
• ‘How’ questions help explain the way something works, how something happens, or how to do something. 
• Phrases and words used to show that one thing depends on another include:  
  • if … then … (e.g. ‘If the sun is shining, then I must wear a hat’)  
  • when (e.g. ‘When the sun shines, I must wear a hat’)  
  • unless (e.g. ‘Unless I wear a hat, I can’t go out in the sun’)  
  • as long as (e.g. ‘As long as it is sunny and hot, I must wear my hat’). 

• Closed questions (e.g. ‘Do you know …?’, ‘Is it true that …?’) are useful for confirming facts or checking understanding because they encourage brief, specific responses. 
• Open-ended questions (e.g. ‘Why …?’ or ‘How …?’) encourage extended thinking and elaboration. 
• Words and phrases such as ‘might’, ‘could’, ‘maybe’, and ‘what if …’ help explore different possible causes and predict what could happen next (e.g. ‘What if it rains?’, ‘Maybe she forgot her lunch’, ‘He might be late’). 

• Asking and answering who, what, where questions 
• Linking actions and outcomes using ‘because’ or ‘so’ 

• Asking and answering clarification questions 
• Explaining motives and outcomes using if/then statements 

• Asking and answering why and how questions to explain ideas 
• Explaining how and why people make choices or events occur, using cause-effect and if/then reasoning 

• Asking and answering open-ended questions to explore ideas and cause and effect 
• Suggesting alternative causes or outcomes for actions by considering if/then scenarios and predicting results 

Teaching Considerations: Verbal reasoning 

During the first year 

• When speaking, most sounds will typically be articulated correctly at school entry, taking into consideration students’ dialects and accents. A few sounds can take longer to develop such as /s/, /z/, /l/, /sh/, /ch/, /zh/, /r/, and /th/.  
• If students are still mispronouncing words with adjacent consonants (e.g. ‘stop’, ‘green’) and multi-syllable words (e.g. ‘hospital’, ‘helicopter’) after a year at school, teaching support can be found in the teacher guidance for accelerating progress in literacy. 

During the second year 

• When speaking, most sounds will typically be articulated correctly, including in words with adjacent consonants and multiple syllables, taking into consideration students’ dialects and accents. 
• If students are still misarticulating /s/, /z/, /l/, /sh/, /ch/, and /zh/, teaching support can be found in the teacher guidance for accelerating progress in literacy. 

During the third year 

• When speaking, most sounds and words will typically be articulated correctly, taking into consideration students’ dialects and accents. 
• If students are still misarticulating /r/, voiceless /th/ (as in ‘thin’) and voiced /th/ (as in ‘this’), teaching support can be found in the teacher guidance for accelerating progress in literacy. 

All years 

• For emergent bilingual and multilingual learners, seek information about the phonemes present in their known language(s). English phonemes that are not present in their other language(s) are likely to need careful teaching and practice. 

Presenting to others

• Reciting a text or song involves remembering the words and speaking or singing in time with the group.

• Oral presentations are spoken performances where individuals or groups communicate ideas, information, or stories to an audience. 

• Oral presentations often include visual and written aids, notes, or prompts that support memory and presentation organisation. 

• Reciting items (e.g. short texts or songs) together with others

• Reciting items (e.g. short texts or songs) independently 

• Preparing and presenting short recitations and oral presentations on a topic, using visual or written scaffolds

• Preparing and confidently presenting short recitations and oral presentations on a topic, using independently prepared prompts

• Non-verbal communication — such as facial expressions, gestures, body language, and posture, and proximity — ideally reinforces spoken messages.
• Speaking loudly can signal confidence, anger, urgency, excitement, or an important point; speaking softly can signal hesitancy or calmness.
• Speaking fast can signal nervousness, excitement, or urgency; speaking slowly can signal seriousness, thoughtfulness, or an important point.

• Using facial expressions and gestures that support meaning
• Speaking with appropriate, audible volume so they can be heard

• Using non-verbal communication to support the message being communicated
• Adjusting volume and pace

• Using non-verbal communication to support the message being communicated
• Considering position and posture when addressing an audience
• Experimenting with volume and pace to convey meaning

Teaching Considerations: Non-verbal communication 

All years 

• Be mindful of cultural differences and unique neurodivergent preferences when teaching about non-verbal communication, as these can influence students’ interpretations, degree of familiarity, and comfort. 

Listening and responding  

• Active listening involves giving full attention to a speaker, including their verbal and non-verbal cues, to understand their message. 
• Effective conversations involve active listening, taking turns, sharing opinions and ideas, asking thoughtful questions, and responding respectfully. 

• Effective discussions involve actively contributing, building on others’ ideas, and asking questions to encourage others to contribute. 
• Sharing other people’s opinions and viewpoints involves respectful language and supporting evidence. 

• Actively listening to speakers 
• Initiating and joining discussions  
• Engaging in respectful greetings and farewells 

• Actively listening to speakers  
• Participating in conversations, maintaining the topic, and responding 
• Offering reasons for their opinions 

• Participating in conversations, taking turns, actively listening, and contributing 
• Respectfully agreeing, disagreeing, and adding on to ideas 
• Explaining reasons for their opinions and ideas 

• Participating in discussions, taking turns, actively listening, questioning, and contributing  
• Rewording, summarising, and building on others’ ideas respectfully  
• Changing topics appropriately 
• Sharing others’ opinions and viewpoints 

Communication for Learning 

Reflective and strategic communication 

• Words can be used to ask for help, share needs, and express preferences (e.g. ‘can you help me please?’, ‘I like this …’).  
• Talking and listening follow patterns — taking turns, using names, and responding with kind words are part of expected classroom talk. 

• Talking about learning includes saying what was challenging, what helped, and what could be done differently next time. 
• Comparative words and phrases (e.g. ‘easier than’, ‘harder than’, ‘better’) help explain differences in learning experiences. 
• Explanatory phrases such as ‘because’, ‘I like it when’, support reflection and expressing opinions and preferences. 

