Appendix B

Reading for success

Successful reading at age nine means reading appropriate texts fluently, independently, and with comprehension.  In an instructional setting (with teacher guidance), readers may cope with more difficult texts.  For example, a scientific article may contain specialist vocabulary, and the teacher may introduce these in a discussion with students before the reading.

A nine-year-old reading for success:

• has the habit of reading for meaning well established
• has clear concepts about print and an understanding of the form and structure of written texts, for example, punctuation, use of paragraphing, tables of contents, indexes, and lists
• has a good reading vocabulary, that is, a thorough grasp of high frequency words (such as some, like) and is continually expanding their personal bank of words
• has the skills to decode (work out) words that may be familiar in spoken vocabulary but not in print using phonics (letter-sound relationships)
• uses a range of sources of information in the text to gain meaning, for example, the context or setting, illustrations, diagrams, and captions
• knows how to use their own background knowledge and experience to bring meaning to text
• can apply an understanding of how language works to develop the meaning of text, for example, is familiar with the order of words/grammar
• can predict, check, confirm, and self-correct while they are reading
• has the confidence to take a risk when reading, that is, will “have a go”
• is enthusiastic about reading a wide range of texts
• reads for both enjoyment and information
• sometimes reads from choice when there are other recreational options
• thinks critically about what is being read, that is, can get under the surface of the words, analyses and interprets what the author is saying
• can share and discuss their thoughts and reactions to a range of texts confidently, for example, how they felt about a character in a story
• recognises that authors and illustrators have different styles and will often have developed preferences and be able to say why
• can read aloud with expressions and fluency
• can retell something they have read and identify the main idea of a piece of writing and a sequence of events
• can gather information on a topic from a variety of sources, such as catalogues, libraries, and encyclopaedias, and uses dictionaries and other reference tools

Texts for nine-year-olds may include:

• whole pages without illustration
• some complex sentences and varied vocabulary, for example, compound words such as “wheelchair”
• some complexity in the story and illustrations
• technical or specialist content
• a combination of narrative text, diagrams, and explanatory notes
• themes involving other times and places.

Children’s understanding of what they read is affected by their background of experience – they relate more readily to the text they are reading if they are familiar with the setting, for example, a farm, a sporting event such as kirikiti, a marae, a tangi, or an inner-city highrise.

The Literacy Taskforce recommends that the description of the goal includes examples of the types of texts that nine-year-olds should be reading.

Writing for success

After four years at school, a writer is well versed in the way in which language “works”.  The child knows that what he/she thinks or says can be written down – but is also aware of the transformation in taking oral language to a written form.  They have a knowledge of grammar, of punctuation, and of the way in which other writers use language for different purposes and for impact.  They are aware that writers write for audiences.  To this end, they are able to select appropriate forms for their writing and include such elements as interesting leads (story beginnings), strong endings, appropriate verbs and adjectives, and appropriate vocabulary for the form and develop their writing with the reader in mind.

A nine-year-old writing for success:

• has a bank of high-frequency words and experiments with words outside this bank
• continually adds new words to their vocabulary bank
• consistently makes informed attempts at spelling
• understands written language features (comma, full stop, capital letters, paragraphs, and exclamation and question marks)
• is developing an awareness of the purposes of quotation marks
• recounts an event and writes instructions and explanations
• can write from a personal point of view about their experiences and observations
• writes on a variety of topics
• writes using a variety of forms, for example, stories, poems, letters, and recipes
• chooses a form of writing appropriate to the purpose and the intended reader
• can use language to express imaginative and creative ideas
• is beginning to set out ideas in a logical way (to argue a point of view or to persuade the reader)
• is beginning to use the power of language through similes and manipulation of sentence structure
• sees the sharing of writing as a way of getting feedback from the reader
• has the confidence to take a risk during the writing process (to “have a go”)
• is enthusiastic about writing in a range of forms
• is able to add, change, delete, and reorder the language to make sense, for grammar and for impact
• understands some parts of speech (word classes) and their functions, for example, noun, verb, adjective, pronoun, preposition, and adverb.

The Literacy Taskforce recommends that the description of the goal include examples of the types of texts that nine-year-olds should be constructing.