Foundation English
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Skill navigator
Skills are grouped by curriculum strand. Exact Australian Curriculum wording remains available on every card.
Language
asking relevant questions, and expressing requests and opinions in ways that suit the contexts
ExampleYou cannot find your hat at school. What could you ask your teacher?
explore how language is used differently at home and school depending on the relationships between people
Language
recognising how feelings and preferences might be communicated in speech and gesture
ExampleWhich sentence tells a like?
explore different ways of using language to express preferences, likes and dislikes
Language
comparing images in informative and imaginative texts, and identifying similarities and differences
ExampleWhich text might tell a story?
understand that texts can take many forms such as signs, books and digital texts
Language
learning that Standard Australian English in written texts is read from left to right and usually from top to bottom of the page
ExampleWhich feature most clearly helps a reader identify the front cover?
understand conventions of print and screen, including how books and simple digital texts are usually organised
Language
learning that word order in sentences is important for meaning; for example, “The boy sat on the dog.” “The dog sat on the boy.”
ExampleWhich is a complete sentence?
recognise that sentences are key units for expressing ideas
Language
learning how words in a sentence relate to one another; for example, connecting a cat (noun) to ate (verb), or black (adjective) to a cat (noun)
ExampleChoose the words that complete the sentence: The ___ runs
recognise that sentences are made up of groups of words that work together in particular ways to make meaning
Language
recognising that texts can be interpreted differently when only the words or only the images are read or viewed
ExampleThe words say, ‘A tiny ant carried food.’ What does the word tiny tell us?
explore the contribution of images and words to meaning in stories and informative texts
Language
identifying learning area-specific words when learning new topics or engaging in imaginative play; for example, role-playing a shopkeeper and a customer
ExampleWhich word names the container a child might pack with food for school?
recognise and develop awareness of vocabulary used in familiar contexts related to everyday experiences, personal interests and topics taught at school
Language
identify punctuation as a feature of written text different from letters; recognise that capital letters are used for names, and that capital letters also signal the…
ExampleWhich mark ends a telling sentence?
identify punctuation as a feature of written text different from letters; recognise that capital letters are used for names, and that capital letters also signal the beginning of sentences while punctuation marks signal the end
Literature
share ideas about stories, poems and images in literature, reflecting on experiences that are similar or different to their own by engaging with texts by First Nations…
ExampleIn a story, Mia visits the beach. You have visited a beach too. What is the same?
share ideas about stories, poems and images in literature, reflecting on experiences that are similar or different to their own by engaging with texts by First Nations Australian, and wide-ranging Australian and world authors and illustrators
Literature
using drawing and beginning forms of writing to express personal responses to stories, poems or films
ExampleWhich response clearly shares a feeling about what happened?
respond to stories and share feelings and thoughts about their events and characters
Literature
recognising that stories often have similar beginnings; for example, “Once upon a time”, “A long, long time ago” in fairytales or introducing the character: “A girl…
ExampleWho is a character in this sentence? ‘Tom fed the hen.’
recognise different types of literary texts and identify features including events, characters, and beginnings and endings
Literature
using music and actions to enhance appreciation of rhymes, poems, chants and songs
ExampleWhich word rhymes with cat?
explore and replicate the rhythms and sound patterns of literary texts such as poems, rhymes and songs
Literature
drawing and role-playing characters or events
ExampleWhat should you include when retelling a familiar story?
retell and adapt familiar literary texts through play, performance, images or writing
Literacy
recognising symbols in everyday environments and discussing why they are used; for example, exit signs, school crossing signs, emblems or badges on school uniforms
ExampleWhat is the purpose of a story?
identify some familiar texts, such as stories and informative texts, and their purpose
Literacy
exchanging ideas with peers in pairs and small groups, engaging in class discussions, listening to others and contributing ideas
ExampleA classmate is explaining a drawing. Which action best shows listening?
interact in informal and structured situations by listening while others speak and using features of voice including volume levels
Literacy
talking about what is “real” and what is imagined in texts
ExampleWhich text is imaginative?
identify some differences between imaginative and informative texts
Literacy
navigating a text correctly, starting at the right place and reading in the right direction, returning to the next line as needed and matching one spoken word to one…
ExampleBlend the sounds /s/ /a/ /t/. Which word do they make?
read decodable and authentic texts using developing phonic knowledge, and monitor meaning using context and emerging grammatical knowledge
Literacy
use comprehension strategies such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising and questioning to understand and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read…
ExampleBefore reading a book called ‘The Lost Dog’, what could you predict?
use comprehension strategies such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising and questioning to understand and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read independently
Literacy
create and participate in shared editing of short written texts to record and report ideas and events using some learnt vocabulary, basic sentence boundary punctuation…
ExampleWhich sentence needs a full stop?
create and participate in shared editing of short written texts to record and report ideas and events using some learnt vocabulary, basic sentence boundary punctuation and spelling some consonant-vowel-consonant words correctly
Literacy
sharing a personal experience, interest or discovery with peers in a semi-formal situation
ExampleWhich opening clearly tells peers what the report is about?
create and deliver short spoken texts to report ideas and events to peers, using features of voice such as appropriate volume
Literacy
following clear demonstrations of how to construct each letter; for example, where to start and in which direction to write
ExampleWhich is the upper-case form of h?
form most lower-case and upper-case letters using learnt letter formations
Literacy
recognising and producing rhyming words when listening to rhyming stories or rhymes; for example, “funny” and “money”
ExampleWhich word rhymes with cake?
recognise and generate rhyming words, alliteration patterns, syllables and sounds (phonemes) in spoken words (phonological awareness)
Literacy
segment sentences into individual words; orally blend and segment single-syllable spoken words; isolate, blend and manipulate phonemes in single-syllable words…
ExampleHow many words are in ‘The dog ran’?
segment sentences into individual words; orally blend and segment single-syllable spoken words; isolate, blend and manipulate phonemes in single-syllable words (phonological awareness)
Literacy
recognising letters in own name
ExampleWhich is the lower-case form of B?
recognise and name all upper- and lower-case letters (graphs) and know the most common sound that each letter represents
Literacy
write consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words by representing sounds with the appropriate letters, and blend sounds associated with letters when reading CVC words
ExampleBlend c-a-t. Which word is it?
write consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words by representing sounds with the appropriate letters, and blend sounds associated with letters when reading CVC words
Literacy
making plausible spelling choices using letter-sound correspondences and morphemic knowledge
ExampleWhich letter shows the first sound in moon?
use knowledge of letters and sounds to spell words
Literacy
knowing how to read and write some high-frequency words recognised in shared texts and texts being read independently; for example, “and”, “my”, “is”, “the” and “go”
ExampleWhich word says the?
read and write some high-frequency words and other familiar words
Literacy
learning that words are made up of meaningful parts; for example, “dogs” has 2 meaningful parts: “dog” and “s” meaning more than one
ExampleWhat does the s tell us in dogs?
understand that words are units of meaning and can be made of more than one meaningful part