How well do you know the Primary School English curriculum? 

As parents, we are very involved in our children’s education. We go to great lengths to ensure they get into a good school, have the right enrichment and score well in their examinations. But how much do we really know about the English curriculum and its learning outcomes? Do we really understand what our child is learning and why?

The English curriculum for Primary school is focussed around six key areas – Writing and Representing, Reading and Viewing, Listening and Viewing, Speaking and Representing, Grammar and Vocabulary. Read on for a guide into what goes on in an English class. 

Writing and Representing

Writing is a crucial element in the English curriculum. Some children may struggle with this area, but mastering this skill will prove valuable throughout your child’s school life and beyond. At the primary level, your child will learn to plan and organise ideas to produce a range of texts, for example, a narrative or a letter. Class activities include writing and editing a variety of text types, developing characterisation using narrative techniques and learning how to use appropriate text features such as headlines and sub-headings. Using paragraphs and punctuation to organise texts will also be taught. 

Reading and Viewing

Through analysing a range of written texts, your child will learn to take notes and identify the main ideas and details of the texts. Your child will also be taught how to make simple generalisation, predictions and inferences and eventually respond to different texts, for example, retelling a story or sharing their opinions. 

Listening and Viewing

The Listening and Viewing component is an interactive and engaging part of class. Here, your child will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of media, such as poetry and film. Similar to the reading component, your child will be expected to identify details and main ideas as well as make predictions and inferences. 

Speaking and Representing

Does your child find it a challenge to speak up in class? As part of the English curriculum, your child will be expected to produce spontaneous and planned spoken texts. The purpose of this is to learn to speak with accurate pronunciation and intonation, building confidence to read aloud and present ideas clearly. In addition, your child will also collaborate, share ideas and points of view with his classmates, allowing him to demonstrate his understanding of spoken grammar.

Grammar

A basic building block of the English language, your child will be taught the language in use through verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc. This will lead your child to apply his knowledge of grammar to complete written and oral assignments based on specific themes. 

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is what makes the language interesting and helps your child develop creative compositions. As part of the English curriculum, your child will be guided to develop a greater range of vocabulary as well as skills for deducing the meaning of unknown words. Your child will also be expected to apply the words and phrases they have learnt to support their development of reading, writing, listening and speaking. 

British Council offers English Enrichment courses for preschool, primary and secondary school students. Our courses are in line with the Ministry of Education (MOE) English Curriculum, delivering the same learning outcomes through our unique teaching methodology. At the core of what we offer is our focus on group work, collaboration, sharing, critical thinking and problem solving.  

We aim to equip students with the skills to succeed not only in examinations, but also in life. It is because of this that we place strong emphasis on 21st century competencies, giving students a firm foundation for success in school as well as in the workforce.