• Sequencing phrases, such as ‘first I … then I …’ help explain the steps taken during learning. 
• Reflective sentence starters (e.g. ‘I found it tricky when …’, ‘I used a strategy like …’) support putting thought processes, choices, and feelings into words. 
• Evaluative language (e.g. ‘I did well at …’, ‘I need to work on …’) helps describe what went well and what could be improved. 

• Oral language can be used to explain the connections between what was done, why it was done, and what was learnt. 
• Asking probing questions (e.g. ‘why did that happen?’ or ‘what could I try next?’) helps us reflect and grow as learners. 

• Requesting assistance appropriately to support their own learning 
• Using short phrases to explain needs, opinions, and preferences  
• Engaging with expected classroom talk through meaningful participation in learning conversations 

• Describing their learning, and articulating challenges, supports, and possible next steps 
• Using comparative and explanatory language to express their feelings, opinions, and preferences about their learning and experiences 

• Describing the steps taken during a learning task using spoken language that links actions and ideas 
• Using reflective language structures to describe their thoughts and feelings about their learning and experiences 
• Using evaluative language to identify strengths and areas for improvement 

• Reflecting on and explaining their learning, using clear, connected talk that links actions, reasons, and outcomes 
• Using probing questions to challenge themselves 

During the first six months

During the first year 

During the second year 

During the third year 

During the first six months 

During the first year 

During the second year 

During the third year 

Word Recognition 

Phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge 

• Spoken words are made up of individual sounds (phonemes) that are blended together. 
• There are two types of sounds: vowel and consonant. 
• Vowel sounds are made with an open mouth and nothing blocks the sound. 
• Consonant sounds are blocked by the lips, teeth, or tongue. 
• Every word has at least one vowel sound. 
• Vowel sounds can be short or long.  
• The short vowel sounds are the /a/ sound in ‘an’, the /e/ sound in ‘egg’, the /i/ sound in ‘in’, the /o/ sound in ‘on’ and the /u/ sound in ‘us’ [the content within // is the phoneme]. 
• The long vowel sounds are the vowel letter names (A E I O U). 

• Orally identifying the first, last, and middle phonemes in a three-phoneme word and connecting these to print 
• Orally blending up to three phonemes to make words 

• Discriminating between short- and long-vowel phonemes 
• Orally blending up to six phonemes to make words 

• One sound (phoneme) can be shown by one letter (a grapheme), such as the <b> in ‘bat’ [the content within <> is the grapheme]. 

• One sound (phoneme) can be shown by more than one letter working together (a grapheme), such as the <ch> in ‘chip’ and <sh> in ‘ship’ (which are consonant digraphs). 
• Some long vowel sounds are shown with two letters next to each other working together, such as the /long e/ sound shown by <ee> in ‘bee’. 
• Some long vowel sounds are shown with two vowels separated by a consonant, such as the /long a/ sound shown by <a_e> in ‘cane’ (split digraph). 
• Different letter combinations (graphemes) can show the same sounds (phonemes), such as the /long a/ sound being shown by <ai> in ‘rain’ and <a_e> in ‘cane’. 

• Some letter combinations show two vowel sounds that blend together, such as the /oy/ in toy (diphthong). 
• When a vowel letter is followed by an <r>, it shows a sound that is different from the sound of each individual letter, such as the /ar/ in ‘car’ and the /ir/ in ‘bird’ (r-controlled vowels). 
• Different sounds (phonemes) can be shown with the same letter combinations (graphemes), such as <ow> in ‘cow’ and <ow> in ‘snow’. 
• Different letter combinations (graphemes) can show the same sounds (phonemes), such as the /oy/ sound being shown by <oy> in ‘boy’ and <oi> in ‘boil’ or the /er/ sound being shown by <er> in ‘her’, <ir> in ‘bird’, and <ur> in ‘fur’. 

• Sounds (phonemes) can be shown with unusual letter combinations (graphemes) such as <eigh> for the /long a/ sound, and <sc> for the /s/ sound. 

• Naming lowercase and uppercase letters of the alphabet  
• Matching all single letters to at least one short-vowel or consonant phoneme 

• Pronouncing the most frequent phoneme(s) for all consonant digraphs and some long-vowel graphemes 

• Pronouncing the frequent phoneme(s) for:  
  • all common long vowel graphemes  
  • diphthongs 
  • r-controlled vowels 

• Pronouncing the correct phoneme for less common grapheme–phoneme correspondences 

Teaching Considerations: Phonemic awareness and phonics knowledge 

All years 

• The Ministry of Education’s Ready to Read Phonics Plus scope and sequence is a detailed evidence-based scope and sequence that guides day-to-day phonics teaching. It accompanies Ready to Read Phonics Plus resources, including sound and phonics cards and decodable books, that are provided free to schools. 
• The phonics practice statements make clear the expected types of grapheme-phoneme correspondences (such as diphthongs or consonant digraphs) that will be covered during each period of the curriculum. For example, all consonant digraphs need to be taught by the end of the first year and all common long vowel graphemes need to be taught by the end of the second year. 
• Research supports students being introduced to three-to-four English grapheme-phoneme correspondences a week. This brisk pace of instruction has been shown to contribute to better reading and writing outcomes. 
• Teach phonemes together with graphemes, as research indicates that this leads to stronger reading outcomes than providing oral phonemic awareness activities without letters. 
• Be responsive to students’ strengths and needs. This includes the use of fingerspelling for students who use NZSL or Braille for students who are blind, with the support of specialist resource teachers. For emergent bilingual and multilingual learners, seek information about the phonemes present in their known language(s), as English phonemes that are not present in their other language(s) are likely to need careful teaching and practice. 

Decoding 

• Written words are made up of letters and letter combinations (graphemes) that match to sounds (phonemes). 
• Decoding an unknown word (with one syllable) involves: 
  • using phonics knowledge to match letters and letter combinations (graphemes) to the correct sounds (phonemes),
  • saying the sounds without pausing between them (e.g. mmmmaaaat) and sliding from one sound to the next until the whole word is sounded out (continuous blending). 

