Grade Six– English

Dear Parents,

We would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our students and parents, both returning and new, to this new academic year. We hope you all had an enjoyable and restful summer holiday and are ready to begin an exciting and engaging school year.

We hope this newsletter will put your mind at ease and inform you of what is expected in Grade 6.

Unit 1: Narrative; Children’s Fiction

We will begin the year with Unit1. This unit is designated to be completed by October 20th. During the unit, children will read examples of different fiction genres – Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Spy-Thrillers, Mystery, and Adventure Quest. Students will explore and analyse the language and organizational features of fiction genres, and then write their own story parodying one of the genres.

Vocabulary / Grammar / Skills

  • Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences
  • Powerful Verbs, Adjectives and Adverbs
  • Non-finite clauses
  • Time Connectives
  • Figurative Language: similes, personification, metaphors,
  • Direct Speech
  • Parody
  • Narrative structure, setting and function of characters.
  • Paragraphing

Students will write:

  • Setting Descriptions
  • Storyboard
  • Character Profiles

The Unit Outcomes: Students will write a story in a chosen genre using the skills and new vocabulary taught during the unit. They will also be given an unseen comprehension extract in which they will be asked questions related to the reading skills taught during the unit.

When we hear the term ’assessment’, we often think of exams, tests, marks, stress and pass or fail. We think that everything needs to be marked and the sole purpose is to assign grades. When there is greater attention given to marking and grading, it tends to lower the self- esteem of pupils, rather than to providing advice for improvement. There is a lot more to assessment than just giving children tests and worksheets and marking every mistake every time.

Success Criteria

Every lesson we teach has a Learning Objective and a set of Success Criteria that children have to achieve to show that they have made progress. Teachers will be sending you that set of success criteria which will inform you of what your child should be able to do during the unit of study. The criteria will be assessed using a Traffic Light colour coded sign in the following way.

At the end of each unit, students will be given 2 English assessments which will consist of an unseen comprehension passage and a writing task linked to the genre taught.

Unit Assemblies

You will be invited for a short assembly in your child’s classroom during the term. During this time, students will explain the learning that took place during the units.

Report Cards

Report / Section / Total Points / Includes / Points (or multiples of)
1 / Daily / 20 / Student Criteria / 3
Quizzes – Spelling + Grammar etc. / 2
Unit Summative Assessments before mid-terms (and /or Reading + Writing + Projects / 10
Tasks within the unit / 5
Mid-Term / 20 / Literature + Writing + Unseen Reading Comprehension + Project (and/or) / According to Assessments
2 / Daily / 20 / Student Criteria / 3
Quizzes – Spelling + Grammar etc. / 2
Unit Summative Assessments before finals (and /or Reading + Writing + Projects / 10
Tasks within the unit / 5
Final / 40 / Literature + Writing + Unseen Reading Comprehension + Project (and/or) / According to Assessments
Supplies
Please make sure that your child has the following items on a daily basis :

  • Sharpened pencils
  • Eraser
  • Blunt scissors
  • A set of colored pencils
  • Coloured thin markers
  • Yellow highlighter
  • Pencil sharpener with cover
  • UHU glue stick ( liquid not allowed )
  • Plastic ruler
  • Dad's old white sport socks used as an eraser with whiteboard
  • Washable whiteboard markers – any color
  • Mini whiteboard

Parent – School Communication will be via:
  1. Homework Diary: Homework, reading and additional assignments assigned during the week will be written in the Homework Diary. Parents are expected to sign the Diary indicating that they have seen the assignments.It is the student’s responsibility to copy down accurately the assignment in the Homework Diary. Taking responsibility for their work is a key part of the homework process.
  1. Notice of Concern: A note will be sent to you to inform you of any issues concerning your child. The form requests that parents sign the form and return to school the next day.
  1. UnitNewsletter: At the beginning of every unit a newsletter will be sent
informing you of what they will be learning in the following weeks and any other
important information.

We hope it will be a productive school year for your children and looking forward to meeting you all.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions or concerns.