Learning Continuum of Literacy (Version 8.4)

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Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating

This element is about expressive language and involves students composing different types of texts for a range of purposes as an integral part of learning in all curriculum areas.

These texts include spoken, written, visual and multimodal texts that explore, communicate and analyse information, ideas and issues in the learning areas. Students create formal and informal texts as part of classroom learning experiences including group and class discussions, talk that explores and investigates learning area topics, and formal and informal presentations and debates. In developing and acting with literacy, students:

  • compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • use language to interact with others
  • deliver presentations.

The element of Composing texts can apply to students at any point in their schooling. The beginning of the learning sequence for this element has been extended by four extra levels (Levels 1a to 1d) to describe in particular the development of communication skills. The descriptions for Composing texts at these levels apply across the elements of Text knowledge, Grammar knowledge, Word knowledge and Visual knowledge.

The following areas of knowledge apply to both processes.

Level 1d

Students:

Compose texts

use conventional behaviours and/or abstract symbols consistently in different contexts and with different people to communicate intentionally and consistently in different contexts and with different people to:

  • create texts with familiar structures such as speech, simple print texts, keyboard texts, illustrations, pictographs
  • comment on people, events and objects in the past, present and future and to ask questions
  • convey knowledge about learning area topics

Level 1e

Typically by the end of Foundation Year, students:

Compose spoken written visual and multimodal learning area texts

compose short learning area texts, with support, to record and report ideas and events

Use language to interact with others

use short pair, group and class conversations and discussions as learning tools to explore learning area topics and to prepare for creating texts

Deliver presentations

plan and deliver short presentations related to learning area topics

Level 2

Typically by the end of Year 2, students:

Compose spoken written visual and multimodal learning area texts

compose and edit a small range of learning area texts

Use language to interact with others

use pair, group and class discussions as learning tools to explore learning area topics, to represent ideas and relationships, and to prepare for creating texts

Deliver presentations

plan, rehearse and deliver short presentations on learning area topics, incorporating some visual and multimodal elements