• Decoding consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words in isolation and in connected text, using their phonics knowledge 

• Decoding words with adjacent consonants, consonant digraphs, and some long-vowel patterns in connected text, using their phonics knowledge 

• Decoding common words with long-vowel patterns, diphthongs, and r-controlled vowels in connected text, using their phonics knowledge 

• Decoding words with less-common graphemes or grapheme–phoneme correspondences in connected text, using their phonics knowledge 

Teaching Considerations: Decoding grapheme–phoneme correspondences in connected text 

All years 

• Teach students to apply their phonics knowledge when decoding words that they do not yet recognise automatically, and without using context and picture cues. The context and pictures can be used to support making meaning. 

• Words are made up of parts that have meaning (morphemes).
• A <s> at the end of a word often shows that there is more than one (e.g. ‘cats’).
• An <ed> at the end of a word often shows that something has already happened (e.g. ‘jumped’).
• An <ing> at the end of a word often shows that something is happening right now (e.g. ‘She is running’), is ongoing (e.g. ‘They were playing outside’), or it can turn an action word (verb) into something we can name (noun) and talk about (e.g. ‘Swimming is fun’).

• Prefixes are added to the start of a base word to form a new word with a new meaning.
• Suffixes are added to the end of a base word to form a new word with a new meaning.
• The re- prefix shows that something is being done again (e.g. ‘replay’ means to play again, ‘rebuild’ means to build again).
• The un- prefix shows that something is the opposite of the base word (e.g. un- changes the base word ‘happy’ to ‘unhappy’, which has the opposite meaning).
• The -er suffix can show a person or thing that does something (e.g. ‘teacher’, ‘runner’, ‘baker’), or that something has more of a quality than something else (e.g. ‘taller’, ‘faster’).
• The -est suffix shows that something has the most of a quality when comparing more than two things (e.g. ‘tallest’ means the most tall).
• The -ly suffix shows how something happens or is done (e.g. ‘quickly’ means in a quick way).

• The in- prefix shows that something is missing or the opposite of the base word (e.g. ‘incomplete’ means not finished, ‘incorrect’ means not right).
• The dis- prefix is similar to the in- prefix in that it can show something is missing or the opposite of the base word (e.g. ‘disagree’) but it can also show that something has been undone or reversed (e.g. ‘disconnect’ means to undo a connection).
• The -less suffix shows ‘without’ or ‘not having something’ (e.g. ‘hopeless’, ‘fearless’).
• The -ful suffix shows ‘full of’ or ‘having a lot of’ something (e.g. ‘hopeful’, ‘thankful’).

• Decoding CVC words with the suffix –s, using their phonics and morpheme knowledge

• Decoding words with the suffixes –ed and –ing, using their phonics and morpheme knowledge

• Decoding words with a range of common prefixes (re–, un–) and suffixes (–er, –est, –ly), using their phonics and morpheme knowledge

• Decoding words with a wide range of prefixes (in–, dis–) and suffixes (–less, –ful), using their phonics and morpheme knowledge

• Words are made up of syllables. 
• Words can have one syllable, but many words have two or more. 
• Syllables sound like beats in words. 
• Multi-syllable words can be broken into syllables to help with reading them. 
• Syllables in multi-syllable words can be broken into phonemes to help with reading them. 

• Multi-syllable words can be broken into prefixes, suffixes, and base words to help with reading them. 

• Word knowledge (e.g. word origins or knowledge of unstressed syllables) can be used to help read multi-syllable words. 
• Some syllables in multi-syllable words are spoken with less emphasis or force, and their vowel sounds are usually quieter and quicker. Despite being spelt with any vowel, they sound like the short /u/ sound or short /i/ sound (e.g. the /po/ in ‘police’). 

• Breaking words into syllables 
• Decoding two-syllable words with a closed-syllable pattern (e.g. ‘rapid’ and ‘picnic’), using their phonics knowledge 

• Decoding two- and three-syllable words with all taught correspondences (e.g. ‘costume’ and ‘lightning’), using their phonics and morpheme knowledge 

• Decoding multi-syllable words, including words with unstressed syllables, using their syllable, morpheme, and word knowledge 

Teaching Considerations: Multi-syllable words 

During the first year 

• If students have difficulty identifying the syllable beats in words, teach students to place their hand under their chin and say a word slowly. Each time their chin drops, that is a syllable. 

During the third year 

• Note that unstressed syllables have vowels that do not make their typical sounds. Instead, they make sounds known as the schwa. The schwa often sounds like the short ‘u’ sound or the short ‘i’ sound, like the sound for ‘er’ in water, or the sound for ‘o’ in police. Teaching students about the schwa sound can be helpful when they begin to read multisyllabic words because it is the most common vowel sound in the English language. 

• Sometimes words have one or more letter-sound combinations (grapheme-phoneme correspondences) that are unknown or unusual, and these can be learnt by paying close attention to the unknown or unusual combinations and matching the letters (graphemes) to the sounds (phonemes). 

• Decoding and reading the most common high-frequency words in decodable texts at their year level

• Decoding and reading the most common high-frequency words in decodable texts at their year level

• Decoding and reading the most common high-frequency words in decodable texts at their year level

• Using their phonics and morpheme knowledge to decode and read words that are not entirely regular, including high-frequency words 

Teaching Considerations: Irregular words 

All years 

• Provide multiple opportunities for students to learn high-frequency words by mapping their grapheme-phoneme correspondences in the same way they would map other words. This will enable orthographic mapping, which is the process of connecting the spelling, pronunciation, and meaning of a word in long-term memory for instant retrieval as a ‘sight’ word. Draw attention to any unknown or irregular grapheme-phoneme correspondence(s). Most irregular words have only one irregular grapheme-phoneme correspondence (e.g. ‘said’ has unusual spelling for one phoneme only — the short /e/ — which can be mapped to the <ai> grapheme). 

The content within <> is the grapheme and within // is the phoneme] 

• In New Zealand, texts can include words from te reo Māori (kupu Māori). 
• Te reo Māori has short and long vowels (a, ā, e, ē, i, ī, o, ō, u, ū). 
• The vowel phoneme for <a> is the /ar/ in ‘car’, for <e> is the /e/ in ‘egg’, for <i> is the /ee/ in ‘tee’, for <o> is the /or/ in ‘torn’, and for <u> is the /oo/ in ‘too’. 
• A tohutō (macron) marks a long vowel phoneme, which is the same as the short vowel phoneme but held for a longer time. 
• The digraph ‘wh’ shows one phoneme (e.g. the /f/ sound). 
• The digraph ‘ng’ shows one phoneme (e.g. a sound similar to the English /ng/ in ‘sing’). 
• The /r/ phoneme is a soft rolled /r/, requiring the tip of the tongue to tap quickly against the roof of the mouth. 

• Accurate pronunciation of vowels, vowel length, and vowel combinations (e.g. au, ai) supports clear communication of commonly used words, names, and expressions in te reo Māori. 
• A tohutō (macron) marks a long vowel phoneme and can change the meaning of a word (e.g. matua = father, mātua = parents). 

• Decoding and reading kupu Māori correctly in Year 2 level texts

• Decoding and reading kupu Māori correctly in Year 3 level texts

Teaching Considerations: Kupu Māori 

During the second and third years 

• Support orthographic mapping by providing multiple opportunities to learn kupu Māori through grapheme–phoneme mapping. Draw attention to any unfamiliar correspondences and tohutō (macrons) to strengthen long-term memory connections between spelling, pronunciation, and meaning. 
• When teaching kupu Māori with diphthongs (e.g. <ōu> — as in ‘tōu’, <au> — as in ‘rau’, <ai> — as in ‘pai’) help students to blend the two vowel sounds correctly together. Online Māori dictionaries with recorded words can support modelling correct pronunciation. A common mistake is pronouncing <au> like the /ow/ as in town when it sounds more like the /ow/ in snow. 
• It is important to note that there are unique dialects across iwi and regions with differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. While teachers are not expected to teach these dialects, understanding that some learners may pronounce kupu Māori in ways that align with their whakapapa is key to fostering inclusive and respectful language practices.  

• If a read word doesn’t sound like a word the reader has heard before, a reading error may have occurred. 
• Reading errors can sometimes be fixed by using phonics knowledge to recheck the word’s sounds (phonemes) against its letter combinations (graphemes). 

• Reading errors can sometimes be fixed by saying the vowel another way (flexing). 

• Self-correcting their decoding attempts using taught grapheme–phoneme knowledge 

• Self-correcting their decoding attempts using grapheme–phoneme knowledge 

• Adjusting their decoding attempts by varying pronunciation, making use of different phonemes represented by the graphemes, and confirming with oral vocabulary 

• Adjusting their decoding attempts by applying the variety of phonemes that graphemes can represent, including the schwa sound in unstressed syllables, and confirming with oral vocabulary 

Conventions of print 

• Each written word on the page is matched to a spoken word (one-to-one matching). 
• Words are written with spaces between one word and the next. 

• Matching written words to spoken words while decoding (one-to-one matching), pointing to words if necessary 

• Written text in English is read from left to right across the page. 
• Readers need to move their eyes from the end of one line of text to the beginning of the next line to keep reading. 

• Reading from left to right and using a return sweep for the next line of text 

• Capital letters and punctuation marks, such as full stops, help show where sentences begin and end. 

• Exclamation marks help show feelings (e.g. surprise or excitement) and how a sentence should sound. 
• Speech marks show talking. 

• Question marks show questions. 
• Commas separate parts of a sentence and items in a list. When reading, a comma is a good indicator of when to pause. 

• Parentheses are punctuation marks used around extra information in a sentence. 
• Print features, such as bold and italics, can be used to emphasise key words or ideas. 

• Identifying capital letters and full stops to explain where sentences begin and end 

• Identifying capital letters, full stops, and exclamation marks to explain where sentences begin and end 
• Identifying speech marks showing what is said by a character within a story 

• Identifying and explaining the purpose of basic punctuation (e.g. speech marks, commas, exclamation marks, question marks) 

• Identifying and explaining the purpose of punctuation features (e.g. speech marks, commas, exclamation marks, question marks, parentheses) 
• Identifying and explaining print features (e.g. bold print and italics) 

Teaching Considerations: Conventions of print 

All years 

• If students are learning English as an additional language, consider any differences between the script (e.g. symbols or letters) and print conventions (e.g. direction of text) of English and those of their home and heritage languages. 

Fluency 

• Reading comprehension depends on reading words effortlessly at a natural talking pace. 
• Punctuation provides information about how to group words (phrasing) when reading aloud. 

• Reading fluency involves reading words correctly, at a natural talking pace, and with expression. 
• Expression means readers using their voice to match the feelings, punctuation, and meaning of the text. 
• Reading with expression comes from understanding the meaning of the text. 

• Reading words with learnt grapheme–phoneme correspondences quickly, as blended units 

• Reading words with learnt grapheme–phoneme correspondences accurately and automatically 
• Reading decodable sentences and Year 1 level text, with phrasing and growing automaticity 

• Reading Year 2 level text, accurately, with expression, and at oral-reading fluency rates appropriate for Year 2 students

• Reading Year 3 level text, accurately, with expression, and at oral-reading fluency rates appropriate for Year 3 students 

Teaching Considerations: Fluency 

All years 

• Information about Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) assessments that are scored based on ORF norms for each year is available on Tāhūrangi. 

Comprehension 

Vocabulary 

• Asking questions about new or unfamiliar words in texts builds new vocabulary and understanding. 

• The meaning of unfamiliar words can be worked out by using information from the words and sentences around them (the context). 

• The meaning of unfamiliar words can be worked out by noticing where a word appears in a sentence and how it connects to other words (syntax). 

• Knowledge of the meaningful parts of words (morphemes) can help with a word’s meaning.  

• Noticing and asking questions about new or unfamiliar words as they arise in texts that are read to them 

• Asking questions about unfamiliar words and using the context to identify the meaning of those words, when text is being read to them 

• Using the context and knowledge of syntax to determine the meaning of unknown words and phrases in texts that are read to them 

• Using the context and knowledge of prefixes and root words to understand new vocabulary in texts 

Teaching Considerations: Vocabulary 

During the first year and the second year 

• During the first two years at school, vocabulary teaching will usually take place during interactive teacher read-alouds. It is best to do this by quickly supplying student-friendly definitions, rather than by canvassing the class for guesses about the word’s meaning. This ensures the flow of the story is not lost and that students do not remember incorrect meanings. 

All years 

• Explicitly teach vocabulary that is at students’ age-appropriate, oral-language level, rather than at their decoding level. Encourage them to proactively ask questions about unfamiliar words.  
• New vocabulary learning will centre on less-common words and words that express abstract concepts. In addition, English language learners and students with language-related learning challenges will benefit from explicit teaching and incidental support for some common, everyday vocabulary. 

Sentence structure 

• A sentence is read from a capital letter to a full stop.  

• A sentence is read from a capital letter to end punctuation (.?!). 
• Some sentences have two parts that are equally important (compound sentence), joined by words such as ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘for’, and ‘so’ (coordinating conjunctions). 

• Writers might use different words such as ‘he’, ‘Tama’, or ‘the boy’ to talk about the same person in consecutive sentences. 
• Some sentences have one part that is the main idea, and another part that adds extra information and starts with words such as ‘because’, ‘when’, ‘although’, and ‘if’ (complex sentence with subordinating conjunctions). 
• Breaking down complex sentences into their parts and putting them in your own words (paraphrasing) can help with working out what they mean. 

• Ideas can be developed within and across sentences. 
• Words such as ‘however’, ‘then’, ‘next’, ‘also’, and ‘for example’ show how one sentence connects to the next (connectives). 

• Reading and comprehending simple sentences 

• Reading and comprehending both extended simple and compound sentences 

• Reading complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions, holding the meaning across the whole sentence 
• Following the subject in consecutive sentences, even when a pronoun, synonym, or noun phrase is used 

• Reading and holding meaning within longer sentences and across sentences 

Text form, structure, style, and features 

• Poems are written in lines and stanzas, often have rhyming words or a rhythm, and use descriptive or creative language. 
• Stories are written in sentences and paragraphs; have a beginning, middle, and end; and have characters, settings, and action. 
• Words, images, and symbols are part of text. 
• Texts are created to entertain, inform, or persuade audiences to think or feel in certain ways. 

• Non-fiction texts are written in paragraphs with clear topic sentences; may have headings and subheadings; and include facts, quotes, and examples. 
• Authors make choices about what they include in their writing to support their intended purpose. 

• Text form refers to the kind of text (e.g. an article, poem, or story). 
• Each text form has distinct structures, and features that support their form and their purpose; for example, headings help organise a report (form) and help the reader find and understand information (purpose). 
• Text structure and features (e.g. visual features, headings, glossaries, chapters, stanzas, scenes) are used to organise information and support meaning. 
• Language features (e.g. figurative and topic-specific language, tense) help communicate meaning clearly, engage the audience, and create a mood or feeling. 
• Authors use words and text features intentionally to make people feel certain emotions, think particular ideas, or take action. 

• Identifying basic features of poems and stories in response to specific questions  
• Identifying the words in a read-aloud text that make the audience feel a certain way about a character or event 

• Identifying and discussing the structure and basic features of poems, stories, and non-fiction texts 
• Explaining how the author’s choice of words, symbols, and images communicates their intended meaning 

• Identifying and discussing across a variety of different texts and text forms: 
  • how texts are structured 
  • the use of text features 
  • how language is used 
  • how language and text features are used to influence feelings, thoughts, and actions 

Comprehension strategies

• Texts contain information, such as facts, ideas, events, or explanations, that readers can locate and interpret to make sense of what they read. 
• Prior knowledge and what has already happened in a text can be used to predict what might happen next. 
• Summarising is a strategy for identifying and explaining key ideas in a text, using features such as the title and repeated words. 

• Reading is an active process where readers think about meaning as they read. 
• Skilled readers use strategies such as checking for sense, rereading, and drawing on prior knowledge to understand texts. 
• Stories and texts follow a sequence, and readers can use what has already happened to predict what might come next. 
• Asking and answering questions (e.g. ‘who’ or ‘what’) is a summarising strategy that supports retelling the key details in a text. 

• Skilled readers check their understanding as they read and use strategies to fix confusion (e.g. they reread, ask questions, and use what they know about the topic and vocabulary). 
• Pictures and other visual features in a text can help readers understand ideas that are not fully explained in the words. 
• Skilled readers use time order words and text structure to help them retell key details in the order they appear. 

• Readers use a range of strategies to understand more complex texts, including slowing down, rereading, visualising, checking for sense, sounding out words, and asking and answering questions. 
• Authors often leave some information implied — in words, pictures, speech, or quotes — rather than directly stated, to make their writing more interesting.  
• Readers use implied information in texts and their own knowledge to understand ideas that are not directly stated and make predictions. 
• Readers can identify main ideas and key information across a text by recognising how paragraph structure groups related ideas, helping them understand the text’s overall meaning or message. 

• Using their prior knowledge of a topic or concept, along with their knowledge of words, to respond to questions about texts during a teacher read-aloud 
• Using prior knowledge to predict what might happen next in a text 
• Retelling the key events in a story with the support of visuals or props, as needed 

• Responding to questions and asking for clarification during a teacher read-aloud 
• Using rereading as a strategy when a sentence they have read does not make sense, to find where and why meaning broke down 
• Using the events that have already happened in a text, along with their prior knowledge, to predict what might happen next 
• Retelling the key details from a text in response to prompting questions 

• Monitoring their understanding of texts and attempting to repair meaning by rereading, drawing on their prior knowledge and vocabulary knowledge, and asking questions 
• Using what is stated in a text, along with their prior knowledge, to predict what might happen next 
• Using visual images in the text to check and support their understanding of ideas that might not be directly stated 
• Retelling the key details from a text in response to sequence questions  
• Using key details to make a simple statement about what the text helps the reader to understand 

• Monitoring their understanding of a range of texts and repairing meaning by adjusting reading speed to accommodate complexity, rereading, visualising, checking, decoding, and asking and answering open-ended questions of the text 
• Making use of stated and implied information or ideas in a text to make connections with their own knowledge, make predictions, and build understanding 
• Retelling the key details from a text in sequence, beginning to use paragraphs as a structural guide to identify the main ideas 
• Using information from different parts of the text to make a statement about the text’s key meanings or messages 

Teaching Considerations: Comprehension strategies 

All years 

• Most texts used for teaching comprehension will be read to students during this period, especially in the first two years of schooling. The most effective way to build background knowledge is through the teaching of content from other learning areas. 
• Activating prior knowledge and building background knowledge, including key vocabulary, before reading improves students’ ability to comprehend the text. 
• Comprehension strategies are taught and revisited in the context of reading texts and are used together. They are tools to support students to make sense of complex ideas and texts and build knowledge, not goals in themselves. Using strategies, such as summarising, also supports retention of what students have read.  

Critical Analysis 

Interpretations and connections  

• When readers think about how a text relates to their own life, it can help them understand the text better. 
• Readers can relate texts to their personal experiences, emotions, and thoughts by identifying relevant connections. 

• An opinion is a personal belief or viewpoint that may be supported by reasons or evidence. 
• Readers can relate texts to their personal experiences and prior knowledge about topics by identifying relevant connections. 

• Readers can relate ideas in texts to their personal experiences, prior knowledge about topics, and knowledge about other texts by identifying relevant connections. 
• Sharing opinions and feelings with others helps readers connect with a text’s ideas. 

• Readers can relate ideas in texts to their personal experiences, other texts, and their knowledge of the world by identifying relevant connections. 
• Different readers can have different views of the same text. 
• Sharing opinions, personal thoughts, and feelings that may be the same or different from others’ helps readers deepen their understanding. 

• Making personal connections to texts by sharing their feelings and thoughts, drawn from their experiences, about the characters or ideas in texts 

• Responding to, sharing opinions about, and making connections to texts by drawing on their knowledge of topics and their experiences 

• Identifying connections between the ideas expressed in texts and their own knowledge of topics, other texts, and their own experiences, and responding by sharing opinions about those ideas 

• Explaining their response to the ideas in texts by making connections to their own experiences, other texts, and their knowledge of the world, and discussing different ways texts can be viewed or understood 

Teaching Considerations: Critical analysis 

All years 

• Most critical analysis during this period of learning will happen during interactive teacher read-alouds in response to questions from the teacher. 

During the first six months

During the first year 

During the second year 

During the third year 

During the first six months 

During the first year 

During the second year 

During the third year 

Transcription Skills

Handwriting

• Forming letters and numerals correctly and clearly enables others to read handwriting easily.
• Consistent size, spacing, and placement on the line contribute to handwriting that is easy to read.
• A functional pencil grip allows better control and precision and reduces hand fatigue. 
• Applying the right amount of pressure prevents strain and supports legibility. 
• Sitting correctly allows their arms and hands to move freely and smoothly, which supports fluent and comfortable handwriting. 
• Sitting comfortably helps maintain focus and reduces fatigue.

• Forming most lower-case letters and numerals correctly and legibly, with each letter or numeral on the line
• Sitting comfortably, applying a comfortable amount of pressure, and using a functional pencil grip, with support
   

• Forming most lower- and upper-case letters and numerals correctly and legibly, with each letter or numeral on the line, and attending to size and spacing
• Sitting comfortably, applying a comfortable amount of pressure, and using a functional pencil grip, independently

• Forming all letters and numerals correctly and legibly, attending to size, placement, and spacing
• Consistently practising good posture and a functional grip when writing

• Printing all letters and numerals correctly and legibly, attending to size, placement, spacing, and slope with ease and automaticity 
• Consistently practising good posture and a functional grip when writing across the curriculum

Teaching Considerations: Handwriting

All years

• Guidance about teaching handwriting is available on Tāhūrangi.

Spelling

[The content within <> is the grapheme and within // is the phoneme]

• Spelling is used to record sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. 
• There are two types of sounds (phonemes): vowel and consonant.
• Vowel sounds (phonemes) are made with an open mouth and nothing blocks the sound. 
• Consonant sounds (phonemes) are blocked by the lips, teeth or tongue. 
• Syllables sound like beats in words. 
• Segmenting one-syllable words into individual sounds (phonemes) supports accurate spelling.

• Segmenting longer words into syllables first, and then each syllable into sounds (phonemes), supports accurate spelling.

• Orally segmenting phonemes in a single-syllable, CVC word

• Orally segmenting phonemes in a single-syllable, CCVC or CVCC word

• Orally segmenting two-syllable words into syllables, then segmenting syllables into phonemes for spelling

• Orally segmenting multi-syllable words into syllables, then segmenting syllables into phonemes for spelling

• Accurate spelling involves listening for each sound (phoneme) in a word and choosing the correct letter or letter combination (grapheme) to represent it.
• Many sounds (phonemes) can be spelt in more than one way.
• In English, some sounds are spelt with one letter, some are spelt with two (digraph), some are spelt with three (trigraph), and some are spelt with four (quadgraph).
• There are many kinds of vowel sounds.
• Short vowel sounds are the /a/ sound in ‘an’, the /e/ sound in ‘egg’, the /i/ sound in ‘in’, the /o/ sound in ‘on’ and the /u/ sound in ‘us’.
• Short vowel sounds are the most predictable in how they are spelt, and they are normally spelt with one letter.
• When adjacent consonants are at the beginning of words, it can be hard to hear or distinguish the second or third consonant.
• When adjacent consonants are at the end of words, it can be hard to hear or distinguish the first consonant.

• Identifying and recording phonemes in words, including the five short vowel sounds and sounds written with a single-letter consonant

• Identifying and recording phonemes in words, including: 
  • the five short vowel sounds 
  • all single-letter consonant sounds 
  • some consonant digraphs 
• Applying phoneme-to-grapheme knowledge to spell single-syllable CVC words, words with consonant digraphs (e.g. sh, th, ng), and words with two adjacent consonants (CVCC, CCVC)

• Identifying and recording phonemes in words, including: 
  • all short-vowel sounds 
  • all single-letter consonant sounds 
  • consonant sounds spelt with double letters (e.g. ff, ss) 
  • consonant sounds spelt with digraphs and trigraphs (e.g. –dge, –tch)
  • two or three adjacent consonant sounds (CCCVC, CCCVCC)

Teaching Considerations: Spelling

During the first year

• During the first year, the grapheme-phoneme correspondences needed for spelling and reading are taught together. This will include the decoding and spelling of long vowel patterns. By the end of the first year, the goal is for students to know at least one frequent spelling pattern for each English phoneme.

All years

• Teach students groups of words that share the same grapheme-phoneme correspondences or morphological elements.

• Long vowel sounds (phonemes) are the vowel letter names (A E I O U).
• Long vowel sounds (phonemes) are less predictable in how they are spelt, and they are often spelt with more than one letter.
• There are other vowel sounds (phonemes) that are not short or long but are still said with an open mouth, such as vowels with an ‘r’ as in ‘shark’, the ‘ou’ and ‘ow’ in ‘house’ and ‘down’, and the ‘oi’ and ‘oy’ in ‘coin’ and ‘toy’.

• Spelling words with the vowel patterns:
  • <a_e>, <ai>, and <ay> representing /long a/
  • <e_e> representing /long e/
  • <i_e> representing /long i/
  • <o_e> representing /long o/
  • <u_e> representing /long u/ 
  • <ou> and <ow> representing /ow/
  • <oo> as in ‘good’
  • <oy> and <oi> as in ‘coin’ and ‘toy’
  • <ee> and <ea> representing /long e/
  • <oa> and <ow> representing /long o/
• Spelling words with r-controlled vowels represented by <ar>, <or>, <er>, <ir>, and <ur>

Teaching Considerations: Spelling vowel patterns

During the second and third years

• In the second and third years at school, complex vowel spelling patterns are usually introduced after they have been introduced for reading — spelling skills typically develop more slowly than reading skills. Students will not be able to correctly spell all the words they can read. Reintroducing the spelling patterns afterwards, but in the same sequence as reading instruction, builds on students’ existing knowledge of grapheme–phoneme correspondences.
• By the end of year three, the goal is for students to have been taught to spell words containing all the listed vowel patterns.

• High-frequency words are words that appear often in spoken and written language, so spelling them correctly is essential for clear communication.
• Some high-frequency words have one or more phonemes that don’t match usual spelling patterns that have already been taught. These words are spelt correctly by mapping and remembering the unknown or unusual parts.

• Spelling five or more words that are high frequency in their oral vocabulary and contain irregular or currently untaught phoneme–grapheme correspondences

• Spelling 10 or more words that are high frequency in their oral vocabulary and contain irregular or currently untaught phoneme–grapheme correspondences

• Spelling 20 or more words that are high frequency in their oral vocabulary and contain irregular or currently untaught phoneme–grapheme correspondences 
• Adding common suffixes

• Spelling the most commonly used irregular words containing less typical phoneme–grapheme correspondences
• Adding less-common suffixes (–er, –ly) and applying simple spelling conventions
• Spelling easier contractions for two-word phrases

• A suffix (e.g. -s, -ed, -ing) is a meaningful part added to the end of a word.

• There are specific spelling conventions for adding some suffixes (such as taking away ‘e’ from a split-vowel digraph before adding a vowel suffix such as ‘hope’ ➝ ‘hoping’).
• A contraction is the shortened form of two combined words, leaving out certain letters and replacing them with an apostrophe (e.g. ‘I’m’, ‘she’s’, ‘he’s’, ‘don’t’).

Composition

Audience, purpose, and language choice

• Writing is created for a reader, called the ‘audience’, and writers make choices based on who that audience is.
• Writers have a reason for writing, called the ‘purpose’ (e.g. to tell a story, give information, or ask for something).
• Considering the audience and purpose before writing helps writers decide what content to include and how to express it.

• Choosing the right language style (register), such as formal or informal, helps make the writing clear and suitable for the audience and purpose.

• Following along while the teacher writes for different purposes
• Suggesting an audience and purpose for the teacher to write about

• Identifying the audience and purpose for a text, then planning and writing for the intended audience and purpose 
• Choosing an appropriate language register (e.g. formal or informal language)

• Ideas are expressed more clearly, precisely, or vividly when the right words are chosen.
• Writers use special language features (e.g. alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, and simile) to entertain, engage their audience, and communicate meaning in creative ways.

• Words can have similar meanings but differ in intensity or feeling (shades of meaning) and should be chosen to match the context and emotion of what is being written (e.g. ‘freezing’, ‘frosty’, ‘chilly’, ‘cool’).

• Suggesting words and phrases related to the topic or concept when participating in shared writing
• Identifying simple language features during shared reading

• Using words and phrases that show simple relationships and verbs that correctly show different tenses
• Identifying and discussing simple language features in texts that entertain

• Selecting and using adjectives, adverbs, vocabulary, and phrases that give clear details about an object or action
• Identifying and using rhyme, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and simile to entertain and engage the audience

• Selecting and using adjectives, adverbs, vocabulary, and phrases that are increasingly precise in expressing the intended meaning
• Using a range of language features to enhance writing and describe how they can communicate meaning figuratively

Sentence structures, grammar, and punctuation

• A sentence is a group of words that communicates an idea.

• A simple sentence has one complete idea that includes:
  • a naming word (subject), which tells who or what the sentence is about
  • an action or description word (verb) or group of words, which tells what happens or what something is like.
• A sentence fragment/incomplete sentence is a group of words that is missing something important, such as a subject or a verb, so it doesn’t make a full sentence.

• A compound sentence is made by joining two complete sentences (independent clauses) with a joining word, such as ‘and’, ‘but’, or ‘so’ (coordinating conjunction).

• A complex sentence has one complete idea that makes sense on its own (independent clause), joined with a supporting idea (dependent clause) with a joining word such as ‘because’, ‘when’, or ‘if’ (subordinating conjunction). 
• A supporting idea that doesn’t make sense on its own is a fragment (or incomplete sentence) unless it is joined to a complete idea with a joining word.

• Repeating simple sentences, modelled by the teacher

• Saying a simple sentence, with a subject-verb clause
• Using simple sentences in writing

• Combining two simple sentences orally, using a coordinating conjunction, to form a compound sentence
• Using compound sentences with coordinating conjunctions in writing

• Combining two simple sentences orally, using a subordinating conjunction, to form a complex sentence
• Using complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions in writing

• Correct use of capital letters and punctuation makes writing clear and easy to understand.

• Capital letters are used at the beginning of sentences and for names.

• Full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks show where sentences end and what kind of sentence it is (e.g. a statement, a question, or an exclamation). 
• Commas can be used to separate items in a list.

• Identifying and using a full stop at the end of the sentence

• Correctly using full stops and capital letters

• Using full stops and capital letters correctly and independently

• Using capital letters, full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks correctly 
• Using commas for lists

• Full stops show where sentences end.

Writing to entertain

• Stories can be written to be fun and entertaining for readers.
• Stories can be about things that really happened or can be made up.

• Writing about events involves telling what happened in the order it happened.

• A narrative describes connected events, which can be true or made up.
• Writing about two or more events involves including details about where they happened and an ending.

• Writing about real events involves including details about what happened, who, when, where, and the thoughts and feelings of people involved.
• Writing made-up stories involves including details about the setting, actions, characters’ thoughts and feelings, and an ending.

• Describing something that really happened or telling an invented story orally, pictorially, or through teacher scribing

• Writing one or more sentences about a single event or several loosely linked events in the order in which they occurred

• Writing short narratives about two or more sequenced events, including some details regarding what happened and where, and providing some sense of closure

• Writing a narrative in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, including details to describe setting, actions, thoughts, and feelings, and providing a sense of closure

Writing to inform

• Information writing focuses on one main idea.
• Information writing starts with a title.
• Information writing is written in short sentences to share facts.
• Information writing may include labelled drawings.

• A group of sentences can work together by starting with a main idea and then adding extra details to explain it more clearly.
• Numbered simple steps in writing can help the reader understand what to do.

• A well-structured paragraph includes a topic sentence to introduce the main idea, supporting details to explain it, and a concluding sentence to wrap it up.
• Clear, numbered steps and words that give instructions (imperative verbs) show the reader exactly what they are expected to do.

• Retelling learnt information about a topic

• Writing one or more sentences sharing learnt information about a topic

• Writing a series of sentences about a topic, including a main idea and some related details

• Writing a paragraph about a topic that includes a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence

Writing to persuade

• Sharing an opinion means clearly expressing what they think or feel about a topic, often by starting with phrases such as ‘I think …’ or ‘I feel …’.

• Effective persuasive writing includes a clear opinion and supporting reasons, often expressed using phrases such as ‘I think … because …’ to show both their viewpoint and the reasoning behind it.

• Orally stating an opinion or preference about a topic

• Writing a sentence stating an opinion, feeling, or preference about a topic

• Writing a series of sentences in which they state their opinion about a topic, followed by a reason for the opinion

• Writing a paragraph that states an opinion about a topic, gives some supporting reasons for their opinion, and provides a concluding statement

Writing processes

Planning

• Saying each sentence out loud before writing allows writers to choose the best words and organise ideas clearly.

• Using simple organisers (e.g. graphic organisers or mnemonics) helps writers plan their ideas and structure their texts, especially when writing a paragraph.

• Notes are bullet points or short phrases used to capture important thoughts, facts or ideas when planning writing using organisers or mnemonics.

• Planning their writing by saying a sentence to the teacher

• Planning their writing through talk, determining the precise wording of each sentence before writing it

• Planning a short series of sentences through talk, thinking carefully about each sentence before writing it

• Using simple organisers to plan single-paragraph texts
• Using notes to record key ideas during planning

• Working towards specific writing goals helps writers focus on particular areas for improvement and enhances the overall quality of their writing.

• Identifying and working towards a specific writing goal

• Identifying and working towards a specific writing goal based on revisions and edits made to previous writing

Drafting

• Drafting involves turning planned ideas into complete sentences and paragraphs.
• Writers begin their writing at the margin and use appropriately sized spaces between words to keep their work neat and easy to follow.

• Writing the sentence that they have planned orally

• Writing one or more sentences, after planning each sentence orally

• Writing a short series of related sentences that follow from their planning

• Writing single-paragraph texts that follow from their planning

• Beginning at the margin and leaving spaces between words

• Beginning at the margin and leaving appropriately sized spaces between words

Teaching Considerations: Planning and drafting

All years

• Students must have enough knowledge about a topic to plan and write about it. This means they need to be supported to build the depth of understanding required for meaningful writing. Build students’ knowledge about a topic by reading to and with them and providing relevant learning experiences and opportunities for discussion.
   

Revising and editing

• Rereading each sentence while writing helps make sure the writing makes sense and sounds right.
• Making changes to words can improve writing by making it clearer and more accurate.
• Making changes to sentences can improve their writing by making it clearer and helping it flow.
• Editing involves checking for correct spelling, capital letters at the beginning of sentences, and correct punctuation to clearly show where sentences end.
• Effective writers make improvements as they write. They plan, write, and fix their work many times.

• Rereading to check the sentence
• Checking each sentence and adding any missing capital letters and full stops

• Rereading to check each sentence as they write
• Checking each sentence for known spelling patterns, capital letters, and full stops

• Rereading to check each sentence and making corrections when something does not make sense
• Adding or deleting words to clarify meaning, using feedback from teachers
• Making simple edits to draft sentences, using known spelling patterns, capital letters, and punctuation to indicate the end of a sentence

• Rereading to check each sentence and making corrections when something does not make sense or is ungrammatical
• Adding, deleting, or substituting words to clarify meaning 
• Improving sentence construction by separating run-on sentences and/or combining consecutive sentences
• Making simple edits to draft sentences using known spelling patterns and punctuation

Teaching Considerations: Revising and editing

During the first six months and first year

• During the first six months students will require close support to reread and check each sentence as well as to add any missing capital letters and full stops. During the first year, students will become more independent in rereading and checking each sentence. They will need feedback and support as they continue to check for missing capital letters and full stops and as they begin to check for known spelling patterns.